Page 20 - Campus Security & Life Safety, May/June 2020

“Without power and transmission technologies, many new advanced systems being installed today would simply not be feasible.”
By Ronnie Pennington
The Power to Protect
Many of today’s schools employ sophisticated integrated security systems
Campus Safety
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Improving safety and security at schools and campuses is a critical topic of discussion amongst school administrators and the myri- ad security professionals serving the education marketplace.
Where simple measures like requiring visitors to check into the principal’s office to get a handwritten pass was once more of a general courtesy than a security measure, many of today’s schools employ highly sophisticated integrated security systems replete with video surveillance, access control with identity authentication capa-
bilities like facial recognition, visitor management, and more.
Unfortunate Incidents
Unfortunately, the latter is as much in response to the rash occur- rence of incidents that have occurred at schools across the country, as well as the development of advanced systems technology that affords new levels of safety and security with numerous other operational benefits for schools and campuses.
This new breed of sophisticated security systems being deployed at educational facilities across the country takes on many different shapes and sizes depending on the size of the facility or campus, its location, perceived security threats, and so on.
As different as each system may be, they have all been designed and built on a foundation of power and transmission solutions. Aside from technicians and engineers tasked with designing and installing
these systems, most people don’t consider power and transmission solutions to be the primary components in a system, as they typically would management software or new smart edge devices and cameras. But without power and transmission technologies, many of the new advanced systems being installed today would simply not be feasible.
Here’s an overview of four innovative power and transmission solu- tions that are helping make campuses safer, more secure and efficient.
Making access control more affordable with 4PPoE. One of the latest new developments is the development and deployment of a revolution- ary new means of powering access control utilizing the recently stan- dardized 4PPoE or 4-Pair PoE to remotely power 12VDC and 24VDC devices using an IEEE 802.3BT power source. Without diving into the technical details, these new 4PPoE solutions allow access control pan- els, locks, readers and ancillary devices to be powered over CAT6 cable without the need to use high voltage – or an electrician.
In addition to dramatically reducing installation costs for conven- tional areas where access control is typically deployed, this allows access control systems to be easily expanded in areas where electrical outlets or wiring are not readily available. Prime examples in schools and campuses include back stairwells, equipment storage areas, and parking lots and garages, to name a few. Now installers can use one structured cable carrying both power and bidirectional data to pro- tect these areas, their occupants and assets within.
20 campuslifesecurity.com | MAY/JUNE 2020