Management platforms have been around for as long as people wanted to control their security implementations. From custom-built applications to control and monitor alarms to innovative ways to control and monitor the movement of guards, and even to the video management platforms that assisted in recording and playback of video when looking for a historical incident. Central management is crucial to good security.
In today’s increasingly integrated security environment, however, a simple recording and playback of multiple streams of video is limited in its efficacy. As intelligence has found its way into cameras and control room, people are demanding more of their management platforms to empower them to do more and extract a greater ROI (return on investment) on an implementation that is expensive and complex.
Even low-cost surveillance solutions, such as home surveillance products, have some form of management software included, usually accessible through a Web browser. These make setting up and managing surveillance simpler and can include simple intelligence, such as motion detection and integration with mobile phones and access via the Internet.
When it comes to larger installations, these management solutions are not sufficient. Just as these installations require more complex infrastructure and storage solutions, they also require better management software that integrates all the cameras (at the very least) as well as other security functions (an optimal case), such as access control, fire and even building management. They also require more intelligence in the systems to make it as simple as possible to set up and manage security systems. You do not want operators stuck in front of monitors hoping to catch an event in progress when technology can do much of that for you.
So what is happening in the fast growing market for security management platforms? Hi-Tech Security Solutions spoke to a few players in this market to get an idea of what is available, what customers want, and what they should be on the lookout for. For this article, we focus primarily on surveillance management, but also include PSIM (physical security information management) systems. It should be noted that the management of complete security solutions will be more important going forward as convergence leads to greater integration of various aspects of security and more complexity in trying to manage them without technology’s assistance.
What are the benefits?
Starting the ball rolling, we asked Gert Byleveldt, business development manager at Sentronics, a company that has been promoting PSIM solutions for the past two years (as well as other surveillance management systems), what the benefits of a management solution are.
Byleveldt notes that listing all benefits is impossible, but he highlights some important benefits of PSIM solutions, many of which apply to surveillance-only management platforms as well:
1. True PSIM is vendor agnostic. This is the most important point to consider.
2. PSIM offers integration between disparate systems, integrating systems that were never possible in the past. Take scada, CCTV and SAP as an example.
3. When integrating these disparate systems, the combined value of the data received is exponentially higher than the sum of the parts.
4. PSIM offers unparalleled situational awareness. Threats to the business are not only caused by holes in the security strategy, but also in the operational strategy. Fine-tuning these strategies is almost impossible if you only have a fragmented view.
5. With corporate governance being so important in any professional business, it is important to know where compliance is failing so that these areas can effectively be addressed.
6. And the last key feature: SLA management, again, not only in security, but also in the operational sphere. SLA management does not only monitor how effective service providers are at adhering to contracts, but also assist in getting the correct service provider involved based on a fault in the system.
This can be complex. Consider a faulty video feed. This fault can be because the actual camera is faulty, the network is down or the power is off. By having a view on your whole estate, PSIM can alert the correct service provider to remedy the fault, instead of sending the wrong tech out and be billed twice (or three times) until the fault is tracked down.
Key features to look for
You cannot have it all, at least not all at once. So what key benefits should buyers be on the lookout for when considering a management solution?
Byleveldt says the key need for any user is situational awareness, which can only be accomplished if the platform is able to command a comprehensive view of the total security solution.
“Users need to be able to make critical decisions correctly and on time,” he adds. “Doing so increases efficiency and limits risk caused by less than optimal systems or service providers. It also helps operational security staff by allowing them to learn and use one system, irrespective of the different amounts of subsystems.
“True abstraction from the underlying hardware and software makes the adoption of new technologies transparent, allowing operational security staff to focus on their primary tasks instead of trying to understand how to work their technology.”
Francois Malan, MD of systems integrator Camsecure, says, “One benefit is the ability to integrate into as many systems as possible and the other is to support as many cameras as possible; and to use the latest off the shelf hardware.
“How effectively can your system manage and display your video feeds from the camera? What are the integration possibilities into other systems such as alarms, video, access control and panic? Can your system handle (in terms of heading towards event driven systems) alarms, a mapping system and pop-up the relevant cameras when needed. Most importantly, can the system incorporate SOP (standard operating procedures) and prompt operator response.
