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So much of what we do as systems designers relies on our knowledge and experience of the products we design with.  A great amount of focus is placed on general product knowledge that well designed output is overlooked.  What I mean by well designed output is the attention to the little things in a drawing like typography, line width, uniform drawing titles, and even the title block itself.  The mastery of these little details can take an average looking, but technically sound, design and transform it into almost art. 

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Starting today, I am going to repurpose ProSecurityTech as a “Security System’s Designer’s” site and give away what I have been doing for the past decade…Systems Design.  What do I expect will come from this?  In a perfect world I will become a billionaire, but I will be happy if I get small design commissions.  I have also set up ProSecurityTech as a design consulting firm to aid MEP’s, Architects, and End Users.  Hopefully this site will be a viable assessment of my knowledge and abilities for future clients.  Don’t worry, I don’t plan on charging for content anytime soon or ever for that fact.  I will avoid making any vow’s or promises as I am still the procrastinationist that I was before; however, I will say…I will do what I can with what I have.  And I have been getting by with little to nothing for so long that I can make anything out of nothing in no time flat.

Let’s see where this takes us.

-Lee

A number of people have asked me the question about mounting guide lines as they relate to ADA.  While most have a general knowledge (between 42” and 48” center) it is still a mystery as to the exact guidelines.  The figures below are taken from the ADA’s web site (http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/about/index.htm) after some rooting around.  They depict the exact range for mounted devices allowable by the ADA. 

 

***ADA Guidelines are a national standard that serve as a minimum; however, that’s not to say a particular End User will not. ***

 

 

Figure 1 High and Low - Side Reach Limits

 

The 30 by 48 inch wheelchair clear floor space is located a maximum 10 inches (255 mm) from the wall.

 

 

Figure 2 High Forward Reach Limit

Forward reach range shown in profile and plan view to be 48 inches maximum and 15 inches minimum.

The internet has been around for ages it seems, and after almost 20 years the security industry is starting to catch up… I hope. I witness more and more web based applications in the driving seat for security administration and configuration. This has me calling out to the hevans like a healing, evangelistic midget trying to get rid of a young teenager’s acne. After years of agony and torture imposed by having to deal with 300 baud dialup for “advanced communication”, manufacturers are finally hearing our pleas.

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Not many people are aware, but back in the mid and late 90’s there was a war for web browser domination. The bout was between Microsoft’s Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator. We know now that Internet Explorer won the early battles due to the pure dominance of their OS Windows; however, they are slowly losing the war. With the release of IE7 it is evident now more than ever that Firefox, (the progression of Netscape when the company went under and open sourced their code) Opera, and other standards based browsers are creating a real impact. And I am sure that you have wondered why I am talking about web browsers when I am supposed to be talking about EAP (Electronic Asset Protection). Get ready…Here is the segway. Internet Explorer is losing the war because they are holding on to a monopoly that ultimately hurts the user. They are holding onto Proprietary code and are trying to force as much of it as possible; however, because of the other standards compliant browsers Internet Explorer has had to give in and become more standardized…but not completely.

How this gibberish relates to Security
There are companies out there that re-invent the wheel and attempt to force it down the end users throat. The end user is completely unaware of the proprietary nature until it is time to upgrade their system. There have been attempts at standardizing areas of the industry, for example 26-bit weigand format for card readers and most companies have modified the way you mount the equipment to fit standard back boxes. I believe that if the industry moved to a more standards based approach we would all benefit as web browsers have. We would have equipment and interfaces that would be successful because they were “Best of Breed” and not because a large national company sold their equipment because it fit their pocket book.

Give Credit when Credit is Due
Just like Adobe is given credit for its contribution of the wildly popular PDF file, here is a short list of companies that lead the way in the same manner, standardization through domination.
• HID leads the way with its Card Readers. Besides having 98% compatibility with all access platforms they offer a program that guarantees your card will never be reproduced and/or hacked.
• Pelco is one of the industries leading camera manufacturer. They are best known for their contribution of the PTZ camera. They may not have invented the camera but they have perfected it along with their telemetry protocols that can be found in almost all other manufacturers PTZ cameras.

Short list huh!! This is the closest thing that we have to standardization. Companies that are so large that manufacturers have to build in compatibility in order to survive.

