ONVIF®, the leading global standardization initiative for IP-based physical security products, has announced the add-on concept, which extends the ONVIF conformance process to individual product features that can solve a specific use case or end user need. This new concept enhances the ability of ONVIF to more quickly respond to the needs of the market with increased interoperability and flexibility of choice for end users and systems integrators. “The demand for more standardized solutions that can solve a wide variety of use cases is only continuing to grow,” said Leo Levit, Chairman of the ONVIF Steering Committee, “As profile development can be a lengthy process, add-ons will allow ONVIF to more quickly offer additional capabilities and functionalities that carry the weight of ONVIF conformance to the market. We look forward to seeing development proposals from members for not only profiles, but also add-ons.” An ONVIF add-on is one or more features that solve a particular use case; for instance, a need for standardizing file formats when exporting video. To conform to an add-on, a product must also conform to an ONVIF profile. The add-on concept enhances the ONVIF profile model by enabling conformance claims to additional features and capabilities that are not already included in ONVIF profiles. An ONVIF profile involves a fixed and comprehensive set of features that enable a functional product to be developed solely on the profile specification. While the features included in profiles cannot be changed, add-ons are easily adaptable to evolving technology/ specification requirements. Because an add-on supports version handling, it can be updated quickly to adjust for new technology additions or updates. Extending ONVIF conformance tests to include optional add-ons ensures that an ONVIF conformant device, such as an IP camera, and an ONVIF client, such as a video management system, that conform to an add-on will work together regardless of the manufacturer  

Gallagher’s innovative Adaptive Thresholds Feature took home the Outstanding New Product of the Year award at the New Zealand Security Awards on 22 September. Developed to help customers operating in harsh environments, this highly intelligent feature enables sites to adapt dynamically to environmental changes, minimising false alarms whilst maximising the detection capabilities of Monitored Pulse Fences. Adaptive Thresholds allows a fence controller to dynamically adapt to the local conditions. It achieves this by adapting the alarm threshold at a percentage of the return voltage, so that when a gradual voltage drop occurs due to environmental conditions, the threshold will adapt with it so that it will not trigger an alarm. “The New Zealand Security Awards recognise excellence and outstanding service delivery provided by those who work within the security industry. We’re honoured to receive this award, which recognises that this feature solves real problems and adds significant value to businesses. We’re equally as thrilled to see our Channel Partners recognised for their hard work too” Brad Small Regional Manager, New Zealand & Pacific Islands “We’re so thrilled to see Adaptive Thresholds recognised by the New Zealand Security Association. This feature truly represents Gallagher’s ability to create innovative solutions to genuine security challenges,” said Dave Solly, Product Manager for Perimeter at Gallagher, “Businesses do not want to constantly respond to false alarms that are meaningless, as it costs money and can cause alarm fatigue – running the risk of operators not responding to real alarms when they should.” Gallagher has customers in more than 130 countries around the world, many of whom operate in some of the harshest environments. One example is a perimeter customer with a desalination and power plant in the Middle East, which is extremely close to the coastline. “This feature was developed in response to a site in the Middle East that was receiving regular false alarms due to current leakage. Due to the location of this site, the salt build-up on the fence line mixed with the high levels of humidity making insulating surfaces conductive, which leads to a loss of voltage on the monitored pulse fence, creating a false alarm. “Adaptive Thresholds is designed to seamlessly adapt to changing environmental conditions – allowing a site to change from a fixed alarm threshold to a dynamic threshold,” said Solly. Gallagher continuously assesses the market and responds to the needs of customers. Adaptive Thresholds is one example of how Gallagher is helping correctional facilities, critical infrastructure, and other high-risk sites, minimise environmental factors that impact the performance of their essential perimeter security, while remaining as sensitive as possible to tampering on the fence line. Understanding just how critical this feature is for organisations around the world, Gallagher has made Adaptive Thresholds available in Command Centre from version 8.40 onwards.  

