With a distributed, mobile workforce throughout the world, Alexion sought a global security solution that could keep up with the company’s international expansion.
With a distributed, mobile workforce throughout the world, Alexion sought a global security solution that could keep up with the company’s international expansion. Alexion envisioned a robust system with flexible, leading-edge technology and turned to S2 Security. For Alexion, implementing an effective security strategy was a priority, and in 2010 they hired seasoned security expert, Bob Weronik, as their Senior Director of Global Security.
Poised for global expansion
Deploying a unified security system globally is an undertaking made more complex by time zones, language barriers and local regulations. Viewing Alexion through a global lens, the team deployed S2 solutions comprised of a flexible architecture poised for the 2013 implementation of S2 Global. They started with S2 Enterprise for Global Headquarters, encompassing a range of staff and settings from executives and scientists to laboratories and manufacturing facilities. S2 NetVR was deployed for several domestic facilities in Connecticut, Washington DC
and Boston. S2’s converged platform, S2 NetBox VR, was deployed for international facilities in areas as diverse as Bogota, Istanbul, Munich and Toronto.
With prioritization based on Alexion’s rigorous security risk assessment, all new sites and facility related changes would deploy S2 solutions. The flexibility of S2’s appliance based systems provided cost-effective solutions for a number of unique scenarios, from downsizing leased sites for expansion into more suitable locations, to tailored multi-use complexes.
A winning combination
S2’s technology and responsive service, paired with a collaborative team, proved a winning combination for Alexion. NetBox VR, offered an ideal solution: a single appliance with video and access control that tightly integrates forensics. With NetBox VR, “we had one product taking care of everything,” said SMC’s Bill Paynter. “The time, effort and money on the S2 design and implementation was incomparable.” A number of problems all but disappeared with the introduction of the distributed, centrally managed video system. For example, Alexion experienced severe bandwidth issues associated with video streaming from distant offices. With the installation of the stand-alone systems, recordings were event focused, stored locally and centrally accessed when needed. And the tight integration of S2’s forensic desktop would allow Alexion’s security team to quickly locate video of the incidents.
Weronik marveled at the number of installations achieved, attributing it to ease of implementation, and to solid communication with both the system integrator and the manufacturer. Manufacturers are often discouraged from communicating directly with end-users. “Collaboration makes a huge difference,” Weronik said. “From an end-user perspective, we have a high degree of confidence knowing that problems are easily resolved because everyone is at the table. S2’s approach to handling global accounts is a breath of fresh air.”
Going S2 Global
When it comes to integrated security systems, the broader the global scope, the more susceptible network connectivity is to regional challenges. Sixteen systems are moving to the S2 Global platform in Q1 of 2013. For a multinational organization like Alexion, implementing S2 Global provides local autonomy with centralized management. For Weronik, that means redundancy by appliance in every location where connectivity is at risk. It also means country managers can control their local environment, while relying on centralized support for security tasks, like badge printing. Alexion could now have “a distributed, centralized network, allowing flexibility, scalability and ease of use with fully integrated access and video,” said Weronik.