Metro Trains selects Extreme Networks to power CCTV services

Melbourne’s Metropolitan Rail Service has selected Extreme Networks’ ExtremeSwitching 10G Ethernet core and edge switching solutions to support its system-wide, real-time CCTV and video system.

Metro Trains is one of Australia’s largest metropolitan rail services, with 16 lines, 219 stations and 221 six-carriage trains. Metro Trains transports nearly half a million passengers a day, and it required a technology partner that could scale to aid its network growth.

A core component of the Metro Trains technology platform is its CCTV network. It is one of the state’s largest CCTV networks, with one camera on every station platform and in every train carriage, resulting in more than 9000 cameras total. Using ExtremeSwitching aggregation, edge and ISW Industrial Ethernet Switches suitable for ‘in-tunnel’ CCTV, the network provides round-the-clock aggregation and seamless hand-off for all CCTV traffic as well as additional in-station services. The network transmits over 100 TB of video traffic on a typical business day, equivalent to 20,000 high-definition films streaming simultaneously.

“Having real-time access to network-wide CCTV footage is essential to the operations of Metro Trains and critical to enabling the security and safety of passengers,” said Chris Georgellis, Managing Director, Extreme Networks, Australia and New Zealand (ANZ).

“The ExtremeSwitching platform provides the multicast performance required to support the huge volumes of video captured and managed on the Metro system, and the scalability to meet its demanding requirements as the network environment expands.”