Year: 2019

NICE Actimize, a NICE business and leading autonomous financial crime management, has been selected by Israel Discount Bank of New York (IDB Bank), a New York State-chartered commercial bank, to spearhead improvements within its financial crime operations with innovative anti-money laundering compliance and investigation management solutions that employ artificial intelligence and machine learning technology. To more effectively meet the needs of regulators and support its growing customer base, IDB Bank will implement NICE Actimize’s suspicious activity monitoring (SAM) solution within its private banking and commercial banking portfolio, along with its customer due diligence (CDD) solution. The IDB Bank rollout will also incorporate Actimize ActOne, an investigation management system, which will be implemented as the financial institution’s next generation alert and case management platform. Additionally, IDB Bank will invest in NICE Actimize’s currency transaction reporting (CTR), suspicious activity report (SAR) processing and reporting capabilities which offers complete AML coverage and transparency with automated reporting and regulatory filing that eases AML compliance requirements. NICE Actimize CTR’s built-in validation tools and flexible capabilities enhance the quality and timeliness of completed reports. “Our investment in NICE Actimize’s anti-money laundering and investigation management solutions, well respected by the industry and regulators, will provide a roadmap for the future with its complete end-to-end capabilities that enrich our anti-money laundering efforts and strengthen our programs,” said Kevin Choi, Chief Compliance Officer IDB Bank of New York, “NICE Actimize’s innovations in machine learning and advanced case management will reduce false-positive alerting and speed up investigations, enabling us to improve our entire financial crime operations effectiveness and efficiency.” “IDB Bank’s confidence in NICE Actimize’s financial portfolio validates the success of our Autonomous Financial Crime Management approach and demonstrates that we are a vendor of choice for international bank branches,” said Craig Costigan, CEO, NICE Actimize, “We have seen strong adoption around the globe for our AI-enabled anti-money laundering and case management solutions. When integrated, our AML and ActOne solutions provide increased accuracy and productivity, improved return on investment and a clear path to supporting changing regulatory requirements. We look forward to working with IDB Bank of New York on its journey to improve operational efficiency.” NICE Actimize’s suspicious activity monitoring (SAM) solution, which combines machine learning analytics for laser-accurate detection, virtually eliminates costly manual data gathering tasks thereby increasing team productivity and reducing investigation time. The SAM solution introduced NICE Actimize’s innovative concept of autonomous financial crime management to the anti-money laundering category for the first time.  

GTPL Hathway is a cable and broadband provider headquartered in Ahmedabad, India. Founded in 2006, the company has become an industry leader in a short period of time. It currently maintains more than 20,000 kilometers of optical fiber cable, serving 8.7 million households in about 500 cities across the country. As India’s premier multi-system operator (MSO), GTPL is devoted to developing and delivering video products and data services of the highest quality. Challenges There were numerous network obstacles that GTPL wanted to overcome. Their first objective was to build an infrastructure that could handle the countless demands of schools, hotels, and similarly large enterprises. The company’s current point-to-point architecture was insufficient and unable to provide the seamless and uninterrupted connectivity that those sectors expect. Second, they hoped to have the ability to deliver on their promise of 80Mbps transfers. Users opting for this top-tier plan would likely be the most critical; if the speed was consistently lower than advertised, these customers would be at risk of being poached by competitors. Lastly, it would be essential to ensure that the network was self-sustainable and secure. By going with Zyxel’s potent and efficient GPON solution, GTPL was headed in the right direction. Solutions and benefits At the center of GTPL’s upgrade was the workhorse OLT2406 2U temperature-hardened 6-slot chassis GPON OLT, which Zyxel designed specifically for largescale projects. The OLT has the dexterity to handle a number of critical responsibilities – configuring and managing VLAN, running resiliency tools such as Storm Control and Loop Guard, as well as supporting proxy ARP. The agile OLT1408A 8-port GPON OLT was deployed for more remote locations due to its compact chassis with low power consumption, triple power source redundancy, battery support, and full remote management. This fiber backbone was necessary to overcome the distance limitations of traditional CAT 5 cabling. The PMG5317-T20A and PMG1005-T20A GPON ONT were deployed to bring this high-speed wired connectivity to subscribers. The devices are able to link to the OLT via a comprehensive and easy-to-use management interface, which also allows for convenient remote access. With built-in QoS, it also ensures that the triple-play applications are given the bandwidth they need. The completed network delivers the optimized power and coverage that GTPL expected. In addition to speeds of over 80Mbps, the fiber connectivity offers greater security and reliability compared to a traditional copper LAN infrastructure. This security is further bolstered by the Zyxel EMS NetAtlas, a powerful management system that centralizes and simplifies decision-making for the entire network. Now – thanks to a GPON solution from Zyxel – the cable and broadband giant can provide entertainment and communication services that will leave the competition in the dust.

