Testing & Approvals

Altronix announced it has added Paxton Access to its expanding portfolio of Trove Access and Power Integration Solutions, which simplify board layout and wire management, greatly reducing installation and labor costs. Altronix Trove2PX2 seamlessly accommodates Paxton controllers providing a scalable, cost effective access control solution. “Our collaboration with Paxton Access further simplifies the design and installation process for system integrators,” said Alan Forman, President, Altronix Corporation. “Trove facilitates a quicker and cleaner installation, which is ultimately more profitable.” Deliver world class solution The Trove2PX2 includes a removable backplane which accommodates up to 12 Paxton Net2 plus series controllers. This allows installers to test and configure the access system prior to installation. Trove TPX2 also includes a tamper switch, mounting hardware and cam lock, along with ample room for wiring and to accommodate back-up batteries. “We are excited to partner with Altronix and release the compatibility of Paxton controllers with their Trove2 series,” said Chris Wilson, VP of Operations, Paxton Access. “This partnership provides dealers with more options to meet the needs of each installation, catering to a variety of our controller options and Altronix power supplies and accessories. It also allows our dealers yet another way to deliver Paxton’s world class solution to their customers.”

As Internet of Things (IoT) devices go, networked video cameras are particularly significant. Connected to the internet and using on-board processing, cameras are subject to infection by malware and can be targeted by Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks. Hacking of cameras also threatens privacy by allowing unauthorised access to video footage. The performance of hacked cameras can be degraded, and they may become unable to communicate properly when needed. Ensuring cybersecurity is a challenge, and the fragmented structure of the video surveillance market contributes to that challenge. A variety of companies are involved in manufacturing, integrating, installing and operating video systems, and cybersecurity threats can enter the picture at any stage. “It’s not always clear who is responsible,” says Yotam Gutman, vice president of marketing for SecuriThings, a cybersecurity company. “However, the only entities who can ensure cybersecurity are the security integrator and the service provider. They will bear the financial pain and are willing to pay for cybersecurity. An extra $1 or $2 per camera per month is not expensive.” SecuriThings’ “lightweight software agent” runs in the background of video cameras, sending information to an analytics system in the cloud IoT device security management At the recent IFSEC trade show in London, SecuriThings unveiled its IoT Device Security Management (IDSM) approach to enable integrators to ensure cybersecurity. Founded in 2015, the company has around 20 employees in Tel Aviv, Israel, and operates a sales office in New York City. SecuriThings’ “lightweight software agent” runs in the background of video cameras, collecting metadata on camera processes and connections and sending information back to an analytics system in the cloud. Drag-and-drop deployment enables a camera to begin generating data within seconds and requiring only two mouse clicks. The cloud system analyses data, pinpoints abnormalities, identifies new users, detects multiple entry attempts and tracks other camera processes to identify any cyberattacks. It monitors all devices, gateways, users and APIs to detect threats in real-time and mitigate the threats based on a pre-determined security policy. Machine learning tools also analyse more subtle activities that can indicate insider abuse. For example, a user support center can identify if cameras are being accessed improperly by employees, thus preventing insider abuse. Certified vendor agnostic software SecuriThings is working with camera manufacturers and video management system (VMS) manufacturers to certify operation of its software agents with various camera models and systems. Working through integrators, such as Johnson Controls, is the fastest route to market, SecuriThings has determined. The system can be added after the fact to existing installations for immediate monitoring and remediation, or it can easily be incorporated into new systems as they are launched. “We have a strong sales team in the United States focusing on bringing the technology to more local and national integrators,” says Gutman. Certification ensures SecuriThings’ software agent can be installed in most modern camera models without negatively impacting operation; the software is vendor agnostic. Another eventual route to market is to work with camera manufacturers to install the SecuriThings software agent in cameras at the factory. In this scenario, the system can easily be “clicked on” when cameras are installed. The SecuriThings cloud system generates a dashboard that tracks system activities to identify any cybersecurity threats IoT Security Operations Center SecuriThings operation is transparent to the VMS, and the company works with VMS manufacturers to ensure the code operates seamlessly with their systems. Cloud analytics generate a dashboard that tracks system activities, and/or a managed service monitors the system and notifies customers if there is a problem. “We monitor it from our IoT Security Operations Center, a fully managed service that ensures the real-time detection and mitigation of IoT cyber-threats,” says Gutman. “We found that end-customers don’t have the manpower to monitor the system, so our experts can guide them.”Access control and cloud-based access control will be the next systems under cyberattack, and they are almost as vulnerable" A