Network-Centric Security

The Open Network Imperative

• By Steven Titch
• Apr 01, 2009

Rahm Emanuel, President Barack Obama’s chief of staff, summed up the tenor of the times last November when he said, “Never let a serious crisis go to waste.”

It’s debatable whether panic or truly significant financial contraction ignited the current recession. (If you remember, tech sector losses during the dot.com meltdown were just as severe, but that industry was not concentrated in the nation’s media capital, the way financial institutions are). Whatever the cause, the liquidity and debt problems U.S. enterprises are dealing with are real.

Economic events this large catalyze change in business processes, and security is no exception.

For better or worse, in times of crisis, the classic “wait-and-see” attitude in the face of technology shift doesn’t fly. CSOs, CISOs and CEOs should no longer bide their time analyzing how the IP trend in security will play out -- not when all the components of an integrated, open, IP-based physical security platform are available off the shelf from a plethora of sources.

Simply put, open networking cuts costs. The economics of information technology will force users to act.

Does this mean there will be wholesale IP upgrades and turnkey change-outs in the next few months? No. But enterprises, schools, retailers, malls and industrial operations can't afford to stop buying altogether. Security remains a priority, a fact we are reminded of all too often when we badge into work, spot a surveillance camera in a parking lot or walk through a metal detector to enter a public building.

Users, however, will have to buy smarter. That means following the simple rule of buying what they need at a price they can afford. When it comes to security, only open networking supports this imperative. Consider these facts:

• For the same cost, two to four H.264 digital cameras can replace one analog camera.
• More cameras in more places mean fewer personnel costs.
• Basic analytics, such as license plate recognition and tamper detection, further reduces personnel costs.

Open networks allow for mass customization. Users can optimize a system to fit their own particular requirements from a selection of compatible software produced by third-party vendors. It reflects the BlackBerry and iPhone model, in which you buy the basic device, then avail yourself of a world of free or otherwise inexpensive applications others build for the platform that suit your own preferences.

I’m preaching to the choir here. Most CSOs now understand while the objectives of the job are the same, the security process is more about managing information than eyeballing three to six monitors and walking around every hour to make sure all the doors are locked. Until now, communicating the information management message has always been troublesome. CSOs have had trouble articulating it; CEOs have had trouble hearing it.

At this moment, however, CEOs can easily hear how open security platforms can save money. CSOs can use the economic argument to start a shift to IP. They then will be positioned for its value and performance benefits in the years to come. Don’t let a good crisis go to waste.

This article originally appeared in the April 2009 issue of Network-Centric Security.