In this third installment of a three-part series of Q&As about school safety and security, DATIA K12 contributor Randall Dennis interviews Bruce Canal, CPP, Executive Lead for Education at Genetec. Canal draws on his experience in law enforcement and as Director of Security for Orange County Public Schools, as well as serving on the boards of the National Council for School Safety Directors, ASIS International’s School Safety and Security Council, PASS K-12 and ZeroNow.org. Canal is especially proud to serve on the ASIS International Foundation Board’s Scholarship Committee. Read part one of the series here and read part two of the series here.
Randall Dennis: In our first discussion we talked about the importance of a single point of entry strategy for securing school buildings. In our second, we discussed AI and analytics. Here we're talking about the advantages and disadvantages of using open source solutions versus closed platforms.
Let’s startBruce Canal, CPP, is Executive Lead for Education at Genetec and has served in law enforcement and as Director of Security for Orange County Public Schools. by demystifying the terminology we use when we speak of “open architecture” and “closed platforms” or “proprietary solutions.”
Bruce Canal: Just look at the nature of the word. “Proprietary” is essentially telling you, “While this system works great in its own world, it is limited to its own devices and software.”
So, any device that connects to the video management system, including camera systems, gun analytics detectors, access controls, all the sensors, everything has to be proprietary, connected to the main platform. What does that mean? All from the same brand or manufacturer.
John Randall Dennis is an ASIS ESRM Certified Security Risk Consultant and security advocate based in the Nashville, Tennessee area.Dennis: Much like Apple’s iOS is essentially a closed system: iPhones, iPads, Macbooks, iOS applications, etc. are all from Apple or approved by Apple.
Canal: Correct. The upside is that closed platforms are somewhat simpler to deploy because there's less decision making. Usually there are a limited number of cameras available to you, probably very few reader types available, etc. If you want an audio video intercom, there is only one available to you. It all comes from the same vendor.
Dennis: So, if you have extremely high confidence in that closed system like Apple’s iOS, that’s less risky. But you’d need to identify what other dimensions of security tech that the closed platform may not address.
Canal: Exactly. Such closed platform manufacturers do everything they can to ensure they’re covering all the bases. Most elements are available to you.
Dennis: But you need to perform a lot of due diligence not on the closed solution, but what elements they don’t cover. Especially elements that might be vital to be fully integrated into your platform.
Canal: Right. A technology or capability you might discover later—at a conference, for example—will not work with your system if it's from another brand. And there’s one more consideration: "proprietary” means it's probably more like a “software as a service” model. SaaS is not bad, necessarily, but you should be aware that proprietary SaaS could mean you never really own the equipment; you are effectively paying a lease on equipment that can only be used on a “closed system” with few potential upgrades. If the school or district's leadership desires to deploy an open video management system later on, all of the “proprietary” cameras would have to be removed and replaced.
Dennis: The alternative to proprietary is open source, similar to the way Android is an alternative to iOS, with a broad number of applications from different developers.
Canal: If you're looking at a system that uses an open architecture and open platform, there will be a plethora of available sensors. About any category you can think of is available to you, if you are truly running an open video management system platform. The backbone of an open platform in my view should be one that allows a video management system to work in harmony with access control, license plate recognition, intrusion, etc. and a long list of other integrations. This creates a holistic solution, not separate solutions that are linked together, and it's certainly not a “proprietary” system.
Just like in the human body, where the hands, fingers, eyes, ears, and the feet all connect to the spine, the “backbone” of a security system should be a video management system. If you want to use sensors to unlock doors, or communicate via audio-video, or detect firearms, the VMS is foundational and will allow them all to seamlessly communicate with each other.
Dennis:What does that mean for the end user?
There are lot of options with an open architecture. You’re not restricted. You can have multiple brands of cameras; use one known for its sturdiness and durability outdoors on the football field, but use a more economical brand indoors, or a high-resolution camera in a certain important location. With open architecture you're not restricted to one particular brand of cameras or brand of sensors.
You could create unique combinations for each individual building. If you have open courtyards for lunches, you might need cameras that feature a better digital zoom because of the need to cover a greater area, or a constant pan-tilt-zoom camera. You have the freedom to pick the cameras you want and add virtually any analytic to it. Anything you imagine may be possible.
Dennis: Another consideration is that there's more at risk in a closed architecture when you know less about the brands. If you know a lot about it and are confident in your choice, there is less risk. But if you’re not fully confident in a particular closed solution and brand, it may be a better choice to use open platforms.
Canal: I agree. In the open architecture scenario, you’re not boxed in by a single company.
John Randall Dennis is an ASIS ESRM Certified Security Risk Consultant and security advocate based in the Nashville, Tennessee area. He can be reached at: [email protected]
Bruce Canal, CPP, is Executive Lead for Education at Genetec and has served in law enforcement and as Director of Security for Orange County Public Schools.
John Randall Dennis is an ASIS ESRM Certified Security Risk Consultant and security advocate based in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
