There are two types of integrations, standards-based integrations, which utilize common industry protocols and standards to connect systems, and Native Integrations, which are custom-built. As the security industry has evolved and more systems have moved to Cloud technology, the adoption of common standards has greatly increased. By leveraging these protocols, security technology teams do not need to embark on complex development projects to connect software systems, they simply need to configure their existing systems to stream or send alerts.
EXAMPLES OF STANDARDS-BASED INTEGRATIONS
LIVE STREAMING
There are two commonly adopted video-streaming protocols, RTSP (Real-Time Streaming Protocol) and ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum). You will find that the majority of IP camera and video surveillance systems will support one or both of these protocols. Both allow for secure streaming of live video feeds over the internet. No integration is required to access these cameras—as long as they are accessible on the network, operators can immediately connect and stream them.
ALARMS
Nearly every security system in the market can send an email (SMTP) when an event occurs. These emails typically contain all the minimum information that SOC teams need to be able to respond to an event, including the time the event happened, what type of alarm was triggered, where it happened, and additional details about the alarm.
AUDIO
Connecting to remote intercoms or loudspeakers is a common task for operators in a command center. These can be used to communicate with an employee trying to gain access to a facility after hours or to ward off trespassers with an audio command. The SIP protocol is the industry standard for IP telephony and is commonly adopted in both stand-alone intercoms/speakers and cameras that include audio capabilities.
By their very nature, standards-based integrations are limited in the types of functionality they support. More advanced and proprietary features of a system cannot be supported through common protocols. When implementing a new response platform, it’s important to revisit your requirements checklist and user story before deciding the value of these advanced features for the front-line teams responding to real-time security incidents. Read more in our full whitepaper, Integrating Your Security Operation: A Roadmap For Connecting Technology to Deliver Optimum Operational Value.
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