Things get hot when pots and pans are polished in the production process at Kuhn Rikon, the number one Swiss brand for crockery and kitchen aids. Dust explosions can easily occur if the temperature rises above a certain threshold, which in the worst-case scenario can lead to significant fire damage and production outages. Initiated by ITES GmbH,  MOBOTIX and Hekatron Brandschutz teamed up in a joint project to deliver 360° protection against this risk for Kuhn Rikon. MOBOTIX thermal imaging cameras are connected to the fire alarm and extinguisher control center Integral IP at Hekatron Brandschutz. The cameras monitor the production process for critical temperatures and intervene autonomously in the production process. Not only does the system trigger an alarm in the case of possible overheating, it automatically stops the production machine and starts the extinguishing process where necessary. In June 2015, overheated polishing plates caused a dust explosion at the Kuhn Rikon main facility in Rikon in the Töss Valley of Switzerland, precipitating a devastating fire that destroyed the production system and parts of the factory building. Together with the associated production outage, the total damages amounted to CHF 5.2 million (€4.6 million). The production outage alone cost the company CHF 1.4 million (€1.2 million). “Luckily no-one was hurt, but the incident made us drastically aware that we urgently require reliable protection of our production processes that exceed the scope of normal fire protection,” said Paul Brunschwiler, Production Technician at Kuhn Rikon AG. MOBOTIX M16 thermal cameras: Tailored programming & ideal prevention Project manager Mathias Stauffacher provided the convincing proposal of connecting the thermal cameras M16 Thermal by MOBOTIX with a fire alarm and extinguishing control center at the firm Hekatron Brandschutz. The M16 thermal cameras by MOBOTIX offer outstanding image resolution and enable precise monitoring of all danger zones within the Kuhn Rikon production workflow. In addition, the software package for the IP cameras allows tailored programming to suit the needs of the Swiss company. “We exactly programmed all three escalation levels – a warning for critical temperatures, production stop when the threshold is exceeded, followed by immediate initiation of the extinguishing process after the production shutdown to prevent any spread of the fire,” adds Stauffacher. Kuhn Rikon: Significantly fewer production errors, production process boosted by 5% “ The compatibility with MOBOTIX and Hekatron Brandschutz, as well as the user-friendly and low-maintenance system, convinced us 100 percent. Continuous, precise temperature measurement also allowed us to optimize our production process to ensure that we always operate at the ideal temperature and largely prevent any production errors. Overall, we managed to optimize our production process by around 5 percent and in doing so make the general working atmosphere more pleasant for our employees,” reports Paul Brunschwiler. “The incident at Kuhn Rikon plainly shows that fire protection for technical systems is extremely important as a ‘life-insurance policy’ for the company. Here, protecting the employees and the company’s output go hand in hand,” said Daniel Triebswetter, Specialist for Extinguishing System Control at Hekatron Brandschutz, “The solution for Kuhn Rikon catches the eye with its simple connection of the MOBOTIX thermal image camera to the fire alarm and extinguishing control center Integral IP, as well as the smart fire management system – from production stoppage to triggering the extinguishing system.”

