Page 94 - Security Today, July 2017

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SURGE PROTECTION
tem or wired network, stopping these power surges from causing damage to important security and operational systems.
At the lowest price points, surge protec- tion devices absorb the excess energy on the line to save the protected systems. Higher quality devices can absorb multiple hits and remain operational. Some surge pro- tection devices have the capability to alert operations staff that they have performed their function and may need to be checked or replaced to maintain protection. This is the best approach, because staff may not be aware of recent power surges and thus that the protection may be compromised.
Surge protection devices have been suc- cessfully deployed to protect physical se- curity systems with access control or video surveillance systems, including a regional airport in the southeastern United States. To enhance facility security, airport manage- ment installed a new access control system with 144 access points to airport secured areas. Shortly after installation, the airport began experiencing access control panel and card reader failures.
Lightning activity was not the main cause of failures but rather static generated by dry winter air was forcing controlled doors to malfunction, causing damage to their inter- nal circuitry.
Eventually the access control system suffered a major surge event, causing card reader and mag lock failures. Door solenoids failed, and the entry/egress doors in secured areas would not open. Employees could not enter or leave secured areas until the prob- lem was identified and the access control system was manually overridden. Airport management had to pull security personnel from other areas of the airport to guard the secured areas until the access control system was repaired, reducing the overall physical security of the airport.
The failures were a result of there being no surge protection which was corrected with the installation of surge protection de- vices for each controlled door panel. Since that installation was completed, there have been no further reports of malfunction or damage to the access control systems.
In video surveillance applications, surge
protection is vital because the video images are an invaluable tool for exposing false inju- ry claims, theft and other accusations or in- cidents. However, power outages, surges and voltage transients on network data lines can leave video surveillance systems inoperable when they are needed most. It is recommend- ed that surge protection be installed at every external camera, including outdoor PoE or PoE+ IP cameras. This is recommended be- cause a surge can travel through the cabling from a remote device, damage or destroy a network switch, and possibly cause further issues with other switch-connected devices such as servers running VMS software.
Moreover, equipment and cabling are not the only costs from power surge incidents. From a business perspective, the potential loss of data and downtime could be far cost- lier than the cost of the damaged equipment. Facilities must be evacuated when the fire alarm systems stop functioning. When secu- rity systems are out of service, parking lots, doors, and secure areas need to be covered by temporary guards at an additional cost. There is also a loss of productivity if staff is delayed by congestion and manual processes at entrances, or if their work equipment and/ or work data is damaged or lost. Downtime can also cause a potential loss of customer confidence or business. If a customer uses so- cial media to complain about a website being down for a few hours, the resulting negative impact can be detrimental to a business for an extended time.
If you are responsible for an important electronic system, it makes sense to speak with a surge protection expert who can re- view your situation and make suitable rec- ommendations. There are many surge pro- tector models that are designed for specific applications, from fire alarms to IP networks to HVAC systems and more. Reputable com- panies that specialize in surge protection may also offer free site
surveys to help achieve the most effective protec- tion solution.
Michael Molinari is the general sales manager at DITEK Surge Protection.
0717 | SECURITY TODAY
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