Protecting people, places and assets: ATEC s contribution to the Natural History Museum s security and management systems

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1 Attractions / venues Museums & galleries Protecting people, places and assets: ATEC s contribution to the Natural History Museum s security and management systems Museums and galleries are businesses and national attractions, so today s technology investments are expected to deliver business advantage as well as protection.

2 UK Security Services highlighted to The Natural History Museum that the facility is potentially at risk to the growing global threats associated with crowded places, which prompted an escalation of the Museum s security review. The Museum attracts more than five million visitors a year for whose safety it is responsible, plus it has a duty of care to its staff and is custodian of priceless and irreplaceable artefacts. One of the many challenges for today s museums is that they face a dilemma to keep objects safe while allowing millions of people as much access as possible to see them.

3 Security contributes to a museum s reputation as a venue At the headline grabbing end of the scale there are notorious security breaches such as the brazen thefts of the Cellini Salt Cellar (Vienna, 2003), and of Munch s The Scream in front of shocked onlookers (Oslo, 2004), when public access and exhibit protection were not balanced. At a less dramatic, but more persistent end of the scale are the problems of petty crime and pickpockets who target distracted tourists in busy, exotic locations. The Natural History Museum s own valuable collections include a multi-million pound minerals display and a horn, jade and porcelain collection from which thieves stole two rhino horns in recent years, which, fortunately, were resin replicas. Security contributes to a museum s reputation as a safe venue for visitors and exhibits alike. While security is installed to protect resident museum collections whose value is priceless and makes them impossible to insure, it can also play a hidden role in a facility s profitability when it comes to generating the confidence for loan exhibitions that can influence popularity and revenues. Ancient history benefits from deep integration ATEC won its initial commission from the Natural History Museum in Following a review of its electronic security measures at the Museum s South Kensington and Tring locations, it was decided that investment was needed to improve the control and monitoring of disparate security systems and to improve perimeter intruder detection at both sites. It was determined that the South Kensington site would support a minimum of 200 cameras and the Tring site a minimum of 70 cameras, with a capacity for future expansion at both locations. In the case of South Kensington, it was decided after the original tender specification that a complete new control room was needed. The new-build facility was relocated from the basement and ATEC managed the comprehensive design and installation, which includes a 6-screen monitor wall and operator desks that enable visibility throughout the museum.

4 Museums Public & galleries space The challenge was to design and install IP-based CCTV management and recording systems that could accommodate, in technology terms, some relatively ancient, legacy hardware and infrastructure, and work across radically different systems, yet still deliver consolidated alarms to remote control rooms. One of ATEC s strengths as a genuine integrator is the ability to overcome the problems of siloed systems and disconnected data through its programming capability and trademarked middleware Guardlink. In completing the first phase of the Museum project, which was fed by a desire, where possible, to waste not, want not, ATEC undertook to obtain the relevant software protocols/apis for legacy, and some no-longer-supported systems, and wrote gateway interfaces to Guardlink, which enabled all alarms and events to be managed through a common GUI. ATEC successfully integrated Galaxy intruder alarm, ISIS asset tagging and Eltek data logging systems, among others, into the core solution. ATEC also linked the South Kensington and Tring control rooms so that each could view and respond to events on the other s real estate, to optimise staffing levels and ensure business continuity. The new systems were successfully integrated with legacy intruder detection systems (IDS), which has enabled the Museum to phase its security improvements and their associated budgets. The Natural History Museum today benefits from a fully redundant and resilient CCTV system that makes the best use of legacy infrastructure, accommodates analogue and IP cameras, and provides a fully scalable solution. A strategic partner helps to de-risk and future proof ATEC works with partners and preferred suppliers in order to deliver the best functionality and value to its customers. In the area of video management systems (VMS), ATEC works with DVTel, Indigo Vision and Aviglion. ATEC s commitment to its partners includes an investment in learning products and technologies thoroughly, which is why ATEC works at software development (SDK) level, in order to manage integration fully and be as flexible as possible in accommodating end user needs.

