Being Secure and Being Happy

Need to be Secured

Since inception humans are busy on two major activities throughout their lives, first to ensure all needs of life are adequately fulfilled and little more earned for rainy days and second protecting and growing that “little more” earned for rainy days. Means need for Protection and Security follows everything immediately after once it's earned or created.

Every living element on this earth shares this common priority that's need to be secured. We are aware how presence or absence of this  sense of security drastically change humans behaviour. We just can't expect a rational response from anyone who feels insecure by any means of their need.

If we go through Maslow's hierarchy of needs for life need for safety and security is as basic as physiological needs are.

So there is nothing fancy to pursue a smart solution for such a basic need of security that exists at almost every phase of human lives.   

Let's Review What we really want to attain or achieve in life ?

Do we have some clear goals for our life supported with definite plans, and work on accomplishing them or we don't know what we really want but just go through with life, wherever it takes us.Some feel bad for not really knowing what to do with their lives.

We read and hear so much about the importance of having goals, but the truth is that most people don't have definite goals. However, there are two important goals most people want or wish, though they might not be consciously aware of them.

What are these two primary goals ?

What is it that we really desire, is it money, a better job, love, a new car, travel abroad, wish to do something big, or something similar.

If we analyze all of our goals, small or big, we ultimately discover that we want either happiness or security in our lives. Everything we do is motivated by the desire to gain either more of happiness or security, whether it is money, a house, a car, a new job, love or marriage. We believe their attainment will bring either happiness or security, and therefore freedom from stress, anxieties and fears.

True happiness does not depend on possessions and circumstances, true happiness emerges from within. Same way True security begins as a mental state, as inner strength, as faith in yourself, that's need to be practiced In three steps.

1. Be aware and acknowledge your current state.
2. A thoughtful understanding of available options / technologies / automation.
3. Belief that you are and you will be Secure and Happy

Awaken these feelings several times a day, by visualizing and feeling that you are happy and secure. Feel and imagine how fulfilling it is to experience and enjoy these feelings.It is a sensation of inner harmony, peace, and the conviction that you can attain whatever you want.

If you persist with this action, and do not destroy this feeling by negative thinking, doubts, worries or disbelief, it will start to affect the way you think, act and react. You will become optimistic, energetic and motivated, see new opportunities, and have the motivation to follow them. There is no magic here, just simple natural laws at work.

Everything starts in the mind. Start with the sense of happiness and security within you, and it will manifest in the world. All actions are motivated by a subconscious desire for happiness and security and their derivatives, which are inner peace, harmony, love, good relationships, success, money, possessions, etc.

It is good to have at least some definite goals. They give you direction, something to aspire for, motivation and something to live for. However, even if you don't have anything definite, just focus your mind and feelings on the sense of happiness and security, feel that they are real in your life, pretend they are real, and have no doubts about it. If you continue doing so, you will soon see how your life changes and improves, as you truly desire.

To take the worry out of access control and security automation and to give your company an edge in Contact Solus and secure your company’s future, today. Be Happy.

Securing Business Future with Ethical Practices

Recently, Two Indian companies featured among the Most Ethical Companies in the world, indeed a very prestigious honour for the India, which holds 67th position in corruption rankings among 150 countries, (Ranked by World Democracy Audit) and striving hard to improve its image among investors. Interestingly both of these ethical companies, Wipro and Tata Power, trust Solus for their security and safety needs, reaffirming Solus’s belief in ethical business practices.

While business ethics may seem like a modern ideal, the history of business ethics is a long and interesting road, beginning during a time when currency was livestock or whatever could be spared from the year’s harvest. And just as the human right to prosper has given birth to the plight of business, the laws and regulations regarding business ethics have originated from that same right, as well. People have a right to flourish, to strive for a better life; and in the 21st century, this means that they can open their wallets with confidence, knowing that the companies they do business with stand behind the products and are capable of securing their customers’ personal information.  With a growing problem of cyber threat, the role of business ethics has evolved to accommodate. Those companies, who pay close attention to their ethical practices, secure their future in this technological age. Those who don’t, slip into the kind of oblivion that can only be found in Federal Detention Facilities.

In today’s world, it is more imperative than ever for businesses to have codes of conduct that govern their relationships with customers, employees, and investors. Ethics in business is a social responsibility, paying homage to the idea that “no man is an island” and every action has a reaction. The problem is that many people, who would, under normal circumstances, never be unfair in their personal lives, easily fall into unethical ideologies when in the corporate atmosphere.