G7 Interior and Security Ministers have called for expanding the use of INTERPOL to respond to global crime threats and terrorism through increased sharing of information, expertise and operational support. During discussions on the current situation in Afghanistan, the importance of data sharing and having the right capabilities and processes to identify terrorists travelling into, or out of, the country were identified as priority areas. With more than 4,200 INTERPOL alerts related to subjects with either direct or indirect links to Afghanistan, as well as details of some 60,000 profiles of foreign terrorist fighters, Secretary General Jürgen Stock underlined the need to make this information as widely available as possible. Fingerprint match An example of this was the identification and arrest of an irregular migrant at the Schengen border in September 2020 after checks against INTERPOL’s databases revealed a fingerprint match to an improvised explosive device recovered years before in Afghanistan. Given this success, Secretary General Stock welcomed the G7 Ministers’ recognition of the need to increase the provision of biometric data particularly DNA and fingerprint information, where appropriate, as well as contributions to INTERPOL’s Crime Analysis Files. INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock said, “We can do more, and with the right support we will do more, because the global threat requires it. “Intelligence flows should mirror an increasingly interconnected world, which is why we must avoid creating regional silos or duplication of processes which prevent global information fusion. “A fully integrated global security architecture supported by INTERPOL can help more effectively address crime threats such as terrorists attempting to cross borders, child abusers exploiting their victims, or ransomware attacks against critical infrastructure.” “The leadership shown by the UK and especially the Home Secretary during this G7 Ministers meeting has provided a strong platform for real action, and I look forward to further strengthening our relationship to achieve positive results,” concluded Secretary General Stock. Identifying child abuse victims Reflecting the Ministerial support for INTERPOL, the ‘London Interior Commitments’ issued at the end of the meeting also identified the need to coordinate funding for INTERPOL’s core capabilities. Additionally, Ministers committed to the active promotion and use of the International Child Sexual Exploitation (ICSE) database. On average, the ICSE database helps identify seven child abuse victims every day, and in total has assisted in the identification of more than 26,000 victims worldwide, and more than 12,000 offenders. Tackling money laundering and illicit finance, which along with corruption, was also highlighted in the London Interior Commitments as a crucial element in disrupting serious and organized crime networks, an increasing priority through the COVID-19 pandemic. INTERPOL’s work with the International Anti-Corruption Coordination Centre in London facilitates secure operational communications. To date, nearly 1,600 INTERPOL alerts have been issued by 99 countries against suspects involved in alleged corruption and bribery offences. In this respect, the G7 Ministerial support for strengthening INTERPOL’s mechanisms to maintain the integrity of its system of notices and diffusions was also welcomed by Secretary General Stock.  

But when choosing a PoE switch, you’ll want to consider things like your expected organizational growth and device use so you can be sure to select the right switch. In this article, we’ll share the most essential considerations to help you choose the right PoE switch. If you’re new to PoE, you’ll want to read our review of PoE technology. If you’re an Integrator or Network Administrator, you’ll want to jump down to the section on choosing a PoE Switch. A Review of PoE Technology Power over ethernet (PoE) enables wired Ethernet cables to carry electrical current and operate network appliances and devices. Unshielded twisted pair (UTP) cabling, such as Category 5 cable, is typically used to deliver direct current power. PoE eliminates the need to use power cords, power supplies, and outlets. By 1999, PoE was standardized to certify uniform operations for powered network hardware and appliances on ethernet connectivity. Since then, PoE standards have advanced, resulting in interoperability with network appliances and devices not supported by PoE, increased power for network appliances and devices, and improvements to the standard Category 5 cable to deliver increased power. Thirty-watt PoE, referred to as IEEE802.3af or PoE+ PoE, was designed to support a