The effect of security systems on the IT network

Corporate departments have learned how to increase efficiency and value over the years through leveraging the assets of the corporate IT sector. HR, Accounting, operations and other groups make widespread use of computer applications, information storage, e-mail and other IT resources in order to increase their productivity and the range of services they provide to their patrons.

Through joining physical security systems to the IT network, security can attain productivity gains and deliver new services in the aspects of remote video security, video and access administration incorporation, as well as fundamental security system management interfaces.

In addition, the corporate security division has lately joined this revolution by introducing new IT-centric tools and techniques designed to considerably increase the abilities of the security department.

Incorporation and Integration also facilitates the ability to converge video surveillance systems with transactional systems or with central monitoring station software, such as point-of-sale, teller lines and bank ATMs.

Many of these tools and other network-centric security apparatuses undoubtedly add considerable value to the organization, but in the process, they also take up significant network assets. IP addresses, information storage, switch and router ports, as well as bandwidth are not unlimited capital.

For that reason the IT team is tasked to verify and confirm that new systems do not negatively affect other users of the network, many of whom use the network to supply mission-critical duties. As a result, the security team is required to coordinate with the IT department before using the LAN to install software on, or connecting equipment to it. Some specific features of security systems (for example bandwidth consumption of video equipment) are predicted to bring close analysis from the IT division.

As soon as the security department staff will be in a better position to evaluate security equipment and system vendors they will start educating themselves on issues that deal with the IT department. This will certainly save them significant time and money through saving them from having to invest in a product or system that will not meet the IT standards of their firm.

Accessibility of the System

It is critical that a security device failure does not cause a general network failure due to the fact that the IT network provides services to the entire organization. In the same manner, a badly designed and administered IT infrastructure will compromise the reliability of the security layout.

The apparatuses of security can increase individual availability through using solid-state hard drives for saving their embedded programs and through utilizing operating systems that are immuned to viruses, Trojan horses and denial-of-service attacks -- particularly for systems that are hooked up to the public online network.

In addition to that, the embedded operating systems utilized in network appliances also ensure that hackers cannot easily take advantage of the vulnerabilities of PC operating systems, which can uncover security apparatus to be utilized as launching pads for network assaults. Furthermore IP access control lists as well as Built-in firewalls that limit system accessibility to computers from specific IP addresses or IP subnets also can assist in preventing network security violations. Also, if the equipment utilizes a Windows® OS, the auto-update attribute should be turned on, so that publicized susceptibilities are patched as soon as they get recognized.

Operational Quality

Departments of IT technology can spot percentages of network bandwidth for operations (for instance; Web traffic, VoIP and e-mail) on a LAN to guarantee high levels of operation, but on a WAN or the Internet, all services struggle to gain the same bandwidth amount.

Adding on, two examples of IT services that are extremely sensitive to LAN/WAN delays are VoIP and IP videoconferencing systems. These delays are normally caused by excessive levels of security video transfer. Obviously, a single MBps of video traffic isn't noticeable on a 100 MBps LAN, however on a 1.5 MBps Internet connection; these delicate services cannot be sheltered from a 1 MBps stream of visual footage.

As a result of that, IT departments study the level of video traffic (chiefly over the WAN) that a video security interface will produce. As a consequence, the capability to restrict video bandwidth utilization is a highly desirable trait in today's video surveillance apparatus.

On the other hand, even in the event of catastrophic failure at the primary facility several systems still require data/video preservation. In order to address these types of occurrences, the security system must support data/video archiving in a site that is physically detached from the main storage scene. In some instances only the daily backups suffice, but other applications necessitate hourly or real-time ordering.

Various management tools are also provided by advanced surveillance systems in order to enable remote archive/restoration of system configuration data for quick system refurbishment.

Data safety and Privacy Protection

 
Each and Every department expects the IT manager to defend sensitive corporate information on the network system. Live and recorded surveillance video is no exception -- particularly when the video system is incorporated with financial or retail systems and may contain embedded receipt information.

