Discover the power

of integrated security

Increase
productivity

Inspire efficiency
Improve
operations

26 | Pelco Press Spring 2012

 You might have noticed the phrase, “discover the power of
integrated security” in many of our recent communications.
We chose these words carefully.

The statement not only embodies the spirit of excellence and innovation
that our company represents, but also, it serves as a call-to-action for our
innovative customers who constantly strive to bring new ideas to life.

“Discover the power of integrated security” is the beginning of an important

dialog about how Schneider ElectricTM combines security management
systems, integration expertise, and best-in-class technology to enable
corporations to realize quantifiable business value. As today’s revolutionaries
continue to build a smarter planet, our company helps those innovators
employ integrated security solutions to positively impact their respective
corners of the ecosystem.1 Read on to understand more about security as
a business enabler.

Growth over the past decade information technology (IT) functions

To understand the holistic value it brings
today, it is important to recap the evolution
of security over the past decade. Among
the changes that have occurred are
the following:
within a business. The advent of
software-managed security solutions
caused that line to fade. Physical security
and information technology are now
inextricably linked.

• Software integration has emerged as Today, best in class Schneider Electric

a business enabler, giving rise to integrated security solutions run on
“integrated solutions.” integrated IT- or IP-based networks.
• Economic factors have made Infrastructural components are shared
demonstrating return on security and actionable information is available
investment (ROSI) a requirement from different systems. Integration onto
rather than an option. one IT network also affords the possibility
of a single control platform. Software-
• Security now can be categorized as driven solutions deliver not only the
delivering three levels of value. means to collect information, but also
• The synergy between people + equip operators with the necessary
process + technology is a compelling (consolidated) facts to be proactive.
factor in designing security
Discover the power management strategies. Software has taken us beyond the legacy
of integrated security • Managing security as a lifecycle is of basic security (standalone products
and solutions designed to provide security
Drive greater a best practice.
effectiveness) – to the delivery of more
business efficiency It pays (literally) to analyze the impact of advanced (integrated) solutions that
each of those developments. provide risk protection – to delivering
business value that transcends the scope
Software enters the picture of traditional security. What’s more,
There was once a clear delineation integrated security solutions have made
between the physical security and more effective security management
available at a lower overall cost.
Pelco Press Spring 2012 | 27
 Monetizing return on
security investment hasn’t
been easy One of the reasons why
security hasn’t easily been monetized
in the past is that traditional methods
for calculating return on security
investment were complex at best.
Equations included a mind boggling
array of mathematical formulas and
statistical analyses. Calculations frequently
relied upon “soft data” to derive hard
numbers associated with ROI. It was
inevitable: easier mechanisms had to be
found. By categorizing security in terms
of the depth and scope of what it delivers,
quantifying return on security investment
became easier.
Security can deliver three
levels of value Imagine three
categories of security that run the gamut
from “effective protection” at one end
of the spectrum to “delivering tangible
business value for solving real business,
operational or process problems” at the
opposite end. This helps illustrate how
ROSI can be quantified. (See Illustration 1.)
The promise of security
effectiveness represents the most
basic reason why executives invest
in security management solutions.
Integrating multiple disparate technologies
onto a single comprehensive IT network
drives more effective security protection.
It also results in lower capital expenditures
(CapEx) in new construction and in lower
Operating Expenses (OpEx) over time.
This first category of security solutions is
the one that is hardest to monetize.
The second level of value is risk
reduction. This category of protection
safeguards brand reputation, bolsters
business continuity and provides
tangible ROSI. Among the major factors
that impact business continuity are
security incidents, disasters, accidents,
and non-compliance with regulations.
Integrated security solutions address
these challenges. This kind of security
solution reduces risk and gives operators
situational awareness. When anomalies
are pinpointed, they have the right
information at the right time so that they
can make informed decisions. With this
second level, assigning a monetary value
to security is easier than with the first.
28 | Pelco Press Spring 2012
Illustration 1
Three levels of security
VALUE CUSTOMER BENEFITS RESULTS
CapEx and OpEx cost reductions
result from integrating multiple
Security effectiveness disparate technologies onto a single,
comprehensive security network.
Securing the people and assets that
make up a business reduces risk,
Risk reduction ensures business continuity, and
enhances reputation. Real financial
benefits are many.
The investments customers make
in security technology can be
Business efficiency leveraged to improve business
processes, reducing variable costs
and increasing revenues.
Using a security management
solution to support the primary
mission of an organization
represents a third level of security.
In this instance, security is used to
improve business processes, reduce
variable costs, and increase revenues.
Here, security is no longer viewed as a
cost center, but rather as an enabler that
plays a strategic role in the organization.
Security delivers tangible benefits
in such business areas as logistics,
manufacturing, facility scheduling, process
improvements, and energy management.
At this level, security contributes to
the success of the business and to its
profitability and continuity. This is where
security begins to weave itself into the
DNA of an organization. This is also a point
at which proving ROSI is straightforward.
Weaving security into the
DNA Two more points are critical to
understanding how security becomes an
essential part of corporate DNA. First, in
addition to categorizing security according
to what it delivers to the business,
executives must consider the synergy Discover the power
between people + process + technology
as part of a best practices security
of integrated security
strategy. When all three work together Prove return on
in an intentionally-designed symmetry,
security investment
an organization can realize the highest
possible performance improvements and
reap significant [financial] benefits across
business operations. Second, viewing
the discipline of security as a process-
 Safer buildings