benefit for camera manufacturers is the ability of a system like SecuriThings to “level the playing field” on issues of cybersecurity, says Gutman. The approach provides a higher level of cybersecurity confidence for integrators and users, including those using cameras that have previously had cybersecurity problems such as “back door” access. SecuriThings has certified its software for use with Hikvision cameras and is in the process of certifying with Dahua, says Gutman. “Western manufacturers say their products are more secure, but we can help all camera manufacturers prove that they are just as secure,” says Gutman. “Integrators and users can log into a device and see all the activity.” Securing connected devices from cyber threats Beyond video, SecuriThings’ products target the full range of connected devices in the Internet of Things (IoT). The SecuriThings security solution enables real-time visibility and control of IoT devices deployed in massive numbers in smart cities, physical security, building automation, home entertainment and more. Video surveillance is an early focus because of market need, an opportunity to gain traction, and the critical nature of security applications. But the challenges are much broader than video surveillance. “We are seeing similar risks to other devices,” says Gutman. “Access control and cloud-based access control will be the next systems under cyberattack, and they are almost as vulnerable. If you can disable the access control system, you can cause a lot of problems.” Other connected devices that could be at risk include building automation and heating and cooling (HVAC) systems.

Hikvision is delighted to announce they have been awarded Cyber Essential Plus status – the highest accreditation in the programme. Operated by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) the Cyber Essential scheme is an independently assessed accreditation which is supported by the British Government. The scheme is designed to carry out rigorous testing of internet enabled products to ensure when connected to a network they are safe, secure and do not provide a risk to devices on the rest of the network. Highest level of protection In partnership with five independent testing houses, the Cyber Essential Plus accreditation process covers a number of different areas to ensure users of internet enabled devices are assured of the highest level of protection against potential cyber threats and attacks. These independent testing houses assess products through internal testing & vulnerability scanning and a Cyber Essential Plus accreditation is only awarded when they are fully satisfied that the tested products do not pose a risk to the wider network. “Cyber Security is real hot topic in the security industry so naturally we are delighted to have been awarded Cyber Essential Plus status. As the only manufacturer in our industry to have received this level of accreditation this confirms the confidence we at Hikvision have in our products.” said Gary Harmer, Sales Director for Hikvision UK & Ireland Hikvision will continue to work with the National Cyber Security Centre and other authorised bodies to continually maintain, develop and enhance the security of their products. To find out more about Hikvision’s plans for enhanced Cyber Security visit stand D300 at IFSEC International between 19th & 21st June 2018.

SGS United Kingdom Ltd (SGS), the world’s primary inspection, verification, testing and certification company, will attend this year’s Infosecurity Europe event from 5-7 June to engage with visitors about business improvement tools, consultancy services and workshops designed to identify and enhance individual areas of business operations. Experts at SGS will be on hand to speak to visitors about how they can improve their business by utilising tools, workshops and services that are the ideal fit for their specific concern. Drawing on a deep understanding of international standards, SGS can provide guidance on appropriate standards, to help facilitate improvement. GDPROnline enables an organisation to align current practice to the new regulations GDPROnline tool for data protection process Gary Baker, Business Enhancement Manager at SGS, explains: “There are a great number of international standards applicable to the information security industry. They offer a global benchmark on how organisations should work; SGS is best placed to assist businesses in singling out the right standards for their area of improvement, and that will be our focus at Infosecurity.” SGS has also developed a unique online GDPR tool to streamline the new data protection process for businesses. The online tool, GDPROnline, enables an organisation to align current practice to the new regulations, while enabling smaller businesses to demonstrate to all stakeholders the good data management of personal data. The Academy offers a variety of courses on Information Security Management, GDPR Practitioners’ implementation workshops, and Business Continuity Management Training solutions by SGS Academy As well as being able to gain guidance on popular standards such as 27001 (Information Security Management) and ISO 22301 (Business Continuity Management), visitors will also be able to find out about other global benchmarks on Cloud Held Data, Information Integrity, Personal Information Protection and Risk Management and Energy Management in data centres. Infosecurity Europe visitors will also learn about the SGS Academy – a dedicated SGS team which works with organisations to develop their workforce using training solutions, both face-to-face and online. As well as a wide range of bespoke solutions, the Academy also offers a variety of courses on Information Security Management, GDPR Practitioners’ implementation workshops, and Business Continuity Management.

