Moving towards IP monitoring
As many businesses begin to install some form of Broadband-based communication link, the option of moving away from dedicated telephone lines – and all of the costs associated with that – seems extremely appealing. Particularly so when the Broadband alternative yields reduced running costs for those organisations with multiple sites.
True, the technology earmarked to make this happen is still relatively new. Security managers are, in the main, conservative types known to prefer tried-and-tested solutions – as do most insurers. That being the case, many companies have bided their time and waited for others to dip a toe in these uncharted waters.
Thomas Cook has done just that. The High Street travel chain boasts an IP system linking its existing Scantronic alarm panels through to a designated Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC), thereby providing a fully-monitored alarm solution across an IP network.
Savings on the bottom line
“Our initial motivation was to save money, but obviously without compromising security,” comments Thomas Cook’s group security manager Steve Nelson. “At every one of our 600 sites, the cost of providing redcare signalling and the associated telephone charges amounted to GB pound 250. That represented a total cost of GB pound 150,000 per annum.”
Nelson continues: “I had been thinking about the possibility of using a different TCP/IP solution for our security communications for some time. What made it a practical possibility was the decision of our IT Department to update the Wide Area Network (WAN) across all Thomas Cook locations. When this was implemented, and ADSL was working across the estate, the time was right to look at the benefits to be had from switching to IP.”
It would be fair to say that some companies have found their insurers reluctant to accept IP as a signalling method, but that hasn’t been a problem for Nelson and his team.
Thomas Cook is a long-term customer of Cooper Security, choosing to use the aforementioned Scantronic products. Indeed, each Thomas Cook branch plays host to a Scantronic 8136 panel. Nelson began to work closely with Cooper Security and Romec Electronic Security in a bid to identify a suitable solution that would allow secure communication between site and monitoring station. One that would also be compatible with all existing installed panels and systems.
Nelson carries on the story so far. “We eventually identified two products that could do what was required, and that met PD6662. This specifies a polling regime, and so the IP communicator on site has to send a signal to the ARC on a regular basis in order to demonstrate that the IP path is still secure.
“Then we had a look at the compatibility of these products with the installed Scantronic equipment. We identified a product from Chiron that, in essence, mimics a digital communicator. That appeared to be the best solution for us. The connection of the Scantronic and Chiron panels is in the form of data. The communication output from the Scantronic panel had to be linked into the Chiron unit. We needed to prove this was operational, and that the remote engineering – the upload and download – function was also operational across the same IP path.”
Upgrading control equipment
Thomas Cook’s network is delivered to different sites in a number of ways. Across the whole estate of travel shops, the security alarm control panel supported several versions of panel software.
The company took the opportunity to upgrade the security alarm control equipment by way of software enhancements or, in some cases, by adding all-new alarm panels to support the IP solution with alarm monitoring and/or upload and download information.
The support required to achieve this necessitated lots of preparation, training, adherence to tight operational procedures and design. Much hard work went into ensuring an efficient and smooth changeover programme wherein security was never compromised.
An intensive trial and evaluation testing period was carried out in over 200 branches during the summer. Among other things, this examination was designed to test the system across the network, thereby ensuring that firewalls didn’t have any negative impact.
“Technically, this project has been difficult to realise, but the systems are now up-and-running and the feedback has been nothing less than positive,” adds Nelson.
One of his project partners – Tony Cahill from Romec – tells SMT: “Virtually all of our customers have been watching this project with more than a little interest. They want an alternative alarm monitoring solution that cuts costs without compromising security. Now there is a working example for them to see.”