Niall Beazley, a director at Vision Catcher warns that users need to first specify what they need from their management platforms before they make software decisions. Some platforms will promise 64 channels of video, which sounds good, but the user does not know that his infrastructure cannot actually handle 64 megapixel streams at once. If the company wants higher-resolution feeds, they will have to reduce the number of cameras.
This is where intelligent analytics on the camera can help. Instead of constantly feeding video back to a control centre, the camera will only broadcast video on an event. This reduces the amount of bandwidth as well as the amount of storage required.
Intelligence on camera also reduces the need for operator involvement as nobody is required to stare at screens all the time, but only when something happens. Beazley says human resources are therefore employed in value-adding operations instead of monitoring multiple cameras – an occupation that many believe is prone to error in any case.
Open or proprietary?
It may be evident to many with an IT background that open systems are the solution to any platform that has to incorporate many disparate devices, yet this is not always the obvious solution. If you standardise on one supplier, you may as well use its management platform. However, how many companies out there have one brand throughout their security implementation?
Byleveldt is adamant, “You absolutely need to be vendor agnostic. No one single vendor offers best-of-breed solutions across its entire product offering. By being able to integrate to any vendor, any product, it is possible to pick the best product to offer the best combined solution.”
Malan agrees, saying, “A system needs to have open architecture. No vendor will be the best at every application. By being able to interface to multiple brands allows you to offer a future-proofed and best-practice solution. Surveillance technology is changing too quickly to lock in to one vendor, you will lock yourself into proprietary jail.”
A side effect of an open strategy is that the user is no longer tied to one vendor for a solution, adds Byleveldt. “If said vendor falls out of favour, another vendor can be phased in without it compromising the operation. This phased approach can be seamless and the operators in the control room will not even know (or care) that they are working with a product from another vendor.”
With an open system, a further benefit Malan highlights is that the customer obtains an integrated, holistic view of the system, even if it is over multiple locations and products.
Reliability of proprietary systems
When talking about open systems, the question must be asked: are open systems that integrate multiple products as reliable and functional as those designed by a vendor for its range of products?
Malan says it is all about experience and expertise. The integrator needs to have both if it is to make the right selection and fit the various components together. “That is why people with less experience in making informed decisions may feel more comfortable going with a proprietary product where the decision is already made for them – no thinking involved or required.”
Byleveldt agrees, noting, “I would say solutions using open platforms are even more reliable. For example, should one vendor offer a product that is good on paper but fails in real use, it can be replaced with something else that is more reliable. The net effect is that the solution is more resilient because you are no longer at the mercy of one single vendor, so you spread the risk.
“Also, it is widely accepted that not all products from the same vendor offer the same levels of reliability. With all the big vendors obtaining products by means of acquisitions, it is obvious that some products will be more reliable than others, even if they appear to come from the same stable. So the argument of one vendor supplying the solution becomes rather moot.”
Beazley adds that, again, the open systems are preferable, for much the same reasons as above, but warns that vendor lock-in is still an issue. Many companies offer low-end management platforms with limited functionality (which may simply be old versions of the product) for free. When the user wants to expand the surveillance operation beyond a certain number of cameras, they will then have to pay a licence per camera.
If your operators are comfortable with a certain vendor’s interface, it will be more difficult to migrate to a new platform, even if it is a better solution for larger projects. Hence, most companies will stay with the brand they know to reduce training and other costs.
Looking at products
While we cannot mention all the management products available at the moment, some companies provided input into some of the major products on the market. Below we include a brief insight into a few. More information is available on the Internet (see the More Information box below) and from the vendors.
IPSecurityCenter
The PSIM offering from Sentronics is IPSecurityCenter from CNL Software. Byleveldt says IPSecurityCenter is one of the true PSIM solutions locally represented. “This means there is no need to pay for experts abroad to come and design or commission systems, all this expertise is available within South Africa.”
The product is also geared towards the customer that wants to take over some of the tasks in-house in order to remain relevant as its needs change. “Part of the hand over exercise is to empower the customer and this is made easier by not needing any in depth scripting experience (although it is supported should it be required) by making use of a concept called Flow-Code. It is now possible to maintain functionality by manipulating graphic controls to get the desired response.”
