Three security experts share their experiences and help detect the main needs of hotels when it comes to ensuring the integrity of the guest and their belongings.
by Alejandra García Vélez
Video surveillance systems, alarms and access control are some of the technologies that can help ensure the security and integrity of a hotel establishment, its guests and employees.
But, in their vocation of service and search for the best for the client, hotels point to systems that are not only effective, but also discreet and aesthetically pleasing, according to Javier Blanco, general director of IproNet Sistemas and one of the guests of this edition to talk about the integration of security systems in hotels.
Aesthetics and functionality
Faced with the above, the official specifies that several factors must coincide when installing or selecting a security system for a hotel, so that the functionality and operability of this meets all the needs raised by the establishment.
Efficiency is, of course, the first concern of installers, who must implement devices that demonstrate robustness in an environment of permanent monitoring and constant operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The other point considered as fundamental by hotels is that of discretion, not only in the sense that guests may feel uncomfortable with the use of cameras with aggressive or obvious styles, but also when considering that security in the storage of data is of extreme importance to prevent recorded images from leaving the controlled environment of hotel security.
On the other hand, Raquel Elías Gutiérrez, marketing manager of Scati, and Alberto Pérez Aparicio, account manager of the same company, point out that "hotels are unique buildings whose size, design and architecture, in addition to other factors, make them unique facilities where the design of a personalized and integrated security system is required to cover each of their needs without breaking the aesthetics of the installation".
It also points out that the security installation must be perfectly integrated and coexist in balance with the aesthetics and design of the hotel while meeting a series of functional objectives: security, comfort and privacy for its customers.
Without forgetting that the main reason for having an installation of this type is the deterrence against actions such as vandalism, theft, access to undue areas and claims for damage by users in case of accidents or incidents in their facilities.
Equipment and systems
The representatives of Scati also explained that due to the variety of scenarios with very different characteristics, it is essential to analyze the specific needs of each installation, according to the objectives that are sought to be achieved in each of the locations.
Usually, the critical places of installation are those of access to the building, such as doors, emergency exits, elevators, lounges, corridors, parking lots, gardens, etc. But for each of these spaces, the location and type of cameras to be used must be analyzed.
"There are places in the hotel where you should try not to inconvenience customers. However, in other locations, the camera lens is a deterrent so it must be very visible so that it can fulfill this function, "they point out in Scati.
"In the market there are many models of cameras that allow us to choose, from small pinhole cameras, to bulky domes with movement capacity. In the hotel it will be critical to carry out an analysis of the security/privacy commitment, so that customers see the system as a guarantor of their well-being in the facility," they said.
While it is true that many hotels already have security facilities for a few years, we must not forget the technological evolution that today allows us to get more out of these devices.
To the invited experts we raised the possibility of finding a hotel with an analogous security system, and how it could be integrated with a new installation based on IP technology.
In this regard, Blanco explains that, although the budget is a great decision factor, the most appropriate thing is to work towards the integration of both systems gradually. "The new hotels will have native IP video, and the existing ones will adopt encoders to convert analog cameras into IP," he said.
As for the software migration processes, he points out that this must be from the beginning in IP, trying to change the DVRs for more modern equipment, equipped with advanced software that meets all the functional characteristics from the first moment.
It also points out that today practically all alarm systems have support for IP video solutions, making their integration a simple and necessary process.
The above is supported by Elias and Pérez, who also point out that "integration is one of the basic and necessary conditions of any CCTV platform, for that reason the hybrid video recorder solutions allow the use of both technologies, analog and IP, to take advantage of the advantages that each of them brings and the systems already implemented in the installation".
Problems and solutions
The first thing to note is that "video over IP networks is the king of hotel facilities," according to Blanco. The main reason is the benefits in technological aspects, such as integration with FullHD cameras, the possibility of using wireless communications and the ease of using the existing network infrastructure.
It is also worth noting that IPTV solutions, digital signage, among other additional functionalities to the primary surveillance service can be offered. The representatives of Scati, for their part, highlight the need to have a flexible system, which can cover each of the events to be organized in the hotel facilities such as ceremonies, congresses, exhibitions, among others.
It also points out that the security systems that are being installed in hotel chains are solutions supported by open technology that allow integration with other devices such as alarm and fire centers; in addition to having great capacity to adapt to any change that may occur in the long term either for technological, legal or even corporate reasons.
But, like any process, the installation of a security system brings with it challenges and difficulties that must be overcome to reach a satisfactory result. In that sense, Blanco explains that in an IP video installation the most recurrent problem is the lack of sizing of communications and storage.
"Normally the biggest problems in an IP video installation are given by an erroneous sizing of the network, communications, processing and storage infrastructure," he says.
Scati officials also point out that from a technical point of view, the biggest problem lies in the large number of cameras to be controlled, the existence of several control centers, as well as the integration and management of the different security subsystems such as CCTV, intrusion system, fire safety system and access control.
Finally, regarding the benefits obtained by hotels with the installation of security systems, Elias and Pérez affirmed that "they provide the client with a differential value of the implicit services offered by the hotel; and the director of security a very powerful management tool through which they can know the status of the facilities and the service as well as analyze the flows of people in each of the areas of the hotel at any time and from anywhere with an internet connection".
"Among the economic benefits can be highlighted the decrease in risk premiums compared to insurance companies and the cases of false reports of damages by users," they concluded.
To highlight
Equipment adjusted to each need
The security director is the person in charge of advising the management when it comes to seccionar a surveillance system by cameras. Javier Blanco, GENERAL MANAGER of IproNet Sistemas recommends taking into account the following elements to select the most suitable CCTV system:
- Ease of handling the system.
- Unique and integrated solution that allows the management of an unlimited number of DVR/NVR as well as their simultaneous local and remote control from one or more control centers.
- Scalable and flexible CCTV system that allows applications in an economical, simple way and integration with other subsystems.
- Availability of high-resolution cameras for crime identification.
- Availability of cameras suitable for scenarios with low lighting conditions or strong light contrasts, such as glazed facades, or access points.
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