Why does this happen?

Because business, in its very nature, is a selfish machine whose success depends on profits. Even start-ups with the best of intentions can dissolve in the cesspool of profit-driven conduct.  And sadly, companies that have enjoyed a long-lasting relationship with their customers can forego long-held principles in favour of easy profits in this digital world, when they are not diligently maintaining those practises.

What is often forgotten is how closely related security and its implementations are to business ethics. From Network Security to an on-site physical presence, security precautions are a necessity for preserving your company’s ethical practices. Read on to find ways for improving your company relations through loss reduction, maintaining diligence in business ethics, and bridging the gap between operational effectiveness and ethical responsibilities.

Improving Company Relations through Loss Reduction

The ability of a company to protect itself against theft or property damage is closely connected to business ethics. A business should feel beholden to the customers, employees, and investors to keep the product and services it supplies safe and secure. Maintaining a low level of theft or property loss is essential in keeping the costs of products and services low while promoting quality.  Global competition demands that today’s business keep up with the “quality and affordability” motto and one sure way to do this is to reduce loss through a proper security and safety regimen. Regardless of whether you are trying to protect information or a tangible good, choosing the right security service is your best first step to improving company relationships through good business conduct.

Maintaining Diligence in Business Ethics

It is easy to plan procedures and practices that promote a healthy business, but maintaining the diligence of those practices may become too difficult a task as company growth and evolving technologies pile more on the operating plate. Again, this is where a good security expert can help. Security services by a reputable service provider, like Solus, can set minds at ease because the procedures and technologies are fine-tuned and customizable to the company’s specific needs.

For example, Wipro, a consulting and outsourcing giant specializing in global information technology, partnered with Solus for its security needs and now enjoys a much more secure environment in its ten facilities across India. Their customers, employees, and investors are confident in Wipro’s unwavering commitment to excellence in business ethics. In fact, Wipro is recognized by the WME, or the World’s Most Ethical, as going far beyond the minimum requirements and setting precedence in the area of ethical practice. Wipro achieves this by maintaining diligence in the practices and procedures that preserve business ethics. And this is where many companies should enlist the help of security specialists.

Security Bridges the Gap between Operational Effectiveness and Business Ethics

As a company grows, so do its responsibilities, so much so that entire communities can be affected if the operations of that company are suddenly gridlocked. Tata Power services hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses. Disruptions in operations-not caused by nature-should be kept to an absolute minimum so that the lives of so many are not disrupted, as well.

Tata Power relies on Solus, with its customizable access controls, along with trained professionals, integrated CCTV systems, and employee management services to keep things running smoothly and efficiently for the company and its customers, which in turn, helps to keep Tata Power ranked high in the Energy category of World’s Most Ethical businesses.  

In conclusion, security measures and practices are too important in business ethics to be overlooked. But sadly, many companies may never draw this connection, putting security off in the strive for moral conduct. Other companies may find the task too daunting and in light of technology advancing at incredible speeds, it pays to team up with a company that specializes in smart security, a company that is customizable to the policies and principles that make your company unique. It’s only smart that your security and access control systems be unique, as well. And this begins with an ethically motivated partner, like Solus.

Business ethics have moulded Solus into a company that is service-driven for customer satisfaction. And Solus is dedicated to upholding these core values in every establishment it services, solving many security and access issues for many companies, both large and medium.

To take the worry out of access control and security and to give your company an edge in ethical business practices and policies, Contact Solus and secure your company’s future, today.

Make In India: Needs approval of Indians first !

Make in India is a new initiative started by the country's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in September of this year. It is the hope of the Indian government that this program will bring in a new boom to the economy, lower the unemployment rate, and make India more attractive for its own investors. It is also the intention of the government to use this initiative to make the infrastructure of the country more secure and reliable. The Make in India movement is targeting the sectors that are most expected to see substantial growth, like Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology, as well as the Construction and Entertainment sectors.

The Indian government is targeting as many sectors of the economy as it can, much like when China began its push for domestic growth. The Indian government is taking some of the same steps, such as offering different tax incentives. To any company looking at relocation to save costs, India offers a strong workforce in need of training. However, any company looking to relocate to India will have to overcome some of the same problems that overseas companies had in China. India will also have a problem internally…creating brands that appeal to Indians.

Facing the Same Problems as China.

