Overall, as most folks are well aware there is a major revolution going on -- the move from analog to IP. I know this personally, because I have been promoting and fighting it for the past five years. Promotion from the perspective of the advantages of the whole idea of digital. Fighting it because of the unorganized lack of truth presented in the majority of the promotional hype surrounding it. The bottom line is that the more that I delve into this wondrous, newer technology, the more problems I tend to uncover. The deeper I look into the new, it's the broader the reflection of the old that I see. OK, that's a great philosophical opening to get your attention. So where do we go from here?

Over the past few weeks, I have bounced from one situation to another while in the middle of designing what should have been simple IP solutions. The first situation re-taught me a lesson that I learned 25 years ago. That lesson was this: "Not all controllers are compatible with all cameras. Equally, not all cameras are compatible to each other."

The second situation took me back 20 plus years ago as well. The lesson was that, "There is a process to the design of a CCTV system. It was developed within the analog era and will long survive the digital rush." Since I have always been a stickler for the process of learning through investigation, I have decided to take both lessons learned and turn them into a series about designing and managing IP solutions. The process will be built with a major emphasis on the theory of design and application. As we go, I will do my best to get technical without being boorish. Whom will these articles be written to? Designers, Sales people, Installers, IT Folks, Field Service Personnel, Security Directors and End Users. Why such a diverse crowd? Simple, I have yet to find a single group that could go the distance without the others. The sooner that everyone realizes and respects this fact, the sooner we will get past this phase of change between analog and digital.

In this particular column, I will concentrate on the situations that have led me to realize the need for the development of the series. This little recount of two separate situations should make a large majority of you feel less alone. For others, it may slow you down a bit and help you to become better IP developers ... I know that it has for me.