Month: May 2016

Many people either don’t know what RAID is or have only a basic understanding of the technology.  RAID stands for “Redundant Array of Independent Disks”.  It describes the Hard Drive configuration of a PC, Server or Storage Device. Currently there are 7 RAID levels and 6 nested RAID levels. For the purposes of this article we are only going to deal with 2 of the RAID levels and how they pertain to video storage.

Redundancy is the most important aspect of a RAID system. Hard drives are spinning disks that over the course of time are going to fail. It is simply a matter of time before it happens. Hard drives used in video solutions are more prone to failure because they are constantly spinning. A standard hard drive that is in a PC or server only accesses the hard drive when there is a request for information from a user or new information needs to be written to the drive. Over the course of a 24 hour day the actual hard disk usage is a very small portion of the entire day. In comparison a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) or Network Video Recorder (NVR) is always spinning the hard drives, 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. The constant spinning of the hard drive will cause the unit to fail much faster than a hard drive in a PC or a server.

So how does a Video Server overcome the constant usage? The first step to overcome the constant spinning of the hard drive is a quality DVR or NVR. Higher quality devices use “Enterprise Class” or “Server Class” hard drives. These drives are built to withstand higher usage. This is a good step, but the hard drives will still eventually fail.

 The redundancy element in a RAID allows for a hard drive in the system to fail and the video that was stored on the drive to be recovered. So why is this important to a Surveillance Camera system? If you have a hard drive failure, all of the video archived on the drive is lost.  As hard drive capacities have increased, this means more and more stored video will be lost. A week, 2 weeks or even a month of recorded video can be lost instantly with a single hard drive failure. This is why RAID is so important. The two most common RAID levels found in video storage are RAID5 and RAID6. These two levels are very similar. But what they have in common is that if a hard drive fails the video is NOT lost. That potentially months’ worth of video can be reclaimed by replacing the failed drive and the data is rebuilt. A RAID6 level will actually allow for 2 of the hard drives to fail and still all of the data can be recovered.

 If the video recorded is important to you and/or your organization then using RAID storage is a smart choice. By installing a system that does not provide RAID storage, means that it is only a matter of time before you lose your stored video.

1. Concern: Is the cloud secure or can anyone access my information?

The truth is, the cloud is not one giant all-encompassing computer. The cloud is a word that is used to help describe a concept and is not an actual device that you can point to. The better security question to ask is: how secure is the particular cloud that I am looking at? The cloud does present some security risks but so does opening a company intranet to the outside world. The proper policies must be put into place to ensure the security of the information that will be put into the cloud. Most IT fears stem from the lack of control over these security policies. If you use a cloud system that has quality security in place and the best practice internal policies are followed, the cloud can be an excellent choice for your security system.

 2. Concern: Is information over the internet or cloud less secure than if the information was on premise?

The answer all depends on the specific cloud and your internal network security. Many cloud systems, for example Banks, have very high security systems in place to protect their information. Because information is so sensitive and important banks take exceptional care to protect their information. In these situations, they do not avoid the cloud, they only ensure that when it’s used it provides the proper security.

 3. Concern: Is the cloud something that only large companies should use?

The cloud is the perfect solution for many small and medium businesses. The cloud is highly scalable and you are able to use and pay for only the portions that your company may need. The benefits of this solution are that you get all of the features and functionality of a much larger system no matter how small your business may be.  A company can use the cloud for the security software even on a four door access control system. This system immediately gives you remote access to add and delete users and run reports from anywhere with the proper login credentials. The data stored on a cloud server will be redundant so that data recovery is covered and data backups are always preformed automatically. Upfront costs for security servers with these functionalities can easily cost tens of thousands of dollars with continued costs for maintenance and support. Using the cloud provides all of this for a small monthly cost and can be expanded or contracted as needed.

As long as the right cloud is used and you preform your due diligence on proper security, the cloud is an excellent solution for many security applications. Protection of your data is always important so whether you use the cloud or on premise solutions you need to ensure proper measures. Using the cloud does not exclude having good security.

It’s funny to think that a good day for security is when nothing happens.  Unfortunately that is rarely the case.  Most days are filled with putting out one fire after the next.  The difficult part is trying to stay proactive when so much or your day is filled with reactive events.  So how do you keep your organization safe and continue to ensure the safety and security of employees, visitors, assets and property?  Well it’s not easy but below are three key elements that can help.

 Manage by exception.