Because the Indian workforce has been under trained and under educated for so long, the population, including the officials in the Indian government, has no faith in Indian made goods and services. This is why the most successful Indian Brands market themselves as being foreign, This dishonest marketing only bolsters the illusion that there is no successful Indian Brands that investors can point to and use as an example of Indian innovation. This perception is a problem that will be very hard for entrepreneurs to break.

One of the ways to break the negative perception is a massive marketing campaign. This is a very costly move that can backfire, costing any company that tries any further opportunity to create a successful Indian brand. Another way to break this problem is through a long-term commitment to a brand, using specific and targeted demographics of the country's consumers. Since this is a long-term, focused campaign, the costs can be minimized and stretched out.

Another big problem that Indian manufactures have to overcome is government officials not allowing for these manufactures to compete and bid on government projects. Recently, Indian companies were not given the option to bid on some projects, showing that the Indian officials either have a bias for foreign corporations or that they are unaware that they are helping to perpetuate the myth that Indian made goods and services are not at the quality of their foreign competitors. This is something that can be easily fixed by only allowing projects to be completed by Indian companies for the Indian Government or of National Importance and regulating the private sector in such a way that any large projects with a certain estimated budget entertain bids from Indian contractors. 

We do not advocate any favoritism for locals here, competition drives innovation and excellence hence must be promoted, but a fair chance given to compete to a Made in India Products in an Indian Project will have long term benefits to the campaign, economy and country. this indeed will create conducive and encouraging environment for entrepreneurship and budding Indian manufacturers.We can pursue world to use Made in India only when we show them benefit of using ourselves.

The infrastructure of India is not very investor friendly. There are numerous dead spots in the nation’s cellular coverage and the power grid is not in the best of shape. The roads are in serious need of repair, and this, among other things, is holding the country back. India has to show a commitment on the national level by bringing the nation’s infrastructure up to the level that one would expect from a developed country. 

This is a big upfront investment from the government that will require many years of taxes to pay for the program. These taxes will have to come from somewhere other than the investors that the government is trying to court into outsourcing to India. So, how do you raise the taxes on a population with a high unemployment and a workforce that is in need of education and training? Very carefully, as the last thing the government wants is to upset the population while trying to please foreign investors.

Indian Government and Large Corporate's Involvement.

One way to do this is concentrate more on trying to get Indian investors to make their money work at home instead of going overseas. The Indian government has to spend as much time and energy fostering an internal growth by Indians as they do with international economic relations. The Indian government is quick to point out examples of nationalism, but yet try to avoid their responsibility to show off their nationalism on a scale that the average Indian consumer can see. 

This is a unique problem that, once handled, can cause a national wave of pride. And once a workforce takes pride in the product or service that they provide, they will want to use that product for themselves. This will lead to a psychological rise in the worker’s perceived value of the product, causing this confidence to spread to other consumers in a way that will make the most effective viral marketer’s jealous. When people take pride in their work, they have a tendency to shun foreign made products. 

One example of this is in the U.S. City of Detroit, the home of the American automotive sector. The pride that the workers have in their product makes it incredibly hard for a foreign car manufacturer to sell their cars to the consumers in Detroit.

There are many ways that the government of India can really improve the economy with the Make in India initiative. But until the government is willing to broadly endorse Indian brands, the initiative may fail before it ever really takes off. India can enter into all the trade agreements with other countries it wants, but it needs to have National Brands for an Indian economy to stand strong against other brands from foreign manufactures. One such brand that is showing promise at Security Automation space is Solus. This effective and modular security system company is primed for explosive growth in India. Solus, like other Indian companies, were deprived to bid on couple of public projects. due to only “Imported Approved Makes“ remind you choosing imported products can not Guarantee Project Success, Refer the HPCL Pan India Access Control Project is being considered to be re-tendered after struggle of 3 years having chosen only imported makes for the project. 

Hope Once the Make in India initiative really ramps up, it would be nice to see the Indian government level the playing field for all the players of the emerging Indian economy. To learn about Make in India pride projects and to have assistance for your projects contact us at http://www.solus.co.in/contact or Click here

Securing the Brand !

A Brand is an earned identity of a business, and how its custodians care for this brand, determines its future. Employees show pride in the brand by conspicuously displaying their ID cards. They are also the first responders to report any potential misuse of the brand. Earned assets need protection too; hence, security management is not only about being aware of threats and practicing prevention, but about being ahead in the battle of wits using technology, as well.  It’s about accessing control of the future, now.

