In a recent article for Security Magazine, Ariel Benjamin Mannes discussed the construction and management of interoperable security systems. Below is an excerpt from the article. For the full article, click here.
Twenty-three years ago, when I worked with the Federal Protective Service policing federal facilities where security contract oversight was key, the General Services Administration and U.S. Justice Department designed systems that complimented each other to provide concentric layers of protection against unlawful entry and other threats. These measures included the use of contactless access control cards, pan, tilt & zoom (PTZ) surveillance cameras, interactive alarm systems, security guards and the use of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). Now, more than two decades later, I still notice that the very technologies I worked with then are still not prevalent in most workplaces.
Now, with the threat of active shooters and new regulatory compliance requirements governing privacy, integrating access control systems with other systems has become an appealing best practice for many organizations. If systems are designed and integrated correctly, gone are the days where surveillance cameras are deployed with the mistaken belief that they are a “deterrent” and access control systems only open doors. When security systems are designed with interoperability in mind, integration technology makes it possible to connect access control systems to a number of other systems like CCTV, alarms and building control systems. This interoperability simplifies administration and aids response and mitigation. As a result, the integration of security technologies is a concept gaining plenty of momentum among developers, engineers and end users alike.