Your Top 5 Convergence Challenges Chapel Hill NC

Security convergence is a broad spectrum, which I like to break down into the following four categories:

• Convergence of Electronic Security Systems and Information Technology: This started back in the 1980s with the introduction of the PC, and has kept advancing as computer, network and information system technologies have advanced. It includes all of the "IP" convergence phenomena, meaning, among other things, that physical security folks need to be more IT-savvy.
• Internetworking of Physical Security and Business Systems and Networks: This, too, has been ongoing since the 1980s and even earlier, when access control systems were first being used for time-and-attendance. Now it's really taking off — with security video systems being used for quality, safety, training and supervision use as well as for security surveillance.
• Integration of Physical and IT Security Systems: This is the realm of one-card initiatives, and connecting physical access control with information system access control. A common example cited is to ensure that someone cannot log onto a computer without a security card or biometric print to gain access into the room the computer is in — thus preventing someone else from using your log-on in your absence.
• Integration of Physical and IT Security Management: Also known as "holistic security," Integrated Security Management, and more recently Enterprise Security Risk Management, is the adoption of a unified risk perspective for managing security at senior executive levels.

One reason for these categories is that they each have a different set of security stakeholders. They also tend to have their own unique security challenges, which is the subject of this month's question. I have listed below the top five convergence challenges that readers and security conference attendees have submitted, and listed them starting with the most frequent.

Q: What aspect of convergence do you find most challenging?

1. Figuring out how "convergence technology" will impact my existing systems, which, for the most part, are working fine and do not need replacement — but which are not the same brands and are not global like our IT systems are.
2. Trying to determine if I should expand my video system using the kind of components I already have, or if I should start moving over to network cameras and network video recorders (NVRs) instead of DVRs.
3. How to deal with the fact that my systems integrator does not seem to be up to speed on IT issues and does not seem comfortable talking about network-based security technology with my IT department.
4. Explaining to management what security convergence is all about.
5. Finding the right person in IT to collaborate with in regards to convergence.

If you have experience that relates to this question, or have other experiences you want to share, e-mail your answer to me at ConvergenceQA@go-rbcs.com or call me at 949-831-6788. If you have a question you would like answered, I'd like to see it. We don't need to reveal your name or company name in the column, but we'd be happy to credit your for your quotation. I look forward to hearing from you!

Ray Bernard, PSP, CHS-III is the principal consultant for Ray Bernard Consulting Services (RBCS), a firm that provides security consulting services for public and private facilities. Mr. Bernard has also provided pivotal strategic and technical advice in the security and building automation industries for more than 18 years. He is founder and publisher of The Security Minute 60-second newsletter (www.TheSecurityMinute.com). For more information about Ray Bernard and RBCS go to www.go-rbcs.com or call 949-831-6788.