Today, as we lead hybrid lives, our traditional boundaries become more and more blurred. We complement our “real” selves with “online” personas for our audiences on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, and countless other social channels. The routine nine to five working day is becoming a distant memory, thanks to smartphones and tablets, which allow us to be in constant contact, no matter where we are. And just as with work and home, our online and offline lives, increasingly overlap. Organisations are realising that their security management practices must also upgrade in order to keep up with this change, and they should think no differently than marketers to remain efficient, always.

Let's see How.

In today’s online-offline world, employees or visitors may be today or tomorrow’s customers. This means that their experience of your security management practices can have long-lasting and often unforeseen consequences for your brand and business reputation.

We all have stories to tell about our own experiences – and human nature far prefers sharing nightmares as opposed to sharing fairy tales. We talk about the entire experience, from the first ID card or a visitor pass issued, like how quick or slow a process it was, to how this ID card can be loaned or stolen for misuse by someone, whose security breach may never be acknowledged. Our experience begins as a story shared in the canteen with close friends and can often turn into a trending buzz. So, security managers have an increasingly important role to play in managing corporate security practices, as well as communicating about them. And again, this is where thinking like a marketer can help.

So first, ask yourself this simple marketer’s question: How do my employees feel about our brand after going through our security management practices? Then, ask yourself these security management questions: What are my overall security management objectives? How will this benefit employees? How can they contribute to make it effective? Do I need to reduce our cost of surveillance? Are we risking our corporate reputation because our security breach response time is too slow? Do we need to cover a wider variety of systems and tools in order to have effective security management procedures in place? Do our security operation management teams need special training or very complex skillsets in order to manage their duties? Or, is it the Security Department’s responsibility, alone, to comply?

Whatever your security management goals and priority, harnessing marketing tools and techniques, particularly in the fast-evolving era of social media, will do both your security management and your brand a favour. Read on to find out why.

You Will Grow Your Potential Customer Base. 

Large organisations with a high volume of employee transition can pro-actively build a pool of engaged prospective employees on social media. Your effectiveness and modernized technology will get people talking, sharing, and appreciating your services faster than you can imagine.

For example, the Indian hospitality giant, Club Mahindra, is a trailblazer in managing security by utilizing  the social platform of the iSOLUS elite app. According to the social buzz, over 65% of employees talk and share their experience, at least once a day., With this Club Mahindra’s webpage traffic and sales' leads are bound to increase…without increasing the advertising budget. Since potential customers are confident to enter the holidays sales outlet knowing that their personal data is safe, secure and protected. And this is all made possible because of TMW, or The Mahindra Way, and its role in utilizing outside unbiased opinions to improve the perception of security in the minds of potential clients and customers. "TMW proves that it pays to think outside the box when it comes to security," says Subhash Kelkar, CIO at Club Mahindra.

The Mahindra Way (TMW) & Solus ID11 Securing Excellence. 

Give Your Brand Security Consciousness. 

Security threats continually invade nearly every aspect of our lives, and the area of security management is no exception. While there’s nothing new about Corporate security management, the novelty of mobile apps, which are now built into almost every employee’s mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop, can give a push to corporate security practices and philosophies, as it has with Mahindra. With practically no cost and little time, security managers can now record and post security practice breaches, along with video clips or snapshots as evidence, giving them a powerful presence of security, even when they are off duty, thereby enhancing respect to the security management practices and, more importantly, the brand in the minds of employees, visitors and potential customers.

Identify and Engage Creative Contributors. 

Engaging employees in security management processes can be rewarding in many ways. And since there are no good or bad ways to manage or improve the process, we can allow the users to contribute ideas that may better the management procedures. Security management personnel can screen the ideas and suggestions with far more accuracy, thereby getting a strong insight into employees’ personalities and core skills, making it easier to find strong candidates who stand out from the crowd.

Treat Your Employees Like Your Customers. 

First, name one consumer business without a customer service department! Can you? Now, is your company in the 75 percentile ignoring unsuccessful security practices? Remember, whether you use tailgate tracking or a door –left-open-too-long system, your employees will eventually become aware of your weaknesses. The iSOLUS notification system, or even a simple Email or SMS, is an essential tool that allows employees easy access to check your security operations. A little respect earned, here, goes a long way.

If you’re still not inspired to market your security management practices, here’s a real and powerful example:

Asian Paints 

is known for practical and effective information security management. The image to the right shows a mirror for employees to check before accessing a door using their company's ID Cards to stop tailgating.“… been very unconventional security communication campaign towards brands respect for Information Security,” says Group CIO Mr. Manish Choksi, when asked about the addition of the mirrors at doors as their normal security practice, “Security starts with little steps like this before leaving lasting colors of a most innovative brand like Asian Paints.”

