Jul/Aug 2012
vertical Market
44 StAkINg oUt Metro StAtIoNS Detect Blind Spots and Mitigate threats
In the face of challenges such as traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, public transportation offers a range of benefits over private automobile travel. As global ridership on intercity rail and transit continues to grow, many systems around the world are being expanded or newly constructed.
52 Next Stop: Unified Control of Disparate Systems
Network MaNageMeNt
BusiNess talk
38
Helping Manufacturing Head Home
applicatioN case
92
How do businesses choose where they are going to manufacture a product? Cost versus benefit is wedded to all business decisions and plays a large role in the location of a manufacturing plant.
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Small Devices at the Heart of Major Enterprise Networks Bosch Upgrades Shopping Center Security System in Singapore Bosch Provides Security Solution to One Prestigious Thai University PSIM in Action – Enhancing Safety and Security in a Large Metropolis
secutech review
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Eye-Catching Product Picks in Electronic Locks
Jul/Aug 2012
Product ExPloration
IP Video Storage 2.0:
Getting Architecture and Distribution Right 60
As camera counts and amounts of data increase, IP-based video surveillance signals and footage become more difficult to transmit, store and manage. There are a bewildering number of equipment choices for digital recording, but effectively recording and storing data requires more considerations than just hardware. Choosing the “right” architecture and storage distribution network that suit your needs and purposes will help ease a lot of headaches down the road.
68 Keeping Video Storage
Reliable and Resilient 72 What’s Next in Video Recording and Storage? 74 Product Showcase Product ExPloration
SPEcial FEaturE
Streaming Video Through the Air 88
The current wireless market for video surveillance is estimated to be around US$500 million. As wireless applications become more ubiquitous,a&s looks into how wireless networks handle megapixel cameras, some hurdles to watch out for, and the road ahead for wireless surveillance.
A Sound Understanding of
Integrated Video and Audio Features 78
Security can be very video-dependent; the use of audio features in surveillance systems has not been a major concern. However, having audio integrated as part of a surveillance system enables a wider range of possibilities.
14 18 20 20
86 Product Showcase
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Contents Editor’s Note Corporate News Market Observer
06 Show Calendar 1 108 New Products 118 Companies in This Issue
EDITOR'S NOTE
a&s Asia, published by Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd., is a bimonthly professional publication for channel players in the regional electronic security industry. It caters to importers, distributors, OEM/ODM searchers, system integrators and other product purchasers to get updates on product sources and developments in CCTV, Digital Surveillance, Access Control,
A Nice comebAck!
Biometrics, Intrusion Alarm, Intercom/Video Doorphone, Home Automation and other fields relevant to electronic security.
ISSN 1997-6259 中華郵政台北雜字第1570號 執照登記為雜誌交寄
Over the past few years, I used to say I was a journalist. That is because I was navigating the marketing, sales and training field for a couple of years. Now, I am back with the editorial team at a&s Asia to work for the security industry again. Bringing my strengths from other periods, I hope for a&s Asia to create a more different content that connects more people, and provide new business visions and genuine market observations. It is always great to meet old friends again and share your thoughts with them. A couple of years ago, people often talked about “globalization,” and discussed how India, China and other developing countries became part of the global supply chain for services and manufacturing due to the convergence of technology and events. Later, in the aftermath of the global recession, the fragile European market and slowly recovering US market caused fluctuations in the world economy. Under the gloomy world economic climate, multi-national corporations now focus on the “regionalization” of their operations, and how localized solutions and services help them react flexibly and agilely to market demands in order to maintain their substantial growth. In this issue, Business Talk — Helping Manufacturing Head Home — may give you more insights on this topic. Compared to other regions, Asia and the Pacific are showing the fastest growth in the mass-transit system investment. China, for instance, is eagerly extending its metro system mileage. In the cover story — “Staking Out Metro Stations,” a&s editorial examines the risks, concerns and security measures at underground and open metro systems. In the second article, a&s also explores the security/safety concerns in multipurpose metro stations. Enjoy!
Parson Lee Joseph Lee John Shih Regina Tsai
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International Advertising [Headquarters]
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Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd. Taiwan Branch: 2F, No. 8, Lane 360, Sec. 1, Nei-Hu Rd.,Taipei 114, Taiwan Phone/886 2 2659 9080 Fax/886 2 2659 9069 Web site/www.mfnewera.com
Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd., a company formed by Messe Frankfurt (HK) Ltd. and former A&S Group in 2009, is an integrated media service provider in the security industry. Our service covers magazines, Web sites, events and trade shows. The portfolio of a&s Magazine includes a&s International, a&s International China Best Buys, a&s Asia (above published in English), a&s China, a&s Installer, a&s Taiwan, a&s Solution, Fire & Safety and Info Security (above published in Chinese). a&s Turkiye, a&s Adria, a&s Italy, a&s India, a&s Japan and a&s Vietnam are licensed editions. For changes of address or subscription problems, contact us at mfne-circulation@newera.messefrankfurt.com Copyright© 2012 Messe Frankfurt New Era Business Media Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be republished, reprinted or redistributed in any forms, including electronic, without written consent from the publisher.
Advertisers are responsible for their own advertisement content. The publisher is not liable for any legal, image, patent or trademark disputes from advertisements or among advertisers. Legal consultant: Julia S.H. Yu, Attorney at Law, First Law & IP Offices
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Corporate News Infinova Completes March Networks Acquisition Infinova has completed the acquisition of Canadabased March Networks, a provider of intelligent IP video solutions. The deal was first announced in December 2011. With the addition of March Networks, Infinova becomes one of the 10 largest global companies in the video surveillance market. March Networks will continue to operate under its own identity and its customers should expect no change in the high level of product quality and customer support. It will benefit from the additional R&D and operations resources Infinova provides, ensuring a wider range of solutions to its customers.
The addition of March Networks will enhance Infinova's product portfolio and market position. "We are excited about the opportunity to expand our business by leveraging the tremendous assets that March Networks brings to us," said Jeffrey Liu, President and CEO, Infinova. "We are adding world class IP video solutions that have been widely accepted in both retail and banking markets. And also a highly talented R&D staff with exceptional software development expertise. Moreover, a proven management team is committed to helping us expand our global presence."
