Using Technology To Gain Control

Apr 1, 2004 12:00 PM, By Kim Rahfaldt

It takes a lot of people to keep business running smoothly at the Port of Seattle. From fishing guides to florists, food service workers to pilots, and IT experts to event planners, the port manages a large number of daily visitors and a diverse staff.

The port continually upgrades its security system to provide complete control of business operations and security.

The Port of Seattle is home to the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Seattle Seaport, cruise terminal facilities, fishing and pleasure boat moorage and other commercial operations. The Sea-Tac Airport is the 15th busiest passenger airport with almost 27 million travelers, and the 18th busiest air cargo airport in the United States. More than 1,000 vessel calls were made to the Seattle Seaport in 2003. Airplanes and barges enter and leave the port daily — requiring tight, around-the-clock security to conduct international trading with several countries. Cruise ships arrive requiring service and maintenance. An estimated 400,000 passengers enjoyed cruises last year via the Port of Seattle.

The Port of Seattle employs a diverse staff. An airport staff consists of airline employees, airplane mechanics, restaurant employees, custodial staff, and security guards to name a few, and many workers who pass in and out of the airport — such as pilots and flight attendants, — are not airport employees. The seaport has hundreds of workers daily. Three cruise lines contract crews to deliver goods and services essential to operating ocean liners. Passengers board and depart ships to sightsee. Security must be tight and free-flowing to travelers, yet the seaport must control access and know who is entering and leaving at all times.

The Port of Seattle sought a robust security system to manage its multiple access points. Not only the people, but also the cargo and necessary equipment traveling through the port have to be managed by a security system for which failure is not an option.

After years of depending on vendors with limited solutions, the port took action and updated its security system after 2000. Data integrity remained intact at all times despite IT changes.

“The management and use of security data is not dictated by a vendor's solutions or products,” says Brad Jenson, aviation IT systems security supervisor. “Security information remains unchanged — even if the port changes vendors, hardware, software or security technologies.

The Port of Seattle's IT and security department developed one central database that ties all company systems together. This master database is operated by the port and not dependent on an outside source to function. All data goes into the port's master security database through port-provided and port-controlled tools and methods, using industry standard solutions for data exchange compatible with all company software.

“All external data exchanges flow out of the port-controlled database, not the vendor's products,” Jenson says. “If we change vendors (software solutions), we do not have to change all the security system interfaces.”

Together the IT staff and security staff manage security without requiring the consent or cooperation of any vendor to make changes. The port's business and operational rules related to security take precedence over a vendor's view, and the port partners only with companies that share the same approach.

Access control and ID badging

With 18,000 employees at the airport, it demanded a robust access control system. The port's main goal is to secure the airport so only authorized individuals have access.

The port uses an ID badging solution by Goddard Technology, an access control system by Johnson Controls and smart card printers from Fargo Electronics. “A badge system is related to the enrollment of an individual,” Jenson says. “The access control system is tied to a lock and key type of solution. It enables us to get the best solution in the business in ID enrollment and access control and not sacrifice one or the other because one product may not do both jobs effectively. A seamless integration of two products accomplishes that.”

Several businesses within the airport and seaport necessitated other security requirements. Sea-Tac Airport uses Pelco video surveillance cameras throughout its terminals to monitor activity from its control room where digital video recorders from Verint/Loronix are used. The seaport uses Vigilos' Web-based cameras to call up activity on a computer screen when required. Zenitel intercoms are also used to facilitate communication.

The Port of Seattle took a proactive security approach after Sept. 11, investing immediately in biometrics technology. It was inevitable that biometrics technology would become important as airports were under scrutiny to have tighter security. The port chose Sagem Morpho's fingerprint technology, with installation to be completed next year.

Master database supports the port

Sharing data with the company's various software systems became increasingly important as one by one, more software programs are connected to the central database. Besides access control and ID badging, the complicated database infrastructure supports human resource management, the accounting system, a key tracking system and video-based training systems. It requires the same employee data to operate. Tying it together simplified management.

Living in an information age, the Internet demonstrated power and the ability to share data from several sources. The master database collects all shared data, provides updates to interfaced software systems, enforces data integrity and facilitates integration of all systems' applications.

Sharing data across so many software platforms means exercising extra caution when collecting employee's personal information. The port collects only the information required by law and nothing else. The port is careful how it uses employee information and protects it.

FOR THE RECORD

About the companies

For information, circle the Reader Service number (listed below) or visit securitysolutions.com

Fargo Electronics	25
Goddard Technology Corp.	26
Johnson Controls	27
Pelco	28
Sagem Morpho Inc.	29
Verint/Loronix	30
Vigilos	31
Zenitel	32

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© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

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