Unlocking New Value

Jun 1, 2007 12:00 PM, Bob Beliles

Today, businesses run virtually all of their mission-critical applications over an Internet Protocol (IP). Increasingly, security managers should consider doing the same by converging their security operations with the IP network.

There are substantial operational, efficiency and cost-saving benefits of running security operations over a converged IP-based network. This article will look at the practical and procedural aspects of making this transition. Questions that may arise include:

• How will I justify the upgrade to management? In many cases, the analog system is working reasonably well, so convincing executives of the value of a new system can be an issue. An IP-based system can provide value to multiple user groups in an organization.

• Will the security system need a complete upgrade? Many organizations have made huge investments in analog-based systems. The value of these investments needs to be protected to the greatest degree possible. The good news is that they can.

• Could this change be disruptive to my organization's day-to-day activities? Executives may be concerned that personnel may have to undergo extensive training on new equipment; that employees might have to be re-badged to support changes in access control; and that cabling and security endpoint devices (cameras, badge readers and radios) might have to be replaced. With the right system, these concerns can be mitigated.

The secret to a successful move to IP-based systems may lie in how an organization approaches and executes the migration from its analog systems. Certainly, enhancing safety and security operations is a key objective in upgrading a security system. But an IP system can deliver new value by helping the organization achieve goals beyond enhancing safety and security.

A focus on value

To an organization, value changes everything. It should always be assumed that an upgraded safety and security system will yield a more productive and effective security operation. But what if the system can deliver more? What if it actually increases revenue and boosts the efficiency of the overall organization? That value creates a new opportunity. The security operation is not only more effective, but is also better aligned with the organization's goals.

Once an organization runs its safety and security operations on an IP network, the door is open to unparalleled opportunity.

Video

Video can be employed for far more than just capturing and recording events for compliance and deterrence. It also can be used:

• To monitor processes. For instance, it can help ensure that fast-food workers are making sandwiches correctly or that retail clerks are conducting check-out procedures correctly.

• To improve the customer's experience. Using video analytics, automated alerts can be sent to managers, notifying them that more cashiers are needed at check-out lines or that idle employees should be redeployed.

• To help the marketing staff understand consumer behavior. Do customers buy shoes before slacks or skirts? Which departments do shoppers visit first? Video can also measure the efficacy of a given display by measuring how much time customers peruse it.

• To alert management of opportunities to grow sales. With automated alerts, personnel can be sent to a given location when a crowd suddenly gathers at a store, restaurant or event.

Security communication

While frequently overlooked, communication is an essential aspect in most security operations, and it can also be used for better collaboration between multiple user groups. Acting as a gateway, an IP-enabled security communication system can:

• Provide the means to exchange information between various network-connected devices, including radios, desktop phones, pagers and cell phones.

• Be used in times of crisis. The ability to communicate in real-time with any and all organization stakeholders, even those who do not have walkie-talkies, can be quite powerful.

• For big events. The security communications system can be a tool for enhanced logistics support — thus providing more value.

Physical access

By tying physical access and network access systems together, IT security staff can assert new policies for what, when, where and how certain network resources can be accessed from locations in a facility. For example, an employee who does not badge in when entering a building can be denied network access. In addition, restricted or classified documents can be more easily protected by setting a policy that these documents can be accessed only from certain locations within a building. A remote network connection from an employee's home can be terminated if the employee accidentally leaves it active. This can be done automatically as soon as the network is notified that the employee is in the office. As a result, physical presence becomes a network access policy criterion.

With network access linked to physical access policies, physical security can be enhanced through a reduction in “tailgating” events as employees enter a building. Employees will quickly see the value in badging into a building or restricted area, since they won't be able to log on to the network without having done so. Moreover, they will have a new, courteous way, as opposed to a direct challenge, to ascertain whether a person following them through the door has the proper credentials. Such individuals can simply be reminded that they won't be able to access the network without presenting credentials.

From here to there

Naturally, the security system cannot deliver these benefits without a smoothly executed implementation strategy that minimizes operational costs. These suggestions may smooth the transition to an IP-based security system.

Go hybrid first (both analog and IP) by adding gateways

Help ensure a smooth migration through the use of different types of IP gateways. IP gateways can protect an existing security system investment while also enabling new capabilities.

In the case of video surveillance, these gateways typically take the form of video encoders and/or a network-connected digital video recorder (DVR). Once a user connects to the network, he or she can access the video from remote locations and, as a result, do away with the storage of tapes. Eliminating the need to retrain surveillance operators is possible by deploying a hardware-based IP gateway decoder that connects to the operator's analog keyboard and display. By deploying the decoder, existing analog video keyboards not only continue to access live no-latency video through the matrix switch, but can also, for the first time, access recorded video coming through the network from the digital recorder. Of course, this action saves workstation space, since there is no need for a recorded-video workstation. It also makes operators more productive, as they do not have to stop watching live video to review recorded video.

Similarly, IP gateways can be used with existing badge readers, locks and other devices that are part of an access control system. This provides easier system reliability afforded by real-time information on the connectivity of the access control system and easier troubleshooting of cabling issues.

For security communication, IP gateways allow walkie-talkies to communicate even if they use different radio frequencies. So, rather than having to replace walkie-talkies (radios) to get everyone on the same frequency, organizations can continue to use the radios they have today.

Incremental deployments

Once gateways are in place, they provide the flexibility to deploy full IP-enabled devices in an incremental approach. For instance, rather than buying a new analog camera for video surveillance, it may be time to use an IP camera. With the right product, you can even use IP cameras and matrix switch cameras on the same recording platform. Think of these as hybrid DVR/NVRs (network video recorders), where the Ethernet port is used not only to access recorded video, but also to capture video from encoders and IP cameras. For access control, IP-based badge readers can be added, which can sit alongside an IP gateway-enabled access control system.

Swap when retiring analog products

When retiring worn-out analog products, replace them with IP equivalents. This is done when replacing analog recording equipment (a VCR) with a DVR. Use the same approach for deploying IP cameras, access control edge-device badge readers and so on.

Unlocking value

Migrating safety and security operations onto an IP network can unlock the tremendous, hidden value of these operations. This migration can help transform security systems into strategic assets, making safety and security groups more responsive and collaborative while better aligning security operations with an organization's larger business goals.

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Bob Beliles is senior manager, Physical Security Market Management for Cisco.

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© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

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