ASSA ABLOY secures the venue for the 2014 APEC summit

Editor / Provider: ASSA ABLOY | Updated: 7/10/2014 | Article type: Security 50

A comprehensive ANSI product package meets the high security and safety demands for the venue for the 2014 APEC summit in China.

Customer
In preparation for the 2014 APEC summit held in Beijing in April, the Chinese government has built an international conference and exhibition center, a boutique hotel and 12 VIP villas at Yanqi Lake, 50km northeast of downtown Beijing.

Challenge
As a very high-profile construction project, safety and security is of the utmost importance. The layouts of the villas are unique, adding to the complexity of designing an integrated hardware solution for the project. ASSA ABLOY specified ANSI products to ensure predictable performance, safety and security.

Solution
ASSA ABLOY supplied an ANSI product package that included 10,000 Yale hinges, 1,600 sets of Doormax locksets and 1,100 sets of Doormax door closers, 600 sets of Yale door concealed closers, 350 sets of exit devices and a 4-level master key system.

American Dynamics safeguards well-known broadcaster's home in London

Editor / Provider: Tyco | Updated: 7/8/2014 | Article type: Residential & Consumer

As one of the U.K.'s premier broadcasters, Gabby Logan's job takes her around the world.

The former gymnast turned sports presenter began her broadcast career in 1992 as a radio personality, and then quickly expanded into television with Sky Sports, ITV and BBC. Gabby has covered the London Olympics for BBC and England's football team in the 2010 FIFA World Cup and Euro 2012. Gabby also served a short stint in Brazil covering England's football team in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, making a quick return to the UK to present from the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

In addition to her life on the road as a broadcaster, Gabby also juggles her “other” roles as wife and mother, a regular columnist for The Times, the creator of a successful workout DVD called “Twin Results Workout”, and a dedicated patron to several charities, including the Disabilities Trust, Prince's Trust and Great Ormond Street.

As a busy professional, Gabby and her husband Kenny, an ex Scotland International Rugby star, realized that they needed to implement some type of system that allowed her to keep an eye on things at home while she took care of business on road. Whether gone for the day, or away on a trip thousands of miles from England, a home security system that incorporated video surveillance was the solution Gabby needed to stay connected to her family when Kenny was back at home in charge of the family and property.

Working with Vindex Systems in West Sussex, a specialist integrator of CCTV, access control and automatic number plate recognition solutions that works with both public and private sector clients, the Logans selected a system from Tyco Security Products' American Dynamics range that incorporated the VideoEdge Network Video Recorder (NVR) and Illustra 600 outdoor mini-dome cameras.

Using a monitor at home, Gabby and Kenny can actively watch the video from the cameras on the grounds, or view recorded video with the VideoEdge NVR. The system even allows the Logans to save snapshots of specific video images.

But the real selling point of the system was the ability, through an iPhone application, to watch live and recorded video from her home surveillance system from anywhere she may be. Now Gabby has the ability while on the road to check on her home, her family and any situations that may occur through the VideoEdge Go app.

VideoEdge Go is a full-featured video surveillance viewer that delivers added value to the system and enhances the day-to-day experience by facilitating remote monitoring and forensic investigating from anywhere.

The free, downloadable app works with Logan's iPhone or other Apple iOS device. And because the video is streamed via a wifi, 3G or 4G connection in H.264 rather than MJPEG, it takes up less space on whatever device she is using.

While England was competing in the World Cup in June, Gabby was onsite with the team, but also in touch with home through her surveillance system and the VideoEdge Go app.

HID Global and Assa Abloy secure 2014 FIFA World Cup

Editor / Provider: HID Global | Updated: 7/8/2014 | Article type: Security 50

HID Global has announced that its access control products, along with door-opening solutions from parent ASSA ABLOY, are being used in various solutions across six of the 12 stadiums in Brazil now hosting the 2014 FIFA World CupTM football matches through July 13, 2014.

“We are very excited to be playing such an important role in protecting the safety and security of the fans, players and staff during this year's FIFA championship matches,” said Gustavo Gassmann, Sales Director, Brazil with HID Global. “Securing large-scale outdoor sporting venues is one of the industry's most difficult security challenges, but HID Global and ASSA ABLOY have extensive experience in this area. Working with our local integration partners, we have delivered secure solutions that are designed to provide robust protection for the people, equipment and infrastructure at these World Cup venues.”