IMS Research: For IP-Based Video Surveillance, Future is Actually Now The trend to IP-based video surveillance is, by now, firmly established. The question is no longer “will IP-based equipment sales overtake analogue equipment sales?” In fact, IMS Research forecasts that 2013 will be the tipping point when world network video surveillance equipment sales overtake analog video surveillance equipment sales. The arrival of IP-technology has instead bought its own questions, and simultaneously changed the shape of the market place. With the emergence of IP-based technology, IT distributors and integrators are now, increasingly, competing with traditional security distributors and integrators. IMS Research recently published a report, IP Trends in Security — A Survey of Systems Integrators and Installers, which found that currently 80 percent of US systems integrators and installers purchase some IP-based video surveillance equipment from IT distributors, and that this was expected to increase to 90 percent of systems integrators and installers in three years' time. This finding compliments the fact that increasingly IT distributors are looking to add video surveillance products to their product range in the next 18 months. This could be good news for the traditional IT integrators who are also looking to enter the video surveillance industry, as they will already have the established relationships with their IT distributors. However, many IT integrators are not looking to their distributors for the securit y knowledge they lack but are instead going directly to the manufac turers of the cameras they are using. ▲ IP Equipment Sales Overtake Analog in 2013
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Assa Abloy Locking Solution Safeguards Hong Kong Government Building Waterfront Tamar site is where the new government headquarters in Hong Kong are located. Assa Abloy Hong Kong provided the door hardware and locking solutions that would cater to the building's complex security needs. Hong Kong's government relocated the Central Government Complex and Legislative Council building to the Tamar building. It is the administrative and executive hub of the Hong Kong government. The building complex also contains an open space for the public such as recreational facilities. The Hong Kong SAR government's architectural service department supervised the whole design and building project to make sure all the hardware specified fulfilled the security and safety requirements and architectural regulations in Hong Kong. Assa Abloy Hong Kong was chosen to provide a full package of door hardware from locking solutions to escape hardware, which included 4,000 units of high security cylinders and 200 sets of door automatics solutions. The project involved advanced specifications, as the different government departments housed on the site all have their own security requires. For example, the door of the chief executive officer's office needed to be bullet-proof and explosion-proof, yet neat and stylish.
Corporate News Major Korean Bank Installs IQinVision Megapixel Cameras IQinVision announced that one of the top four banks in Korea has installed more than 4,500 mini dome cameras in its headquarters and bank branches located throughout the country. The distributor, IT&T International, has been in charge of the project from inception. More than 100 cameras have been installed at the bank's headquarters and approximately 4,400 of the 1.3-megapixel cameras have been installed to date in more than 200 of the bank's branch offices. “In today's Asian video surveillance market, the customer is demanding a higher quality of video image to ensure more effective monitoring, especially in crucial locations
like bank branches,” said Andy Kang, MD, IT&T International. The bank is using video cameras primarily for post-incident review in the branch offices. All cameras record on motion at 7.5 fps. Each branch office monitors and stores its own video. “Megapixel quality was critical for this customer,” said Kang, “the video image must enable positive facial recognition.” “There are many camera companies to choose from in the Asian market; this bank chose IQinVision over several competitors. IQinVision's record of excellent service and their industryleading warranty were also important factors.” concluded Kang.
ABI Research: 90 Million Homes Worldwide to Employ Home Automation Systems by 2017 $14.7 Billion
BRIC
New subscription-based home automation (HA) offerings are rapidly transforming the way consumers will monitor, secure and control their homes. Long the preserve of more expensive, custom-installed technology, HA is moving into the mainstream, with companies such as ADT, Comcast, Verizon, Lowe's $4.5 and many Billionothers all adding HA to their customer services. A number of factors are driving the new entrants into the market. Connectivity is one key factor. Not only are there currently high home broadband penetration rates, but also smartphone applications that allow consumers to control and check their homes from wherever they are. As connectivity options make the HA systems more useful, market changes are also making it more affordable. “The US market has long been the dominant region for HA systems and now it is leading the way with managed HA subscription services. In the past two years, service providers, including telecoms, cable, security and energy, have all launched additional HA services for managing energy use or security monitoring to their suites of monthly billed services,” said Jonathan Collins, Principal Analyst of Wireless Healthcare and M2M. Over the next five years the managed HA market will grow Managed Home installments at a C AGR of 60 Automation Market percent between 2012 and 2017, outstripping the 31 percent growth across the total market comprising luxury, mainstream and DIY HA deployments. The evolution of the 89 Billion 2017 into the mainstream HAby market From 2012 to 2017 requires a raft of new partnerships. No company is able to provide all the parts, so telecom, cable, security and utility providers are all looking to smart devices vendors, managed software providers, local installation specialists and others to support the Source: ABI Research broad rollout of HA services.
Others
More than 40% of Global Spend in 2016
2010
2019
60% CAGR
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Vivotek Keeps Travelers Safe While Dining at Malaysian Airport Malaysia is one of Southeast Asia‘s top travel destinations. The constant flock of tourists in Kuala Lumpur International Airport on has kept 2009 364.4 Milli US$airport the businesses in the thriving, yet at the same time, has brought various safety concerns 2016 Billionauthorities. 1.6airport to the owners and US$the Sushi2Go, located at one of the terminals inside the airport, recently experienced a surveillance system setup. The solution and the equipment were provided by Vivotek and Taching Electronic, distributor of Vivotek in Malaysia. Sushi2Go is a Japanese fast food restaurant specializing in sushi take-out services, in particular for busy travelers who are always on the go. The restaurant was in the process of developing business strategies to enhance its business and improve sales performances. Security cameras could not only help track the traffic flow and the general surroundings of the store but also maintain quality control for better customer services. Most importantly, they play a vital role in combating criminal activities. The owner approached the experts from Taching Electronic for their expertise and consultation on the system design and implementation process with the layout plan of the store. After reviewing comparisons between analog and network-based high-megapixel cameras, the owner chose Vivotek as the monitoring device.
Analog
2014
IP
Corporate News Norbain Acquired by Newbury Investments With annual revenues in excess of US$150 million and growing, Norbain is one of Europe's key distributors of CCTV, IP video, access control and intrusion detection equipment. Headquartered in Reading, Berkshire, the company employs more than 240 people throughout the U.K. in various sales offices and at its distribution center in Manchester. Each year, the company's international sales division sells into 77 countries across five continents. Newbury Investments is part of a substantial family business which trades extensively across North America, U.K. and Australia in distribution.
