A Vision Of What's Possible

Aug 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Jean-Marc Zola

Helping the world's businesses keep their buildings, employees and customers safe and secure is a fast-growing multibillion-dollar industry. Integrated systems are earning a lion's share of the revenue because of how they help reduce costs, simplify usage and improve the overall security of businesses' and property owners' physical and logical assets.

In addition to these advantages, intelligent security systems enable businesses to broaden their security objectives and expand them to help meet their overall core business goals. Achieving these metrics is possible because of three important benefits of integration:

• single user interface into all building systems;

• the ability to manage all facilities and remote sites from a single computer or a variety of devices anytime, anywhere; and

• the ability to add intelligence to security systems and link them to business management systems to address physical and logical issues.

Single security interface

The meaning of “state-of-the-art” is changing quickly in security management. From a collection of separate processes, procedures and equipment aimed at guarding facilities or databases against unauthorized entry or use, security is becoming more all-encompassing and software-centric. For example, PIN numbers and ID badges are being replaced by intelligent ID systems that use fingerprints, handprints, eye scans, facial recognition or radio frequency identification (RFID) technology to identify people and verify their level of access to facilities or information.

As they add intelligence to their security subsystems, forward-looking businesses are integrating those systems with their building management systems (BMS) and, ultimately, their IT systems. Optimum integration enables companies to exploit that intelligence for security-related purposes and to add value to their businesses' bottom lines as the technology becomes familiar and its capabilities increase.

In 2007, we are still at the beginning of this security integration evolution. Today, most buildings contain a hodgepodge of proprietary security networks and continuous monitoring systems that help security officials and systems authorize or deny access to facilities or information. These buildings also contain separate networks and systems that control and maintain elevator banks, elevator use, fire safety, HVAC and lighting. Often these networks are overseen by multiple control environments.

Installing new integrated security systems enables these networks to evolve into an environment that combines business value and security management. Whether installed when constructing new buildings or as an overlay to existing networks, the ultimate goal is to link a building's system and its networks to a single Internet Protocol (IP)-based network.

IP enables all the networks connected to the integrated security system to be controlled by a single control environment. An IP-based control environment provides security officials with additional flexibility, programmability and capability. They have the flexibility to access the system and manipulate it and the networks connected to it — using a single computer or from multiple IP-based devices or Web pages on- or off-site.

A single security system control environment also reduces complexity, which in and of itself, increases security overall. For example, the key security systems in use today are intrusion detection, access control and video surveillance. If each of these systems is purchased and administered separately, training and administration can be a burden to a company or building/property owner. Each system requires its own oversight, service, maintenance, administration and training.

By integrating separate systems under a flexible building management system, building owners realize a lower upfront investment and, in the process, gain a more powerful security solution. Installation of new capabilities and training to use those capabilities occur on a single system. Training in this environment is much less challenging. Security managers will feel less apprehension about adding new elements to the mix because they will be integrated to the single security system interface.

Security can be enhanced by exploiting the ability of a building's networks to work together and share data and information. Sensing trouble of some sort, security officials, or systems themselves, can trigger door locks, lighten up or darken an area, capture video, take control of cameras to get a better view of what is taking place, increase video resolution or frame rates, halt elevators or enact other building controls to heighten security and gather more information for immediate and future use.

For example, many businesses are installing video analytics software, which examines a video camera's field-of-view for suspicious patterns of movement such as falling, fence climbing, lurking and trip-lines. It also helps security managers focus on trouble spots by configuring video equipment to alert security managers and display video only if a specific event or alarm occurs. Staff can then pan, tilt and zoom cameras or search for video clips stored on digital video recorders. When an alarm is triggered by the building management system, it can command the appropriate DVRs to switch from “monitor” mode to “record” mode and to display video from a linked camera at the location, map the alarm location and send an e-mail to the administrator.

Integration also enables various groups within a company to access and use the security system and its satellite networks for their own purposes. While a single interface can provide several people with access to the system, the interface does not provide everyone with the same access or control of everything controlled by the system. In fact, facilities and information can be instantly blocked or opened up to any given individual or groups of individuals. The actions of people using or administering the integrated security system are logged by the system's central database, thus enhancing security.

Data and information sharing made possible by a single security interface enables security managers to change security modes or levels or step-up data collection activity by specific systems. This type of building intelligence truly builds business value within the organization. Information sharing also promotes occupant safety because it helps security managers identify problems and react to alarms more quickly and clearly. For example, muster reporting can be used to help security managers make faster decision on whether to evacuate a building. And improved cross-system communication enhances overall reporting and promotes a better understanding of overall operations among security personnel and company employees.

Multi-facility security management

The benefits that an integrated security system provides to a single building can also be migrated to multiple locations regardless of the number of facilities or their geographical location. Once connected via an IP connection, the computer/interface at the main site can also control, monitor and manage the security system or network at branch office locations.

Beyond lowering costs

Companies gain another important benefit from linking branch offices to the centralized integrated security system. Employees moving from one location to another are familiar with the security processes and procedures because they are the same at every site. For example, if a person from the United States is going to do business in an office that is overseas or across town, the state or county will not have to take the time to learn the security procedures or be issued a new badge or PIN number at the foreign location.

Also, because all facilities are connected to a centralized control center, security changes made in one office are made to all of a company's offices. Businesses can implement heightened security measures rapidly in areas where there is a threat, be it local, regional or all around the world at any time of day or night. For example, if a security officer in London perceives a threat to company offices in an area of the world where offices are closed for the evening, he or she can make the adjustment to those facilities from London.

In addition to managing multiple locations via a single computer, security managers can manage their integrated security systems from a variety of devices anytime, anywhere. Web pages, PDAs, cell phones or pagers can be enabled to give a security manager access to the system should remote management be necessary or desired. If an evacuation is necessary, security managers can evacuate a building and still have control over systems onsite.

ROI on core business

When businesses choose to link their integrated security system and subsystems to their building management systems and their business systems, they are able to realize a return-on-investment (ROI) on security and on their core business. This is because data collected from a company's security system can be combined with data in other business systems in ways that can have a direct impact on their company's profitability. Retailers could use this approach as an anti-theft measure. A company with multiple retail outlets across the United States could use it to ensure that items returned by customers are being rung up as returns and returned to stock, instead of being stolen by employees taking the returns. Using its security system's video cameras in conjunction with its business systems, the retailer could determine when articles are being returned and stolen to pinpoint the employees involved in the thefts.

Another vertical market that could use video cameras deployed for security purposes to improve business is mass transit. A transit authority could use its security cameras to manage the flow of people in its subway stations. Cameras used in conjunction with video analytics software and other intelligence capabilities could be used to count the number of people waiting at various times of the day. Transit officials could use this data to optimize the train schedule and reduce the number of people waiting at peak times, thus reducing the security risk in its stations. Reduced crowding also would likely have a positive impact on revenue and profitability.

---

Jean-Marc Zola is vice president of Fire and Security Strategy for TAC, a Carrollton, Texas-based supplier of integrated building management systems.

Want to use this article? Click here for options!
© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

This month in Access Control

• Targeting The Customer
• Electronic Pedigrees
• One Hero Among Many
• Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• More from September's issue