Closing Thoughts
Web Browsers have flourished because of the W3C, an organization dedicated to setting standards for the web. Maybe the security industry needs the same, an organization dedicated to setting standards for all things security related.

I recently chaired an Initial new client meeting, this is a meeting where the design team sits down with the client and jots down the “Wish List’.  During this meeting, one of the customer’s representatives said to me that my company was actually their second choice, and their first choice argued with them then refused to work with their budget.  This made me wonder how many consultants actually listen to their clients.

In my design process I listen to my customer's wish list, and then make product recommendations accompanied by budget analysis for the recommendation.  This is usually where the actual budget is announced and compromises begin.  The goal is always design for the future with today’s money, and about 90% of the time this is somewhat feasible.  The other 10% the people are completely out of touch with reality, and you can tell before the ink hits the consulting contract.

Is Anybody Listening
This is not the first time I have witnessed or heard of such behavior.  My company just finished a project when the project manager met with the Chief of Police for a local ISD.  This particular Chief was very involved with all intrusion alarms for the ISD and preformed all of the programming as far as codes and cards were concerned.  He said that he met with the architect and security consultant and wanted the new school to have a Caddx system like all the other schools; however, when the specs were produced it reflected Bosch equipment.  The Chiefs recommendation were completely ignored and cost the ISD $1,600.00 for Software and Hardware just to maintain programming when they were already set up with Caddx.  I wonder who dropped the ball.  Was it the consultant or the Architect?  My bet is the consultant.

Final Thoughts
People want to be listened to and want to feel as though their input makes a difference.  So it is very important to keep those people happy, especially when you want any type of lasting relationship.  This industry is not that forgiving and a reputation can be made very quickly.  It is vital that you make it a good one.  What do you think the Chief will say when it is time to design the next school?  Do you think that he will have any favorable comments about the architect or the consultant?  Fortunately, we had a pass due to the fact that we were going off of spec and did not know of the existing Caddx infrastructure.  Had we known, you bet we would have installed caddx.  This particular system did not utilize any of the advanced features that Bosch offered and swapping out with Caddx would have actually been preferred.  I know that you probably have heard a facility manager or other administrator charged with maintaining the security system talk about how useless something is due to poor design and I would love to hear about them.

This topic can get a bit technical and complicated. Lucky for you, I will not force you into either. This post will just show the bare basics and guide you through how to select the correct type of wire.

Types of Wires
There are basically two types of wires used in all systems: Plenum and PVC. Plenum and PVC refers to the smoke rating of the wire jacket. Plenum is a “Low Smoke” jacket and is approved for use in open indoor areas, like the plenum of the ceiling. PVC is a “Higher Smoke” jacket and is only approved for running in conduit or in plenums where a designated return air duct is used. PVC omits a toxic chemical into the air when burned, and the last thing you want is to spread toxins through out the building because either the building has an open ceiling return air system and the toxins are sucked up into the air conditioning and the blown about, or not run PVC in conduit and those who are close to the burning wire are affected. I always use plenum wire for indoor application just to be safe. Wiring that is used outdoors carry an outdoor rating and is filled with gel to prevent corrosion. When faced with running outside wire, I always run plenum wire up to the exterior wall of a building and create a splice to continue with the outdoor wire

AWG
American Wire Gauge is a standard that we use to determine the circular mills of the copper in the wire…how thick the wire is. AWG is an important consideration because voltage and data will only travel so far on smaller wires. You will have to consult the installation guide for the equipment that you have purchased to find their data limitation as for voltage use the table below and you will coast through most of your installations. On a side note, most manufacturers also follow this table for data transmition.

AWG	Distance*
24	300
22	500
18	1000
16	1500

Table 1.1 - *Wiring must be home ran and not daisy chained

I have yet to use a thicker gauge wire than 16AWG in an intrusion system, other systems are a different story. Personally, if my device is more than 1,000ft away from my control panel, I will install a secondary power supply.

Final Thoughts
Intrusion systems can be the easiest system to install if you keep sick by the following:

1. Always use plenum wiring for indoor applications. It will cost you more money, but save you a lot of liability in the long run.
2. Use 22AWG and 18AWG in the distances laid out in table 1.1 and stick with them. Don’t try to “stretch”, as it could lead to hours and days of trouble shooting to fix
3. Keep wire color simple. Set a standard and stick with it throughout the job/carreer. For instance, always use the red and black wires for positive and negative power, and the green and white wires for signal. This will avoid confusion with some of your lesser experienced installers.