Safer people

Safer streets

Pelco Press Spring 2012 | 29

 Discover the power
of integrated security
Uncover actionable
information

Recognize
suspicious activity

Protect patrons

Monitor
sensitive areas

30 | Pelco Press Spring 2012

 Illustration 2

The security lifecycle: incorporating processes

to ensure business continuity
It’s about process, not just technology
A manufacturing environment uses
optical turnstiles equipped with
credentialing capabilities. Because
the production line will not start without
the proper number of qualified workers
in place, the propensity for costly
Enterprise security lifecycle product defects and the likelihood of
disruptions in the manufacturing
process is greatly decreased.

A supervisory control and data acquisition

Business objectives driven security lifecycle highlights how this
The security lifecycle process starts symmetry works. (See Illustration 2.)
with identifying the objectives of
the enterprise. The security lifecycle follows a
chronological progression through the
Vulnerablility assessment
Identify the assets that are essential eight stages that occur in most security
to running the enterprise and ensuring environments – from determining business
business continuity. objectives at the beginning – to events
resolution and post-event analysis
Integrated security and reporting at the end. Each of these
Decide how you want to manage security
and design processes to secure assets stages provides a mechanism for
and ensure business continuity. continuous improvement.
Infrastructure/processes Beyond the foundation to
Design security technology to
support the processes. Install the
real-life examples The best way
to highlight the vast potential integrated
security infrastructure.
security brings is to examine real-life
Events and alarms examples. A case in point is a city with
Established processes and your an already overcrowded roadway system
deployed infrastructure detect events and stressed police network. More
in the enterprise.
than 7 percent additional growth was
Situational analysis anticipated yearly. The team implemented
Analyze events against process design an integrated solution that included high
and business operations. resolution day/night cameras, additional
video storage capabilities and automated
Workflow drive response service dispatch SMS. The solution
Automated response to events occurs
based on business process design so as delivered 99.9% uptime and a 270%
to ensure business continuity. increase in enforcement revenues over
a several year period.
Events resolution
Events are resolved and the enterprise
The owner of a commercial office building
returns to normal operations.
realized two significant benefits with an
Post-event analysis integrated security solution tied to the
Reporting is event-based rather than facility’s BMS. He not only reduced
technology-based. OpEx costs and decreased energy
costs but also realized an unexpected
Reporting
Process improvement can occur at 15 percent decrease in annual cleaning
this stage. costs thanks to tracking occupancy and
alerting cleaning staff not to address
unoccupied zones.
(SCADA) system-driven water treatment
plant integrated video surveillance with
the SCADA system. Now alarms are
confirmed via live video verification before
a technician is dispatched to resolve a
problem. Workers are not dispatched to
areas exhibiting unsafe conditions and
fewer facility technicians are required
to maintain the infrastructure.
Thermal cameras used to protect
an industrial facility also monitor the
temperature of equipment bearings
in pumps and motors. Because the
temperature of bearings increases with
excessive wear, these cameras can detect
changes and automatically alert operators.
Security delivers preventative maintenance
that safeguards against unexpected
equipment failure and process interruption.
In retail and transportation environments,
video surveillance can serve the dual
functions of securing the environment
and also assuring efficient traffic flow –
of people, baggage, or cargo – on
escalators, in baggage handling
carousels, or on surrounding roadways
and parking facilities.
Together we can harness
the power The possibilities are
endless. Let us help you revolutionize your
environment today. Together, we have the
power to leave a permanent mark. Let’s
continue to raise the bar in designing
revolutionary applications for integrated
security technology.
Download your FREE PDF copy of
the Schneider Electric white paper: The
Evolution of Return on Security Investment
(ROSI), visit us at www.SEreply.com

1 This article is excerpted from “The Evolution of Return on Security Investment (ROSI),” by Kathy
Holoman and Aaron Kuzmeskus, Schneider Electric integrated security solutions, January 2012. Pelco Press Spring 2012 | 31