The basis for any management platform is integration, the ability to attach a variety of products to the database and manage them from a single console without having to worry about how they are communicating and what protocols each device may or may not understand.
When it comes to security management platforms, from video management through to PSIM (physical security information management) and the latest CSIM (converged security and information management) platforms, integration is key to them all. With the products you want to manage under control, vendors can add in value-added services in the form of software (and hardware in some cases) that will allow users to more intelligently manage and control their infrastructure.
The value in a platform is therefore dependent on what and how many third-party devices can be integrated, what the system allows you to do in terms of managing them, and the ease with which these devices can be added to a system. The ability to add additional products is key here as organisations don’t want to find they are stuck with limited options as they expand or as they adopt new technologies.
The availability of APIs (application programming interfaces) or SDKs (software development kits) that will allow users or their partners to add in additional, unsupported devices is also key. Sometimes the platform vendors will do the integration for clients if it is a broadly used product or technology they want added, at other times the user will have to sort it out by themselves, which requires a significant programming skill set.
Of course, the integration capabilities are really dependent on the openness of the platform and the devices you want to add. This is why making sure the technology you purchase adheres to a specific open standard is important, and why we are seeing a consistent drive to IP surveillance. Sadly, there are companies who claim open standards, only to surprise developers when they want to integrate into their technology. The consensus is that these companies have a limited lifespan if they don’t learn to play nicely with others.
As happens in every industry, the security market has seen management platforms growing up in silos. For example, many camera manufacturers will offer a management platform for cameras that does not play well with others and aren’t able to integrate other products, such as access control, while others offer solutions that integrate third-party applications and devices to a point, but don’t allow full integration – presumably to protect their intellectual property.
Unfortunately, the days of proprietary solutions are also coming to an end as more end users realise the benefits of being able to select best-of-breed solutions as and when they require. A current example of this is the move into IP-based access control and away from proprietary systems that lock users into one vendor’s products. It’s a great way to get annual revenue, but don’t ask for brand loyalty or commitment.
More importantly, as we move into an IoT (Internet of Things) era, the end-user is not going to be happy with different platforms managing different parts of their organisation. If an application can manage your cameras, why not your access and alarms too, and what about your passives? Then you can add in HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) systems and basically anything electronic you can think of – such as the timer for watering the garden. So what options are there for users today?
Two examples
Hi-Tech Security Solutions spoke to two platform vendors with different approaches to the management platform game. One is a local company, InfinIT, which produces the Synapse platform; the other is Canada’s Genetec, one of the leading platform providers globally.
1. Synapse
Locally, Synapse has evolved to be more of an IoT platform than strictly a security platform. Gerhard Furter runs the R&D for Synapse says the move beyond security is to enable the platform to slot easily into the IoT world. More importantly, Furter believes that the end users should not have to struggle to get their management platform working, but it should be a case of pointing and clicking to get devices connected, integrated and working together.
To this end, Synapse has a host of protocols coded into it that will allow for the easy connection with products, from cameras to alarms and access control, through to perimeter protection solutions and even lights air conditioners and almost anything electronic.
The manner in which this happens is by simply allowing Synapse to browse your network and find devices is can speak to – this may be over IP, RS-485 or another protocol or API. The user then simply clicks and draws a line between systems – such as between a controller and an alarm or passive – to link them. Furter says this will tell the AI (the artificial intelligence unit within Synapse) everything it needs to know about how the devices collaborate.
The idea is to make the whole system plug-and-play, ensuring the management of your infrastructure is a simple task that doesn’t require an engineer or complex coding. Setting up your management platform in this manner is more of a DIY job than a task for specialised technicians. If a protocol is used that is not already catered for in the system, it can be added, but this will require some coding from Synapse engineers.
Specifically, Furter points out that Synapse is designed to enable autonomous action by the software. When something happens, you don’t want to have to rely on an operator to close or open doors, switch on lights and other simple tasks. The system does it automatically, leaving the operator to handle more sophisticated jobs.
The Synapse interface can be a site map, with icons representing the various devices it is managing (of course, different situations and circumstances will require different interfaces). When an event occurs, an icon will flash and clicking on it will provide the operator with all the information they require. This is useful in situations where lights are left on, doors left open or air conditioners are left running after hours. The operator can simply switch them off or lock the doors with a mouse click and will be alerted if someone changes the state of the devices.
In the case of more serious events, standard operating procedures (SOPs) can be created, again with a few mouse clicks that will determine the full process that needs to happen when something goes wrong. By selecting an action icon, events can be scheduled in the order they must happen, and actions taken. Electronic devices can be set to automatically react when an event occurs, while operators will receive instructions on what they must do.