As we all know, Security in any organization begins and ends with people. It is important to include them in the process by keeping them informed, alert, and connected. After all, it’s about their protection, as well. To find out how we can assist you in an employee-inclusive enterprise security solution, contact us at http://www.solus.co.in/contact or 

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CIO‘s Priorities : Security Automation

According to recent survey results about business risk mitigation, CIOs view Information Security and Business Continuity as key priorities, with improved IT Functions and overall expense reduction falling only slightly further down on that list. What complicates the issue is that all of these priorities for CIOs are interrelated. So, how do we begin to make things uncomplicated? We simplify the use and effectiveness of technology for users at the lowest level of operations, first.

Simplified security automation helps to extend and distribute responsibilities among the entire team. Evolving technologies such as Wireless, Zigbee and 4G, apart from traditional TCP/IP, enables connectivity between field devices and application software, along with choices of smart controlling and operating options like smart phones and tabs, making security automations more effective and more exciting than ever.

Below are 3 steps that may significantly simplify the usages of technology, specifically electronic security automation to increase the effectiveness of IT function among users, along with overall lifecycle cost reduction for the organisation.

1. Unification of Security Access Systems

In a fast growing organisation, security solutions, like those with access control systems for a new facility or project, are decided by project teams with project managers, consultants and PMC’s. No wonder that for them, project delivery capability of vendor and project budgets always have greater importance over the right product selection, especially when a CIO’s vision for product selection with overall objectives are missing. By the time the need for a  standard is realised and implemented, it’s already too late and CIO’s or IT teams are left with the challenges of dealing with separate islands (facilities) using different technologies for cards, readers, controls, and software.

Either due to reinforcing vision or upgrading technology, unification for security automation is being exercised by most growing organisations in India, or even by MNC’s in each business sector, be them large organisations like Wipro, iGate, Airtel, Crisil, HDFC, Tata Power, Financial Technologies or mid-sized implementations like Bangalore Airport, Delhi Metro or ZS Associates.

Solus has been closely connected in the design and implementation of these unification projects for some very large customers. Here are some experience excerpts from all those organisations planning to unify their enterprise security systems at multiple locations in isolation to a one unified solution.

When we are exercising unification, the, steps should be in the order of Software > Controllers > Readers > Cards. Often, organisations jump to take up less relevant hardware, like cards and reader replacement first, simply because it’s easier, leaving the unification project until later, which delays many of the benefits until the full realization of the project.

A well-designed Integrated Security Access Software, like iSOLUS, can collect data from multiple small purposely-built software programs implemented at different sites, and can provide meaningful MIS and alerts as the first step needed for unification. But this limits operations ability to manage the multiple small software programs, databases, and indirect control over systems’ controllers; therefore, it’s recommended to replace application software and system controllers in One go.

Since controllers do support multi-tech cards, changing readers and then cards will be the final and last step for post stabilization of software and controller replacement. With unified software and controllers, the major objective of unification, like common usage practices, common MIS database are achieved seamlessly. The only challenge left to overcome is the credential inter-operability access across sites, which is only important when intra-site travelling of employees is high.

Multi-technology, or combination technology, readers and cards are the tools for easy migration in the last step of unification. Here, dual technology readers, those current and those to be used in the future, are available from most reputable manufacturers like Solus, and should be used to conveniently replace existing old technology readers. This approach ensures that there is no disruption for users. Once all readers are replaced, new technology card reissuance can be initiated. Card reissuance can be very time consuming and should be done simultaneously with reader replacements using combicards, which contain both old and new technology, making reissuance painless and seamless.

When selecting cards & readers, go for Open Source technologies on ISO Standards like Desfire or Mifare.  If you use a proprietary technology controlled by a card manufacturer, you will most likely pay higher costs without any significant gain. This is because of the complex nature of changing your cards and readers during recurring needs.

Unification projects at a live site are far more different than those at a greenfield project and requires specialization; hence, experience matters. Data migration from an older system to a new system, along with a functional audit within a stipulated period (mostly between Friday to Monday) needs experienced and skilful execution. Small mistakes here can create an operational mess, hence the need for careful consideration while selecting a right partner to perform this service.

