What is integrated security system?
Integrated security system is a multi-layered system which is seamlessly connected to each other and exchange information as a unified system to Security Control Room. Integrated security system uses the best of technology from different manufacturers giving a unified and customized end result as per user security requirements. Any user requiring security system for their enterprise, campus, multi-location presence etc. will have similar requirements to some extent but always need customization to suit their business environment, people and budget.
The unique thing about a well-designed integrated security system is capability of adopting existing infrastructure, adding new requirements, customizing as per the organizational requirements, capability to grow the system in size and complexity as per future requirements. Last but not the least, a good integrated security system will never call for having all systems of one brand and asking customer to fit into the available product.
Why integrated security system is required?
Integrated security systems are need of the hour, gone are the times when some multinational company will give a product and customer had to fit in their requirements as per the available product.
What are customized applications in integrated security system?
Customization is an integral part of integrated security solution. Every customer will have different requirements. Some of them are listed below :
It is not as simple as it looks for eg. a customer requires visitor management system but visitor management system for corporate office, residential complex, defence, petroleum and nuclear establishments will have extremely different requirements. Some places we need to handle higher foot falls and some places make sure to have background check of the visitor, screening the material visitor is carrying etc.
How power management plays a vital role in integrated security system?
All electronic equipment work on electrical power. We need to be very careful for making decision about electrical power management. Power management will cover points like:
I am sure you recall the occurrence of 26/11 assault at Taj Mumbai. Power to all security system was easily switched off by terrorist. Due to this, camera also went off and circumstance deteriorated.
What is the importance of Security Control Room in integrated security solutions?
Security Control Room is a vital part of integrated PIDS. This Control Room receives all types of alarms from different type and technology of sensors, process them as per the security handling process of user depending upon the multiple category of alarms, minor alarms, major alarms etc.
There should have a facility to process and categorize alarm depending on the alarm coming from exact point of place and its time and; alarm is generated by single or multiple sensing technology.
Alarm processing also requires marking zones as per the security standards of area of installation. In high security area, you have smaller zone length and for moderate to lower security area, you can have comparatively long zone length.
Once the alarm is generated, Security Operator sees camera view of the point of alarm and live map of point of alarm with details/ controls on map. Since PIDS will have hundreds or thousands of equipments installed over a large area, so monitoring of health of all equipments is very important. We should get online report on health check of all the equipments and cables.
Proper response mechanism is very important once the alarm is generated, processed and received by the Operator. It could be in terms of playing recorded messages on hooter at the point of alarm from a putting on security lights at point of alarm.
It is also important that field hooters/speakers the Security Operator is able to override and make a manual announcement, if required. He should be able to make manual announcement on one or multiple hooters.
PIDS is not a simple deployment of technology. We require to choose the sensing technology with experience to make sure we receive minimum false alarms. We do not have any single point of failure in the system or we need redundancy in power, IP network etc.
Last, but not the least, we should have a mechanism to see and validate alarms in field by Security Incharge even if Security Control Room is disconnected, faulty or under sabotage. So, to sum up for having an integrated future proof PIDS, we require:
What is an alarm management and how important it is for integrated security solutions?
In physical alarm systems, we can comfortably pronounce alarm as the ‘basic unit’.
Any equipment deployed for physical security raises alarm whenever triggered. For example Camera Analytics, Access Control System, Wired or Wireless Intrusion Alarm Sensors, Fire Alarm System, Manual Alarm raised by people in field etc.
Important points to be considered while a system intelligently treat an alarm based on:
After the alarm is categorized, it should alert the security team with details like:
What is the importance of data communications in an integrated security system and how to make a choice?
Nowadays all systems are IP based so data communication plays a vital role in design of any security system. System designer has to ensure there is no single point of failure in IP Network design. IP network has to be intelligent to adapt to all kind of requirements different systems will need eg. surveillance system will require huge data to be handled. Redundant architecture is very important.
Cyber security threats are increasing day by day so we need ensure our network is cyber security compliant and design should be capable of handling load of additional growth on the network for the years to come.
Not to forget we are designing a security system so all product better be industrial grade ensuring long operational life.
What is the importance of accessories in a security system?
Accessories in a security system are mostly ignored for their quality and best practices to use them. Reliability of your system depends on the weakest link, no matter if you use highest quality of product but ignore the smallest of accessory like cable joints, your system will never perform for the purpose it is designed for.
Essence of designing a reliable and long lasting security system is having willingness of choosing best quality of accessories and deeper knowledge of applying them in the system in best possible manner.
How important is Diagnostics in integrated security system?
In any integrated system, we have lot of different type of hardware, software and kilometers of cabling. Any efficient security system should have multiple types of redundancies to make sure that the system does not stop working even in case of failure of hardware or software. Regular monitoring is required to ensure that the system is working properly as desired.
Diagnostic application actually helps to notify any failure in the system hardware, software and cablings. It does not notify quietly, we can create an alarm in Security Control Room or receive email/ sms notification in case of failure is of very critical device or nature.
We can set up rules which will escalate the fault to next level if it is not rectified within a particular period.
How vital is Emergency Communications in an integrated security system?
Communication is a very important part of integrated security system. There are many types of communications depending on type of infrastructures.
All these types of Emergency Communications should be backed up by video and simple to be used in case of emergency i.e. ‘press to talk’ or user incoming communication is automatically put on for 2-way communications as both the hands are engaged for people in field. So, communication in any integrated solution is very important and critical and should not be ignored.