The previous video surveillance adopted in Alkuraimi Islamic Microfinance Bank was analogue, which no longer meets today’s monitoring requirements of the bank due to various limitations. As a result, the Islamic Bank sought a system upgrade that could not only provide crystal clear images, but that could also be flexible and scalable for future integration.

The Islamic Bank set the bar quite high for the image quality as the wanted to capture every detail - in other words, currencies, people’s faces, and staff operation should be easily recognised by the system. The bidding process for the project was furious. There were in total 14 brands for consideration, and Dahua was the only Chinese candidate. Each product had to be tested under a simulated environment for several months to check whether it could fully satisfy the tough standards required.

According to the company, the test results were a surprise to the bank officials as they found that among the tested products, the Dahua system was the most stable one, and the image was very clear with excellent colour reproduction; meanwhile, there was almost no delay in video capture.  This performance persuaded the bank take the decision to adopt a Dahua complete solution for the final project. The solution includes cameras, storage devices and control management software offered by Balfakih Electronics & Security Solution, Dahua’s local distributor in Yemen.

More than 97 branches scattered around the country are now secured with thousands of Dahua cameras and hundreds of NVRs. The main surveillance areas include entrances, lobbies, counters and vaults where there is high traffic flow or frequent transactions.

Cameras installed are in multiple shapes and resolutions as the environment varies. For example, 1.3 megapixel WDR network dome cameras (IPC-HDBW3101) and 2 megapixel dome cameras (IPC-HDBW3200) are suitable for entrance surveillance as the WDR facility not only allows them to render high quality images under strong lighting contrast, but also to provide clear pictures in darkness thanks to efficient low light performance. Meanwhile, its IK10 rated vandal-proof ability can fully withstand vicious attacks.

For counter surveillance, bullet and box cameras are installed with a specified monitoring angle to regulate the operation and clearly capture customers’ behaviours. Other products used include different models of speed domes, for example, the eco-savvy series and 3-inch mini PTZ domes, which have a wider surveillance area.

As for outdoor surveillance, there are five large bank branches in Yemen that have been installed with Dahua 2 megapixel full HD IP positioning systems (PTZ1182A-N), which have a powerful optical zoom of up to 20x and support 200 metres IR distance, acting like a second defense to protect the perimeter.

When it comes to storage, hundreds of 16-channel network video recorders (NVR5416-16P) and five network storage devices (ESS1504A) are provided to guarantee large volume storage under 24/7 surveillance. The whole system runs on Dahua Smart DSS (CMS software) to have a central control and management.

"This is Dahua’s first high-end case in Yemen, and the Bank board didn’t hold an open attitude to Chinese brand,” said Hafidh Balfakih, Deputy Manager of the Balfakih for security solutions. “They originally preferred to use  some other UK & Korean brands, but changed their mind after a series of rigid testing with the Dahua NVR. The great performance shows its stability and quality.”

“This project is one of the biggest bank projects in Yemen, and the Alkuraimi is the largest banking network in Yemen.” Said Steve Wang, Sales Manager of Middle East at Dahua Technology. “This project will be the example for the whole CCTV market in Yemen, and we believe the cooperation between Dahua and Balfakih will be mutually beneficial and will help to develop a long term and amicable partnership.”