With IFSEC 2018 taking place from 19 – 21 June at ExCeL London, ASSA ABLOY Security Doors’ steel and timber doorsets will undergo real-life attack tests on stand H140. Hosted by expert technicians from the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB), the BRE’s Attack Zone will demonstrate the difference between certified and non-approved products, and how quickly uncertified products can be compromised.  The brand’s steel and timber doorsets, which meet security rating SR3 of the LPS 1175 standard, will be tested using various methods of attack. As the most widely recognised commercial security door standard, and the one most commonly specified by architects in the UK, LPS 1175 SR3 proves that a door can deliver sufficient protection against attack a determined attack.  ASSA ABLOY’s steel doorsets will be tested between 3:30-4:10pm on 19 June, while its timber doorsets will be tested between 1:00-1:40pm on 20 June. Visitors to the ASSA ABLOY stand IFSEC 2018 can be assured that the solutions from ASSA ABLOY Security Doors can meet their security needs" Standard-compliant doorsets The live demonstrations follow a successful testing day with the BRE earlier this year at ASSA ABLOY Security Doors’ factory in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. Consisting of an overview of the LPS 1175 test standard, a factory tour and a practical demonstration of the doorsets’ resistance to attack, the day showcased how quickly uncertified doors can fail and how robust those that meet LPS 1175 can be. Richard Flint, Technical and Business Development Manager at BRE, said: “Following its official launch last year, our Attack Zone is returning in 2018 to highlight the difference between products that meet LPS 1175 and those that do not. By demonstrating the thorough testing that security doors have to undergo to meet the LPCB’s standards, visitors to stand H140 can be assured that the solutions from ASSA ABLOY Security Doors can meet their security needs.”  ASSA ABLOY at IFSEC “The event provides a fantastic opportunity for visitors to see the capabilities of the doorsets in action, and also ask any further questions to the ASSA ABLOY Security Doors team.”  Kevin Campbell, Sales Director at ASSA ABLOY Security Doors, adds: “Following the recent product demonstration at our Lisburn site, we are very much looking forward to showcasing the capabilities of our LPS 1175 approved steel and timber doorsets to a much bigger audience at IFSEC 2018.” “While one doorset may look very similar to another, their resistance to attack may differ quite drastically. Providing assured safety, security and peace of mind, we look forward to testing our secure steel and timber doorsets at IFSEC 2018, Europe’s largest security exhibition.”

Digital Monitoring Products (DMP) and LifeSafety Power have announced an integration delivering a customised enclosure that simplifies installing power supply and sub-assemblies for access control. “A lot of our dealers have told us they like using LifeSafety power supplies and enclosures,” says Adam Kinder, product manager for DMP Access Control. In combination with our controllers he adds, “It’s a solution that requires no modification.” DCLASS integrated DMP power system LifeSafety specialises in smart power solutions and patented remote networking capabilities. Among its access control power systems, now LifeSafety offers the ‘DCLASS’ integrated DMP power system for 2 – 18 doors. It’s a customised system that’s combined with DMP’s 734/734N Wiegand Interface Modules, all in one compact and secure UL Listed enclosure.Access control integrators need three separate cabinets for system power, lock power, and access hardware This all-in-one approach minimises wall space, simplifies installation, and reduces time and labour costs. Traditionally, access control integrators need three separate cabinets for system power, lock power, and access hardware, plus an electrician to wire the cabinet space and each of those power supplies. The DCLASS combines DMP’s access hardware, system power, lock power, and optional network management modules into an optimised wall space footprint. Powerful access control solution for dealers “Since our modules are covered inside the enclosure, they’re available to order with or without their plastic covers,” Kinder says. In addition to single and dual voltage options, he adds, “The DCLASS offers a managed option with networked power specifications for live voltage and current reporting, as well as remote battery load testing, output power cycling, and abnormal operation alerts.” All of the DCLASS power configurations and related technical documents are posted here on LifeSafety Power’s website. Orders should be made through LifeSafety or its distribution. “We’re excited to offer this integration to our dealers. This gives them an additional power and access control solution they’ve been asking for,” says Kinder. In this particular case, Bryan Smith from Koorsen Fire & Security in Indianapolis requested the integration.

