Overview
The National Ice Arena in Nottingham, a major entertainment and sporting venue, depends heavily on a reliable and advanced CCTV system to ensure the safety of visitors, staff, and performers. As the venue operates daily and hosts frequent high-attendance events, any system upgrades must be carefully planned to avoid operational disruption. In 2024, the Arena approached Varciti with a critical requirement: upgrade their FLIR CCTV system from version 7 to version 8—without affecting day-to-day operations or requiring any venue downtime.
Project Objectives
The primary goals of this project were to:
- Upgrade the existing FLIR CCTV system to the latest version (v8) with zero downtime.
- Maintain full system functionality throughout the transition to ensure safety and compliance.
- Identify and replace legacy cameras incompatible with the upgraded system.
- Ensure seamless integration with third-party systems, including AI-powered analytics tools.
Our Solution
Given the complexity and criticality of the task, Varciti deployed a structured, phased approach to ensure a smooth transition while preserving operational continuity:
1. System Cloning and Virtual Testing
We began by creating a virtual machine (VM) clone of the existing FLIR CCTV system on a loaned hardware platform. This temporary environment mirrored the live system and allowed us to rigorously test the upgrade path without affecting operations.
2. Camera Compatibility Testing
Each type of camera in use across the site was methodically tested in the virtual environment. This enabled us to pinpoint which devices would fail or malfunction under the new software version. Through this process, we identified approximately 30 legacy cameras that would require replacement.
3. Upgrade Planning and Phased Rollout
A detailed migration plan was created, focusing on maintaining uninterrupted service. Over a period of four days—carefully scheduled to align with low-activity hours—we replaced all 30 incompatible cameras with modern, high-definition models that were fully compatible with FLIR v8.
4. Final System Upgrade
Once all hardware was confirmed operational, the live system was upgraded to version 8. All new features were activated, and integration testing was conducted to verify functionality across the Arena’s security infrastructure, including AI-based monitoring systems.