wide variety of network appliances and devices. The current and maximum PoE devices have a power rating of 90 watts, also referred to as IEEE802.3bt Type 4 or PoE++. A 90-watt Type 4 PoE++ can power network appliances and devices such as motion sensors, security video cameras and monitors, and even refrigerators. Category 5 network cable is the minimum requirement for Type 3 and 4 PoE. Improved cabling requirements, including Category 8 network cables, are available and interoperable with both Type 3 and Type 4 PoE. PoE products include copper to fiber optic media converters, fiber optic media converters, and Ethernet switches. PoE media converters make it possible to interconnect systems using copper-based cables and systems using fiber optic cables or allow fiber-to-fiber conversion. PoE switches group digital data – including raw data or payload, metadata such as an IP address, and routing information – together in a packet and transfers them to designated destinations. Choosing a PoE Switch Advanced planning for organizational growth and device uses is important when choosing the right PoE switch. Important factors to evaluate before choosing a PoE switch include the existing network system and bandwidth, existing network appliances and IoT, locations of network appliances and fringe devices and IoT, the facility’s power configurations, and desired upgrades and additions to the network system. These factors will determine the PoE switch type and device requirements such as data rate, power consumption, port density, benefits of managed and unmanaged switches, and the need for converters/ fiber optic transmission for longer distances and increased bandwidth. Data rate The existing network speed or anticipated network speed upgrade is important in determining the right PoE switch. Standard Ethernet network speeds (10 Base T networks), fast Ethernet (10 Base T and 100 Base T networks), gigabit Ethernet (1000 Base T networks), and greater (1/10G) are all supported with specific PoE switches. Power consumption The total power consumption of all powered network appliances and devices should be within the operational capacity of PoE switches, including the power consumed by the PoE switch. Depending on the number of ports and type of PoE switch, all powered network appliances and devices should be simultaneously connected and powered. The right PoE switch can provide uninterrupted data transmission without power or signal loss. Power budget depletion and signal loss can be avoided by careful calculation of the power budget. ComNet’s PoE Power Supply Budget Calculation is available to help you calculate your power budget. Port density The size or potential growth of an organization’s network should help in anticipating port density. PoE switches commonly offer 8, 12, 16, 24, and 48 ports or more for Ethernet cabling and connectivity. PoE switches with 8 to 16 ports typically meet the requirements of small or home networks. PoE switches with 24, 48, or more ports can meet large and diverse network system needs of data centers, corporate organizations, and institutions. Managed or unmanaged PoE switches A managed switch allows for user configuration and includes switch management operations. Managed switches provide configuration and control over ports, bridges, and network protocols. An unmanaged switch comes pre-configured for plug and play operations and will automatically identify system operations and hardware components. An unmanaged switch does not require user configuration and typically cannot be modified. Both managed and unmanaged switches can incorporate PoE. However, users can modify the configuration of managed switches remotely, from a management console, or via network interface from a web browser with the advantage of PoE. Fiber optic transmission The maximum length and effectivity of UTP cabling is 100 meters. Fiber optic cabling allows for longer distance and greater bandwidth capacity over UTP cabling, with the use of PoE media converters. Fiber optic transmission bridges the distance and bandwidth requirements. PoE media converters convert fiber optic to copper transmission and send data over PoE UTP cabling to network appliances and devices. Need a little more help choosing PoE Switch? ComNet’s Design Center is here to support you with oneon-one technical pre-sale telephone assistance. The ComNet Design Center service is free for customers interested in using ComNet products in their designs. You can click here to connect with a Design Center representative- we’re here and ready to help. You can also see our full line of PoE Switches that can support your organization’s existing or planned network data rate by clicking the button below.  