In January 2018, the Mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio and the City’s Security Infrastructure Working Group announced plans to bring permanent perimeter barriers, or bollards, to high-profile sites and to create a process to streamline their design and construction. With funds exceeding $14 million for permanent bollards in Times Square and more than $50 million to commence the broader rollout of new protective measures in phases. Mayor de Blasio said, “In 2017, New Yorkers witnessed the horrible capacity of people willing to do us harm, whether it was in our subways, on our bike paths or in Times Square. But we will not be cowed and our expanded investment today in barriers and bollards in our public spaces underscores our resolve in keeping New York City safe from future attacks. In this new year, we can and will protect our iconic public spaces while New Yorkers go on living our lives, including by hosting a record number of tourists.” “These additional safety bollards will allow New Yorkers and visitors to be more secure at landmark locations and other sites throughout our City,” said Police Commissioner James P. O’Neill.With vehicles becoming a weapon for terrorists, the need to protect citizens has dawned on most large cities Ensuring public security And with vehicles seemingly becoming the weapon of choice for terrorists, the need to protect citizens from 'people willing to do harm' has dawned on most large cities, leaving many still trying to find the best way to protect their citizens. Admittedly in many cases, it seems to be ‘after the horse has bolted’ so to speak. In 2016, a lorry was driven into crowds celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, killing 87 people and injuring 458. This was an awful, cowardly and devastating attack that had a huge impact on so many lives. The stark reality is however, after two previous vehicle attacks in France, if there had had been tougher security measures in place, rather than an increased police presence, and a plastic temporary barrier, then many of those citizens would still be alive today. MacSafe for vehicle incursion prevention Reacting to these devastating events, Metropolis Nice C.te d’Azur decided to install a safety barrier along the Promenade des Anglais. The new barrier, or vehicle incursion prevention system, MacSafe, was tailormade for the Promenade des Anglais by Maccaferri and J&S Franklin. It was inaugurated in July 2017. It is crash test rated to stop a 19-tonne truck travelling at 50km/h and impacting at 20°, equivalent to the vehicle used by the terrorist in Nice in 2016 and can withstand two successive impacts. The system is also accredited by the UIAU (University of Venice). The MacSafe system consists of two high tensile steel cables supported on tubular steel posts and anchored at each end with our patented energy dissipation system. The posts are secured to ground foundations and all external fixings are designed to prevent them being easily removed. The force of the vehicle impact is distributed through the cables and posts and absorbed within the patented energy dissipaters. The energy is absorbed through compressive deformation and not by friction. This ensures better and more reliable performance throughout the long-life of the barrier.Las Vegas plan to have their existing 800 bollards updated to some 7,000 by the end of 2018 Balancing security and aesthetics On the 19th December 2016, a truck was deliberately driven into the Christmas market next to the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church at Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, killing 12 people and injuring 56 others. One year on, and the Christmas Market in Berlin is protected by large concrete barriers, armed police patrols and stop and search checks. In January 2017 in Melbourne, 6 people were killed and 37 injured when a car sped down a footpath crashing into pedestrians, by June 2017 $10 million had been allocated, and temporary concrete barricades and bollards had been installed around the City of Sydney. In January 2018, the City of Gold Coast began installing heavy duty retractable bollards capable of repelling the force of a large heavy goods vehicle. They had previously resolved to spend $515,000 on bollards which met the Australian standard, but on the advice of the QPS Commonwealth