HID Global and ASSA ABLOY products are being used at new stadiums in Fortaleza, Natal, Recife, Curitiba, and Brasilia, as well as at the legendary Maracan? Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, which will host the World Cup final on July 13 and both the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2016 Olympics. The two companies' products have also been recently deployed at the Arena do Grêmio in Porto Alegre and the Allianz Parque (formerly the Arena Palestra Itália) in Sao Paulo.

MOBOTIX video phone system secures 84 luxury apartments in London

Editor / Provider: MOBOTIX | Updated: 7/7/2014 | Article type: Residential & Consumer

City harbour is a property development in the Cross-harbour area of the London Docklands close to South Quay and Canary Wharf. The multi-million pound site includes 7 blocks of luxury apartments situated just two minutes' walk from the Docklands Light Railway with easy access to Canary Wharf, the City and Lewisham.

The development was completed in 1997 and included, what was then, a high tech video entry phone system connecting each of the 12 apartments to the remotely opened front door in each block. The system allowed tenants to view and speak to a visitor before entry and provides both security and peace of mind.

However, over the intervening years, the analog video entry system has suffered several breakdowns while advances in technology has made the image quality less than acceptable to what is considered as high quality by modern standards.

Obsolete analog
Following another breakdown of the old analogue video system in July of 2012, Parc Properties, the management agency for the block began to investigate an alternative video entry phone system. A key requirement for the new system was to offer better quality digital video with more reliability. In addition, the new system needed to be accessible by the porter to provide an additional level of security for the development.

Parc Proprieties examined a number of video entry systems from several suppliers. “Future proofing was also a key requirement,” explains James Ingles, Property Manager for Parc Properties, “The entry system needs to be in place for ten to fifteen years and it was important that we found a system that could offer us reliability with the potential to offer additional value to the leaseholders.”

Integrated Solution
Unlike many of the competing bids for the project, NIMATA, a specialist in access technologies, proposed a solution based on MOBOTIX technology that also combined additional value through a partnership with a high speed broadband provider. The proposal offered MOBOTIX T24 video entry phone units at each door connected via an internal IP network to deliver bi-directional audio and colour high resolution video to a Grandstream IP based video phone within each apartment. From the video phone, tenants can see and communicate with any visitors and open the front door remotely.

In addition, by wiring each apartment with Ethernet connectivity, the project would also provide optional high speed internet connectivity to each tenant. “As this area does not have a high speed internet service, the proposed project by NIMATA, offered additional benefits to the leaseholders alongside improved security,” says Ingles.

As each leaseholder pays a contribution to a building sink fund through its service charges collected by Parc Properties, it was essential that the entry phone system offered good value. Through a consultation process and detailed examination of the competitive tenders, City Harbour Properties decided that the NIMATA proposal offered both the best value and overall suitability for the task.

Advanced Technology
The seven MOBOTIX T24 units used in the project include a high resolution digital camera, keypad and systems to interface with the door lock release mechanism. With 3.1 megapixels and internal memory, the hemispheric door camera records the entire entrance area from wall to wall and from floor to ceiling with no blind spots.

Each T24 also has a built-in SIP server to allow the camera to communicate with the video phone in each apartment. However, this basic SIP server only has a limited number of connections, so NIMATA developed its own SIP server appliance to interface with the T24 to manage up to a 1000 connections from a single video entry unit. This also has the advantage of allowing every apartment to contact any neighbor as well as the porter directly from the video phone without incurring any calling charges.

Decentralized Technology
MOBOTIX is the pioneer of a decentralized approach to CCTV which simplifies installation and operational considerations while improving overall security and reliability. In this decentralization architecture, all image processing, recording logic and decisions are made in the camera itself. This is in complete contrast to most other CCTV systems, where the camera typically has no real intelligence and relies on decision making and image processing taking place at 'the core‘ of the network via centralized software or DVR. As the camera can store video within the device and only needs to send video to a central repository at the discretion of the operator, building owners no longer require an expensive and complex monitoring station or dedicated wiring across the site.

With the project agreed, in August of 2012, NIMATA worked with external contractors to install the required CAT-5E structured cabling throughout the blocks and into each apartment. Working with fiber optic broadband provider Hyperoptic, the project also connected all 84 apartments with optional 1Gbs high speed internet access.

