In physical security management, we’ve traditionally built security apps and devices to respond to specific threats. What happens, though, when threats increase such that individual apps and devices are no longer enough? Well, that’s where physical security information management (PSIM) comes in. To learn more about the importance of PSIM, read on.
What’s Physical Security Information Management (PSIM)
So, what’s PSIM?
Physical security information management systems are platforms that integrate security applications and devices, controlling them through a single interface.
In other words, PSIM collects and manages information from disparate security devices and information systems into one common situation picture.
For this reason, PSIM platforms tend to be vendor and hardware-agnostic. Instead, they give users the ability to integrate with legacy systems, such as the following:
- Access control systems
- Automated barriers
- Building management systems e.g., heating, HVAC, elevators control, etc.
- CCTV (closed circuit TV)
- Computer Aided Dispatch systems
- Cyber systems
- Electronic article surveillance (EAS)
- Fire detection
- GIS mapping systems
- Intercom
- Intrusion systems including perimeter intrusion detection systems
- Security alarm
- Video content analysis
How does Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) differ from traditional Security Management?
Given that legacy systems are inputs into PSIM platforms, you can begin to see how PSIM differs from traditional security management.
More pointedly, though, legacy security management apps and devices tend to operate in silos. They also tend to have more circumscribed uses.
On the other hand, PSIM, at the enterprise level, integrates all these sources into a single platform. That gives users a consolidated view of security operations.
Consider this use case.
You have to protect a large footprint. And so, you’ve invested in cameras and sensors. These devices, however, require human analysts.
Human analysts are expensive. They get tired, filtering through the alerts these devices generate. And when analysts get tired, they make mistakes.
Not so with PSIM platforms that can overcome these human limitations, synthesizing the data that comes from alerting systems and physical sensors to relay information to control centers and guards in the field.
Benefits of PSIM in integrated resilience management
This use case helps to demonstrate the importance of physical security information management in integrated resilience management.
After all, businesses with large footprints will be the first to tell you that physical security is one of the keenest threats they face.
Physical security incidents themselves are some of the costliest business crises there are. According to the inaugural World Security Report, large, global corporations last year experienced a combined revenue loss of USD 1 trillion – that’s trillion with a T – due to physical security incidents.
Firms that have experienced these crises firsthand also suffer knock-on indirect costs. For instance, businesses might find it hard to retain and recruit workers, as those workers have likely seen these heavily mediatized critical events if not witnessed them in person.
As a result, it’s never been more important to integrate physical security information management into your broader resilience management capability. And that entails procuring the right security operations software capabilities for your resilience needs. Curious what Noggin can do for you in this space? Explore what our software has to offer with a demonstration of our platform.
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