Games security adviser, it was recommended that the bollards comply with a European standard bringing the cost of the project to $1.095 million. Las Vegas plan to have their existing 800 bollards updated to some 7,000 by the end of 2018, to increase the safety of those walking The Strip in Sin City. However, some cities are still concerned about the aesthetics of concrete bollards on their historic cities, a case of balancing security over protecting tourism. Physical barriers for pedestrian security Take for instance, Barcelona in Spain. On the 17th August 2017, a van was driven into pedestrians strolling along Las Ramblas, in Barcelona, killing 13 people and injuring at least another 130. Advice was given that bollards were needed, warnings of impeding threats were given, and yet, the action taken was to increase policing levels on the streets. Now, thankfully, there are a few bollards and increased police presence on the streets, and going forward they are “studying the possibility of installing physical barriers to prevent further attacks with vehicles.”Although guard rails would not have stopped either of the London attacks, they can limit the damage In London on 22nd March 2017, a car was driven into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge, killing 5 people and injuring 49 others. The driver also stabbed a policeman to death. Built-in counter terrorism design Again, in London, on 3rd June 2017, a van was driven at pedestrians in the London Bridge Area. Three attackers began stabbing people, before being shot by police. 8 people died. 48 were injured, 21 critically. Controversially previously installed 'Guard Rails' had been removed from London’s streets to protect cyclists and make the Capital more ‘attractive’. Although guard rails would not have stopped either of the London attacks, they could have limited the damage. However, today, protective barriers are erected on Thames bridges and from London’s experience of previous terrorist activities (IRA) there are very few buildings or indeed public spaces that don’t have ‘counter-terrorism’ design inbuilt. Government-initiated guidance The UK Government has produced a 174-page guide, Crowded Places Guidance, that highlights the threat as a vehicle being used as a weapon, but also highlights that these threats can be “mitigated by installing physical measures (including blending into the landscape or streetscape) which may be passive (static) or active (security controlled). These measures can be installed either on a permanent or temporary basis. All such measures should meet appropriate standards in terms of their vehicle impact performance, design and installation.” Vehicle security barriers, need not be ugly concrete monstrosities. Nor do they need to be concrete lumps that need huge lifting gear to place them. They can be totally inconspicuous, letting everyday life continue and forgetting they are there, or full on ‘in your face’ shouting a warning to would be terrorists that this area is safe.Planters can be installed quickly and are sited to allow pedestrians to pass through while vehicles can’t PAS68 Street Planters They come in many guises, from retractable bollards and passive static bollards to street furniture. Even cleverly disguised PAS68 Street Planters from Securiscape, which have an attractive floral display whilst cleverly acting as a security barrier. These planters can be installed quickly and are sited to allow pedestrians to pass through while vehicles can’t, but due to intelligent design, incorporating a surface mounted, reinforced structure which can stop a vehicle if it is used as a battering ram. But if none of that appeals, then there are many landscaping options, including, ditches, bunds and berms. DefenCell mesh gabion DefenCell by J&S Franklin, is a lightweight geotextile welded mesh gabion that once filled with locally available materials, can be incorporated into security measures for public places and protection. Filled and stacked, these gabions can be covered and planted, maintaining the aesthetic and environmental considerations of high profile or sensitive locations. Sadly, people with ‘evil intent’ are a fact of life. Which makes vehicle security barriers a permanent part of our city landscapes. So, whether hidden or in plain sight they will be there be to Protect and Protect again.