Panasonic Partners with Broadsoft to Offer Hosted Services Panasonic announced that it has entered into an agreement with BroadSoft, a provider of software and services that enable mobile, fixed-line and cable service providers to offer unified communications over IP networks. Under the agreement, Pa n a s o n i c a n d B r o a d S o f t w i l l w o r k closely together on the interoperability of their products to allow pre-integrated SIP telephony solutions for hosted VoIP applications. BroadSoft's Premier Access Solutions program aims to simplify and streamline the service planning and delivery process for carriers offering hosted services by creating integrated access solutions. BroadSoft has brought together industryleading access best- of-breed access solutions that shorten time to market for new service offerings; bring network features to the customer as quick ly as possible; simplify the design and integration of a service provider's hosted VoIP applications network; reduce support costs with pre-integrated solutions; and increase customer satisfaction by offering the latest productivity-enhancing features. Panasonic's entire range of SIP-based telephones will become an essential communication tool in pre-integrated solutions from BroadSoft.
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The shareholders acquired their first UK business, Edmundson Electrical, a UK electrical distributor in 1979. With a turnover of circa $480 million and net asset value of $120 million, prior to the acquisition of Norbain, Newbury Investments is a financially strong group which will underpin Norbain and allow Norbain's suppliers, customers and employees to be confident in its future trading. “We are confident that Norbain's best-in-class operations combined with Newbury Investments' financial strength and complementary distribution experience will secure our future growth strategy.� said Barry Shakespeare, MD of Norbain.
NEC Fingerprint Identification System Deployed in China for Criminal Investigations NEC announced a series of accomplishments related to the deployment of its automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) in China's Anhui Province. The province's Public Safety Authority has launched a large-scale NEC AFIS to assist with criminal investigations. Since then, the suspect detection rate on latent fingerprint inquiries has increased by more than 10 times the usual rate. The NEC AFIS system in Anhui Province is the largest of its kind in China. The system consists of 2,300 units that have produced a database of more than 11 million registered fingerprints taken from arrested suspects and crime scenes. On average, only about 30 seconds is required to identify a single fingerprint. This high speed, high precision system also boasts a wide range of scalability that can accommodate a database of up to 50 million fingerprints. As a result, the system is well suited for assisting in the investigation of crimes on both the local and national levels. Recently, Anhui Province has secured the number one position by a large margin in an annual study conducted by Public Safety Authority that seeks to identify latent fingerprints from unresolved cases spanning the entire country.
Australia's Largest Department Store Fights Shoplifters With Geutebruck IP Video Myer, Australia's largest department store group, has targetted shoplifters with new security technology operating in its 68 stores. The use of radio frequency tags and Geutebruck digital surveillance system operated by well-trained staff is proving extremely successful in enabling security staff to identify and report known shoplifters, suspicious behavior and coordinated activity among groups of individuals on its premises. As a result most shoplifting suspects are now apprehended before leaving the premises. Myer is delighted with the results. It chose the Geutebruck IP-video system, after several pilot installations and a number of technical shootouts. With the Geutebruck platforms and around 6,000 Sony 1.3-megapixel cameras, the system has a fast and responsive video management and its strong user functionality. In store its functionality makes spotting abnormal behavior easy so that this can be reported to store guards who then shadow at close quarters, making their presence felt before offences are committed.
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Corporate News Aimetis Expands Distribution in Asia Aimetis has signed distribution agreements with Mixpole, Xiatong Network, The Certis Group and Shanghai Vitlon Intelligent Technology to include the Aimetis surveillance software to their physical security product line. "Aimetis has shown leaps especially in the North Asian market recently," said Youngsun Yoon, Sales Deputy Manager, Mixpole. "Being able to provide Aimetis software would not only mean offering a globally credible solution, but also having a competitive advantage by offering a solution with highly advanced video analytics in South Korea.” "Increasing the availability and exposure of Aimetis through
Arecont Vision Megapixel Cameras Lower System Costs in South Korea City Surveillance Project The city of Ulju-gun, South Korea, with its population of nearly 200,000 citizens, desired a new video surveillance system that was exceptional in capturing clear images of the numbers and letters on license plates. Vehicles are commonly used by people committing crimes and the government sought a system that could recognize a license plate number and lead to an arrest. License plate recognition systems typically use one camera per lane to view license plates on passing vehicles. The installing dealer for the Ulju-gun surveillance project, Daesung Net, was looking to reduce costs without compromising system performance. A total of 70 Arecont Vision IP-based 2 megapixels cameras integrated with Luxriot software to provide display and search features for the project. The 2 megapixel cameras enables one camera to view two lanes rather than requiring a camera for each lane, providing a 60 percent cost savings without compromising the system's ability to read license plates. The benefit of using Arecont Vision megapixel cameras with LPR is the increased resolution and wider coverage. There is an obvious improvement in performance over analog or IP VGA cameras, and the higher resolution allows the use of fewer cameras, which results in additional savings.
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distribution, while maintaining channel integrity is at the core of our growth strategy," said Richard Caballero, VP of Channel Sales for Aimetis. "Our new partnership with these tremendous distributors provides us with the ability to increase our regional reach in the growing Asian market." The Aimetis channel distribution strategy also includes Partner Certification and Partner Authorization Programs that provide hands-on or Web-based training, along with technical, sales and marketing support to system integrators of various sizes and industry specialties, based on their specific requirements.
Hikvision Recognized as No.1 Video Surveillance Equipment Provider Hikvision announced that IMS Research has recently declared Hikvision the No.1 global vendor of CCTV and video surveillance equipment in 2011 (Source: IMS Research's report, The World Market for CCTV and Video Surveillance Equipment — 2012 Edition). Additionally, for the third consecutive year, according to IMS Research, Hikvision again remains the No.1 worldwide supplier of DVR products. In the security camera category, Hikvision is now in the No. 4 global manufacturer position for all surveillance cameras (including both IP-based and analog). “We are pleased with the results of the recent IMS report. This achievement highlights our efforts in the security marketplace and is an affirmation of our ongoing business model,” said Polo Cai, VP of Hikvision. “Furthermore, IP surveillance, which has experienced consistent strong growth over the years, remains a key focus area for Hikvision.”