2. Thoughtful Automations

Information security that also ensures business continuity is only as strong as the weakest link in the security implementation chain. Quite often, executors at the ground level, like security guards, are not trained to be proficient in high end and high budget automation plans. Unlike the Western world, India has a talented pool of trained security staff available, and will continue to do so at a reasonable price, often far less than complex or large size automation implementations; hence, the automation and use of guards will continue to coexist.

Considering this fact, the objective of automation should be restructured towards optimum use of both, rather than replacing one with the other. Small assistance, such as timely intelligent alerts, along with information about the next steps to be taken on the alert, can easily turn deployed guards into the strongest wall rather than the weakest link. Automation can take up routine and mundane activities like surveillance and regular patrols, freeing up guards for more meaningful work such as dealing with alerts & suspects. This makes the guard’s job more interesting, and accountable.

Below are a few automation examples collected from different users during their experience of managing operations, which resulted in greater benefits through thoughtful automation.

Access Readers with color coding ( Click to Enlarge)

Access Readers with Color Codes

The Access Control Systems at large enterprises are designed to automate the process of gaining physical access to the facility by employees, visitors and others. The system is pre-set with security sensitivity of different doors, but often it’s known to only the system software, not to the deployed guards who can really benefit from prioritizing their attention for such sensitive doors. A reader’s colour coding concept displaying security sensitivity information of the door, right on the door itself, may be installed on RFID Readers. This is a simple concept to implement and does not require complex training, once used uniformly across the facility. (Courtesy: Solus Labs)

Photo Display System

A Photo Display System is another similar concept used to verify the identity of cardholders at doors while they gain access. A display of electronically stored information on an ID card, like photographs on a common screen, allows a single security guard to take care of multiple doors in a zone and sense any untoward activity proactively. This hybrid use of electronic security, along with human intelligence, has proven very effective on operations and cost. (Courtesy: iGATE Computer Systems Ltd.)

Random Check in a Campus Scenario

Random Check in a campus scenario is a very useful tool for security guards to control intruders on a company’s campus. The guards can instantly verify the validity of an access card off of any suspect on the Random check readers installed across the open campus. (Courtesy: Wipro Technologies)

Linking Employee's Attendance, with Access Control

By Linking Employee attendance with access control, this ensures that unless the employees punch in their attendance in the connected Biometric readers, they can't gain access at any facility doors. This will enforce a positive discipline among employees. (Courtesy : ZS Associates)

Visitor Management & Guard Tour linked with Access Control

Visitor Management & Guard Tours linked with access control  can approve a limited time access for a third party visitor, along with biometric authentication, quickly, over a remote network. (Courtesy: Airtel)

These are just a few of the concepts, among several other benefits, that can be derived from unification and security automation investments, which can be added at a later date for free or fractional costs.

Again, choosing a capable and agile partner here is the key. Reliable Security Automations require professionals who can enable such thoughtful innovations, evolving normal business operations, quickly. Normally, such fine-tuning of requirements are learned and evolved over repeated usage with time, and as such, cannot be defined in a project RFP. Unfortunately, such desired solutions bring maximum benefit, but are shown the least interest by large sized MNC security implementation vendors. They either deny it directly or quote discouraging customisation costs.

3. Managed Services Outsourcing

Once systems are unified to a common software and automated to meet business processes, they can readily be outsourced for maintenance, bringing in expert services at lower costs. You need not invest in the retraining of internal people for this specialized and important job; therefore , managed services offered by a capable OEM should be a good choice. The option of moving implementation to the cloud can be reviewed, here. This may help bring about greater support efficiency.

Managed Services Partner selection is important, as well. Most project sales companies don’t give equal importance to after-sales like new projects with major revenue streams, as most of the time, their key resources are engaged in key project executions. This also results in inadequate training of field engineers who are necessary for efficient after-sales support. Because of this, it is advisable that companies with a significant local presence, remote service infrastructure with CRM and automated ticketing systems with training focused on support engineers, and a presence at remote locations should be considered with a desired service level agreement in place for executing automation, as well as the integration of electronic security systems.

For smarter security automation concepts and detailed experience sharing and to see how we can help you by managing operations that result in greater benefits through thoughtful automation write to us at http://www.solus.co.in/contact or 

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Increasing Need of Experts- Security & Surveillance

This article is not about some new Technology. Here we talk about our perceptions of existing technology, and how we can use and understand the perceptions to fill a void in the security industry.