To grasp the current manufacturing trends and seize the Zeitgeist of Industry 4.0, a new smart IoT industrial park in Hangzhou has been put to use by Dahua Technology, a video surveillance solution provider. Dahua Smart (IoT) Industrial Park occupies in total 512 acres in Fuyang district of Hangzhou, about 20 minutes’ drive from Dahua headquarters, designed to host 6000 staff (by 2017, 4500 people have been working/living in the 262 acres of phase one area). With topnotch technologies, personnel, materials and other benefits, Dahua’s smart industrial park will bring productivity and quality to a brand new level. Efficient information integration The automatic production solution based on integrated information system not only grants a higher productivity that significantly shortens the delivery cycle time for Dahua customers, but also a greater flexibility to specialised requests and ever-changing reality.The employment of software such as ERP, PLM, PDM, MES, APS and WMS helps to achieve information integration The employment of software such as ERP, PLM, PDM, MES, APS and WMS helps to achieve information integration, which, combined with industrial cameras, RFID sensory technologies and automation technologies, can integrate personnel, logistics, works, engineering projects and finance from respective sections of production(preparation, assembly, testing, packaging, inspection, shipment), rendering the whole process visible, traceable and digital. The mounter serves as a good synecdoche to illustrate the incredible efficiency of the whole production system. The concerning high-end devices (including mounter, printer, automated optical inspection equipment, Ersa reflow soldering tools, etc.) provided by ASM (originally Siemens) achieve a speed among the fastest in the world. Fast processing According to IPC standard, X4iS, the latest high-speed mounter can process 125,000 components per hour, or 35 per second. X35 multifunctional mounter can do 54000 components per hour, or 15 per second. A production line in X series can enhance the productivity by 2.7 times while reducing the consumption of energy by 52%, comparing to the original production line in D series under the same conditions. Dahua Smart Industrial Park provides the great benefit of internal synergy The faster speed also applies to the development of new molding, since Dahua Smart Industrial Park provides the great benefit of internal synergy, allowing the end-to-end vertical supply chain with marketing, R&D and manufacturing efficiently integrated. The advanced organising system is supported by topnotch equipment, such as MAKINO high-speed graphite processing machine, GF CNC, GF WEDM-LS machine, Hexagon 3D Nikon projectors and electronic displays. With a processing accuracy of +/-0.002 to +/-0.005MM, while also supporting CAD / CAM / CAE collaborative development and simultaneous manufacturing, these machines enable Dahua to develop new mechanical molding in as short as 7 days.Higher quality results in less likelihood for products to malfunction especially when they are used in critical situations Time- and cost-saving solution By far, this developing system has already produced high precision molding for Lechange Robots, monitoring cameras in TP1-TC6 series, G20 intelligent head-gears, smoke alarm for fire detectors, etc., all of which proving the effectiveness of the system in shortening the development cycle and keeping the competitive edge with new products in the business. Higher quality saves lots of time and economic costs for clients. Even more importantly, higher quality results in less likelihood for products to malfunction especially when they are used in critical, not-allowed-to-go-wrong situations. Dahua’s products are guaranteed with a higher quality for two reasons: first, Dahua has set a high standard of accuracy in production; second, with a reliability lab at the production end, Dahua has put together an effectively closed loop for quality control in the manufacturing process. Accuracy has always been one vital index defining the manufacturing ability because it directly sets the limit to quality and range of products to be produced. Again, take the mounter mentioned above for example: it can process components, in metric size, as small as 03015(0.3x0.15mm), with a +-0.025mm SMD precision (within the 3-stigma range), boasting world leading performance and capable of covering basically all types of components used in the industry.Dahua industrial camera plays an important role in IoT, providing a closed loop for quality control in the manufacturing process Enhanced vision and intelligent analytics Dahua industrial camera plays an important role in IoT, providing a closed loop for quality control in the manufacturing process, in which all materials, personnel and devices are connected and products are traceable to the specific production line and precise time it got made. Boasting a variety of functions, Dahua industrial cameras are used in different sections of production, enabling automatic assembly, high-precision graphic inspection and product flaw inspection. Through high-definition machine vision, Dahua industrial cameras automatically and precisely locate the components, limiting the assembly error to micron level. Equipped with enhanced vision and intelligent analytics algorithm, the industrial camera can spontaneously detect and recognise flaws in the performance and outlook of products, thus promising not only the volume of cameras production but also the steady quality of each and every one of them.In the future phase, this industrial park is expected to be more intelligent to enable a safer society and smarter living Safe society and smart living Reliability must be put to test, in R&D as well as in manufacturing process. The reliability lab at the production end serves to assure quality by randomly taking products from production lines and put them into reliability tests simulating falling, high/low temperature, worn-out conditions, which are conducted by industry leading testing equipment in the lab. Thus what’s conceived in R&D is confirmed from the production line, the synergy of both ends promising better products (for common use or specialised needs). This lab is also responsible for testing all the raw materials. Thanks to the aforementioned information integration, all tests are automatically conducted, recorded and traceable. In conclusion, Dahua Smart (IoT) Industrial Park is endowed with the latest and world leading manufacturing equipment/system boasting high level automation and intelligence, which is essential to satisfy the ever higher demands from clients in terms of delivery time, specialised use and quality. There is still great potential to this new smart industrial park. It is literally only in its phase one. And in the future phase, it is expected to be more intelligent, to realise client-centred flexible production and to enable a safer society and smarter living.