Tenants can now communicate with and view visitors in high resolution colour before releasing the main door. Via the video phone, tenants can also pan, tilt, and zoom the camera to get a better view of the surrounding area. The porter for the development can also view entry phone images from his cabin and communicate with visitors as well as scanning the area for any issues. Although the system offers a great deal of flexibility in viewing options, each camera and viewpoint is only accessible to authorized personnel from registered Video Phones, PC terminals and optional mobile devices.

Future proofed
“We take the security of the building occupants very seriously and the NIMATA video entry phone system has met our expectations around image quality and reliability,” says Ingles, “The system has been well received by our residents and also the accessibility of high speed internet is a major benefit for the whole development.”

The video entry phone system also has a number of potential upgrades including allowing visitors to leave video messages for tenants who are not available, for example if a tenant is out and a package needs to be delivered. In the future, the system can be upgraded to notify tenants and allow two way communications with a visitor via mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets.

“The system has performed well since installation and we now have the option to upgrade many of its elements as our requirements evolve – overall, it has been a very successful project,” Ingles adds. Based on the success at City Harbour, Parc Properties are now considering working with NIMATA to upgrade several other properties it has under management across London and the South East of England.

Access control management empowers verticals

Editor / Provider: William Pao, a&s International | Updated: 7/3/2014 | Article type: Hot Topics

Regardless of the vertical, end users can benefit from access control management software, which not only helps keep companies/organizations safe but also contributes to more efficient operations and workflow. Determining what end users' primary focuses of management are and what they look for in their access control solutions is the first step towards successful deployment.

 

 

Education
Education, whether at a primary, secondary, or higher level, is often cited as one of the vertical markets that needs cutting-edge access control solutions the most, especially after campus violence has become more rampant in the U.S. A NAPCO Security Technologies white paper on school security points out that since 1980, there have been 137 fatal school shootings that killed 297 victims in America. However, safety aside, schools are also looking for ways to extract the potential of their students' ID credentials by integrating them with more functions. This is especially the case in colleges, where students are faced with the need to enter or exit school buildings or dorms as well as borrow books, make cashless payments, and reserve equipment. “They want to integrate all the above mentioned features together into their campus card,” said Tom Su, Sales Manager at Hundure Technology.

To achieve those objectives, schools are looking to integrate a variety of subsystems into their access control management software. “For higher education institutes, integrated subsystems include meal plans, vending, video, distress systems, and mass notification. For K-12, cost-effective lock-down capabilities and visitor management are also required,” said Richard White, VP and GM of Electronics at Allegion.

Integrating these systems into a seamless whole can result in many benefits, said Harm Radstaak, MD of Identity & Access Management for EMEA, HID Global. “They significantly improve safety and security for students, staff, faculty, and visitors. They also deliver cost savings and an easy migration path to future capabilities when needed,” said Radstaak, whose company was responsible for helping the Academy of Art University in San Francisco transition from a lock-and-key environment to an integrated access control system, which enables students to use their ID cards to not only open doors but also make secure purchases and gain access to Urban Knights athletic events.

“The university has realized a number of important benefits from its new access control system, including documented reductions in theft even as enrollment has increased, and an improved campus experience,” Radstaak said.

Healthcare

Another vertical that highly demands cutting-edge access control management software is healthcare, which is also faced with the need to secure a diverse group of people including patients, doctors/nurses, administrators, and volunteers, against a variety of emergency situations such as fires, earthquakes, or fights that break out from time to time at hospitals. Other focuses of management include granting emergency personnel expedited access to patients' wards or intensive care units, and protecting patients' data from theft or leakage to other parties.

Subsystems integrated into access control management software vary based on end users' specific needs and requirements. For example, access control integrated with visitor management makes sure that those without access rights stay away from critical areas such as radiology, pharmacy, and pediatric wards. Elevator controls, meanwhile, are valuable in allowing medical staff to reach certain floors in the quickest manner.

“Saving lives has absolute priority and requires unhindered access, and the access control management system must therefore be prepared for this eventuality,” said Nancy Wanders, Sales Manager of Global Clients at Nedap Security Management, adding with her company's solution, “the ER team has its own special cards. Held in front of any card reader they initiate elevator priority control. The elevator that is especially reserved for the emergency team is ordered to the appropriate floor. Only when this card is used, the elevator will go to the selected floor with priority.”