Webgate Enhances Video Quality of Crime Prevention Systems in South Korea Gyeongsang Province, Korea, enhanced the video picture quality of its crime prevention systems. Integrated with conventional system/management, it helped more than 90 areas improve crime prevention services which had fallen behind. The video taken by the conventional analog camera couldn’t be able to show car plate numbers or criminals. With high false rate, there were difficulties in doing unmanned crackdown. Therefore, Webgate was recommended by local representatives because of its low-light illumination feature to make picture clear even in night time. As a result, Gyeongsang Province could resolve recognition problems such as faces of criminals, car plate numbers which were not easy to be resolved in conventional regional crime prevention. Moreover, the conventional analog systems are also combined and monitor along with the newly-built systems that help achieve fast and easy monitoring.
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Business Talk
Helping Manufacturing
Head Home How do businesses choose where they are going to manufacture a product? Cost versus benefit is wedded to all business decisions and plays a large role in the location of a manufacturing plant. In a world where customers demand better quality for lower prices, manufacturers compete and cut to ensure their products are competitive in the market. Given the benefits that local manufacturing can bring, how can it fit into this picture of cutting costs? By Jessica Kao
R
afael Carmisin Duarte, Business Development Manager at Intelbras, thinks that there are three key factors that go into deciding where a factory should be located: government regulations, local infrastructure (logistics and supply chain mainly), and human resources. A place with favorable government regulations, good infrastructure and inexpensive but capable workers would be a good place to establish a manufacturing site. “If we talk about the local benefits on cost, we’re always talking about effects on end-user price, therefore market competitiveness advantage. When talking about the human resources, we consider workers, capabilities and work environment, which will reflect directly on production performance and products' quality. These among other factors will definitely have a result on the reliability of products and in turn, mitigate after-sales problems." Location advantages have led to the rise of places 30 22
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like Shenzhen. Shenzhen is a manufacturing hub in the south of China that manufactures many products from different industries. Duarte finds that since there are so many industries manufacturing in Shenzhen and China, the infrastructure is highly developed, and it is very easy to find suppliers of any needed components nearby; however, it is still hard to find qualified ones. Shenzhen, or rather China, is best known for its relatively inexpensive labor market; on the other hand, this initial lower cost does lead to other concerns and the need for better analysis. “With regards to human resources, people always talk about cost, but they should also consider worker ability,” said Duarte. “In China, the labor is still competitive, but with a high turnover that changes the workforce every 6 months, so workers are neither kept nor invested in for long. If you are able to find a place with capable labor knowledge and skills, and you are able to keep your workers for a long time, it may be worthwhile. Even if you have to pay more for the workers, you will have fewer expenses in the long run." Many of the security p ro d u c t s o n t h e g l o b a l market today seem to be manufactured in China, Korea or Taiwan, but this was not always the case. Local manufacturing or assembly, the idea of putting a product together in the place where it will be sold, seems like an anachronism.
How did we get Here?
The U.S. spends large amounts of money on security equipment, yet it no longer manufactures much of the technology within the country. Familiar with how manufacturing in security has changed over time is Paul Broome, owner and Consultant with Compair. “The US CCTV Sales Market has changed over time from full line product manufacturers to full line product providers,” said Broome. “It 22
▲ Rafael Carmisin Duarte, Business Development Manager, Intelbras
▲ Paul Broome, Owner and Consultant at Compair
seems that all monitors and cameras are manufactured by non-US manufacturers. For many large US companies, product development is limited to specifying a product's design parameters and shopping for an outsourced developer and manufacturer to take on the task. A single US company with six DVRs in its product offering may get them from six different OEM companies.” The default now is the collaboration between local and foreign partners, though this can happen many ways. In the U.S., a local marketing, sales and support function in the local language can provide the look and feel of a local product, said Broome. “Collaboration with foreign manufacturers is now an integral part of the US market. Opening markets has made it relatively easy to move the manufacturing effort to the locations of lowest costs. At first the problem was finding a manufacturer who can produce your product for you. Now the problem is deciding which partner to choose from an overwhelming number of offerings. The logistics of making personal contact with offshore partners has been simplified. Just go to any US trade show and walk through aisle after aisle of potential partners.” But with this collaboration, is there a way for manufacturing and assembly to be moved towards where the products will be? Outside of price, there are also quite a few intangible effects to local manufacturing and assembly. “To be able to react flexible and agile on market demands and demand fluctuations, a regional manufacturing has a significant advantage for mid and high volume products,” said Michael Jaeger, VP of Operations, Bosch. “Regional sourcing is a key aspect to reduce lead times and to gain speed and flexibility.” “If products are manufactured locally, a big advantage is that they don’t have to send the faulty product back
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Business Talk
to the country of origin for after-sales service,” said Iqbal Singh Jagdeva, MD of Turbo Consultancy Services. “For example, once they manufacture in India, there will be setup for services and maintenance. Presently, if any defect occurs in imported products, the product is often sent back to the manufacturer by paying freight charges and inspection charges. Then after the product is repaired, there are more freight charges and customs duties. Besides the cumbersome paperwork, this is also inefficient.” Manufacturing within your borders may make it easier to control the manufacturing process. There are less language and cultural barriers. However, the regulations, infrastructure and human capital need to be favorable to local manufacturing as well. “The industrial design needs to consider the capabilities of local suppliers and the available workforce,” said Jaeger. “For products with high complexity and/or low volumes, single source is the preferred approach to manage the complexity best.” Locally manufactured products may be closer to the local culture, which may allow it to have a wider range of distribution channels in comparison to internationally imported products. “I think that local products have a wider range of distribution channels. Penetration of the local market is easier,” said Duarte. “When distributing imported goods, people mostly focus on the big cities and city centers and miss a lot of the surrounding market — the countryside, smaller cities, and different states. It’s easier for local manufacturers; they can go much deeper. They understand the culture, the people; they have the right connections.” Though it may seem like a conflict for distributors to carry local brands, or even own branded products, along with international brands, often this is not the case. If local brands may be low- to mid-end products, and imported brands are high-end, then distributors may in
▲ Michael Jaeger, VP of Operations, Bosch Security Systems
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▲ Iqbal Singh Jagdeva, MD, Turbo Consultancy Services
AdvAntAges for eAch interest group when mAnufActuring locAlly • Manufacturer: Local control of product development and production. Close to sales organization. Fast response during early product development, production and sales efforts. • investors: Always looking for the best return on their investment. Little concern for manufacturing issues. • Customers: Interested in a high quality low cost solution to their problems. If asked, they may indicate a preference for a ‘made in’ product, but once presented with the price they will typically opt for the lower priced alternative. • employees/local citizens: Concerned about the impact on the community (continued employment, economic well being — theirs and the community). Source: Compair
fact increase their reach, and thereby the reach of all their products, by offering more products for more customers. “A distributor or integrator which is using its own brand is not necessarily a disadvantage — as long as there is no direct competition in the same market and price segment,” said Jaeger. Much of the world is focused on the quickly developing BRIC nations and their potential security markets. As these security markets grow, how suitable are they for local manufacturing?