I recently read an article published by an industry magazine informing its readers that the new government standards for access control will require the use of smart cards along with either proximity, pin pads, or all the above.  This move was to insure that whoever needs access is who their credential says they are.

The Problem
The problem is that the use of smart cards takes away the decision making from the Access Control System.  Here is how the smart card process works.

1. A person swipes their Smart Card.
2. The Same person places their finger or hand on the biometric reader
3. The reader then compares the data from the biometric read to the data from the card
4. If there is a match then it passes the o.k. to swipe the proximity or dial the pin pad.

The issue lies in the whole smart card process.  Everyone knows that a proximity card can be duplicated, and a pin number can be lifted.  How long do you think it will take someone to recreate their own smart card to house their print?  Chances are, it has already been accomplished.

The Solution
Government facilities, or any other high security complexes, should use biometrics as a piece of their access control credential requirements; however, they should not use smart cards.  A more secure method is to evoke the whole process with the proximity reader.  Here is the correct process:

1. A person passes their proximity card next to the proximity reader
2. The Same person then places their finger or hand on the biometric reader
3. The Access Control CPU compares the data from both readers with the stored data in the database.
4. If there is a match then it passes the o.k. to dial the pin pad or opens the door.

The main difference is what is deciding if the biometric data is correct.  By using a database instead of a smart card reader, chances of passing a forged credential is severely minimized.  Someone could still hack into the database and change the record entry in the biometric table; however, then the IT department gets involved and yet another set of road block are set up.

Final Thoughts
It is nice to find that our government is upgrading their standards as far as ESS is concerned; however, I just hope they do it properly and the article I read was wrong.

I recently ran into a customer that was unhappy with their system. Their exact words was “This is absolutely useless.” The customer had the system just installed and was unhappy with the results. When they asked the installation company to fix the issue, they were given a change order to approve.

What Happened.
The customer did have an unreasonable expectation of their equipment. They wanted a fixed camera to be mounted twenty five feet in the air and provide a wide viewing angle. This is absolutely doable; however, they also wanted to read the license plate of any car that drove by. This is a clear case of a salesperson selling equipment not educating the client, and a customer buying a system.

??? Do What???
Some salespeople are driven by the almighty commission and say anything to sell equipment and labor. Using the above example, the salesperson did give the customer what they wanted, A fixed camera on a pole mounted twenty five feet in the air, the disconnect was that the customer expected a level of detail that the salesperson couldn't deliver and didn't try to educate on why.

How to fix
After sitting down with the customer,listening to what they wanted, and educating them on several different ways to achieve close to their desire (cameras that have a 15,000x zoom with crystal clear picture exist only in the movies), a remedy was chosen that would give them greater detail utilizing the equipment they already purchased. They did agree on the change order; however, the change order was for an end result and not for equipment. In all fairness the change order did contain legal jargon that protected both side. Lets face it, if you give a client two inches they will want two thousand miles...most of the time.

We as security professionals need to find the balance between just selling equipment and labor and selling a system. One of the best ways that I know to do this is to include a system summary that contains a “Operational Logistics” of the system along with the parts list. The “Operational Logistics” should spell out exactly what the sum of the parts are capable of doing once pieced together. For example here is a basic summary of an access control system:

“Once completed the customer will have to ability to program and distribute access cards. These access cards will serve two purposes. One will be for personnel identification and the second will be to contain personnel credentials that will be analyzed each time the card is presented to a card reader. If the personnel has the correct authority the door will unlock “Granting” them access to restricted areas, that will be lock by electromagnetic locks and controlled by the access control system. The access control system will also monitor a door's position. If the door is held open too long or is “Forced” open, an alarm will be distributed to the proper authorities by means of email. The system will also monitor a “Request to Exit” motion. This motion, when tripped, will transmit a signal back to the access system to unlock the door for a predefined amount of time, allowing hands free egress when exiting a restricted area.”

I know this is a little crude and lacks serious detail; however, you get the point. It might take you a little longer to complete a quote; however, you leave nothing to the imagination of the customer and they don't become estranged when the warranty is over.