“The ER team often has its own special cards. Held in front of any card reader they initiate elevator priority control. The elevator that is especially reserved for the emergency team is ordered to the appropriate floor. Only when this card is used, the elevator will go to the selected floor with priority,” she said.

At the same time, the access control management system must converge with logical access control to make sure there is no theft or leakage of patients' data, which has become mostly digitized in an increasingly digital world. “With the right infrastructure in place, healthcare institutions can meet today's security and compliance needs while continually improving security and convenience, protecting patient privacy, and increasing the ongoing value of their investment,” Radstaak said.

 

Government

For government agencies, the focus of access control management is high-assurance and multi-factor authentication. “This would include technologies such as biometrics and encryption,” said Jason Ouellette, Product Line Director for Access Control at Tyco Security Products. “The need is to be highly secure and highly protected by nature of what is physically being protected.”

Among subsystems typically integrated with government access control management software are HR, visitor management, video, alarms, and encryption devices for communications that need to comply with FIPS standards. According to Ouellette, government users look for software that can handle high-assurance government credentials such as PIV, CAC, and TWIC, along with intrusion zone support. “The ability to handle high-assurance credentials allows highly important facilities, such as government buildings and embassies, to put into place an extra layer of security to keep the wrong people out while allowing the proper people access,” he said.

Users also want their management software to be able to change authentication levels based on the imminence of danger faced by government personnel. “Buildings such as government and municipalities require a high-assurance badge, but when the threat level is moved up, there is opportunity to increase the level of authentication as required to include a second factor such as a PIN or a biometric. Access control authentication changes as the need/threat changes,” Ouellette said.

All this contributes to a safer and more secure environment for government personnel, said Daniel McVeagh, Senior Product Manager for Access at Gallagher. “The benefit is ensuring government facility security cannot be easily compromised. We support a wide range of security and interoperability standards, ensuring government sites are well protected and can leverage their security system investment with integrations into others,” he said.

 

Corporate
In today's corporate world, companies are increasingly setting up offices and branches in multiple regions or even countries around the world. The need for multi-site management therefore arises. “They are looking for the ability to have local access control but with a global view. Typically they are set up so a central security station can see what is happening anywhere in the world,” said Tyco's Ouellette.

According to him, this type of installation gives users the flexibility to either own the security operation or outsource the monitoring through a managed access control offering. “Customers can determine what works best for them and determine what level of capital investment vs. operational cost is appropriate for them. Some customers may want to spend the money upfront, while others may find more flexibility with spending the money over a period of time,” he said.

A critical element for success in the corporate arena is the ability to tie access control management software with multiple subsystems including elevators, video management, RFID, key management and more, he added.

“With so many disparate offerings in the field today, the more options that can be supported, the better value the access control platform can provide to the end user,” Ouellette said. “A unified customer experience by offering a unified security platform from which to manage all of the security applications is quickly becoming a requirement for many customers looking for an easy way to manage their holistic security infrastructure. Toggling between multiple applications like video, access control, and visitor management is quickly becoming a thing of the past.”

 

Industry
Access control is vital in ensuring staff safety in an industrial setting, for example a factory or plant. “Securing critical areas is not just a security issue but also a life safety issue,” said Jeremy Krinitt, GM of Frontier Security.

For critical infrastructure such as power generation plants that may be the target of terrorist attacks, integrated access control and video systems are key. Other technologies that may be integrated with the access control management software include time and attendance, public address systems, perimeter protection systems, payroll systems, visitor management systems, wireless locking systems, and parking controls.

In an industrial setting, users often look for technologies and solutions that can withstand harsh environments, Krinitt said. Another user demand is access control management software with viable anti-passback technology to prevent misusage that is prevalent in this sector.

“They want a solution that does not allow any buddy clocking,” said Hundure's Su. “Our finger vein device has a high security feature that makes ID theft and buddy clocking impossible. After all, no one can copy finger vein patterns.” Users are also looking for software that can help enforce health and safety compliance, record employees' time of entry of exit, track their locations, and gather them in the event of emergency.

“If a machine explodes during maintenance work, our solution enables you to instantly activate the predefined settings and procedures you've defined for this type of situation,” Nedap's Wanders said. “You can easily control who's allowed access to the incident area. And you can get a quick overview of where your health and safety officers are and direct them to where they're needed. The solution also immediately blocks any zones that people shouldn't enter so everyone's led to the right assembly area, and you can quickly identify if anyone's missing and take appropriate action.”