Brazil
Intelbras makes products solely for the Brazilian market, a very large, quickly growing, yet somewhat closed, economy. Would ‘Made in Brazil’ products fair better in Brazil? “Hard to say,” said Duarte. “Brazil is not a well-known country for high technology and new products. Specifically, for the surveillance market and when we talk about lowand mid-end products, they would rather take Brazilian products because it will be easier for them to deal with local support and long term customer-manufacturer relationships. They will have a closer approach. If we talk ▲ Svetoslav Antyushin, Business Development Manager, Smartec about the high-end products,
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it's going to be an international dispute, between local and multinational companies, of balancing the local support, technology reference and cost/benefit evaluation. For the high-end market, people will trust products more if they are from a well-known and recognized brand, whether it is from Brazil or not." But regardless of preference for country or international supplier, Brazil does have policies in place that help to promote domestically manufactured goods. However, there are several requirements to obtaining such priviledges. “There are many customs-barriers for incoming products; the tax on import goods is very high,” said Duarte. “So if you have a product developed by manufacturers in Brazil, the same product might be more expensive if imported.” Interestingly, components are not highly taxed because there are not many component manufacturers within Brazil. If there are, then other manufacturers higher on the assembly line may need to worry about the price of their components increasing.
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india
Another BRIC country, India, consists of a highly educated, quickly growing population, with a market yet to be tapped. As the market continues to develop in India, local manufacturing will likely become more prevalent. India is already starting to see some domestic manufacturers and it would be no surprise if many more started popping up in the coming years. “The opportunity and requirement in India for the security and surveillance products is huge,” said Jagdeva. “I think the local manufacturing and assembling in India has the advantage of available resources and man power. However they require proper training and they need to ensure product quality that meets international standards.” As with many places, price versus performance is important for the Indian customer. “People are very much conscious and concerned about the prices of the products,” said Singh. “Generally the buyer will ask the prices first before asking for the specifications of the product.” Because of quality concerns, Indian customers typically still go for international brands. But that will change as
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Business Talk
the quality of Indian manufactured products increases. “Presently the buyer always prefers to go for imported products as they are unable to find good quality products that are manufactured in India,” said Singh. “Hence they prefer imported products. However with time, after quality improves, we feel their preference will be for India-manufactured products.”
russia
Regional sourcing is a key aspecct to reduce lead times and to gain speed and flexibility.
Russia is yet another growing BRIC with lots of market potential. There are a few industries that only accept security made in Russia, like orders from government and law enforcement. However, in recent years, Russia has had difficulty sustaining their manufacturing industry. “Manufacturing in Russia has declined greatly over the past 20 years due to mismanagement by the government,” said Svetoslav Antyushin, Business Development Manager, Smartec. “Production was not profitable due to high utility bills, taxes and relatively high wages. Additionally, factories have not been modernized since Soviet times, and have quickly become unprofitable.” The decline of manufacturing has had an impact on the skilled labor population. “In Russia, we traditionally have a very highly educated population,” said Antyushin. “Russian engineers and scientists are appreciated throughout the world. But working in manufacturing is not prestigious in Russia. So, we lose our talent to other countries and deal with an enormous ‘brain drain’. The government is now trying to raise the prestige of these professions. In general, finding skilled developers in Russia is not a problem; it’s a problem with qualified management personnel.” Infrastructure and import regulations also make it difficult. “The import of components across the border also causes a lot of problems for manufacturers. This greatly increases the cost of products on 90 percent of high-tech products made in Russia from foreign components.” Today, the Russian government is trying to revive this industry throughout Russia. Though the final outcome is yet to be seen, there are signs things are moving in the right direction. “They are creating free economic zones, like industrial parks, programs to support small- and medium-sized businesses, and they are paying attention 34 22
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to innovation in high technology areas. Support has been given in many manufacturing areas, including the field of security systems. Now, Russian produced fire systems and access control systems offer good price-performance and are popular in comparison to their foreign counterparts. Surveillance cameras, on the other hand, still have a long way to go.”
tHe way forward
What is a possible vision for the future? Duarte thinks that the future of manufacturing will be one with regional manufacturing centers. “The market is always looking for where manufacturing would bring the most benefits, and migrating to where the cheapest products can be produced," said Duarte. "In the short run, other Asian countries like Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia are already taking a share of China's place, currently the main manufacturing site worldwide, due to its constant labor cost increase during the past few years. With the increase in growth in each region, I think we will have different manufacturing centers close to different markets. For example, we are manufacturing a lot of products in Brazil for South America, and in North America, "Made in Mexico" products are starting to increase in volume. In Europe, we have some Eastern European countries that are developing their manufacturing sectors as well. So I think that each big area will have their own manufacturing zone that will put together logistics, labor costs, and local benefits over taxes, like in Europe where they have the Eurozone. South America and North America also have their own trade agreements."