Security can be about establishing baselines. As most people involved with security are aware, there are always issues that need to be addressed but separating what is normal from abnormal is the key.  So what do I mean by abnormal?  Well here’s an example.

On an average day you may have 50 alarm and/or trouble events that occur, depending greatly on the size and scope of the security systems in place.  These can be doors that are propped open by various people that need to be secured, access denied events of people trying to access areas they are not allowed, panic alarms (false or actual), and fire alarm and fire trouble signals.  So if a particular day has 70 events, or a higher percentage than expected you need to establish why.

This becomes the exception.  First, look at your history and try to establish a baseline.  Then, look at how best you will be notified when exceptions to the established baseline occurs.

 Time required to identify and resolve an issue.

 The amount of time it takes for you to determine you have a problem is key.  Establishing the above described baseline and exception rules can greatly reduce the amount of time that lapses between when an incident occurs and when you are aware of the problem.  Your goal is to decrease this time by as much as possible.  Once you have determined there is a problem you need to have a system that addresses a problem as quickly as possible.  Implementing standard operating procedures or SOPs is key to resolving a problem quickly and reducing the resources needed to resolve a problem.

 Resources required to resolve an issue.

 First, what are resources?  These are a combination of your in-house staff (i.e. Security guards, human resources, IT personnel, etc…) and vendors (i.e. Security guards, Security Integration Company, outsourced IT Company, etc…).  The object is to reduce the amount of time that your resources have to spend on addressing a problem.  To reduce the time required you need to have systems in place and utilize automation processes.  Having systems in place will standardize the response and people will know what to do when a problem occurs.  This can be as simple as a pre-formatted message that appears on the guard’s security computer providing detailed instructions on how to call and what to do when a panic button is pushed.  In this example we have created a system for handling the panic alarm and helped automate the event of alerting the guard with specific instructions.

By implementing some or all of these key elements for your safety and security you will allow yourself more time to manage proactively.  In security being proactive is key.  Always waiting until the next emergency is a recipe for disaster.

Are you currently using either your access control system or intrusion detection system to automatically send you emails or SMS message on defined events?  In the answer is no you may want to consider this powerful tool.  Many access control and intrusion / alarm systems provide the option to send out emails or SMS messages on predefined events.  This may be a standard core feature or an optional add-on to the system but either way if it’s available it can be a very useful tool.

Access Control and Alarm monitoring are gathering information about the security threats and events that are taking place within your facilities.  But what are you doing with all of that information.  Most of the time this information sits dormant until after a security breach has been discovered.  The problem is the time between when the event happened and the event being discovered can be days, weeks or even months.  You are now simply in a reactionary mode, conducting an investigation into something that has already happened.  Even if you have a security staff monitoring system events it has become difficult and costly to have security monitoring security events 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year.

Utilizing email and SMS messages allows you to discover security threats, breaches and predefined events quicker.  Thus shorting the time between when the situation occurred and you taking action.  Below are two common examples of how utilizing this feature can help:

Example #1: Monitoring of doors for held open or propped door events is a problem for many companies.  Employees prop open doors for various reasons; smoking breaks being one of the largest culprits.  Installing local alarms is a common solution but many times becomes a nuisance or is disabled.  So what happens when it’s an actual threat or security breach?  Using email or SMS messaging can be a better solution when it come to this problem.  You or security staff can be alerted immediately that there has been a held open event at a specific door.  Security can then use cameras or patrol guards to investigate a situation to determine what measures need to be taken. 

Example #2: A new employee is hired at your company.  They are given a badge that provides access to specific doors within the building.  As with most people they are curious about new things.  The employee begins trying their card at various readers around the building as they pass by seeing if their new access card grants them access.  Many doors maybe to secure locations such as server rooms, file rooms, executive offices, etc…  They may be allowed through a specific door during normal hours.  What happens when the employee presents their badge and is denied access?  Does your system simple log the information?  Does it record the information at all?  This is a potential security threat that needs to be addressed.  Especially if the new employee is trying to get access afterhours.  Many times during audits it is important to document what actions were taken when the event happened.  Using email notification from the access control system you or your security staff can be immediately notified that there has been an access denied event allowing prompt action to be taken.

Utilizing email and/or SMS messaging provides many advantages and can greatly help to reduce response time to potential security threats.  Configuring your security system to utilize this feature not only is beneficial it may come at little or no additional cost.

