Superior Security Begins with a Single Pane of Glass
With the growing cyber threats across infrastructure sectors, STQC-certified Vicon Valerus VMS provides assurance that the system has been rigorously tested for vulnerabilities, encryption strength, data integrity, and secure software architecture. It not only meets the government’s Essential Requirements (ER) for cybersecurity but also builds confidence among end users deploying surveillance solutions in critical sectors such as smart cities, transportation hubs, defense, and public infrastructure. This certification makes Vicon Valerus VMS a trusted and future-ready choice for mission-critical deployments By Gaurav Taywade, Director, India Operations, VICON Introduction Open APIs have made it easy for leading VMS platforms to link video to instances of doors being propped open, LPR events, and other security incidents. The added value of integrated solutions makes them the norm for today’s enterprise systems, and common in small to medium-sized installations. However, in most integrations the VMS is not the dominant interface for viewing video with its associated data. Instead, users click on an event of interest within their access control software, for example, to see a short video clip captured by a nearby camera. Then, to search for more related clips, they turn to the VMS interface. While such integrations are better than no integration, the operator experience is clumsy and inefficient for use as a core security management platform. A video-centric platform allows security personnel to remain within the VMS interface to view and manage events from integrated solutions – like access control, LPR, vape detection, and more – all through a single pane of glass. To explain its inherent superiority, let’s begin with a hypothetical security threat and envision how such a system would facilitate a response. Imagine this Larry was terminated from his job last week. Today, he drives to his former workplace. A security officer monitoring the property sees live video from a parking lot camera pop up within the VMS interface. On the same screen, data from an integrated License Plate Recognition (LPR) system shows that the vehicle belongs to Larry Larkin, former employee. Larry’s plate is not on security’s ‘forbidden on property’ list, but the officer is curious whether Larry’s visit is expected. He checks his list of approved visitors for the day and sees that Larry has an appointment with HR to finalize severance paperwork. Therefore, there’s no need to dispatch an officer to the parking lot. Larry heads to the employee entrance instead of the main entrance. As he approaches the door, a nearby camera’s motion detection analytic pushes video to the officer’s screen again. In addition, the VMS displays a facility map pinpointing the location of the active camera. Larry is in the wrong place, as he is no longer an employee. From within the VMS screen, the officer opens a 2-way communication channel with the intercom mounted next to the employee door. He plans to instruct Larry to use the main entrance, where he must sign in and be met by someone from HR. Just then, a staff member arrives at the employee door, swipes in, and improperly permits Larry to follow her through the entrance. Her name and department display next to the video. The officer follows Larry’s movement through the facility via surveillance cameras, instructs another officer to intercept him, and alerts HR that Larry is approaching their department unescorted. Furthermore, as a precaution, the officer calls up the status of door to the HR department and confirms that it is locked. The episode ends without incident. Larry’s use of the employee entrance was an honest mistake driven by habit. HR greets him at the door and allows him to enter the office area, where he meets with a benefits representative as planned. To summarize, within the VMS, the officer was able to: This example is purely hypothetical, but it illustrates the advantagesof a centralized video platform presenting disparate systems withina single pane of glass. Capabilities will vary by VMS manufacturerand the integrations they offer, but in all cases, system operators,administrators, onsite workers, and visitors benefit. Let’s dig deeper. Enhanced Situational Awareness and Actionable Intelligence Video is much more meaningful when supported by live, corresponding data. When security officers are trying to understand the nuances of a security event, having all relevant information presented and seamlessly accessible is ideal. In the previous example, there were many times the guard received additional information within the VMS to explain what he was seeing. In a non-integrated solution, with only video immediately available, the officer would only know that someone had tailgated through an employee entrance. He would lack sufficient knowledge to assess the risk and respond appropriately. An overreaction by his security team could cause unnecessary stress and inconvenience to everyone in the building; a weak response could jeopardize their safety. With a video-centric integrated solution, operators have the data they need to differentiate between ‘real’ security threats and harmless situations. They can prioritize where to focus their attention and quickly understand when it’s necessary to deploy additional resources. A Faster, Better, More Informed Response Without a single pane of glass, security guards must navigate several solutions, search for, and pull up, relevant data to stitch together and make sense of what they observe – a cumbersome process that’s impossible to perform in real time. Our example ended peacefully, but what if Larry was emotionally unstable and seeking revenge for what he perceived as wrongful termination? Imagine if HR had flagged him as a volatile individual who was not welcome on site? Or, if the guard observed Larry removing a firearm from his car while in the parking lot? That guard could have initiated a lockdown immediately from within the VMS. These are ways in which a video-centric centralized solution facilitates a faster response. A centralization solution also better equips officers who monitor security from their mobile devices. Patrolling guards can maintain situational awareness without toggling between apps. When officers in the field have access to the same information as those behind a desk, they can respond immediately and spontaneously to security risks, like a…