5 A key solution component recommended by ATEC after a functional review of prospective suppliers, was the deployment of DVTel. DVTel was preferred to other strategic partners because a large element of the Museum project centred on the need for a perimeter intrusion detection system (PIDS) with intelligent video analytics (IVA). DVTel was also favoured for its intuitive video management that complements the Museum s operation requirements, as well as its web portal and HD camera offerings and low bandwidth transmission requirements. More efficient, more effective It is a core part of ATEC s mission to look beyond the functional requirements of customer projects to the business advantages that can be generated through technology and extended integration. Key project outcomes for the Museum are that its visitors, buildings and collections are better protected, while its security staff can identify, analyse and respond to events quickly and effectively. ATEC has delivered the capability not only to do more with less, but also to work smarter. New automated processes have reduced operational costs at the same time that new technology has enhanced the capability and productivity of security staff, which means staff are more empowered than previously and their roles have grown as a result. Creating value through experience and relationships There is no substitute for experience and specialist expertise. ATEC won its initial commission with the Natural History Museum partly because of its extensive work with the National Museum of Science and Industry. A similar scope existed to protect both the museum s assets and its 2.5 million visitors while integrating legacy systems. ATEC s previous work in high footfall visitor venues, which generally present the combined challenges of tackling modern threat and

6 working within the potential constraints posed by public buildings, enables ATEC to bring a clarity and precision to its recommendations which are presented in meticulous detail following in-depth needs identification. EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT Stuart Craik, Head of Security at the Natural History Museum, commented on ATEC s work, The stand out factor in ATEC s work was the quality of its initial documentation which showed a thorough understanding of our needs and the technology and integration required. Their documentation was crystal clear, site specific and very usable. They then demonstrated a willingness and capability to make the project to upgrade and integrate our security systems the best it could possibly be. As challenges emerged, ATEC were able to resolve them or work with us to resolve them. Overall, I am absolutely delighted. The significance of working hard with a customer at the outset to identify clearly their functional requirements and business objectives cannot be underestimated, as it helps to build the foundations to create continuous strategic value, as opposed to tactical deliveries that restrict a contractor s ability to deliver maximum benefit. One of the challenges of working in a Grade I listed environment is the need to work closely with local planning officers to get approval for sensitive installations. ATEC helped to manage and facilitate applications by cherry picking products and generating visualisations of them in situ for approval before works began. The benefits of partnership and continuity Having worked closely with the Museum during the first phase of its migration path, and added specifications and advantages to the project that were not included in the original tender, ATEC gained a forensic view of the Museum s infrastructure and systems. ATEC was subsequently commissioned for a second phase of work that included specifying upgrades of analogue cameras to HD and installing PTZ cameras to extend visibility in key locations. A further phase is planned to bring the Museum s storage facility in Wandsworth online with 16 cameras and full integration with the current control room.

7 Many suppliers pay lip service to the value of partnership and ongoing relationships, however the evidence of measurable improvement is not always present to support the claim. ATEC has consistently demonstrated that the closer and longer it works with customers, the more the company is able to deliver consulting services and solution development with tangible benefits. The Natural History Museum numbers among many strong customer relationships in which ATEC consult on, design, test, install, manage and support advanced technology. ATEC prides itself on the value it creates across its customers businesses, from cost reduction to productivity improvements, and from enhanced security to smarter operations. ATEC has also demonstrated its capability to develop solutions where none has previously existed, when a project arises in uncharted territory, which in the case of the Natural History Museum is evident in the integration of so many diverse systems. EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT Chris Worrall, Design and Bid Director, ATEC Security, says, At ATEC we believe that the intelligent application of technology can make a demonstrable, positive difference to security effectiveness and operations efficiency in any organisation. We start projects by gaining a thorough understanding of the customer s operational requirements and their wider business objectives before we start on solution design. Our specific market sector knowledge in museums meant that we could document our findings to the Natural History Museum in minute detail and propose highly detailed solution designs that provide clarity for all stakeholders. By solving some very difficult problems together, we have created the trust and understanding to plan for future success.

8 About ATEC ATEC is a security and control systems specialist with thirty years experience working on complex design and integration solutions. The company s heritage includes acclaimed, innovative projects for clients in critical infrastructure, public space, transportation and multi-site commercial environments. ATEC s proprietary methodology comprises a holistic approach to its clients technology investments that ensures projects deliver multiple benefits across all areas of their business, including security, operations and financial. ATEC manages the full lifecycle of projects from building a business case for potential developments, to design, systems installation and integration, and full-service after care. ATEC s trademarked software and middleware, and in-house programming expertise, facilitate deep integration between disparate systems, which is a capability that contributed to ATEC winning the Security Excellence Award for Systems Integrator of the Year (2013). Unit 1 Element Court, Hilton Cross Business Park Featherstone, Wolverhampton WV10 7FE Systems Integrator of the Year 2013 Security Installer of the Year