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Network ManageMent
Small Devices at the Heart of Major
Enterprise Networks Today’s major corporations have multiple sites, each with hundreds or thousands of systems that manage security, a host of other building functions (such as HVAC and lighting), and data for human resources, legal, marketing and other departments. Ensuring that they work seamlessly requires comprehensive planning, dedicated team efforts and reliable network gear. Submitted by Johnson Controls
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ost often, corporate officials prefer to converge other connected devices, including the one that sent it. their security, building and other operational Also, hubs split total network speed by the number of systems onto one large enterprise computer connected devices. As a result, hubs are rarely used in network. That creates a challenge for the IT department, modern enterprise network-based security systems. A hub to marry disparate systems with varying degrees operates on Layer 1 of the open-system interconnection and requirements of access, bandwidth and security. (OSI) model. That challenge is typically met through the creation of Established by the International Organization for sub-networks known as LANs and WANs. Standardization, the OSI model consists of seven layers, A LAN is a computer network encompassing a with Layer 1 at the bottom. Layer 1, known as the physical relatively small area — usually a single building or layer, defines the relationship between a device and a group of adjacent facilities. Typically, IT transmission medium, such as copper or professionals create separate LANs for optical fiber. systems that are bandwidth hogs, such as Switches work in the same manner as video surveillance and hospital medical hubs, but offer many more capabilities records. Most IT professionals want some for sorting and distributing network data segregation of these large data packets packets sent between devices on a LAN from other building functions. However, or WAN. A packet not only includes less data-intense systems such as lighting data, but also its destination address. For controls and access may coexist very well instance, switches identify the intended on the same LAN. destination(s) of received data, such as In most cases, a WAN will consist of video, sending that information only to two or more LANs that span a larger those devices that require it. ▲ Ralph Staffiere, Senior Account Executive of geographical area. Switches can receive and transmit data Security Solutions, Johnson Controls Imagine all of the data that is required to more quickly (at the same time), guaranbe moved, shared and stored to operate, teeing the rated network speed for each maintain and secure a project, such as two connected device. A single switch can adjacent high-rise towers that serve as a handle hundreds, even thousands, of luxury hotel and prime office building, devices on a large enterprise network. More joined by a five-level retail complex. expensive than hubs, switches operate Behind all of the workstations, surveilon Layer 2 of the OSI model; Layer-2 lance cameras, access control panels, devices can send communications between intercoms, building management systems different network devices, but cannot direct and their networks are two relatively traffic to another network. inexpensive pieces of equipment — the A router, simply put, has two major jobs. switch and the router — that create and ▲ Darryl Da Silva, Security Integration The first is to ensure that information is Specialist, Johnson Controls link all of the LANs and WANs into the successfully delivered from one network enterprise network. The enterprise network to another. The second is to see that as we know it would not be possible without these other connected networks do not receive unnecessary devices. Oftentimes, the terms switch and router are used information. Otherwise, overloaded LANs and WANs interchangeably, but they have different uses even if they could crash. Routers are located at gateways where two may at times be integrated into the same, single device. or more networks are connected; they use built-in tables The feature looks at how each is used and when. to determine the best path for packet distribution. Like But first, let’s take a quick look at a close relative — switches, routers can be operated in either a wired or the hub, once a critical part of basic networks. Hubs are wireless mode. More expensive than switches, routers used to connect and share information between network operate on OSI’s Layer 3, which provides the means of devices. However, hubs have several major limitations. transferring data sequences from a source host on one They cannot simultaneously send and receive information. network to a destination host on a different network. Data sent from one connected device is shared with all So, how do these devices all fit into a modern, enterprise 22
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Network ManageMent security/building automation system? For one thing, switches can play a major role in helping organizations still employing analog equipment, such as surveillance cameras, make the transition to a totally IP system. A switch-based LAN moves the video through converters that digitize the data for recording and viewing across the enterprise network. As analog cameras fail, they can be replaced with IP-based models until the system is fully digital. This helps protect legacy investments and allows for a planned upgrade that fits corporate budgets. The larger and more complex a network becomes, many IT professionals look to virtual LANs (VLANs) to provide added structure. A VLAN may provide extra security for sensitive data, such as surveillance footage. It may link project work or other special jobs. VLANs can be easily created on most switches by entering parameters (name, domain and port assignments). A VLAN may contain multiple switches, and a single switch may be part of more than one VLAN. However, communications between VLANs requires a router. Routers are not only necessary within an organization’s networks — they also connect to the tens of thousands of other networks worldwide to create the Internet. That makes routers absolutely critical for logging in and remotely viewing security video or reviewing access logs from across a city or from another continent. In some cases, IT may also employ switches and routers to create stand-alone, dedicated networks for bandwidth hogs, such as video surveillance or medical records, to limit their impact on other corporate or organizational Routers ensure cross-network communications
and act as gatekeepers.
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functions. Let’s take a look at how these various devices and networks combine in some very complex building installations. The first is a two-tower project known as the Emirates Towers in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. This office/hotel complex accommodates business and vacation travelers alike. The office tower is home to numerous MNCs requiring the latest fiber-optic technology and integrated systems. The five-star hotel tower offers 500 rooms, including 40 suites, and three main theme restaurants. A five-level podium building, with retails shops, restaurants and parking lots, connects the two. A goal during the project construction phase was the implementation of a scalable, technological infrastructure to handle future developments. The project was also designed to provide the latest available technologies and integrations to ensure the towers’ competitiveness, while guaranteeing a quality building environment. A single building automation system, with four graphic workstations, manages and integrates 20 subsystems, including video surveillance, access control, fire alarm, telephone, paging, lighting, HVAC, elevators, video on demand, and hotel and property management systems via the IT network. This portion of the project increased operator efficiency through single-seat operation of 23,000 data points; streamlined operations and maintenance costs due to the integrated systems; adopted scalable technology that ensured reductions in future retrofit and upgrade costs; and enhanced guest experiences through interactive technologies. Physical integration of all subsystems and applications was achieved through one common IT network based on asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) and Gigabit Ethernet technology. A network management system handles the high-speed network and its connected devices. The change from a stand-alone system approach to an integrated system leads to significant changes in the engineering and management processes. The basic platform for the integrated solution is the Ethernet technology and TCP/IP (Internet) compatibility of the building automation system. This provides the foundation for technology integration in the Emirates Towers. The use of open protocols and standards in the building automation system 22
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Network ManageMent
▲ The Emirates Towers in Dubai house a five-star hotel, numerous corporations, shops and restau-
rants.
