Surge protection is a simple, yet frequently overlooked, aspect of protecting data streams, argues Anthony Knighton, Field Sales Engineer at DITEK Surge Protection.

Too often, when people think about surge protection, they only think about protecting equipment from unexpected power events. Their rationale says “if a power surge damages my video camera, I will simply pay to replace the camera.”

While the cost of repairing or replacing damaged equipment is reason enough to invest in surge protection for organizations such as hospitals, utilities, administrative offices for infrastructure and many others, the necessity of surge protection for security systems goes well beyond the cost of simple hardware replacement.

Following a major power surge, an entire system may have to be replaced and while this work is ongoing, organizations may also have to pay out of pocket for additional processes or equipment to ensure the safety and security of employees or visitors. Therefore, the overall cost will not just be to replace the damaged or lost system.

The cost of downtime can not only impact an organization’s bottom line, but may also carry significant security, legal and operational ramifications due to lost data streams. Understanding these ramifications highlights just how essential surge protection is to any security system installation.

A security system for the data stream

Consider the above, but now think more specifically about access control, surveillance and intrusion. In each of these systems, there is more than merely hardware equipment at risk of damage from power surges. Data streams plays a significant role in the function of such systems and as such, requires appropriate surge protection.

A loss of critical data files can bring an organization to a halt and can also be time consuming and costly to restore. Security systems require numerous customized data files, including not only information about identities and their associated permissions, passwords and security questions, but also policy-driven data streams, such as operational and emergency procedures. Without these custom data files, it would be impossible for devices such as access control panels and network recorders to perform their given function, even if the equipment itself was working.

Moreover, a damaging power event has the potential to permanently delete critical data without strong backup measures in place. Backup copies of the data stream could be used to restore the systems if they were current and available, but recreating such data is often cost and time prohibitive. Protecting the data storage devices with surge protection gives these critical files a better chance of surviving common power surges without corruption or damage.

The true cost of downtime

The value of missing data streams and system downtime caused by a surge event could be priceless. To truly comprehend the risks of lost data caused by data stream downtime, it helps to examine why a given security system was installed in the first place.

Video surveillance systems, for example, capture important footage in the case of an incident and can help organizations prosecute crimes such as thefts while defending against false injury claims. Now imagine surveillance footage of a given incident was not available due to equipment damage or data loss suffered by a power surge. If a defamatory claim is made that cannot be disproved with video evidence, the organization may be found liable and forced to pay a settlement.

Conversely, many organizations rely on data streams gathered from their security systems as a means of justifying the way that they operate. Video analytics have become popular for their ability to deliver data-driven insights such as occupancy usage. A security system in downtime can lead to skewed results without users even realizing it, leading to incomplete data sets and misinformation.

Many organizations may also be subject to costly fines and legal action if their security system is not performing as expected. Highly regulated facilities are often subject to regulatory compliance audits related to video data storage. Similarly, correctional facilities and airports rely on access control systems to maintain strict access to high-risk areas. Depending on the given industry and system, failure to comply with applicable standards could lead to entire facility shutdown resulting in insurmountable loss.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, security systems are put in place to protect people, property and assets. When unable to complete this function, their very purpose is negated, opening an organization up to the very risks the systems were designed to prevent – loss, vandalism, fire damage, violence, etc.

Additionally, the potential loss from security system downtime is conceivably more than the cost of the damaged equipment itself. While no surge protection system can completely eliminate all these risks, the low cost of high-end protection devices should be recognized by every security professional as a basic necessity.

Not if, when

You would not purchase a home without homeowners insurance nor open a business without liability insurance. Consider surge protection an investment policy for security systems, covering the costs of equipment replacement and repair as well as the secondary costs that tend to be forgotten. It is not a matter of if a power surge will affect your systems, but rather when.

A common misconception surrounding power surges is that system damage occurs all at once following a lightning strike. However, according to the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety, lightning strikes account for just 2% of all surge damage. That means that 98% of the damage is done by the hundreds of power surges that are mostly unnoticed every day. Power surges can originate from both internal and external sources, with global developments increasing their frequency and likelihood.

For example, recent environmental and social changes have put a bigger strain on electrical reliability. The US power demand is growing faster than the current power grid can supply with much of the current system being decades old.

With electricity consumption outpacing infrastructure improvements, the grid switching required to meet shifts in demand makes the entire system vulnerable to electrical power disruptions, surges and spikes. The growing adoption of electric vehicles has also placed substantial new strains on an already weakened electric supply grid, making now the best time to consider an investment in system-wide surge protection.

Advocate for yourself

Without surge protection, the plethora of benefits afforded by today’s security systems and their associated data (risk mitigation, business intelligence, liability protection, etc.) can be wiped out within seconds. That is why surge protection should be considered an essential element of all security system installations.

While the onus is largely on security integrators to educate their customers and include surge protection on all request for proposals (RFPs), the responsibility of adoption is solely on the deploying organization. Do not hesitate to advocate for yourself, your stakeholders and your organization when it comes to deploying surge protection.

With a simple installation process and very modest cost, including surge protection with new security systems and adding them to existing unprotected systems is an easy decision for every security professional.

This article was originally published in the July edition of Security Journal Americas. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.