India is changing. And our perceptions are changing, too. Today, a security professional is not defined by a moustached body-builder with a baton in hand, but probably by a cool guy in a T-shirt with knowledgeable access to electronic systems. And this change in perception is not limited to security industry alone, it’s percolated to the safety & surveillance world and the ever-increasing world of biometrics and forensics.

With this change, the need of modern experts is increasing in these fields. The question remains on how do we create these experts and from where. The expertise needed here must not be superficial, but should be formed by core and deep knowledge of the sciences in combination with practical training where the knowledge can be used effectively.

Certain places in US seemed to have found the answer. The Biometric Department of Michigan State University gives a distinct answer to this by having introduced a course for Computer engineers, and thus creating a new brand of engineers: Biometric engineers. They run a specific course on biometrics which talks about the various ways in which biometric systems can be used.

India is not far behind, Solus runs regular training programmes to keep all Solus technical geeks updated on technologies and trends on Biometrics and Surveillance, which looks at providing expertise through practical and theoretical analysis. 

So we can hope that the future of Indian security industry is going to be very similar to the stud looking officers seen in those patriotic TV series or in various Hollywood/Bollywood movies: Intelligent, Knowledgeable and Automated. But before delving into the dreams of future, the present must be strengthened. And how do we do that, where do we find potential security experts in the present world?

Where do we find the potential Experts?

Apart from the various hardware networking students and diploma/degree seeking undergraduates, who will solve the future needs of this expert domain, the present also offers many prospects of creating experts.

And here, we provide you a few visual case studies of some live Solus customers which increase our understanding of how to fill the void.

• Amongst the hundreds of computer repairing shops in Lamington Road of Mumbai, there sits a middle-aged man ruing over the weakening revenue every day. He wishes to expand and start selling biometric systems for attendance management and access control to small offices in his region. He is a potential expert.
• Having been fed up of the rat race in which all of his friends have participated and joined an IT Call centre, a young engineering graduate wants to do something different and in the process, be a part of the Indian growth story. He is a potential expert.
• A lawyer in Nigeria loses an important national court case, because he does not understand the technology behind fingerprint systems used in their national elections. He decides to come to India- the biometric nation- and gain expertise. He is a potential expert.
• With a company in Bangalore already focused on working as security system integrators, the proprietor is finding it difficult to survive in the market and requires something new and a different approach to bring the technology to end users. But he has a team of mechanical people who know what to do but lack the ‘whys’. This is a half-expert, but a potential full one.

And there are many more, which are willing to learn. The technology needs to be taught to all of the above. It won’t be easy to teach expertise, because its not easy to learn something deep when you are used to practical experience only. You need knowledge in the garb of Fun.

Fun in Biometrics & Surveillance

A picture of Aamir Khan in his ‘Ghajini’ avatar is shown as a slide in the classroom. The trainer informs the curious faces that this person is in the direst need of a biometric system. If he had a biometric system, he would have been able to replace his memory by technology. The class erupts with interesting analogies and many of them are able to connect the use of biometrics and surveillance to their lives.

This scene is from the classroom where a basic level course is going on. But this scene can be from any other place as well, which decides to look at technology with tinted glasses. We relate to play and fun, and hence we are able to learn the most when we are surrounded by things we are comfortable in.

Let’s take the example of how we can teach advanced technology, like live finger detection. Bollywood and Shahrukh fans who have seen Don 2 saw him rob an international bank using a fake fingerprint system, but would he have been able to do the same if the bank used a system with Live Finger Detection sensor. Probably not, since live finger detection receives and accepts signals which require your finger to be emitting heat.

Whenever a new technology is developed, the pioneers always wonder how it will reach out to the people who matter. It can reach out well if we do our homework and understand there is fun in everything new.

Concluding words of Secure Wisdom

The security industry needs new and fresh experts who can think beyond the regularities, and are able to understand the development of every new technology easily. We need people who know how to connect the dots, and be a contributing factor to help this industry prosper. And with UID and increasing security threats, the number of such people is very high. As per a recent submission to NSDC, about 10 lac + professionals are needed in this industry, possessing the knowledge of automation and its usage.

Few years ago Infosys and TCS also needed bulk IT professionals; that’s when many colleges in India came up with IT as a branch of engineering. That’s how their manpower demands were met.We have given some solutions above, by which our manpower demands can be met. Identifying potential security experts, making them undergo a fun practical training, and then creating professional whose baton will be an electronic gadget.

