Drawing Together
In expansion projects, such as a midsize, domestic airport scaling to large, international airport or a large-scale airport expanding current facilities, new security systems and technologies, such as HD video, IP-based video and VCA, are often introduced. “These new technologies cannot be installed independently of other existing security systems and require shared information,” Lien said. “Security operators must use different consoles and different systems to manage incidents. The costs associated with operating independent and nonintegrated systems, such as training, additional skills required for reporting and longer incident response time, are significant.”
Yet connecting disparate systems under one central command is no easy task. “We face a lot of problems with legacy systems,” Figueiredo said. “Sometimes, there is no documentation, no SDK, or the company responsible for the system simply went out of business. System integrators (SIs) like us basically have to make sure that the systems work together through the use of an open-platform approach.”
“Typically, each installer/integrator is focused on making sure its own system is installed and runs correctly,” Lien added. “Expectations of how to integrate and what an integrated system can realistically accomplish could often be miscommunicated. Entities that require communication between systems should find an experienced SI that can help them set clearly defined goals for their environments.”
For security purposes, central management software like physical security information management (PSIM) is a good way to maintain unified control over different systems in operation. “A true PSIM solution enables one complete and intelligent security system by aggregating information from various subsystems and automating processes as appropriate to effectively manage situations,” Chong said.
PSIM software is a good option whenever doing a significant expansion or a new project, added Joshua Koopferstock, Director of Marketing, Feeling Software. “Multiple systems, mapping and SOPs should be combined within a single software package, and this common operating picture in airports is becoming increasingly important as security systems become bigger and more complex as the facility expands in size.” To facilitate smooth integration of hardware and software, as well as the old and the new, adopting an open approach that grants partners with access to their SDKs and APIs is vital, Koopferstock said.
“Oftentimes, SIs and PSIM vendors combine their knowledge of and expertise in physical security technologies, process management, and security policy and compliance to provide organizations with a complete situational awareness and management solution,” Chong said.
In addition, SIs and airports should work together to consider their ConOps and how the systems should function after integration, Lien remarked. “Understanding process flows, automating tasks, correlating information and giving usable information to operators will help airports optimize their operations and realize cost savings.”
Many are now focused on quickly identifying situations and disseminating the information to the guards, police and other necessary agencies in real time, Chong said. “Airports are also starting to use a single security asset, such as a camera, for multiple uses. For example, security may use a camera to see if someone is walking around the runway, while air side operations may use the same camera to verify if the gate is available for an arriving flight.”
The growing complexity of daily airport operations demands equally diversified security systems. Smoothly integrated systems, such as access control and people tracking, will help with the fluidity of security management on aviation premises. Biometrics, the new kid on the block for airport access control and ID authentication, will be explored next.