How a State of Colorado document facility kept 69 cameras off the State network

Integrated Document Solutions (IDS), a State of Colorado document services facility in Denver, needed to replace an aging surveillance system that mixed analog cameras, IP cameras, and a network video server past its service life. The State also wanted the camera system kept off its own network, with a single device handling remote access, to reduce network exposure and simplify management for the State’s Office of Information Technology. We replaced 52 cameras with Coram AI cameras, integrated 17 existing cameras onto the same platform, and rebuilt the supporting network so only one server connects to the State network, on a single IP address. The facility now runs 69 AI-capable cameras on one managed platform, isolated to a single network touchpoint.

The challenge

IDS was running a surveillance system that had reached the end of its service life. The cameras were a mix of older analog units and IP units, feeding a network video server that was due for replacement along with them. Replacing one part would have left the rest aging on borrowed time, so the State scoped a full upgrade: the analog cameras, the IP cameras, and the server behind them.

The harder requirement was the network. As a State facility, IDS falls under the State of Colorado’s Office of Information Technology, and the State did not want a camera system spread across its network. A surveillance system with dozens of cameras, recorders, and management workstations all sitting on the State network is a large attack surface and a standing IT-management burden. The State wanted the opposite: the camera system off the State network entirely, with a single device as the only point of contact for remote access.

That constraint shapes how the whole system has to be designed. It is not something you bolt on at the end. The network has to be built so the cameras, switches, and server talk to each other on their own isolated infrastructure, and only one defined device ever reaches across to the State side.

The solution

We replaced 52 of the existing IP cameras with 52 new Coram AI cameras, reusing the building’s existing CAT6 cabling rather than pulling new wire. Seventeen of the existing cameras were still serviceable, so we integrated those onto the same Coram AI platform instead of replacing them. The result is 69 cameras, new and existing, running on one commercial video surveillance system.

The network video server was replaced, and we built a dedicated network to carry all of the camera traffic: four managed PoE switches, one 48-port, one 24-port, and two 16-port. The facility’s existing inter-building fiber was used to segregate camera traffic between the switches, which kept the project from requiring new fiber runs between buildings. Every camera and switch lives on this isolated camera network.

Only the new server connects to the State network, on a single IP address. That single touchpoint is what gives authorized staff remote access to the video system without putting the cameras themselves on the State network. For a government facility, that design is the difference between a surveillance system that expands the State’s attack surface and one that does not.

We delivered the project from our Colorado Springs office, which serves the Denver metro, with local technicians and direct project management rather than out-of-state subcontractors.

The outcome

IDS now runs 69 AI-capable cameras on a single managed platform, with the new Coram AI cameras and the 17 integrated existing cameras all viewed and managed in one place. The mixed analog-and-IP system the State started with is gone, replaced by one consistent platform across the facility.

The surveillance system is isolated to a single device on the State network instead of spread across it. For the State’s Office of Information Technology, that means a smaller attack surface and a simpler system to account for, with one server to manage on the State side rather than a fleet of cameras and recorders. Authorized personnel can view video remotely through that single server.

Reusing the existing CAT6 cabling and inter-building fiber kept the project from turning into a recabling job. The State paid for new cameras, a new server, and a redesigned network, not for tearing open walls to run wire that was already there and still good.

Frequently asked questions

Can a commercial camera system be kept off our main network?

Yes. The cameras, switches, and recording server can run on their own isolated network, with a single defined device as the only connection to your main network. At the State of Colorado facility described here, only one server touches the State network, on a single IP address, while all 69 cameras stay on a separate camera network. This reduces the attack surface and simplifies what your IT team has to manage and account for.

Do we have to replace every existing camera to upgrade a surveillance system?

No. Cameras that are still serviceable can often be integrated onto a new platform alongside new cameras. On this project, we replaced 52 cameras and integrated 17 existing ones onto the same system, for 69 cameras total. A site assessment determines which cameras are worth keeping and which are due for replacement.

Can existing cabling be reused, or does an upgrade mean new wire everywhere?

It depends on the condition and type of the existing cabling. On this project, we reused the building’s existing CAT6 and inter-building fiber, which kept the upgrade from becoming a recabling job. Where existing cable is sound and supports the new equipment, reusing it lowers cost and disruption.

Who handles commercial and government surveillance projects in the Denver area?

We serve the Denver metro from our Colorado Springs office, with local technicians and project management. We have installed and integrated surveillance systems for government and commercial facilities across Colorado, including work that meets specific IT and network requirements like keeping the camera system isolated from a client’s primary network.