Raytec’s IR illuminators have been installed across several beaches in Southern California. High quality even illumination has provided the client with 24-hour video surveillance, and enabled them to begin monitoring the spawning of a unique marine species. The challenge For SCP Electrical, the local electrical contractor working on the project, the main challenge was to obtain high quality night-time images, over a wide area, and long distances. With little ambient lighting available, cameras needed additional IR illumination to provide quality images, 24 hours a day. The solution would be used to meet multiple surveillance goals. As well as requiring high quality illumination for general surveillance of the beach (to support the camera’s analytics software for facial recognition requirements), the client also needed to monitor the numbers of a unique species of fish, found only on the coast of Southern California. During nights after a high tide, ‘grunion fish’ spawn en-masse along the beaches of Orange County. Because of their vulnerability, the grunion fish are protected during their spawning season, and fishing is prohibited. Spawning exclusively at night, high quality IR illumination was essential to ensure protection laws are enforced, and to allow numbers of the fish to be monitored. In addition, the client also wanted to monitor coastal erosion, using images over a sustained period to analyse any notable changes to the shoreline. The solution With Sony PTZ cameras installed across several beaches, the solution was to install one RAYMAX RM300 IR unit with every camera along the coastline. This provided crisp, clear images, with improved overall performance of the analytical software. The RM300 delivered even illumination across a wide area, allowing the required distance of 70m (230ft) to be easily achieved. Controlling the illuminators via the photocells provided a fully integrated system, allowing illumination throughout the night, and ensured the camera and analytics software could operate 24-hours a day. Why was Raytec chosen? The selected illuminator would have to cope with the demands of a coastal application, as well as the hot climate of Southern California. With a proven track record in a wide range of extreme conditions, Raytec illuminators provided the perfect solution. RAYMAX’s long-life and zero-maintenance also meant lifetime maintenance costs could be minimised. The unique Adaptive Illumination™ concept provided the ultimate level of flexibility – with 180° illumination to maximise the PTZ camera’s field of view, while still easily achieving the required 70m (230ft) distance. Shannon Pommerenk, Owner of SCP Electrical says, “Each beach location required a large coverage by the PTZ cameras and there is absolutely no lighting on the beaches, so it was necessary to view long distances (70m) and clear images at night. A camera with built-in IR illuminators do not come anywhere close to the performance and even illumination of the stand-alone Raytec IR Illuminators”.

3xLOGIC, Inc., a leading provider of integrated, intelligent security solutions, and a three-time Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ winner, working alongside Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale, has completed a highly-anticipated security system upgrade for Junior Achievement of South Florida (JASF) at the organization’s JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion (JA World). JA World is located on the Broward College North Campus in Coconut Creek, Florida. With over 60,000 square feet of learning areas, rentable meetings rooms, and the Huizenga catering kitchen, JA World is the largest Junior Achievement facility in the world. Each year, more than 21,000 5th grade and 20,000 8th grade students from Broward and south Palm Beach counties visit the facility. The 5th graders learn basic economic concepts, workplace skills, and personal and business finances in a simulated city built for young students. The 8th graders focus on how their educational choices will impact their future earning potential, managing a budget and learn ing about high growth industries to help spark their career exploration. “Each day, 450 students participate in JA BizTown and JA Finance Park simulations at JA World. Their safety and the safety of our volunteers, staff, and guests is of the utmost concern to us,” said Laurie Sallarulo, President & CEO, JASF. Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale started working with JASF in 2008, in the early design/ build phase of the facility, and through its completion in 2009. The initial security system included remotely managed access control, verified audio intrusion detection, and analog cameras. At the time, IP cameras were considered too expensive. Working in tandem, Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale and 3xLOGIC designed a system upgrade that, through a combination of discounts and donations, JASF could afford. It also helped that John Ray, President of Sonitrol Fort Lauderdale, is a long-time, active JASF Board member. In order to fit JASF’s budget, Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale installed a 3xLOGIC hybrid NVR, enabling JASF to protect their analog camera investment, while adding in higher-resolution IP cameras for expanded coverage. The hybrid solution also creates a migration path, allowing JASF to continue improving visibility with new IP cameras over time as their budget allows. “As part of ongoing security and safety improvements, our staff participates in an annual active shooter training,” explained Monica McNerney, VP Operations, JASF, “And during those trainings, two things became clear. We needed to cover more areas with surveillance, and we needed to partner more closely with local law enforcement to give them real-time access to our system in case of an emergency.” Leni Smith, who manages day-today security matters, reviews video after an incident is reported to her, “I really like how with the upgraded system I can use motion detection alarms to hone in exactly the video I need to review – I bet we’ve cut the time for review easily in half, if not more. I also really value how I can draw a box in a camera view and zoom into that area easily and quickly to find out exactly what happened.” Jennifer Thomas, Vice President of Operations for Sonitrol of Fort Lauderdale also discussed continued improvements that are planned for JA World, “We are actively designing phase II of the camera upgrade, which will include improved coverage and image clarity for camera views outside the front doors. We are also ready to deploy our latest technology for the main lobby area – TotalGuard. TotalGuard is a great solution for emergency situations. It allows JASF personnel to alert the Sonitrol central station and transmit real-time audio and video to the monitoring center, for prioritized verified police response.”