 

Synectics adds Lenel OnGuard to Synergy integrations

Editor / Provider: Synectics | Updated: 6/30/2014 | Article type: Security 50

Synergy, Synectics' integrated security management system, is now fully compatible with Lenel Systems International's OnGuard access control solution.

Synergy has been provided Lenel's official factory certification after successfully completing Lenel's factory testing to interface with the OnGuard 2010, 2012, and 2013 systems. The certification means that Synectics' command and control systems now offer integration with more than 135 security products.

“Synergy enables control room operators to take simple and intuitive control of disparate video, alarm and data systems from one location. Crucially, its open architecture means that the scope, type and make of those systems are not fixed, which gives the end user the opportunity and flexibility to specify the right systems to meet their needs,” said David Aindow, Product and Technology Director at Synectics.

“Working with partners such as Lenel, who share this open-platform philosophy, is hugely important for us as it helps us provide our customers with greater choice and more control. We're delighted to have achieved OnGuard factory certification and to be part of Lenel's OpenAccess Alliance Program of approved partners.”

Synergy's integration with OnGuard supports a range of functionality, including forced, held or tampered door alerts; fault failure and input event triggers; hardware status reports; connectivity alerts; customized reader modes; and alarm restore alerts. For ease of deployment, setup is also fully automated.

“Our aim in working with interface partners is to provide choice to our customers, while also ensuring that OnGuard functionality is fully realized,” said Gidon Lissai, director of strategic alliances, Lenel. “Synergy's interface with OnGuard achieves this objective and we look forward to Synectics' continued involvement in the Lenel OpenAccess Alliance Program.”

HID provides advanced access control solutions to Noeway's postal service

Editor / Provider: HID Global | Updated: 6/27/2014 | Article type: Security 50

HID Global  announced that its physical access control solutions have been deployed by Norway Post to provide toddpostal service, Norway Post deployed Genuine HIDmultiCLASS SE readers and multi-technology cards at its Robsrud Terminal, from where more than 60 percent of all the mail in Norway is handled.

To address their employees' needs, Norway Post was seeking a fast, secure and convenient card solution that was interoperable with different types of card readers. The organization wanted to implement a multi-functional card for applications beyond access control. In addition, Norway Post was looking to deploy an access control system that would enable them to seamlessly migrate from existing legacy technologies to more advanced technologies.

“Now we have a multi-functional card that can be used for secure access control, discounts on railways, payments in canteens and even for access to vehicles,” said Arnfinn Nordheim, Security Director with Norway Post. “In addition, the solution has improved our security and lowered our costs, since it is much easier to replace a card than a key if you lose it.” “Our goal is to deliver an extraordinary customer experience our customers have come to expect,” said Volker Kunz, Director of Sales, Europe with HID Global. “Our access control migration solution enables Norway Post to benefit from multiple possibilities around secure identities today and also provides them a future proof solution ready for new requirements they may have in the future.”

From a business perspective, HID Global's standard iCLASS and HID Prox credential provides a single-card solution that also resulted in significant cost savings. Additionally, it can be easily integrated with Norway Post's existing access control system, allowing for seamless migration from magnetic stripe cards to contactless smart cards.

Norway Post extended its relationship with HID Global through the deployment as they were confident that HID Global was the only trusted and credible organization that could fulfill their stringent requirements. As a result of another successful implementation, HID Global is continuing to strengthen its relationship and future collaboration with Norway Post.

Tyco: Do you need more from your security investment?

Editor / Provider: Tyco Security Products | Updated: 6/26/2014 | Article type: Security 50

There's an old saying, “Half a loaf is better than none.” While that might be true for bread, it's not really true when it comes to security, is it? Rarely are we satisfied with just a little bit of information about a situation. Rather, as inquisitive human beings, we want to take in as much information as possible, especially when there's a critical decision tied to it.

When dealing with a security incident, we want to be presented with as much detail as is available so we can take the proper action. If an alarm sounds, but we have no information on why it sounded, what choices can we make? Do we dispatch someone, only to find out later that it is a false alarm? Or do we wait until we have confirming data, and risk that something untoward happens — a theft, an attack or some other event? If, on the other hand, there is an alarm and we have video that immediately pops up to show us the scene that goes with it, it's that much easier to react appropriately.

