Residential Estate Security Conference 2017
July 2017, This Week's Editor's Pick, News, Conferences & Events

Estates, residential complexes and retirement villages are a common site in South Africa, with new construction projects continually appearing across the country. The reason for this growth is that people in South Africa are plagued with a consistent criminal onslaught, and are migrating to estates in the hopes of living in a more secure environment. And, of course, the hope is that an investment in a well-run and secure estate will grow in value over time.

Security is all about mitigating risk, and the main risk mitigation tool in estates is technology-based. Today’s technical solutions not only provide better security, but can also, if planned correctly, save money.

But what about six months or a year after the installation? What risk management processes do you have in place to ensure your security technology is running optimally and delivering the services you require all the time? It’s easy to show your residents the latest and greatest technologies that are newly installed and working, but will the system deliver value over the long term?

• Will your cameras perform for years or will the image start fading after 6 months?

• Will your network handle the traffic and stand up to South African weather conditions?

• Will the fence be a protective measure or a money gobbler?

• Will you control access efficiently or will people be able to get in, using fake credentials – or no credentials at all?

• Will your servers keep serving and storing or will you end up paying more for IT services than security?

• Will you wake up one day and find all your residents’ information and access control data locked away by ransomware?

• And there’s more …

Rob Anderson.

Following sold-out events in Johannesburg and Durban in 2016, Hi-Tech Security Solutions in cooperation with Rob Anderson will be hosting a full day conference covering residential estate security in Johannesburg on 15 August 2017. The event will be held at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways.

This year’s conference will focus on ‘Managing Risks for Enduring Estate Security’. In other words, we will focus on what estates need to do to ensure their technology investments perform optimally from day one and for many years thereafter.

Rob Anderson will kick off the day by asking if the security systems in place are being regularly assessed and evaluated according to a plan. He will highlight, based on personal experience in the estate security industry, what can and will go wrong if not properly managed and maintained, and how to address these risks effectively – and without breaking the bank.

Following Rob Anderson, eight additional presenters will discuss specific risk areas, highlighting what can go wrong and how to prevent it. The presentations will be practical, offering advice attendees can take home and apply to their security systems to ensure longevity and optimal efficiency.

Areas to be covered include:

1. Keeping your access controlled: Ensuring your access systems, policies and procedures are effective and continually enforced without lapses.

2. The real costs of technology: Penny pinching is not the way to build a secure environment, but all too often we focus on cutting costs in one area and overspend in another.

3. Efficient design: Slapping a few cameras down will cost money and deliver pictures. How can you design the system and select the technologies to deliver real value?

4. PoPI is coming for you: The Protection of Personal Information Act is not simply something aimed at IT companies, it applies to estates as well. The conference will explain how estate managers are at risk of fines or imprisonment if you don’t handle your data correctly.

5. Cybersecurity: A wealthy estate is a goldmine for crooks looking to profit from personal data, whether it’s holding it for ransom or stealing personal information about your residents. The conference will demonstrate how to protect your estate.

6. Lightning and surge protection: One of every estate’s continual expenses is replacing or repairing equipment damaged by lightning or unbalanced electrical supply. This can also be dealt with through the right design and protective equipment.

7. Blackout protection: When the power isn’t unstable, there is a chance it can be missing completely. How does one ensure your security remains operational during a blackout?

8. Back-end optimisation: The server and storage solutions you have are crucial to the efficient operation of your security system. How do you ensure they are kept running optimally over the long term?

Apart from the presentations, attendees will be able to network with their peers during the lunch and coffee breaks, as well as the sponsoring companies which will have table-top displays and personnel on hand to provide visitors with information on the wide range of solutions available for residential estate security.

The cost to attend is R1300, which includes lunch, refreshments throughout the day, as well as ample networking opportunities.

For more information, to obtain the agenda, or to attend this event on 15 August 2017, please contact Dominique on dominique@technews.co.za or +27 (0)11 543 5816, or visit the website at www.resc.co.za