If someone sells you a luxury handbag from Paris, France, but it turns out be a forgery from Paris, Texas, the counterfeit item might cost you a thousand bucks and the crook could wind up in jail. But if a counterfeit electronic device gets installed in a car, it could cost passengers or the driver their lives. Without new security measures, the interconnected wireless technologies, digital electronics and micromechanical electronic systems that make up the Internet of Things are vulnerable to forgeries and tampering that could cause entire telecommunication networks to fail. In 2017, sales of counterfeit products of all sorts – from electronics to pharmaceuticals – amounted to an estimated $1.2 trillion worldwide. To help prevent counterfeit computer chips and other electronic devices from flooding the market, researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have demonstrated a method that could electronically authenticate products before they leave the factory. Implanting Atoms to Create a Unique Electrical ID To detect the presence of forged components in a system, you need a way of uniquely identifying and authenticating these components throughout the supply chain. To achieve this, NIST researchers have developed a new low-cost process for creating unique and non-duplicable ID tags by altering the electronic structure of silicon. These tags could be embedded into a device during the manufacturing process and easily authenticated by anyone receiving the device, ensuring a secure supply chain for components in critical systems. Credit: Sean Kelley/ NIST. The scientists employed a wellknown technique called doping, in which small clusters of ‘foreign’ atoms of a different element from those in the device to be labeled are implanted just beneath the surface. The implanted atoms alter the electrical properties of the topmost layer without harming it, creating a unique label that can be read by an electronic scanner. Using doping to create electronic tags for devices is not a new idea. However, the NIST technique, which uses the sharp tip of an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe to implant atoms, is simpler, less costly and requires less equipment than other doping techniques using lasers or a beam of ions, said NIST researcher Yaw Obeng. It is also less damaging than other methods. “We’re putting a sticker on every device, except that the sticker is electronic and no two are identical because in each case the amount and pattern of the dopant atoms is different,” said Obeng. To create the electronic ID, Obeng and his colleagues first deposited a 10-nanometer (billionth of a meter) film of dopant material – in this case aluminum atoms – about 10-centimeter-square silicon wafers that were then broken into postage-stamp-size fragments so that they could fit in the AFM. The team then used the needle-like tip of the AFM probe to push aluminium atoms a few nanometres into the silicon fragments. The diameter of the implanted regions was tiny, no larger than 200 nm. The implanted atoms alter the arrangement of silicon atoms just beneath the surface of the wafer. These silicon atoms, as well as those that reside throughout the wafer, are arranged in a repeating geometric pattern known as a lattice. Each silicon lattice acts like an electrical circuit with a certain impedance, the AC (alternating current) equivalent of resistance in a DC (direct current) circuit. When the implanted aluminium atoms were rapidly heated to about 600 degrees Celsius, a few of them acquired enough energy to replace some of the silicon in lattices just beneath the wafer’s surface. The random substitution altered the impedance of those lattices. Each dopant-modified lattice has a unique impedance depending on the amount and type of dopant. As a result, the lattice can serve as a distinctive electronic label – a nanometer-scale version of a QR code for the wafer, Obeng said. When a scanner directs a beam of radio waves at the device, the electrically altered lattices respond by emitting a unique radio frequency corresponding to their impedance. Counterfeit devices could be easily identified because they would not respond to the scanner in the same way. “This research is key because it offers a means to uniquely identify components by a secure, unalterable and inexpensive means,” said Jon Boyens, a researcher with NIST’s Computer Security Division who was not a co-author of the study. The study, which Obeng presented on Sept. 16 at the International Conference on IC Design and Technology in Dresden, Germany, builds upon earlier work by the same team. The new study refines the AFM method for inserting dopant atoms, so that the AFM probe can more precisely place the atoms in the silicon wafer. The higher precision will make it easier to test the electronic ID system under real-life conditions. Obeng and his collaborators, who include Joseph Kopanski of NIST and Jung-Joon Ahn of NIST and George Washington University in Washington, D.C., consider their technique a prototype that will need modification before it can be used in mass production. One possibility is to use the sharp probes of several AFMs working side by side so that the dopant material could be implanted in many devices at once. Another strategy would employ high-pressure rollers to rapidly push dopant atoms coating a computer chip or other device a few nanometres into the device. A pattern stencilled onto the rollers would ensure that the dopant atoms were implanted according to a precise blueprint. Rollers are widely used to smooth paper, textiles and plastics. Obeng presented the work on Sept. 16 at the International Conference on IC Design and Technology in Dresden, Germany.