When the Gordon Hartman Family Foundation decided to develop two huge, adjoining projects in San Antonio in 2009, it sought IT assistance from Internet Contrasts, a San Antonio-based VAR.

The two projects, developed simultaneously, were the South Texas Area Regional (STAR) soccer complex and Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first ultra-accessible family fun park for people with disabilities.

The projects sprawl over 108 acres, with 40 devoted to soccer and 26 to the park, and were named after Gordon Hartman’s daughter, Morgan, who suffers from cognitive disabilities. All proceeds from STAR subsidize free admission to Morgan’s Wonderland for individuals with special needs.

Internet Contrasts was an obvious choice for IT expertise as it had recently finished a state-of-the-art green IT room for Hartman’s former construction business. The room was small, energy-efficient and buzzing with the sound of high-capacity blade servers.

“Mr. Hartman wanted us to duplicate our success with his company’s IT room and to be the lead IT contractor for the projects, which involved designing and implementing the entire IT infrastructure,” recalls Brandon Zumwalt, owner of Internet Contrasts.

Overcoming Challenges
While the projects covered a spectrum of technologies and tasks— including wiring the vast campus-like environment—completing the video surveillance was probably the most challenging task, Zumwalt says.

The key challenges were choosing the right cameras for an outdoor network, positioning the cameras to maximize the monitoring of all points of entry and exit, and designing and installing the right network topology to accommodate data, voice and video surveillance.

“Picking the right cameras was crucial,” Zumwalt says. “They had to withstand the 100-degree-plus heat of San Antonio summers. Plus, they had to withstand the additional heat they generate, which can add 30 or 40 degrees and turn equipment into melted cheese.”

To help it make the best camera selection, the VAR turned to Tech Data’s Video Surveillance SBU, specifically Senior Product Sales Champion Kevin McCaffrey.

“Kevin not only recommended we use ruggedized Pelco cameras and surveillance software but helped us find a local vendor, Schneider Electric (parent company of APC), to do the physical installation,” Zumwalt says.

Internet Contrasts sold 43 cameras.

Success Through Collaboration
As for locating the cameras to maximize monitoring, the VAR collaborated with the San Antonio Police Department, Schneider Electric and the projects’ managers, which included people who worked with Sea World in San Antonio for many years.

“We had to get the placement of the cameras absolutely right, especially in the park, because they would be vital for protecting the safety of disabled children and adults who can encounter difficulties that able people don’t,” says Zumwalt. “After a month or so, we finalized the placement.”

The final challenge of designing and installing the right network topology also was tackled collaboratively, he says.

The chosen topology was Ethernet ring protecting switching over fiber optics, with Power over Ethernet (PoE) connecting to the cameras instead of 110-volt power.

Zumwalt says the ring topology is easier to install than a huband- spoke model, causes no disruptions to the network when connecting or removing devices, and it simplifies the detection of faults. By using PoE, Internet Contracts not only reduced power costs but made it easy to move any phone, cash register or camera once a device is within 300 meters of a network switch, he notes.

“The video surveillance solution has proven to be extremely costeffective and efficient,” says Zumwalt.