Perimeter Intrusion Detection Systems Feature
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to quickly assess a threat and then
deliver an appropriate response?
On the money
For an electronic security solution, costs
can fall into one of three categories: the
upfront technical costs, implementation
costs (including any civils and power
requirements, etc )and, finally, ongoing
maintenance costs. Future security
investment will most likely come under
even closer scrutiny as company
financial directors or CFOs look to
reduce costs from each element.
The cost-effectiveness of the solution
over its complete lifecycle will inevitably
be taken into consideration. What’s the
upgrade cycle? What does the product
lifespan look like? What will be the cost
of annual maintenance commitments?
In addition, are there solutions readily
available with a low infrastructure cost
and are there low or even no
maintenance solutions out there?
Manufacturers and installers who
determine to create valued engineering
solutions that don’t impact risk
mitigation will be the companies that
win the business over the next 12 to 36
months. Long product lifespans, low
installation costs and minimal
maintenance without compromising
detection capability will be the central
security procurement motto in the
short-to-medium terms, that’s for sure.
2020 has exposed a key flaw in any
risk mitigation plan that’s heavily reliant
on people. Even with security officers
classified as essential/key workers and
exempt from lockdown, reduced
transportation has made it challenging
for them to reach certain sites, which in
turn has meant that security managers
have had to prioritise those areas to be
protected by a physical presence.
It’s important that the industry learns
from this and ensures that any risk
mitigation plan allows for the possibility
of further disruption to travel.
Security technology wasn’t impacted
by social distancing, isolation or travel
disruption. In fact, such infrastructure
has continued its normal operation, with
the only eventuality being perhaps fewer
operators in designated Control Rooms
to monitor said equipment.
It’s easier to manage and prioritise
security in a controlled environment,
but what about outside? What about
external areas or sites with long
perimeters? How do you manage these
areas with a potentially reduced security
guarding regime in place at a given site?
In cases like this, it’s important that
security technology becomes the eyes
and ears of the security operation.
External intrusion detection
What are the main drivers of a fit-for-purpose
and technology-focused
security plan and do these drivers
change during a pandemic crisis? Let’s
take a detailed look at external intrusion
detection as one key example.
The need for real-time and accurate
data from a potential security event is
always key to affecting an appropriate
response. This can be split into four
aspects: reliability, integration, the
probability of detection and, last but by
no means least, location accuracy.
When focusing on reliability, it’s true
to state that operator confidence is
earned on the back of a consistent
intrusion detection solution that exhibits
low-to-zero false alarms on a continual
basis. This is an area where there have
been major leaps in security technology
as the market has demanded
dependability in terms of alarm events.
Advanced signal processing, complex
algorithms and ‘double knock’
technology have all contributed towards
increased levels of reliability.
The integration of intrusion detection
with CCTV cameras also has a major
impact on operator confidence. The
ability for an integrated solution to
Future security investment will
most likely come under even closer
scrutiny as company financial
directors or CFOs look to reduce
costs from each element
automatically display the relevant
camera feed without operator
interaction affords an additional layer of
reassurance. It also ensures that the
event is digitally recorded and can
provide evidence for law enforcement.
Equally important is the probability of
detection. Operators must be sure that
their intrusion detection system is going
to detect would-be intruders. Achieving
95%-plus probability of detection means
that no additional security guarding
patrols are needed. In parallel, any doubt
is also removed from operators’ minds.
Location accuracy has a direct
correlation to a prompt response from
security teams. This is especially true for
external perimeter detection where there
may be perimeters of 5 km, 10 km or
even longer to patrol and respond to in
the event of a security incident. The
ability to pinpoint an intruder with an
accuracy of just a few metres ensures
that practising security teams arrive
promptly and can then prevent a
defined threat from escalating.
Priority processing
A security solution that can process
alarm events according to priority also
ensures that key assets are always
protected. By revisiting these aspects,
asset managers can ensure that they
have a detailed plan in place that
remains resilient should personnel levels
be reduced at any time, thereby ensuring
maximum site coverage with the
minimum of security personnel.
Business continuity plans must now
consider more intently the potential
disruption to the availability of
manpower. As a direct result of this,
security technology specifically designed
to mitigate that risk should be given
greater consideration going forward.
This shift in focus can be illustrated
by one of our own recent projects. With
the telecoms sector being a key vertical
for us, we’ve already delivered bespoke
solutions for a number of Data Centres
around the world. The latest of these
came with a set of specific demands
around protection measures.
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