White Blood Cells in the Network – from Bits and Bytes to Amps and Volts: PoE Switches for Video Systems

barox is presenting itself at Security Essen with two of its central themes: Cybersecurity and energy management for video networks with PoE Switches. They take on the increasingly important PoE power management and reporting. The Switches thus ensure efficient and energy-saving processes. GIT SICHERHEIT spoke about this with barox Managing Director Rudolf Rohr (Issue 09/2022)

GIT SICHERHEIT: Mr. Rohr, Security 2022 will once again be a live event – and barox will be there. How important is the trade fair for your company?
Rudolf Rohr: We literally feel the people’s hunger to get out and meet again: “You can’t e-mail a handshake.” At the first live events, we realized again how necessary it is to talk to others if you want to understand their needs and make a difference. In this sense, we are all looking forward to Security in Essen. We are counting on a successful trade fair.

 

What will you be presenting to the trade fair visitors?
Rudolf Rohr: We would like to present ourselves to the trade fair audience as a manufacturer of Switches for video systems. As soon as the system consisting of camera and VMS is intelligently networked, added value is created. That is our direction. We have created so-called plug-ins that directly enable the user to view the entire network from VMS systems such as Milestone. In addition, automated processes can be stored.

 

Could you provide an example?
Rudolf Rohr: One of our clients is a major oil and gas producer in the Middle East. The perimeter protection there consists, among other things, of poles with three to four cameras and spotlights that monitor the area. In case of power supply problems, the installed outdoor dome cameras access the batteries and, if necessary, drain them uncontrollably via their injectors. Thus, I might lose site after site without being able to control it. Instead of buying larger and more expensive batteries, our approach is to use one of our DIN rail Switches and save on the injectors. Now, I suddenly have the ability to detect a voltage drop via the video management software. Our Switch reports this to the control center. Then, for example, a scenario runs in Milestone where one first observes how the situation develops for perhaps ten minutes. Then we switch to a predefined scenario where some cameras are switched off, then certain spotlights. The essential cameras continue to operate, and we kept the system running through the night because the battery autonomy was extended from three hours to six to seven hours. This represents enormous added value with low investment.

 

Is protection also available with weaker or unstable power supply and during blackouts? This is, of course, more relevant in certain regions of the world than in others…?
Rudolf Rohr: That happens quite often. In Germany, the power supply is still very stable – but it cannot be ruled out that this could also change here as a result of climate and energy policy decisions. In an environment where electricity production is being reduced, we are heading full throttle towards becoming ‘electricity junkies’ in terms of consumption… Therefore, I believe that we must become smarter with our systems and use technology for this purpose.

 

Let’s move into a completely different world – that of correctional facilities…
Rudolf Rohr: Correctional facilities typically have an interrogation room – with the possibility of audio and video recordings. If, for example, a lawyer wants to speak with their client, they naturally want the recording to be stopped. This is not easy for a security specialist to do… Here, a defined scenario in the VMS, with the help of intelligent networking, can help. If a specific button is pressed, the device is switched off – and this is logged. This works without having to call out a technician immediately. The lawyer in our example can recognize this, for instance, by a small light – and everything is logged in a printable format.

 

And here too, it’s about surgically precise power disconnection, so to speak…
Rudolf Rohr: Yes. We address the power supply for this: switching off PoE for audio, video, LED, etc., with our Switches, is an extremely efficient way to turn a system on and off. Our solutions work with encrypted communication with the VMS. Moving away from isolated systems – towards process-oriented solutions is our approach. Defined processes on demand also work when a technician is not immediately available. PoE Switches are the driving force behind an overall development, “Power no longer comes from the wall socket but from the RJ45 connectors.”

 

So, Power over Ethernet is your central theme in the energy management of video networks – and overall, the technology is evolving…
Rudolf Rohr: Indeed, more and more consumers can be powered via PoE. New standards such as IEEE 802.3bt also play a role here. I can supply loads of up to 90 watts instead of the previous 30 watts. This means that I can suddenly power screens with PoE instead of via the wall socket. This also applies to LED lighting in buildings, and POS systems. This can be extended indefinitely. Energy efficiency arises from only switching on what is currently needed. In addition, there’s the principle “A reboot does good”… If the camera is not running, I switch PoE off and on again, thus rebooting the camera. This can be automated through regular pinging. If it doesn’t respond, it is automatically rebooted. That is proactivity! So, there’s no need to send out a technician every time to disconnect the device from the 230-volt mains and switch it back on.

 

Protection against cyberattacks concerns virtually the entire economy. How does barox approach this topic?
Rudolf Rohr: Every company must deal with this. We ourselves are certified according to ISO 27001. In this entire matter, humans are the weakest link. It is therefore about sensitizing employees to disclose as little information as possible. A second step: If you look at a video network, there are always holes in the outer shell. Our Switches analyze the processes and, if necessary, shut down ports. The expensive firewall doesn’t even notice when cables for an outdoor camera or an intercom are laid outside through the building wall. This creates uncontrolled access points and backdoors. The problem is that a cyber attacker can spread freely once they are inside the system. The Switch can act as the last line of defense: it shuts down and isolates access points. We are convinced that Switches are the most important products on site: they are, so to speak, the red blood cells of cybersecurity.

 

Mr. Rohr, you started your activities in Great Britain in 2018 – and about two years ago, you established your sales activities in the Middle East. What’s next?
Rudolf Rohr: Apart from our home markets, we consider the Middle East to be our strongest driving force. If large projects in Germany, for example, have 500 cameras, then in the Middle East, there are often 5000 cameras. Hundreds or thousands of Switches are then used there. On the other hand, there are cultural peculiarities. Projects often remain a mirage for a long time. The difficulty, therefore, is to find the right path without burning capital and manpower. The driving forces are the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Egypt. People are thinking about the post-oil era and want to make investments much more strongly in their own country than abroad. barox will therefore continue to expand its business there.

 

Could you give us a brief outlook on your plans for the near future?
Rudolf Rohr: There will be a new product called b!ench, which we will also be showcasing at Security in Essen. This is management software that allows you to pre-configure the Switches. In addition, there is our proven DMS (Device Management System). This is designed to be very visual, so that the user receives a lot of information about the network at a glance. Unlike most, the software shows all participants in the network. This graphical representation is particularly advantageous for users who come from the analog world. The cloud is also an important topic. The Switch will also be one of the most important products on site here, as it supplies power to all loads (cameras, spotlights, access control systems…).