The industry has a name for this operational benefit: situation awareness. Situation awareness involves providing operators with a complete picture of what is happening in the incident location so they can better understand threats, evaluate risks, and make better decisions. The advent of integrated systems has helped us improve situation awareness and brought us that other half of the information we are missing. Whether it's a business looking at providing security for its employees and premises, or a consumer interested in a home security program, integration of alarms, access control, and video gives a more complete picture.

Integration not only allows us to react based on better information, but it speeds up the entire process. No longer are we waiting around for more data to come in; instead it is presented to us all at once. When an alarm sounds, we aren't going to a secondary source to find the appropriate video that matches the time and location of the alarm — it's all tied in together and presented in real time.

Having access to integrated information can be a cost saver as well. False alarms are a distraction and there can be costs with having an outside source, such as the police, respond to them. Or even if it's only the internal security staff that has to check out each alarm, the cost of that response quickly adds up in the time wasted and resources squandered.

Today, more and more applications are being integrated to the benefit of security system users. Beyond the traditional video, access control, and intrusion alarm systems, we're seeing the addition of video analytics, perimeter detection, tracking, and mass notification systems. Even systems that aren't typically thought of as security related, such as building controls, are being tied in because of the important information that can be provided. For example, just think how timely it would be to be able to know and confirm that there was a water main break and a building was flooding.

While it seems great to know that all these systems can be integrated, there may be some concern about the cost and complexity. Wouldn't hooking up all these systems and maintaining integrations be cost prohibitive? And won't people become overwhelmed by all this data coming from multiple systems? The good news is that technology, in the form of physical security information management systems (PSIM), has allowed for these different systems to be integrated onto a single platform. With PSIM solutions as few or as many systems can be brought together as needed. This means someone could start out by just tying together alarms and video, but then easily progress to the next levels of adding in video analytics or perimeter monitoring without having to undergo a lot of additional training.

With today's integrated systems it is becoming easier to gather information and make the most informed decisions yet. And get the complete answer.

Port Fourchon deploys Milestone IP solution to manage operations

Editor / Provider: Milestone system | Updated: 6/25/2014 | Article type: Security 50

Port Fourchon in Louisiana plays a strategic role in supplying the United States with nearly 18% of its oil supply, servicing over 90% of the Gulf of Mexico's deep-water exploration and production. Securing this essential coast area requires a hands-on team of security professionals to watch for unauthorized activities and safety matters. When evaluating options for a surveillance system to feed its new maritime domain awareness platform, the port chose Milestone XProtect Enterprise video management software (VMS).

As the first land point of contact for the Gulf's activities including more than 600 rigs and platforms within a 40-mile radius, Port Fourchon has unique safety standards to handle potentially devastating issues that may damage vessels, equipment, products and people. Obsolete surveillance equipment previously used to monitor the area was not sufficient; a new video system was required to provide clearer imaging, improved storage capabilities, wider coverage and flexible video management.

Milestone XProtect Enterprise software was therefore deployed by Convergint Technologies to manage cameras from Bosch and Pelco. With Milestone's ability to display video in real time and its open platform architecture for integration with analytics from BRS Labs, the port benefits from comprehensive and responsive surveillance. Alerts from the video analytics are fed through XProtect.

“The video surveillance system has been taken to an entirely new level, integrating multiple systems for complete coverage. Milestone's open platform allows us to feed video analytics and disparate cameras through it, and the entire port is benefiting immensely,” states April Danos, Director of IT, Port Fourchon.

Several strategic elements work in unison to create complete behavioral analytics. The biggest advantage is the ability to have the dispatchers pull up all camera views needed to address an alert or an incident. It is easy to add more cameras to the surveillance network (which the port did in conjunction with the installation of a new radar system), since the Milestone open platform supports the largest choice of manufacturer models.

Key points in the port's request for proposals included a system with minimal maintenance requirements, video display in real time, user-friendly operation and the ability to easily integrate a variety of components.

“We all agreed that our new video management system should be easy to integrate and allow us to dovetail with our legacy equipment while having an opportunity to shop around for upgraded hardware without any proprietary restrictions,” says Danos. “The ability to scale up over the years to increase the port's protection was very important.”