ensured that the owner and officials were able to operate an intelligent building without losing connectivity or features. Throughout the project, there are switches linking access control panels and locks over a LAN, and other LANs link the surveillance, fire panels and other building systems. Routers are installed to link the LANs, where appropriate, and then to the enterprise IT network. Here is a look at another major project depending upon switches and routers to move and share data with a number of disparate systems. The Toronto Pearson International Airport is nearing the end of a 10-year, US$4.4-billion program to provide higher levels of safety, efficiency and services for the more than 25 million passengers that pass through it each year. The new terminal’s security system uses IP video technology, providing full, flexible access to the facility’s 700 cameras in groups of up to 40. The security network can be expanded to meet growth or changes in government regulations and technology advances. Again, the security system is integrated with the building management system. That management system also controls the HVAC system throughout the terminal and 42 22
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ancillary facilities, including the parking structures. It provides a single-seat user interface for monitoring and regulating multiple functions. This system operates on a campus WAN configured as a dual-redundant, fiber-optic ring. Management and other authorized personnel can access the system from a central workstation or from their offices and from off-site, by way of the airport intranet. The Web-based building automation system (BAS) is programmed to integrate numerous functions, and airport officials are taking increasing advantage of the integration as the building program is completed. For example, integration with the air traffic information management system saves energy and enhances traveler comfort by controlling fresh air intake, heating, cooling and lighting automatically in accord with arrivals and departures. The BAS also integrates lighting management, an important function on a campus with annual electric bills totaling US$18 million. Lighting can be adjusted or switched off automatically based on natural lighting levels, building schedules, flight information and other factors. Other BAS integrations include: • The central utility plant: Communications between the boiler and chiller plant and the BAS helps staff manage the flow and distribution of energy throughout the campus. • Fire alarms: The HVAC system responds automatically to alarms, pressurizing stairwells, shutting off fans and evacuating smoke in appropriate areas. • Power management and control system: This system monitors power consumption and detects anomalies. • Vertical and horizontal transportation management systems: Integration with the BAS tells staff the status of power walks, escalators and elevators. The system also monitors and reports the status of pumps and variable-frequency fan drives, triggering alarms and identifying faults. Integrators can add value by helping their customers understand how security — and other building functions for that matter — can be networked in different manners to increase operational value and reduce costs. Each organization requires its own solutions that work seamlessly with the IT department to help create and maintain the required LANs and WANs that keep the enterprise network operating at its peak. And, remember, none of these grand, complex plans would be possible without the humble switch and router.
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Vertical Market
In the face of challenges such as traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions, public transportation offers a range of benefits over private automobile travel. As global ridership on intercity rail and transit continues to grow, many systems around the world are being expanded or newly constructed. According to Worldwatch Institute’s report, Europe has the highest rail density. Currently, the urban rail network in Europe encompassed more than 200 tram, light rail and subway systems with over 10,000 kms. An additional 800 kms were under construction while another 350 kms more were planned. The Americas, following Europe’s lead, was ranked second due to its large freight rail market but lags far behind in passenger rail. The below average infrastructure investment rate in Latin America remains the biggest obstacle in metro development. Compared with these regions, Asia and the Pacific are showing the fastest growth. The emerging markets in APAC will continue with their above-average growth, resulting from the corresponding increase in regional trade with growing freight volumes, urbanization with its needs for efficient mass-transit systems and rising environmental awareness. China, for one, is eagerly extending its metro system mileage. If China’s investment in nationwide high-speed rail networks is considered massive, its spending on local rapid transit systems is equally impressive. The central government has committed roughly US$100 billion, by 2015, to urban public transportation, which is part of a nationwide, trillion-dollar investment in urban infrastructure. Shanghai, for instance, now boasts 282 stations
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and 420 km of track, compared to 408 km in London and 368 km in New York City. The city has an additional 300 km planned to be operational by 2020, by which time the city alone will have more rapid-transit mileage than the entire country of Japan. Shanghai is not alone: 12 other Chinese municipalities currently have rapid transit; 19 more have systems under construction; and 17 new networks are being planned. Today, China offers around 600 km of metro track. By the end of this year, this number will reach 1,400 km and an estimated 3,000 km in five years' time. Keeping passengers secure and assets safe and operational is the ultimate goal of transit authorities/operators. In this first article of the three-part feature, a&s explores the risks, concerns and security measures at underground and open metro stations. By Tevin Wang
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Vertical Market
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ass transit systems, by nature, are open to everyone. Multiple entrances and exits designed to move large quantities of riders, oftentimes in closed quarters, make metro stations particularly vulnerable. “It is important to understand the operational complexities of the environment when considering the security and safety of passengers and operations,” said Skip Dunnett, Threat, Vulnerability and Risk Consultant at Digital Barriers. A security system can only be reliable if it is comprehensive in design, with various inputs and perspectives from all stakeholders. “Multiple parties, including transit authorities, local municipalities and emergency responders, are typically involved throughout the planning and design process for metropolitan subways, making it crucial for a security integrator to communicate closely with each party,” said Jeremy Brecher, VP of Technology Services, Diebold Security. “A better and more productive approach is to include safety professionals such as health and safety representatives, public safety officers and fire control officers from the onset. While safety systems are not generally designed to provide physical protection, they can offer aspects of security such as threat identification and scene
▲ Harsh conditions can impact the effective operation of security equipment.
change awareness,” Dunnett added.
