Electronic Protection With the Cyber Fence

When Steve Goodman came to Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, three years ago, he knew he couldn't build a fence around the entire campus to protect the students and faculty from physical threats.

"It's 560 acres and 333 buildings," he said. "That's just not feasible."

However, Goodman, the communications center supervisor for university police, realized that he could build an electronic fence, creating a virtually unobtrusive form of protection for the campus community.

Universities, he said, are grappling with the question: "How do I provide a safe, secure environment and still provide the openness that's expected?"

The key? Technology.

Piecing together campus security

BYU had an access control system, fire control systems and some cameras when Goodman arrived at the university, but each tool worked individually. By moving the disparate systems onto a single platform, the university could get its security tools to communicate with each other.

By converging the network with physical security tools, the university could connect video cameras, the fire alarm system and the access control system. For example, if a security breach was detected in one of the buildings, cameras would automatically turn on to catch the incident as it was happening.

Most of the thought in the past was, "We just need the video to be able to look at it after the incident occurs," Goodman said. "Well, that's nice, but we also want to be able to immediately view the video as the incident is occurring."

Converging the networks made this possible. During a university remodeling project, a contractor accidentally started a fire in one of the buildings. An alarm went off at police headquarters, and with the click of a button, the building was locked down, only allowing entrance to emergency responders. And police dispatch was immediately watching video footage of the inside of the building.

"They could see where the flame was, and they could see how much smoke there was," Goodman said. "So, they were able to immediately convey that information to the emergency responders."

The quick call potentially saved lives, making a notification system vital to the safety of students and faculty. For example:

• Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills, Ill., adopted an application that integrates with its converged network to deliver messages -- voice, text or e-mail -- to its staff, students and parents. When the college had to close due to weather conditions, administrators programmed a message on the application that was delivered to 18,000 students in 16 minutes.
• After five students at Indiana University reported being attacked by a man with a knife, false media reports began circulating about the incident. The university fixed the incorrect reports by programming a text message, selecting the recipients and sending it within minutes.
• When Rice University closed its campus due to Hurricane Ike, the university was able to send out a text message to users on the emergency notification system, followed by a mass e-mail one hour later.

Although cameras and alarm systems enhance campus safety, a notification system on a converged network is the most efficient way to reach students immediately.

It won't break the bank

Equipping a campus with multiple security tools can cost a college or university millions of dollars. But by adopting a converged network, these technologies are used on one platform, streamlining the cost. Goodman estimates that BYU will save $1 million to $2 million by converging security tools.

"You're not having to pay for the installation of the separate service," he said. "You're not having to pay for the continued maintenance. Even down to logistics -- you're not having to punch new holes through walls."

Bryant University in Smithfield, R.I., improved its campus security by converging radio systems with IP phones and PCs. This allowed the university to coordinate with first responders on different radio frequencies, an option it did not have with separate systems. And the move saves the university $126,000 in personnel cost annually. Moraine Valley Community College reported saving more than $300,000 over three years compared to purchasing disparate security systems.

As more pressure is placed on schools to keep students safe, a converged network provides a cost-effective -- and efficient -- form of security.

Securing the future

BYU is implementing another security project in 2009 that will use license plate recognition cameras to monitor vehicles driving into parking lots. It will recognize whether students are parking in designated areas and it will provide an alert to police headquarters if a car trespasses that could be a potential threat to the campus.

"We're providing a great service," Goodman said. "But at the same time, we're providing a greater level of security, and it's non-obtrusive to the students."

More colleges and universities are turning to technology, specifically converged networks, to bring their campus security into the 21st century.

*This story is from Converge magazine's Mixed & Mashed 2008 special issue.