Developed in response to requirements by the Department of Defense, the platform aligned with Port Fourchon's vision for a centralized system into which all elements would be integrated, providing directors and police with full coverage of the analytics, radar, access control and security systems. This provides wide area situational awareness and response capabilities to Port Fourchon's Harbor Police dispatchers, Lafourche Parish Sheriff's Office, the parish Emergency Operations Center,LOOP, and the Port Administrative, Operations and IT departments.

“Many companies claim to provide an integrated system, but what they deliver is more likely a large number of windows scattered on a screen, without any data integration,” noted Danos. “Milestone's integration of video management and very detailed analytics gives our operators one single data feed through which the port's entire surveillance system can be readily accessed. We don't miss a beat, which is priority number one.”

All of the port's surveillance systems work in unison with the behavior analytics system. Milestone is the only interface that can process this large amount of information, according to Bruce Whitaker of BRS Labs: “Alerts come right through the port's Milestone XProtect setup. We can provide a brief clip of any target, time-and-date stamp it and inject it into the alarm. The users are looking at real-time video with the alerts built right in. No event goes unseen.”

“We are very pleased with the way Milestone's open platform enables us to explore multiple opportunities without worry of technology being rejected or reworking our entire system,” continues Danos. “Milestone has been very impressive as we adapt our system to improve operations every day.”

How big data and IoT revolutionize the security industry (Part 2)

Editor / Provider: Jill Lai, a&s International | Updated: 6/25/2014 | Article type: Hot Topics

"Big data" and the "Internet of Things"(IoT) now are not only discussed in the IT and communications idustries, but they are also ready to influence and even upturn the securiy industry. While we anticipate a connected society, the world is also vulnerable to malicious physical and cyber security attacks. Fortunately, security technologies have evolved and developed to prevent any disasters from happening.

When the world starts to look into "big data" and how IoT can benefit everyone, the trend forces the security industry to gradually switch their attention to data and content beyond product specifications to better fit the needs of a connected world.

Open Platforms Drive Total Integration
Integration has been an unstoppable trend in all industries, especially when it comes to IoT. Eventually, in a connected world, every system will be connected in a single network. The security industry will also continue to evolve. To build up a future-proof solution, integrating different systems through proprietary SDKs and APIs no longer seems like enough. Companies now concentrate on how to construct a more open platform in order to seamlessly manage and utilize different resources in different security equipment. According to Genetec's white paper, it suggests that a truly unified platform in video surveillance can optimize resources by sharing common servers and databases for authentication and permission, licensing, configuration settings, alarms and evens, audit and activity log, video recording, and access logs.

"Because of the open and standardized features, IP-based video surveillance has become more accessible and affordable. End users in small-scaled market sectors, such as SMBs, now are willing to consider IP-based products. We do see an increased demand for these types of products from the education sector in K-12 schools, retail and even residential sectors are picking up," said Kostas Mellos, product marketing, video, Interlogix and Lenel.

Looking at the access control market only, it has been actively developing with the introduction of different new technologies. The market's high growth still mainly comes from the migration from mechanical locks to electronic locks. However, what is really driving the growth of the market is the need for open platforms. Access control systems, in the past, were very closed, simply for restricting entrance to a building, room, and property. Until recently, users have started to realize the benefits whenever it links with other systems. “What really differentiates us from other companies is, in our hardware and firmware. We develop to an open platform and protocol, which is very critical for the credentials and access control systems for future expansion or integration of other future technologies. That is why we are chosen for replacement projects and also big projects, like One World Trade Center,” said April Daltron-Noblitt, Director of Vertical Marketing at Allegion. Both the access control and video surveillance markets are developing their solutions very fast in open platforms, which also is closely tying both sides together. Companies, like Axis, Avigilon, and Genetec have developed their own integrated systems. The partnership of video and access control companies has become basic to form an integrated system. “Genetec offers its end users a unified security platform, which seamlessly integrates video, access control, and license plate recognition. The open platform supports a vast ecosystem of cameras, access control edge devices and third party software tools, including analytics, biometrics and perimeter detection hardware.

Genetec's IP access control system is also increasing its compatibility with other access control hardware products. The most recent ones are our partnerships with ASSA ABLOY and Salto, who produce quality WiFi, PoE wireless locks,” said Andrew Elvish, VP of Marketing and Communication at Genetec.