ip.access has announced a collaboration with Imaginet, a provider of IT network and security solutions, to implement a rapidly deployable disaster response network in Makati City, the Philippines. Makati City, part of the Metro Manila region, is the main financial hub and has a population of 6 million people. Built on a drained mangrove swamp, the city’s infrastructure is at a high risk for significant damage in the event of an earthquake, typhoon or other natural disasters. In the event of a disaster it is likely that communications infrastructure would be affected – hindering efforts to direct the population to safety and locate people trapped in collapsed buildings. To improve the city’s preparedness for natural disasters, the local Disaster Risk Reduction & Management Office (DRRMO) worked with Imaginet to implement a rapidly deployable mobile network. Deployed via four command vehicles, the network will allow first responders to communicate with the population and report back to the central command office.The ip.access team has an inherent understanding of disaster situations, with extensive experience working in harsh environments Ensuring disaster preparedness Basing the network on 2G technology, to ensure that signals would be capable of penetrating collapsed buildings and enabling communication through SMS messaging, ip.access was tasked with designing, installing and testing the network in a tight six-week window. Following a successful commissioning period, the four command vehicles were first deployed in December 2017.  Commenting on the partnership, Blair Duncan, CEO at Imaginet, said, “This was a challenging technical undertaking. As such, we needed confidence that we were working with a partner that could deliver a high quality solution. In that respect ip.access were an ideal partner – the team has an inherent understanding of disaster situations, with extensive experience working in harsh environments. We knew that we could rely on them to equip our vehicles with the robust and reliable radio network the DRRMO requires should a disaster strike.” Small cell solutions Nick Johnson, CTO at ip.access added, “We have a wide range of award winning commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) small cell solutions that can be easily integrated and operated within a wide range of specialist deployment scenarios – including in disaster response settings.” “Communication is critical in a disaster situation, so the fact our proven solutions deliver five nines availability with exceptional reliability makes them ideal for applications like the vehicle-borne network in Makati City.” Due to the success of the vehicles, the Makati City DRRMO is now looking to increase its fleet to nine vehicles to enable more flexibility and more robustness in its disaster readiness.

Muir Group Housing Association, which manages more than 5,500 homes across the country, has formed a new partnership with OpenView Security Solutions, a national supplier of electrical and mechanical services, to further enhance the level of services to residents. The contract started on 1st June 2017 and OpenView Security Solutions is providing a range of specialist services including PAT testing, fire risk assessments and the ongoing maintenance of fire alarms, emergency lighting, door entry systems, automatic doors and barriers. The transfer of these services from the previous contractor was efficiently achieved by both organisations. Residential safety and security According to Mike Proudfoot, Maintenance manager at Muir Group Housing Association, “This partnership will be very important in ensuring that we maintain our ongoing commitment regarding the safety and security of residents. As a landlord, OpenView’s involvement will be crucial in helping us to meet our obligations and the long-term benefits will be positive, both for Muir residents and the housing association as a whole.” Andy Ward, Sales Director at OpenView Security Solutions, added, “We are excited about embarking on a new era with Muir Group Housing Association. With extensive experience of working closely in partnership with housing associations, Openview understands the importance of ensuring that all equipment is working efficiently at all times and is committed to providing the highest quality service to the organisation and its residents.”