Control Room Brochure

Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

V2.1

Userful Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

Copyright © 2020 Userful Corporation

Table of Contents

1. About Userful

2. Hardware vs Software Solutions

3. Network Architecture

4. Source Flexibility

5. Management and Control

6. A Platform not a Point Solution

7. Product Comparison

Operation Centers and control rooms have been changing over the recent years. The number of operation centers has been

growing in just about every organization, the types of content being monitored has been changing and the expectations on

how operations centers function has also been evolving. Technology has been changing just as rapidly, to meet the shifting and

expanding needs of operation centers and control rooms.

Understanding the changing technology landscape is important for any organization planning to purchase a video wall or other

visual display solutions for their operation center.

This guide is designed to help both application leaders and stakeholders better understand the components that make up a

video wall solution, key points on which hardware and software differ, options for deploying AV-over-IP, options for centralized

control and management.

Userful Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

Copyright © 2020 Userful Corporation

About Userful

Introduction

Userful is a software-based platform that enables the central management and configuration of multiple display applications.

It enables operators and administrators to quickly and easily display any content anywhere on any screen at any time and in

real time. This is one of the reasons why it is a leading solution for operation centers and control rooms globally.

IT teams in just about every industry have deployed Userful’s platform to improve efficiency, flexibility and performance in

their operation centers or control rooms.

Userful’s software enables control rooms to deploy and centrally manage all of their display applications—including LCD, LED,

and projection-based display systems—by leveraging standards-based, IT-familiar stack: off the shelf PC or Server, a standard

network, software and optionally the cloud.

Hardware and Software Solutions

When choosing mission-critical technology, it is important to understand the difference between hardware-centric and

software-centric solutions as well as understanding the risks associated with proprietary or non-standard hardware.

Below are some of the most common approaches to driving an operations center video wall.

Video-card based video wall controller

Video wall controllers are hardware-centric solutions with a fixed number of inputs (HDMI capture) and outputs (video cards).

Controllers typically come with inbuilt software to configure presets, control outputs and manage the overall configuration.

This approach to deploying an Operations Center video wall limits scalability. Adding new inputs and outputs is difficult or

impossible. It also limits redundancy options for mission critical 24/7 operation

Talk to a Userful Specialist

Get help on an upcoming installation, request a free consultation from a Userful specialist”

Userful Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

Copyright © 2020 Userful Corporation

Matrix switchers

Matrix switchers are generally defined by their number of inputs and outputs (both usually HDMI) and have few management

options for configuration. Because inputs and outputs are fixed, this limits the flexibility when adding new displays. For small,

fixed deployments with limited feature requirements they are a reliable hardware tool. They are not recommended for more

advanced control rooms which require control and management tools.

Hardware-based AV-over-IP

Various AV vendors have launched AV-over-P solutions which use proprietary encoders and decoders (ie senders and receivers)

to send digital video signals across the network. While this is simply a video transmission technology, some companies have

added management tools to deliver the features required in control rooms and operation centers.

This approach to deploying an operation center video wall creates risks as the decoders and encoders are rarely interoperable

even within the same manufacturer. Across manufacturers there has been no broadly agreed upon standards. This results in

expensive vendor lock in. The heavy hardware investment and vendor lock in limits scalability and flexibility for the future.

Software-based AV-over-IP and Streaming

There are new options such as Userful’s Visual Networking Platform that offer IT teams to deploy an advanced video wall for

Operations Centers and Control Rooms using no proprietary or specialized hardware and instead leveraging existing IP and IT

standards: Software, commercially-available, off-the-shelf PC or Server and a standard Ethernet network.

The ability to deploy advanced AV applications using familiar IT tools is a breakthrough that is changing the AV industry as IT

and AV converge and more video applications are deployed on corporate networks.

TCO Analysis

Total Cost of Ownership accounts for all of a product’s costs--both obvious and hidden: the upfront purchase price, all

deployment costs as well as ongoing support. Examining TCO helps customers understand the total economic cost of a product

across its entire life span.

TCO considerations for a video wall or any other display solution includes acquisition costs: software, hardware, network

or electrical upgrades, training and deployment. But it also includes operating costs: electricity, software support, hardware

support and hardware life cycle replacement

Keep in mind proprietary technology often creates vendor lock-in at the buyer’s expense; with premium costs to scale or

customize the setup also increases total-cost-of-ownership (TCO).

In contrast, a software-centric model can maximize the buyer’s flexibility if it supports standards-based and commercial off-

the-shelf (COTS) hardware components.

In addition, less hardware means fewer electric plugs and that reduces upgrade costs. Fewer electric plugs also means less

electricity used.

Userful Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

Copyright © 2020 Userful Corporation

When planning a video wall, alongside existing requirements, it’s worth considering maintenance costs and future needs.

Software is much better suited to growing businesses that require high return on investments, as it is easier and cheaper to

integrate, customize, scale, debug, and update— especially when equipped with expert support.

Resource

Userful offers unprecedented TCO by enabling efficient, centralized, and easily integrated AV over IP software

management of digital content. Our pricing ensures you only pay for features you need; to get an estimate instantly

(online):

Get Userful’s Pricing

Network Architecture

By using a software solution on a server, connected to displays over the network, IT managers eliminate the constraints of AV

hardware.

Replacing AV hardware with standards-based hardware and a software and network centric solution, means less support

and maintenance costs, better scalability and flexibility. It creates an architecture familiar to every IT specialist. It reduces

dependence on hardware which can fail. It does not require certified/specialized AV engineers , and can be troubleshooted

remotely by the IT department or by Userful Support.

