Page 40 - Security Today, April 2022

Systems Integration
or Unification?
The user’s goal is not only access, it is action By Charles Pitman
In the physical security industry, the terms integration and unification are often used interchangeably. It is com- mon to hear people mention ‘unified security’ when talking about integrat- ing systems. The truth is— there is a differ- ence between these approaches.
ALL SYSTEMS INTEGRATIONS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL
While the security sector (like the rest of the software industry) has developed a va- riety of methods to bring separate physical security solutions together via integration, these by and large remain a set of disparate systems with limited communication and interoperability among them. Integrating separate security functions like access con- trol and video surveillance using software development kits (SDK) or an application programming interface (API) program- ming is often done superficially. When these subsystems are integrated within a Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) system, the result is limiting and quickly be- comes a costly endeavor.
The reason for this is the depth at which most systems are integrated. More often than not, the initial requirements are superficial integration: users want to see information in one place, verify an event in one system against information from another, the easiest example being validat- ing an access event with contextual video of the door where it took place.
However, simple data co-location quickly becomes insufficient – users also want to act across systems, to unlock a door where some- one is having issues, for example, or trigger a call with an intercom to check on the reason they are trying to access the facility.
That’s where the limits of integration begin to show. The user’s goal is not only access – it is action. Users want access to data in one platform, but they also want to interact with events and information within the context of their current tasks, regard- less of the source. With this goal in mind,
it becomes clear that integrating systems by the technology they use (e.g., live streams, recorded playback, access control, intru- sion alarms, etc.) is not what users want. What is needed is integration by the task at hand (for example monitoring, investigat- ing, alarm or incident management).
Ultimately, the goal is to embed the data from integrated systems in a unified platform; not only presenting it to users seamlessly as part of their day-day activi- ties, but also parsing that information so only actionable events are brought to the users’ attention, while others are either kept in the background or silently dealt with through automated workflow. At that point, information flows smoothly across the solution, optimizing operators’ atten- tion and effort.
THE BENEFITS
OF A UNIFIED SYSTEM
When all elements of a physical security system work together in a unified way, they not only secure a business, but yield actionable business intelligence that can be leveraged and combined with operational data to improve efficiency. When selecting such a security product to protect a busi- ness, you are not only investing in a system that works now but a solution that will be able to evolve with the needs of your busi- ness moving forward.
Unification brings together all security system components seamlessly in a single software platform with one user interface in a way that can vastly improve physical security management. Advances in analyt- ics and add-ons can also be quickly and easily incorporated into unified security that can be used to improve operations and increase ROI.
A unified physical security platform is a comprehensive software solution that manages the different components of a se- curity environment through a centralized open architecture built to provide com- plete access to all data.
It goes beyond tagging or bookmark- ing video when an access control event occurs or offering the capability to unlock an access-controlled door from within the video surveillance user interface. It com- bines information from all available sen- sors to provide greater awareness to opera- tors. Whereas a traditional system shows a pre-defined video feed when a fence sensor is triggered, a unified platform combines those sensors with other perimeter detec- tion technologies, such as video analytics and radar, tracking threats across each of them seamlessly.
For example, a unified solution in an airport can feed comprehensive security data into associated analytics software that can present a better understanding of terminal usage and density, as well as trav- eler and visitor flow, allowing management to take action and eliminate unnecessary waiting times. Retail customer intelligence gathered by a unified system can engage in visitor counting, conversion rates, queue management, heat maps, directional analy- sis, and face capture. This type of informa- tion can provide retailers with intelligence that allows them to better understand con- sumers, make real-time informed decisions, and increase both consumer engagement and in-store profitability.
A unified solution is developed from square one to not only ensure all systems work together but to purposefully inter- twine functionality to offer a powerful user experience that includes built-in reporting and alarm management functionalities.
With unification, it’s possible to con- figure and manage video cameras, access- controlled doors, print badges, monitor intrusion panels, and have everything at the security person’s disposal to ensure a high level of functionality from within a single software platform.
A unified system not only looks like a single system but also preserves the ability to bring applications and sensors from a
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APRIL 2022 | SECURITY TODAY
INTEGRATED SYSTEMS