web camera and networking

we want to place several webcam's in our remote stores that we can remotely control and monitor but we have a dilemma. The stores have dialup connections back to the home office for File and Print Services but the network guys want to keep our surveillance monitoring transmissions separated from their network because we also handle "outside" clients that are not part of the network. Additionally, the current scheme calls for a "one way" transmission initiated from the stores to further maintain network security...but, for our webcams to be useful, they must have a persistent connection. So, I'm hoping someone here might be able to give me some ideas.

I'm not sure about your budgetary allotment for this project but you should look into getting DSL lines at each store for the cameras. Then you would have faster refresh and it wouldn't interfere with the existing network.

I thought that may be one solution. So, if we have 100 remote locations, each with a DSL connection to the public internet....do we establish a VPN server at the central location to accept secured traffic and then route the video to DNS servers and our monitoring units? How would you design such a system? I have a bit of general Windows 2000 networking experience but absolutely nothing about CCTV and surveillance.

just use a router at each location for the firewall purpose.

The systems should come with its own remote software. If you were using a Kalatel DVR, you could view 64 cameras in one window at one time, from multiple sites, not sure what your web cams can do.

Look under General Digital Discussion Forum and heading "4 IP Cameras" since there are some links to NVR software that allows you to bring multiple IP cameras into one software recording and monitoring location.