For that reason, the vast majority of network-based security equipment must carry out industry-standard authentication and authorization procedures in order to ensure that internal network users can only access the parts of the system it is approved to enter into.

In addition to that, passwords and firewalls prevent illegal viewing and/or downloading of security information and visual footage. This can be established to the level of a per camera basis on enhanced CCTV systems for both playback and live settings.

Availability of administration and Supervision Utilities

 
It becomes unrealistic for IT and security staff to monitor and manage these units individually especially when dealing with systems that employ dozens, hundreds or thousands of security equipments.

Apparatuses that continuously supervise the health of each security device and automatically report any troubles to the IT department are priceless. In the same manner, when upgrades to software become necessary, administration tools that allow the Apparatuses to be applied to multiple devices at once rather than manually upgrading each unit saves valuable work time.

Furthermore, IT also favors a system that enables them to add, change or remove an employee's security permissions from a central information record rather than logging into each device individually to alter the authorizations. Continuing on, these types of administration tools have long been available for networking apparatus, and they are now becoming available for DVRs and other surveillance devices.

At the same time as some new systems can use the existing IT layout, others require new equipments.

Due to the frequency of changes and/or the lack of enterprise management tools, some new systems demand less maintenance effort than other systems. And let us not forget that the majority of the devices that employ the Windows® operating system demand repeated security updates on a monthly basis.  For instance if it occurs that the Windows auto-update feature cannot be utilized, then this update procedure will be manual, consuming a huge amount of workers' time that could have been used to carry out other important tasks.

The Quality of Suppliers Technical Assistance

In these situations, IT departments appreciate suppliers who supply precise and timely technical assistance, predominantly during downtime and deployments. This assistance can expand to enhanced replacement applications (in which specific products are replaced instead of repaired in order to minimize the time where the equipment is not working). An established, healthy supplier is preferable to a vendor who is a startup or is going through financial difficulties.

A great number of systems require interoperability with external applications. One the other hand the flexible application programming interfaces guarantee that the systems can exchange data with other systems and with a wide range of user interfaces types, whether it be Web based or a client server. Suppliers who provide a software development kit to supply a programming interface can accommodate this necessity.

Multi-language manuals, user interfaces and technical support also are important for international organizations. No to mention that the security system should be flexible enough to handle a diversity of technologies, languages, date formats, as well as daylight savings time schemes.

The overall expenditure of possession
It is starting to get progressively more familiar to demand a return on investment analysis for major programs. A precise ROI calculation takes into consideration all costs, not just those for the initial equipment, deployment and arrangement.

The costs of project-specific apparatus, additional network equipment, anti-virus software licenses (for Windows-based devices) and training, as well as the recurring costs of dedicated WAN bandwidth, surveillance, maintenance and security vendor licensing charges, make up the remaining additional costs.

A clear understanding of the impact on the corporate network will help ensure a successful deployment especially as security managers continue to develop IT-centric systems. Those who attempt to function separately of the IT department will find themselves losing that independence as they depend on others to assess and back up their systems and methods of operation.

Although integration of technologies might seem a burden at first, due the fact that the different types of companies have to understand the methods and ways of operation of each other in order to function effectively, the benefits surpass and go far beyond these initial hurdles.

The advantages and benefits will reach both the companies themselves as well as the customers and general consumers. To start with, upon a successful integration, the companies will have the experience of being able to integrate and converge in the future with various other companies, this is an ability that will certainly come handy especially with the rising trend of convergence amongst companies that is progressively rising in your day and age.

Secondly, as it can clearly be realized, it will have double the industrial experience and guidance that it had in the past due to the added alley that it converged with. This will ultimately increase the likelihood of the company's success and domination over its competitors and opponents.

On the other hand, from the perspective the of consumer, it is also a wining situation. The convergence of companies, and particularly technological and security companies immediately translates to "state of the art" products that are capable to handle the challenges of our insecure world. This will ultimately benefit the society as a whole through reducing the ever increasing rates of violence, intrusions, vandalism, as well as crime in general all through the entire United States.

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