Capture sources range from: Hardware Capture, IP Video Streaming, and IP Desktop Capture.

Userful Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

Copyright © 2020 Userful Corporation

Sources

Userful supports “any and many” simultaneous sources including video,

HDMI or SD capture, desktop apps, multiple browser sessions, local

desktops over the network, RDP, RTSP etc.

Administrator

Access levels can be customized using Role Based Access Control

(RBAC).

On-premise Server

An on-premise server can support up to 100+ screens on a single video

wall or deployment using a single commercially available, off the shelf

PC/Server that is a make and model certified by Userful. Add an optional

second PC/Server for automated failover.

Network Switch

On-premise server connects to the displays over the Local Area

Network, which (if needed) can be an isolated network.

Use Smart Displays or an Adapter

Supported Smart Displays can connect directly to the Userful server

with no additional hardware required, just the Userful uClient App

which installs directly onto the displays. Alternatively any display can

be used by adding an adapter such as a zero client receiver (a stateless

device with no moving parts, no software or processor that outputs

pixels to the displays via HDMI).

Remote: Administrators can access any Userful server through

the cloud and easily manage multi-site deployments.

Local: For offline deployments, administrators can manage

deployments locally within the LAN.

Userful Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

Copyright © 2020 Userful Corporation

System Security and Reliability

Userful is a security leader in the video wall space. The use of a locked-down Operating System ensures an extraordinary

level of security compliance. Standard server and network allows customers to extend their best practices and firewalls for

BIOS and network systems to their displays. These software-centric solutions that are 100% browser managed eliminate

vulnerabilities found in third-party apps.

The solution can be operated on its own network or operated entirely off line. To read more about security for an on premise

Userful server, visit: https://userful.com/ebooks/userful-video-wall-security

Source Flexibility

Whether considering a hardware-centric or a software-based solution, it’s important to understand the solution’s flexibility,

ease-of-use and scalability with regards to source configuration and display.

There are a wide variety of source types an operations center might deploy:

Hardware Capture

This usually requires the physical installation of the capture cards into the Server/Controller. Hardware capture is preferred

when latency is required or when network streaming is considered a security risk.

IP Video Streaming

This streaming method allows video feeds such as security cameras and video files over a network, using various protocols for

delivering audio and video over IP networks.

IP Desktop Capture

This desktop capture method is found in software-centric solutions and allows users to connect to a remote system and share

the desktop of a remote system and also control it with a local mouse and keyboard, just like you would do sitting in front of

that computer.

Native Browser Display

A software based solution like Userful allows users to display as many individual browser screens as required directly from the

server. Other solutions may require those wishing to display a browser to use Hardware Capture or even IP Desktop Capture.

This is one example of the hidden costs of Hardware centric solutions.

Source Display Options

Every video wall solution under consideration for an Operations Center or Control Room should support zones, picture-in-

picture and multi-window. However it should also provide an intuitive interface for configuring and moving these sources,

allowing operators to quickly and easily drag, drop, resize and interact with sources in real time.

Userful Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

Copyright © 2020 Userful Corporation

Try Userful’s Command and Control Interface Live online Now

To try Userful’s easy to use drag and drop GUI for interacting with sources, click here:

https://demo.userful.com/ucc/control/

Video Resource

See how operators can easily manage content and layouts on video walls, interact with dynamic sources using

software KVM; also how managers and administrators can configure and supervise all operations, and ultimately

how to manage all your video walls and displays from Userful’s secured portal.

Watch Command and Control: In-Depth Product Demo

Control & Management

Below are some of the features included in Userful which has proved to be both an industry leader in features as well as the

solution with the lowest TCO.

Drag And Drop

Drag-and drop interactivity allows you to turn your video wall or LED wall into a large canvas and intuitively place

windows free form to create your custom workspace, in real time. Full control from a browser, no apps required.

Role Based Access Control

Designate and restrict specific features based on custom teams. Assign users to groups based on team membership

or individual roles.

Supervisory Dashboards

View near real-time video streams of live content from local or remote displays and video walls allowing a

supervisor to view the content on multiple video walls simultaneously.

Cloud Management

For control rooms that are offline, all management is done locally, however for operations centers or control

rooms that are online, Userful offers the option for customers to centrally manage all their Userful servers and

displays through the cloud.

API

Userful REST API enables users to programmatically interact with the video walls and displays to have a better

control over them.

Userful Visual Networking Platform in Operation Centers

Copyright © 2020 Userful Corporation

Product Comparison

To see a full product comparison, visit:

View Product Comparison

Virtual Operations Center

Userful supports real-time monitoring of your operations center from home or anywhere. Your entire team of

operators, analysts and managers can keep operations running smoothly and securely from any remote location.

Presets

Presets provide quick management of multi-source flexibility, easy switching between different source layouts,

with one-touch convenience for anyone in the team to call these presets.

A Platform not a Point Solution

IT teams investigating a video wall for their operations center or control room should consider the benefits of choosing a

platform solution. A platform has the benefit of allowing IT teams to later leverage the same set up to deploy still more visual

displays (eg corporate communication, digital signage, customer demo centers etc.) using the same tool set. This offers ongoing

TCO savings versus deploying multiple point solutions which will result in the IT team needing to select, deploy and manage

additional display applications in the future.

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