For example, if Synapse has a thermometer connected, it can automatically switch on the air conditioning when the temperature rises above a certain level. Then, when the temperature is at an acceptable level, Synapse will automatically switch the air conditioning off.
Another example is when an alarm is raised, cameras can be set to point to the event and bring their views up on a screen. In case of a fire alarm, all the doors in the building can be set to unlock automatically, the lights will switch on and the elevators can be stopped. Audio warnings can also be broadcast while the fire department is called automatically. After the event, a similar SOP will ensure that the environment reverts to its original state – doors are locked etc., and the operators will give the all clear once all systems report in.
Synapse users basically draw pictures on their screen to set up collaboration and SOPs, while the system does the rest. This includes external communications, such as alerting an armed response unit in the field. Synapse automatically calculates which unit will get to the location fastest – by looking at the routes those in the vicinity will have to take, not just who is closest – and alerting them on their mobile devices or in-car tablets. If the company has enabled the technology, video feeds can also be sent to the cars. (InfinIT has a mobile app that is linked to Synapse.)
2. Genetec
Genetec has been in the business of developing its management platform for around 19 years. It develops Security Center, a unified security platform with a host of modules built in to cater for direct integration with thousands of products (over 3 000 cameras alone at last count). It focuses on IP surveillance, IP access control and ANPR (automated number plate recognition), but its open platform allows for the integration of any devices, either via the company’s own developers, or by users making use of its SDK.
Genetec recently appointed Brent Cary as its regional sales manager for South Africa to expand its local and sub-Saharan business. He mentions that one of the benefits Genetec provides is in its security-of-security drive, which is designed to ensure the data used by the platform is secured from hackers and other cyber criminals – as well as the platform itself.
Among other security features specific to Security Center, Cary says it is approved by the USA’s Department of Homeland Security, it encrypts the data from the camera and between servers (using TLS, AES-128 or RSA), and it forces a change of username and password before a camera can be integrated into the management system. It also allows users to implement digital certificates.
When it comes to integration of products, Marnix de Lorm, director of IPVS, recently appointed as the Genetec distributor for South Africa, notes that Genetec does not simply provide for integration that allows video to be streamed to a screen or saved on a storage array. The company tries to integrate the many devices it supports down to the firmware and driver level in order to provide the user with the full capabilities of the system, from zooming to video analytics and so forth.
Due to the software’s many features, De Lorm says Security Center is best suited to high-end projects, although the company has made lower-end deals available for the small to medium-sized market. IPVS has retained people with the relevant certifications to assist its channel partners in project specification and delivery when required.
A first from Genetec is its software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering. Traditionally, management platforms are licensed to users for a significant sum and installed on their servers. While this option is available, Cary says Genetec recently introduced a subscription service where users can subscribe to the software for a monthly or annual fee. The service is flexible and users can add or subtract licences to suit their specific needs. (Genetec offers a Compact Edition of its software by subscription only, which caters for up to 25 cameras.)
Using the service gives users two options. They can install the software on their servers and simply licence the modules they require, adapting the licence as their needs change. Alternatively, a hosted option is available in which Genetec uses Microsoft’s data centres to host the software. De Lorm notes that both options are available to South African users, but the hosted option may not be the best solution in South Africa where bandwidth is still an issue, and expensive.
Security Center also supports the development of SOPs to ensure that every event is handled according to predefined standards. As soon as something happens, the SOPs will automatically launch and guide operators through the processes and rules relevant to that situation. A Threat Management Module implements the workflow according to the situation – including automated responses such as opening doors etc.
Genetec is also creating an app store concept, where companies that have integrated specific products into the platform are able to sell their integration to others, relieving them of the hassle of having to develop their own solutions. Genetec also offers ANPR solutions, which we will delve into in the Access & Identity Management Handbook 2017.
In the end
When it comes to selecting a management platform, buyers need to be aware of what they are buying. As cameras and other devices become commoditised, one needs to look at what will add value to your installation. As De Lorm notes, you don’t buy a car because of the tyres, they are easily bought and added when required; you look at the engine and how it will meet your requirements over the life of the vehicle, and add the tyres you prefer as you need them.
Both Genetec and InfinIT have developed complex software solutions, but their goal is to ensure that the complexity is hidden from the user, making it as easy as possible to add and control third-party products. There are, of course, many other products on the market, meaning buyers need to do their homework before opting for a management platform to ensure they get a reliable product with a history of innovation and support for diverse products and technologies. Moreover, a solution that supports open standards is no longer negotiable.
For more information contact: InfinIT, +27 (0)83 797 9500, gerhard@infinitbis.co.za, www.infinitbis.co.za.
Genetec, +27 (0)82 854 1278, bcary@genetec.com, www.genetec.com.
IPVS, 086 111 3635, marnix@ipvs.co.za, www.ipvs.co.za.
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