Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for remotely monitoring a surveillance area, including deploying a ruggedized, secure enclosure that includes a controller coupled to a switch, a router, and a video-server appliance within the enclosure, the controller configured to provide remote operation and status information by way of a graphical user interface presentable via a remote server coupled to the router via a wireless link, wherein each of the controller, switch, router, and video-server appliance is configured to be powered by a battery; by way of a communications path to a remote computing device, sending video information received by one or more cameras coupled to the enclosure; and periodically sending data through a wireless portion of the communications path even if no video information is sent through the wireless portion.