HarsH EnvironmEnts
Subways can be harsh for security systems, in terms of high/low temperatures, heat, constant vibration and dust/debris. Such environmental challenges must be considered throughout all stages of security, life safety and risk mitigation planning and implementation. “In addition to potentially requiring more frequent maintenance, harsh conditions can also impact the effective operation of security equipment,” Brecher said. “The trains
Skip Dunnett, Threat, Vulnerability and Risk Consultant, Digital Barriers
Armine Beybutyan, Product Sales and Marketing Manager, Korenix Technology (Beijer Electronics Group)
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and rail equipment can cause radio frequency/electromagnetic-field interference, for instance, and being underground makes connectivity through wireless technologies and security backhauls difficult as well. This is more the reason to ensure that technology is selected with careful consideration of all factors.” After identifying the risks, integrators must look to install technologies that have been proven to operate effectively in harsh conditions to prevent costly maintenance or even failure. “To ensure reliability, all electrical equipment must have ruggedized design,” said Armine Beybutyan, Product Sales and Marketing Manager, Korenix Technology (A Beijer Electronics Group Company). opEration vErsus sEcurity In transportation, anything adversely affecting passenger flow
is regarded as negative. Compared to the aviation sector, there are no constant screenings at metro stations, if there are any, which illustrates the limited resources earmarked for transit authorities. According to USA Today, more than $30 billion has been allocated for aviation security since 9/11, compared to $1.7 billion for subway, passenger rail, cargo rail, bus and ferry security all combined. “Metro stations are open, and no one can really stop you if you have a load of weapons or explosives,” said Danny Peleg, Director of Market Development for Transportation at Genetec. “Unlike airport security where each passenger has to show up an hour before boarding for screening, the challenge for metros is to ensure security without disrupting operation or service. So you really need to think
about security measures that can actually be implemented.” The constant changes in metro stations also make it difficult to react or respond. “Unlike safety equipment and procedures that are normally seen as nuisances and dictated by regulations, security is an area where risk management can be applied,” Dunnett said. “Although there is usually some form of input into metro security from government departments, this is normally in the form of advice and guidance and relies on the operator to act proactively. In contrast, there is commonly a zero tolerance to unsafe practices. Given that protective security can often require a huge range of differing standards of protection based on the same threat scenario, it is not surprising that mass transportation security managers
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and planners employ a great deal of risk tolerance when it comes to the implementation of security.” EffEctivE covEragE It is often difficult to have effective coverage over an entire station. “You’re dealing with a lot of equipment spread over an extensive area,” Brecher said. “Security managers can often achieve better results if they cover the most vulnerable areas, including entryways, critical areas and so on, instead of trying to cover the whole system, which has the downside of spreading resources too thin.” Roger Dong, Director, Product Marketing and Business Development China, Bosch Security Systems, agreed. “No matter how few or how many cameras a system uses,
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Vertical Market
monitoring everything effectively presents a serious challenge. Even observing just a single screen for long periods pushes concentration to the limit; after only 20 minutes, an operator can miss as much as 90 percent of the activity in a scene.” The best form of defense is thus “attack.” “It is better to identify a number of minor incidents that can be analyzed to give warnings and indications of potential problems than to wait for a major incident to unfold,” Dunnett said. “The proactive tracking of incidents of security interest can allow security staff and managers to detect areas of potential risk and to take preemptive action to reduce vulnerability." Through coordination and integration, safety systems can be better utilized to support security p ro c e sse s a n d p roc ed ures . “A safety system installed to control overcrowding on the metro platform can be utilized to monitor suspicious activity and thus add to the threat awareness picture. The use of passenger-counting analytics across the surveillance system can highlight not only unsafe overcrowding in ticket halls but can also draw attention to building disquiet in these areas during periods of tension such as the transiting of opposing football supporters,” Dunnett said. “Furthermore, the integration and utilization of safety equipment are not only cost-effective but also provide a subtle way by which security can be introduced without being intrusive. The general public can be uncomfortable with overt surveillance equipment but will feel at ease with the same amount of cameras being present for safety reasons.” To cope with compounded security and safety threats, a wide range
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Danny Peleg, Director of Market Development for Transportation, Genetec
Roger Dong, Director, Product Marketing and Business Development China, Bosch Security Systems
of security and safety systems, including fire alarm, public address and evacuation, video surveillance, intrusion detection and access control, must be in place. “The implemented technology needs to be flexible enough to address different circumstances,” Dong said. Work as onE Metro stations require numerous sensors to detect behavior in different areas. Processing the data from these sensors takes time and, in many cases, is done manually by operators. “Additionally, the operator then has to manually locate the video camera(s) nearest to the sensor location to verify what is going on,” said James Chong, CTO and Senior VP of Strategic Innovation, Vidsys. Information and the speed at which it is delivered are therefore critical, as seconds can save lives. “During critical events, it is essential that operators have fast and reliable access to relevant security assets, and pertinent information from the numerous and complex security systems,” said Adlan Hussain, Marketing Manager, CNL Software. “The challenge is the response to a sudden surge in this load, caused by a c rit ical event or disast er scenario, comprised of multiple events happening at the same time. Designing a system to make the best use of the existing systems, such as
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marrying the information from surveillance, detection systems and location data, can help reduce the number of false alarms, increase situational awareness and minimize the time taken to deal with incidents. This helps increase the efficiency of security operations and reduce any disruption caused to passengers and their journeys.” Peleg seconds it. “Fast access to recorded video is very essential if something happens and images/ video footage are recorded 24/7. Through a centralized platform and efficient data coordination, operators don’t need to memorize procedures by heart and can better respond by shortening the panicking time and taking appropriate actions quickly.”
ins and outs
damagE control and vulnErability The complexity of metro environments directly affects evacuation strategies. When considering security risks and vulnerabilities of indoor and outdoor stations, it all comes down to the natures of threats. “In an indoor, confined area, threats such as explosives or fires can have significant effects. On the other hand, the threat within an outdoor station is more concerned with the relative freedom of access,” Dunnett said. “An outdoor station can be difficult to protect too, as the perimeter is generally easier
Vertical Market
to access. Indoor stations are easier to protect in this regard, as the egress points are limited and create excellent canalization points at which security sensors and monitoring can be operated effectively.” Risk Assessment Aspects of the station’s profile, such as environment, passenger makeup, ease of access, ease of escape, overt security profile and prestigious value, would define the level of threat and dictate the type of attack. “Generally speaking, the safety and security requirements not only differ based on the ‘indoor’ or ‘outdoor’ factor, but
also on the size and the bustle of the station,” Dong said. “Noise levels, means of escape, fire prevention and fire detection all cause concerns which relate to the unique layout of and emergency response to the area. For instance, smoke detectors for metro stations with high ceilings need to be extremely sensitive.” Rugged And moRe “The performance of video analytics, especially in outdoor environments, can be impacted by numerous environmental factors, such as flying objects like bugs or litter, rain, snow and fog, which can
▲ Safety and security requirements not only differ based on indoor or outdoor factors, but also on the size and regular flow of the station.
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cause false alarms” Peleg cautioned. Fair or poor lighting conditions should also be put into consideration during camera setup. Ruggedized, vandal-resistant design of cameras is a must. In these high-traffic, harsh environments, cutting-edge technology is not necessarily a must. “Usually, the most appropriate technologies can save a lot more trouble, lives and lower TCO in the long run,” said Patrick Lim, Director of Sales and Marketing, Ademco Far East (an Ademco Security Group company).
sAfe And sound
In addition to safety and surveillance measures, voice alarm systems also play an important role. For example, they are used to guide people to the stairways, or to instruct them to take their baggage with them in the event of a bomb threat, or to leave everything in the event of a fire, Dong said. “From a technical perspective, a public address system is one of the most difficult parts because in each case, the system needs to be adjusted to individual premises and acoustic conditions. Announcements or warnings need to be easily understandable despite high noise levels or reverberation. Fully digital public address and emergency sound systems are suitable for these volatile environments, as they automatically adjust to match the ambient noise levels.” Communication systems are equally important as surveillance systems, but are often neglected, Lim warned. “Integration of all these systems to work intelligently as one helps greatly in providing accurate and life-saving information, should there be a terrorist attack or an emergency.”