On the other hand, PSIM is not only able to supervise multiple distinct systems and further manage information coming from these systems, but also presents all the information in a single user interface, which plays a vital role in big data and IoT. “Verint recently launched a new situation management platform that allows users to integrate a variety of systems providing real-time intelligence to respond to events,” said Courtney Mamuscia, Global Communications Director of Verint Video & Situation Intelligence Solutions at Verint Systems. “This new solution expands our current PSIM application that has experienced significant growth in the critical infrastructure sectors and city-wide surveillance.”

However, some experts also warn that some PSIM products might have problems in lacking a built-in video, access control, and event integrated solution, which should be the key for selecting a “real” PSIM.

Social and Business Identity Takes Shape
While IoT gradually takes shape in the access control industry, end users have become more comfortable with making online payment via cards, PCs, tablets, mobile phones, and other wearable devices. Paym, a UK-based company, announced in April that consumers can use their mobile to make bank payments in the country. This trend is also going toward granting physical access control remotely via mobile devices, making access control as a service (ACaaS) gain more adoption. Furthermore, Brivo Labs claimed itself an IoT company, which launched its and also the industry's first social access management solution this year. Its main objective is to use social identities to “develop innovative applications that connect virtual communities with physical spaces,” said on Brivo Labs' website. According to Lee Odess, VP of Marketing at Brivo Systems and GM of Brivo Labs, by using Brivo Labs' API platform, physical access authorization now can be granted by using your profile on social networks, like Facebook and LinkedIn, on mobile devices and wearable computing devices, such as Google Glass. It is truly a revolution in the physical access control field. Next, Brivo will develop their solution to adopt Bluetooth devices to provide end users more convenience to remotely access and manage doors.

Identity Management Spurs Growth of Biometrics
When we, as end users, start to enjoy the freedom of multiple ways of payment and easy access to a space, worries about the security mechanism in these solutions arise. What makes things worse is when we lose our credit cards, with tap-andpay- on-the-go feature, or mobile phones or devices, it also means we lose our credentials and even precious money. On the other hand, for enterprise users, especially multinational companies, how to well secure their physical and intellectual property, help workers make mobile offices work more efficiently, and get easy access in these spaces without spending extra time and paper work becomes their top priority in access control. A robust identity management solution becomes prerequisite for users ranging from public to enterprise users. For enterprise users, multi-factor identities for both physical and logical security could be the best choice; biometrics is an important factor binding all these together.

“HID acquired IdenTrust to expand our identity management and secure authentication solutions offering, and enable us to provide banking customers with a trust network for issuing, authenticating, and using digital identities based on open standards,” said Jeremy Hyatt, Director of Global Public Relations of HID Global. “Our Lumidigm acquisition extends our multi-factor authentication portfolio with biometrics for high-security environments, while positioning us to deliver a variety of new secure identity solutions.” Besides, biometrics also becomes a unique selling point for different fields because of its unique identification feature, according to Bill Spence, VP of Sales of North America, Europe and Australia at Lumidigm. In amusement parks, biometrics has attracted many return customers. Lumidigm's solution was adopted by amusement parks, where parents' fingerprints had to match their child's RFID wristband when collecting them from the park grounds. On top of that, the system can also ensure that only one person uses each ticket. To prevent ticket fraud, parks today can link each ticket to a specific customer with the touch of a finger.

The demand for identity management provides new startups with pretty big business opportunities too. Bionym developed the first wearable authentication device that utilizes a user's electrocardiogram (ECG) to validate a person's identity, according to their company website. Zwipe, a new, next-generation biometric card, a contactless smart card credential with on-card fingerprint reading, eliminates the problems of solely deploying PINs and standard cards. The contactless Zwipe biometric card lets users authenticate themselves directly on the card through something they are, a fingerprint, using their already installed card reader. Only then will the card system activate the lock. This is much more secure than simply using a standard card, which verifies only something they carry, the card. Also many companies, which develop NFC rings and bracelets, intend to provide more flexible and innovative solutions to secure our access to either the virtual or non-virtual world.

A Connected World Makes a Safer Environment?
Thanks to IoT, we can expect a connected world in the future. Although new technologies bring us more convenience in terms of mass information and life comfort, do these also help us construct a safer environment? Without making security the priority, I am afraid that all these new and innovative technologies would be in vain. If the aforementioned developments in the security industry can cause everyone to be more aware of security, I would say the future of this connected world will be bright

* Take look into How big data and IoT revolutionize the security industry (Part 1)