System 'on patrol'

Although installers are facing many new technical challenges as the IT and security worlds converge, their customers, the security directors, face even more complex operational challenges.

Installers or integrators dedicated to helping their customers overcome these challenges should understand that connecting network-based surveillance to an organisation's IT infrastructure is only the beginning of a much larger, ongoing process.

In the emerging IP security world, a network becomes the central hub for many different security technologies – digital video, access control, building management, fire alarms, point of sale, and more.

Now that this valuable information is available on one network, the security director faces a new challenge, but also an opportunity: How to effectively manage this powerful network to deliver maximum benefit to the security operation?

Doing more with less
Many security directors are now considering moving dedicated, analogue security systems into the digital, networked world. By the time this move is complete, the organisation will have a number of different systems on a newly configured network.

It's likely it will have a networked video recording system, with video encoders and possibly decoders. It may also have access control, intercom, alarms, and visitor management systems – all of this located on a digital network.

But once the bulk of the security functions have been integrated onto the expanded network, how will the security director be able to verify that everything is working properly?

In the past, this was fairly simple. The security director knew his security systems were up and running because staff members were actively, constantly working with them.

Human monitoring not cost effective
VCRs required changing tapes, security personnel were out patrolling the halls, checking doors and visually verifying security system operations. Many security devices were manned 24/7. But in the age of cost reduction and ROI, round the clock human monitoring and intervention is no longer a cost-effective option.

So, how does the security director ensure smooth, effective security management in this new era? Leading IP solution providers now offer security asset management systems that are like having a staff of highly skilled security professionals 'patrolling' within the network infrastructure.

This continuously monitors every component—cameras, monitors, digital video matrixes, access-control devices, video and access servers, and all client workstations within critical systems. Users can set the security policies and priorities and the network management solution uses them to initialise sophisticated management tools. So how would such a system work in practice?

Imagine that you have a remote site with a number of critical cameras which, when alarms occur, are needed to provide visual verification of the alarm. However on this particular evening camera 73 has disappeared … the system is telling you that the camera is offline. But what you don't know is if you have: an encoder problem; a local switch problem; or a main router problem between sites.

Today's security asset management systems will not only identify the faulty item but also pass this information to the person responsible for that particular equipment automatically by email or other communication device. And it is designed to do so before the security operator even notices that the picture has gone.

Multiple Benefits
Today's advanced network management solutions should provide the following functionality and benefits: Monitor and manage multi-vendor video, access control, intercom, visitor management and other critical security devices.

Provide instant visibility to the network and to the state of all networked equipment; detect, install and configure new security devices; let you know the moment something is wrong and identify the root cause of the problem.

Be flexible enough to create parameters for managing bandwidth, network redundancy, alarms, notifications and network resources.

Make security operations and management easier by offering user-friendly graphical interfaces.

Multiple interfaces to fit
An advanced network management solution should not only provide clear and compelling user benefits, it must offer various interfaces allowing different levels of the security organisation to manage the infrastructure:

The Security Desk Operator
Due to today's lean staffing, security personnel are busier than ever and often suffer from information overload. An appropriate, effective network management solution knows exactly what the operations people need to know and when they need to know it. When events occur, the system should display the root-cause information, allowing personnel to stay focused and not be distracted by extraneous information.

The security administrator
The security administrator needs a 'top-down' view of the network, clearly displaying status and configuration. The administrator should always know the health of all equipment and systems, even when they are in fail-over, stand-by mode. This gives the power to establish user access rights to monitor and control who goes where and when.

The network administrator The best software solutions work as a powerful, comprehensive Network Management System (NMS).

For those organisations that already have an NMS in place, new solutions should be able to link to and improve the existing NMS.

Opportunity for installer/integrator
Whether the intention is to improve productivity by automatically managing the network or working to enforce specific security policies, then systems like DVTel's NetSCAN Asset Manager are the next step in providing advanced management capabilities.

As more enterprises move to digital security systems that are network-based, demand for them will grow and the technology will become more sophisticated and robust.

For today's installer/integrator, such technology is an opportunity to provide high value-added products and services to the security director in search of an advanced tool kit.

It will help him to effectively get the most out of the powerful expanded networks which are now available.