Open architecture and security

His more than 25 years of experience in the security industry and the knowledge and trajectory of Ricardo Abreu as a high and low voltage project engineer; high-security design engineer (designing prisons); design engineer of glass break, impact, structure, infrared energy sensors in RFI; access design engineer in military and naval areas, systems integration engineer; Automation and control engineer;  instructor of high security courses throughout Latin America and instructor of banking security seminars in the United States and Latin America, make him the right person to share with us his knowledge, experience and point of view on "open architecture" in the security market.

Among the most relevant events on his career is his participation in many missions by the United States Department of State and consultancies to various departments of Justice and Defense of countries in Latin America.

With this in mind, I give way to our experience talk with our colleague Eng. Ricardo Abreu.

Eduardo: Dear Ricardo, I am pleased to have the opportunity to talk with you about your knowledge and experience about what is "open architecture (OA), a topic that today has become the consciousness for the development of new tools in hardware and software, as well as for the creation of integral and business solutions in security systems.  Tell us about your experience, and what does it mean to talk about open architectures or what does this concept mean?

Ricardo: Dear Eduardo, first let me thank you for the opportunity you give me to share my knowledge and experience in this important topic, open architecture (OA), which is itself a tool and platform for the development of advanced solutions of various technologies.

Today it is understood as open architecture, the design, engineering and concept of a capable system that allows the partial or total integration of other products with a defined purpose.  In the electronic security market it is known as the compatibility between different brands. For example, the fundamental idea of system integration is that an access control is able to control with its software other pre-designed systems, such as CCTV systems, fire, intrusion and automation.

One of the biggest problems in our industry today is the fact that the products of the same company are not compatible with each other. It is the case where a consultant has to appeal to different brands to be able to create a design with the applications required by the client. Until about three years ago, manufacturers were focused only on their own product lines, thus ignoring the need to integrate their own products with those of the "competition", or of different technology.  In other words, creating systems with completely closed architectures where no changes can be implemented, modifications or improvements to a system.

A basic analogy here is that design engineers are pretty conservative in the concept of integration, while system vendors are too open or in favor.  Sure, one wants their product to be the only and best on the market, while the other wants to sell it a lot.

And: Ricardo, according to your experience, what could you tell us about the benefits that can be found in a segment such as electronic security with the use of open architectures?

A: The benefit is the existence of a platform for a single software to manage all systems and offer them under a single umbrella of solutions.  For example, this is what we have today, and that already exists, with the USB 2.0 concept, which aims to expand the compatibility between systems and thus avoid the incompatibility of drivers from one system to another.

And: Ricardo,  how far has the security industry advanced in the application of open architectures? Could you highlight a case where a project with open architectures has been carried out?

A: In reality Eduardo, there are very few systems with open architecture in the field of security, in their vast majority they must go directly through the hands of the software designer before being able to make any changes, or before adding any other device. Usually, a software (SDK) is required from one manufacturer that allows the affinity of another product to its original configuration.   

The most typical case is that nowadays, no access control software leaves the factory being compatible with all DVRs on the market, and without having to look for or add any additional driver . One of the reasons is that every DVR recorder manufacturer has its own platform that differs in the features that differentiate it from each other. 

The vast majority of the compatibilities between access control systems and intrusion or fire systems are made using dry PLC-type contacts.

Generally an integrated security system brings together the four market segments, such as intrusion, fire, CCTV and access. As a result, we must be able to manipulate any of these segments from the same operations center using a single system, a single software, a single component.  Usually it is the "access control" that is responsible for uniting all the other segments and wrapping them under the same umbrella. Let's look at a typical case:

A fire on the fifth floor of an office tower, here the steps to follow would be:
a.    Detection of fire conatus via a smoke detector in the area of a fire system.
b.    The operator would be able to see via CCTV the beginning of the smoke spread in the area.
c.    The operator will have before him a series of steps to follow (contingency steps) in order to quell the start of the fire all in the list of comments of the integration software.
d.    Of course the doors will open or close and the air conditioning dampers will be changed or the air will be paid for and the sprinklers will go off, etc. But with an integrated system all the information will be recorded and the chances of a voracious spread of the fire are less or almost zero.

This example, even though it is very short, is still interesting and clearly indicates the great need to use open architecture systems in our industry.  The more compatible we are with our competitors, the more our market and reach will expand. An integrated security system must be commanded by a myriad of open architecture systems.

A very simple example of creating an OA-based product is the case of VHS vs. Betamax. I don't know if you remember but Sony when it released its Beta never wanted to share its technology and only stayed with it until it died (which happened to it in no more than two years), while JVC shared its VHS technology with all the manufacturers on the market, increasing competition and expanding the video market using VHS playback tapes.

In my opinion, manufacturers must agree and reach a total integration between them, at least in the detection of alarm points, fires and video via software, allowing the integrator and the consultant to use the combination of products that best meet the need of the end user.

And: The open architecture platform is the source of development so that integration systems can be defined with the vision of the end user in mind, since in this way there would be a tool in which others develop greater solutions, benefiting the industry in the possibilities of embarking and always aiming the business solution. 

Today there is still the tendency of manufacturers to develop SDK development packages (Software Development Kit), so that their functions can be interpreted and give it greater meaning in what is already called integration for systems that are currently called enterprise. There is a long way to go in this industry to be able to talk and have free indications of the development of open architecture that not only allows manufacturers to determine point solutions, but also engineering integrators who require this opportunity to take their developments to a congruent level, between the needs of end users and what technology can provide as such.

Ricardo, I thank you very much for your participation, and I celebrate that there are people like you in the market who understand the concept and benefits that open architecture brings, especially when your focus is on the needs of the end customer as well as the part of suppliers and integrators, who firmly believe in the value of this platform.