The product also offers a DDK (driver development kit) that allows anyone with programming experience to develop integration projects. “The obvious benefit here is that the customer is only as reliant on the vendor as he feels comfortable with,” says Byleveldt.
Milestone
Camsecure is a certified Milestone partner. Malan says the product selection offers every part of the market a suitable solution at a cost to match the segment. “Milestone is spending huge amounts on R&D which is pushing it ahead of the competition. The innovation being released is fantastic.” [See the latest Milestone announcement in this feature].
ipConfigure
Beazley says one of the platforms supported by Vision Catcher is ipConfigure. The software is effectively a VMS platform supporting a range of IP cameras and analogue cameras through IP encoders. The focus is on alarm stacks and simple report and log finding, and it has limited video analytics as well as its own LPR (licence plate recognition) engine. The system is fully scalable for as many cameras as is required.
“IP Configure is great software, however, it is based on the client-server architecture with the aim of running a MPLS-type network on a national basis, with servers at key points all linking back to a central storage location,” Beazley says. “Individual users can access their particular server on a local network connection, however, the design uses an HTML-based interface that permits access from anywhere.”
One of the solutions available on this platform is the Surveillance Cloud Service. This allows small businesses to log into and control their surveillance cameras without requiring an investment in infrastructure such as DVRs. Naturally, this solution depends on having the appropriate bandwidth available.
The quality of the LPR is good, according to Beazley. “You will find locally available LPR solutions that are much cheaper, but do not provide the accuracy in a 24/7 environment where you require large variations in how the camera performs as well as the software. Most salespeople will show you their software and cameras working on a beautiful clear day with all parameters working 100%. Throw rain, fog, reflection, headlights, etc, in and you generally have a less than 50% accuracy rate.”
At the lower-end of the scale, Vision Catcher also supports exacqVision which supports more than 64 cameras (IP and analogue).
Nuuo CMS
The Nuuo NVR-based central management system (CMS) is designed for large-scale enterprise projects. CMS can manage all Nuuo products including NDVR Hybrid, NVR, DVR and NVRmini. The NCS supports unlimited numbers of cameras, I/O devices, POS, LPR, access control, servers and users. The controls and operation of CMS is map centric. It also sports alarm management and can control unlimited matrices or viewing consoles in a control room.
Genetec
The final product we are looking at is a brand that has had limited operations in South Africa to date, Genetec. Inmarsat, a company associated with mobile and fixed satellite communications uses Genetec as its remote surveillance solution offering, delivering remote unified integrated security solutions.
Etienne Bruwer, an engineer in Engineering and Integration Services, Enterprise Division at Inmarsat South Africa says they are focusing on growing Genetec into the local and African market by leveraging Inmarsat’s satellite communications platform.
Genetec is an enterprise platform more suited towards the higher end of the market. It is very mature as a product that has been in the global market for many years. Genetec’s entry into the market starts with standalone hardware appliances that can scale to large multiserver load balanced and failover solutions. Genetec’s next generation Security Center integrates data from surveillance, access control, LPR and third party system into a single interface, making it easy for large, dispersed organisations to control their infrastructure.
Bruwer is working with mines, oil and gas currently as these businesses are looking for ways to implement various controls throughout their operations from a unified and task-based interface. With health and safety a growing concern in these verticals, Genetec can be used to monitor employees to ensure their health checks, for example, are complete before granting people access to specific work areas. Similarly, the LPR module can be used to control the numerous vehicles entering and leaving sites around the clock, as well as where they can go on the site.
Bruwer notes that IP-based communications and open-architecture platform make it easy for the platform to monitor, manage and integrate to almost any process and activities on a site.
Tip of the iceberg
Security management platforms is an enormous field, far too large to even start covering effectively in a single article. As the security world is faced with issues like convergence and the task of integrating more devices and functions into a single management console, the software platform chosen by the user will have a significant impact on the eventual success or failure of the project.
In addition, given the increasing importance of these platforms, the competition between developers is increasing, making purchasing decisions for systems with multiyear lives more difficult. The starting point for buyers is understanding what you want and asking the right questions.
More information
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