Popular author James Thurber had once said “Let us not look back in anger or forward in fear, but around in awareness. And this will make us more secure.” On similar lines: If we look around us, we will find answer to every void in the security industry. Let’s do so!

To learn more about how other enterprises in your domain having safer environment by having smarter security implemented contact us today http://www.solus.co.in/contact
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Safer to be Secure

Real Time Transactions

To begin with in simple words, safety requires you to be open, while security demands from you to be closed. And together, they optimize themselves to form an intelligent building management solution. But the question remains, how do we choose the level of optimization and where do we draw the line.

The answer lies in case-wise analysis of practical situations where safety and security are of high importance. And it begins with the various recent cases of fire break-outs in important government buildings. The word ‘Safety’ is regularly associated with Fire Safety systems and Evacuation plans. But we should look at the cause behind most of such fire incidents, and we’ll able to bridge the connection between safety and security.

Let’s get down to facts. In a recent panel discussion at iFSAI, with Mr. TRA Krishnan, has closely reviewed more than 300 fire incidents and Mr. Vikram Kalbag from FM Global, the popular commercial and property insurance company, responding to my question mentioned that majority of fire incident cases take place in the month of March. Though there was no direct mention of any concluding statement stemming from this fact, its our duty to read between the lines. There is nothing special in the weather of March which makes it prone to short-circuits and fire inducing accidents. But yes, it is the “result” month of final documentation of financial year, its the month most important for you if there is corruption prevalent in your mindset.

I am not getting into any conspiracy theory here, but small fire incidents claiming nothing beyond loss of property happening in March, clearly have a different angle to it. And this angle is sabotage. And there is one way to prevent the sabotage, and that is security. Biometric Access Control Systems combined with CCTV Surveillance ensure deterrence of vandalizing elements specially when threat is more of internal, and even if there is vandalism, proof is always there thus solving the mystery behind fire easily. 

The famous proverb coined by the Dutch “Prevention is better than cure” is also valid in the discussions on safety and security. If you are secure enough, safety becomes secondary as the need of the same is reduced. Security not only prevents wrong action but also helps you track the reason behind the incident. Some time ago, speaking at an event, Mr. Rajan Luthra, Director of Reliance Security Solutions Ltd, a subsidiary of RIL, had emphasized on benefits of security automation with real life examples of not only having detected few theft incidents but also successfully recovered the stolen assets. It has been experienced in our office too when we had a theft in our office and the culprit was caught easily using access control records, and stolen assets were recovered in less than 3 hours of incident.

Real time transactions captured by security and Network systems are vital at times,  those who watch popular TV Series Crime Patrol or read crime stories in Mid-Day will agree that most cases are solved using one or other such real time transactions left behind by either mobile phone usage, ATM Transaction, CCTV or electronic security records. even professional investigators admit that its was near impossible to crack some of such complex cases in absence of these transactions.

To counter wiser instincts  of today’s culprits we need smarter and multiple systems to be active together,  thanks to  technology and world of cloud and IP its possible Today. while Access Control systems can act as powerful deterrent for such incidents to happen as CCTV becomes handy in post incident investigations such that recording done in Mantralaya of Mumbai can also be seen by officials in Delhi, even after the Access Control & CCTV system are completely destroyed, means investigators can reach to real reasons of incident in almost no time, effortlessly just by connecting clues available from multiple systems.

All this reinforces our belief in the power of electronic security systems once  thought fully implemented and maintained.

We have standards defined by Insurance Agencies for management of safety in buildings. Maintenance of these standards is of high importance and undergoes regular audits. Since this post mentions facts which establish the integral need of Security products and services in order to ensure better safety, the insurers must also establish standards for security and push for their implementation. And regular audits of the same must be mandatory as well. This should be the first step towards making our buildings and complexes safer from fire, vandalism and other calamities. 

Before ending this post, let me give a sideways reference to the old hare and turtle story. Years ago, we were taught slow and steady wins the race, and hence a slow turtle can defeat the quick hare in a race. Situation is not very different today though there is a twist. Today the hare loses not because of its overconfidence but because it has a soft skin and there are lots of spiky obstacles in the path. If we want to win the race, we must try and put a turtle shell around us which makes us secure from any harms during the journey even though it makes us heavy and tougher to run. The need of running fast is secondary, only after we have secured ourselves. We started with simple words, and am ending with a simple proverb “It’s Safer to be Secure”!

To learn more about how other enterprises in your domain having safer environment by having smarter security implemented contact us today http://www.solus.co.in/contact or 

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