Future of a society begins with the safety and security of its children. To ensure a safe and secure educational environment for the school going children, SDMC (South Delhi Municipal Corporation) was aiming to erect a dependable security infrastructure in its 334 primary schools across New Delhi. Following this objective, SDMC mooted a project to procure the latest security and surveillance equipment and establish a surveillance regimen. In search of a reliable partnership through official selection procedure, this project required the supply, installation, commissioning and maintenance of CCTV surveillance cameras for on-premise safety and protection of the school students and effective monitoring of the teaching as well non-teaching staff. CP PLUS proposed a comprehensive list of surveillance solutions for this righteous cause, and eventually partnered with SDMC to extend its security cover in the 300 plus SDMC primary schools. Challenges faced Ensuring on-premise safety of school children becomes the prime responsibility of the school administration. While in the SDMC primary schools presence of minors significantly raised the level of vulnerability on ground, increasing number of social crimes against the minors was also posing a continued threat. Introducing the aspects of surveillance and remote monitoring became a plausible alternative in sight to ascertain security of the school premises. Also, surveillance was one of the prime necessities in deterring every type of mischievous or unusual behavior, tracking of suspicious internal activities and curtailing external threats such as acts of vandalism or violent terrorist attacks. Consequently, the school authorities planned to raise a well-structured security mechanism and activate the surveillance regimen in around 300 plus primary schools. Solution by CP PLUS CP PLUS, known for its state-of-the-art surveillance solutions, customer-centricity, and reliability since more than a decade, emerged as a trustworthy partner for this project. Realizing the criticality of the SDMC project, CP PLUS was up for action. CP PLUS team ensured not only better product solutions but also gave unmatchable support and superior quality of service in the supply of the required number of surveillance equipment and peripherals. A total number of 344 SDMC primary schools were covered under this project. In quantity, more than 4,350 2MP HD cameras along with 344 16Ch DVRs were commissioned and installed to safeguard the SDMC school premises. Main areas where the installation and commissioning of CP PLUS security and surveillance solutions was carried out were principal’s office, main entrance gate, all corridors, toilets entrance and school boundary walls. The impact CP PLUS left no stone unturned in the execution of this project. A critical aspect of security – remote monitoring was introduced into the existing school apparatus, which was the pressing need for an educational institution with large number of minor children on-premise. This in turn, enabled the school administration in preventing all types of security threats in an intelligent manner. Monitoring of the core areas in the school prepared the school administration to act against several security concerns at the stage of detection, minimizing the risk of life-threatening scenarios. Threats which were downsized by scaling a robust surveillance mechanism were: Tracking of visitors through surveillance of the entrances. Monitoring of minor’s safety via surveillance of the school corridors. Detection of mischievous/ unusual/ violent behavior or suspicious internal activities. Monitoring of non-teaching staff with surveillance cameras at the toilet entrances. External threats, intrusion detection with the surveillance of boundary walls. The project was executed with precision, and commissioning of all the surveillance equipment was complete as per the designated timeline. The entire execution process of the CP PLUS team was lauded by the SDMC authorities. Regarding the support and quality of service delivered by CP PLUS for the project, J.L. Gupta, Education Director said, “The project was quite elaborate and involved setting up of a surveillance mechanism in more than 300 SDMC schools. CP PLUS products and equipment fitted the project criteria very well. We received an excellent service delivery as well in the installation and commissioning of the security and surveillance equipment. A prompt execution was something we would like to express our gratitude for, and this project definitely raises our expectations from CP PLUS for future.”