Page 12 - Security Today, January/February 2019

can receive events when motion is detected. This hub must also be able to communicate with the lights that the home owner wishes to automate. Even when that integration is achieved, proper calibration of the sensor’s sensitivity is still required, a process involving exten- sive trial and error.
Given how time-consuming the process involving the installation of even one sensor can be, it is easy to see how complicated and costly it is to install the vast number of sensors collecting data in a modern corporate campus or building. Organizations at this level have the opportunity to collect data on everything from temperature and pres- ence to lighting and door activity and are eager to do so.
This is why we need to work with open platforms that allow for true integration in order to facilitate data collaboration and achieve greater understanding, but this is easier said than done. Traditionally, we have kept information siloed. Sometimes this was done to prevent unauthorized access, and sometimes it happened simply because the systems collecting and storing data were not developed with interop- erability in mind. Regardless of the reason, the result is that, more often than not, we are using different protocols to collect, store, and analyze our data.
When it comes to integration, there is a lot of heavy-lifting re- quired to getting new sensors and devices to communicate and work together. It makes sense then that much of the lead on this is being taken by organizations in the security industry as we already have extensive experience connecting devices and unifying systems.
More Devices Shouldn’t Cause Headaches
The challenge of adding more sensors and devices to our networks
goes beyond the integration process. When we add more data collect- ing devices to our networks, we run the risk of overwhelming security personnel with too many device or system interfaces. After all, we don’t want personnel to be jumping from one platform to another in order to gather all the information they need to respond to an evolv- ing situation. In part, the simple fact of opening and closing applica- tions increases the risk that something gets missed. However, we also add a layer of complexity when each application has its own interface and way of working. In high stress situations, the last thing any of us wants is for security staff to be negotiating with their system instead of focusing on the best way to respond.
Working with a single, unified platform means that personnel no longer have to jump from one interface to another and manage differ- ent vendor solutions at every turn. Instead, they can handle tasks in fewer steps in a consistent environment. With consolidated monitor- ing, reporting, and a map-centric approach to security management, a unified security system, like Security Center from Genetec, helps operators become more efficient, make better decisions, and respond to incidents more rapidly.
Focus on What is Important
When it comes to security, we like to say that there is no such thing as too much information, but this is only as true as our ability to man- age it. Today’s security staff monitor thousands of network-connect- ed devices, including video cameras, access control readers, intercom stations, fire alarm panels, intrusion devices, perimeter detection sen- sors, and analytics. All this information is streaming back to them over the network, and they must quickly decipher what’s happening and respond.
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