Emergency Phone systems, such as the recognizable blue light emergency phone, have watched over college campuses for decades. And, they continue to do so. Though, in the age of cell phones, it may seem like we are traveling with a mini security system at all times.

When walking across a college campus, students may feel safer knowing that, if they should find themselves in a dangerous situation, help is only as far away as their pocket. Some may feel that, as long as they have a cell phone, emergency phone systems on campuses are obsolete.

But, cell phones may actually create a false sense of security. There are significant disadvantages to relying on a cell phone for security. The beauty of using emergency phone systems to improve campus security is in their reliability and simplicity. To use these systems, they simply have to be there.

So, why do college campuses continue to use emergency phone systems to improve the safety of their schools?

Reliability:

Cell phones die. They get left behind. They lose service.

There are a number of reasons that when you turn to your cell phone for help, it may fail you. Emergency phone systems work like regular phones over copper wires (telephone or network cables) and are built to withstand weather and other emergency situations. They will work even when your cell phone won’t.

Simple to Use:

In a panic, pulling out your cell phone, unlocking it, getting to your phone’s keyboard and dialing, may seem an insurmountable feat. Your hands are shaking, your head is spinning, and your brain is foggy. Technology is not your friend. In situations like this, the ability to spot a blue light, run toward it and press one button is a much more attainable task. With the push of a single button you are directly connected to emergency staff that with most systems will provide them with your exact location.  Security can be immediately dispatched and help is on the way.

Connecting You to the Right People:

Calling for help may not matter if it’s not the right kind of help. If you’re on a college campus, calling 911 might not be the best course of action. Many areas of campuses can be secluded from main roads and getting the police to your location could be complicated. Emergency phone systems are directly linked to campus security, the people who will be able to get to you fastest.

Mass Notification Alert:

These systems also be used to notify people within the area of an emergency. In the event of an emergency, they can be used as a broadcast system. While there are multiple ways to notify students of situations through their phones, many of these require the installation of an app. It also requires the phone to be on, with the student, charged and within service range.

The emergency phone system can broadcast messages and transmit warning signals that can be heard across campus regardless of whether the student has their phone.

While these systems may not be ideal in every situation or location (it may not always be possible to get to one) simply knowing they are there can provide a sense of security to students, staff and visitors as well as being a deterrent to warn potential attackers to stay away.

In this age of mobility, there’s a lot we can do from our phones. We do our banking, we keep in touch, we manage our schedules, we watch the news…and every day the list of things we can do is growing. Our phones have even begun to replace the contents of our wallets. With the introduction of services like ApplePay and thumbprint technology,

 We can order and pay for coffee, verify our identities, and pay bills.  So, why are we still bothering to carry around cumbersome access cards on college campuses, or in office building to gain access?  Not any more…

The Benefits:

How many times has a student or employee forgotten or lost their access credential?  To most people their cell phone is their life line to the entire world.  It is not easily lost or forgotten or at least not for very long.  By installing a simple app on a phone its now possible to have a person’s cell phone act as their ID badge and access card.

The benefits of switching out access cards and utilizing the technology on our phones to replace them are innumerable. But, her are a few important ones.

 Increased Security: Mobile apps use an encrypted smart card technology versus traditional ID access card technology which is far less secure.  Mobile credentials can’t be easily cloned like standard ID cards therefore provide greater security and protection.

 Lower Costs: Manufacturing Photo ID cards is expensive. Replacing lost or damaged costs adds to that expense. The proximity card, the ribbon, and the printing systems can be very expensive when you add them all together.

Convenience: It’s simply easier and more convenient to carry around your phone, as you already do, then add another card or key fob to the list of things you need to remember.

The Technology

So, how is it done?

There are a few technologies that make these tasks possible. Near Field Communication (NFC) is one and it may already be in your phone, embedded in a chip. With this technology, your phone would scan just like an access card. NFC is simply a form of radio-frequency identification and gives off information that another device can read. With NFC, you must hold your phone up to the device reading it, just like an access card.

Readers are also employing BLE or Bluetooth Low Energy technology to turn your phone into an access card. Just like traditional Bluetooth that currently communicates with your car, or wireless headset, BLE simply has a smaller read range and consumes less energy.  BLE technology is also enabled on iOS devices as well as Android making it work on almost any smart phone.

The technology exists and is easy to use so it might just be time to do away with the annoying access cards, and take the next step forward in card-less access control technology.