If you're in charge of your building's technology needs, a big part of your job is just to keep up with the times. You read the trade publications, watch the webinars and network with other experts – all so you can know what's around the corner, and what tools might best serve your building.
Exploring your options for an emergency notification system is no different, and that requires delving into the details. Here are some things to consider as you research emergency notification systems and how to ensure they meet the requirement for your building.
Staying up and running means staying up to date
Step number one is to make sure the company behind the product has a great reputation and is as diligent in supporting the system as you are in vetting it. Learn about what is being done behind the scenes to make sure your emergency notification system keeps running smoothly.
While you will have the hardware for many years to come, the software should be evolving with regular updates. That could mean changes to the UI, the addition of new features and enhancements, or smaller changes you might not even notice, but which help the system run smoothly as the technology surrounding it changes.
Do your homework on how well they do theirs
The most critical part of software updates is how they allow your emergency notification system to adapt to security needs. So do your homework on how vigilantly your provider guards against cyber attacks.
Here are some helpful questions you may want to ask when you’re starting your research:
- Do they offer a warranty/guarantee if something goes wrong?
- Do they have a regular schedule for updates?
- Do they have a documented cybersecurity policy?
“If I were an IT person, I certainly would have concerns and I would be looking through the details,” said Tim Leung, vice president of engineering and operations at American Time, which manufactures emergency notification systems.
One detail to find out is how often your provider checks for security threats. The software should be constantly appraised of the ever-changing list of the dangers lurking in the digital landscape. There's no excuse for a provider not to stay up to date on threats that could affect you, especially with agencies such as the FBI and the Cyber Infrastructure Security Agency are regularly issuing alerts as security concerns materialize.
The pros of being proactive
While keeping up with threats as they pop up is important, cybersecurity isn't just a matter of reacting to them as they appear. When considering an emergency notification system, learn what the provider does proactively to maintain security.
Large operations such as Fortune 500 companies often use tools that can scan all the devices in a facility to identify any pathways that hackers might exploit. See if the manufacturer tests its products with the same kinds of tools.
Leung, for instance, saw how important such a measure is when American Time used such a scanning tool to identify a low-risk vulnerability to clickjacking, in which hackers attempt to trick the user into making an errant click that opens the door to infiltration. After detecting the vulnerability, they were able to eliminate it through a software update, Leung noted.
Explore the cloud
Any inquiry into the security of an emergency notification system will be related to the server that hosts it. Find out where the system you are considering is hosted. If it's cloud-based, you must appreciate that not all SaaS solutions are created equal.
With security being one major differentiator, consider that larger services will give you greater assurance that your system will remain uncorrupted, compared to less well-vetted services.
Of course, when considering the cloud, another main concern is how well it allows your system to work day-to-day. Look into the reliability of the service, with an eye on uptime rates.
There are also the knock-on effects of the cloud to take into account. The better the service works, the more you're able to leverage the benefits of cloud technology, such as the elimination of expensive hardware, staffing costs, and the need for maintenance and upgrades.
Laying it on thick, but with precision
Of course, one remaining key consideration in evaluating emergency notification systems is how well they actually communicate. Consider how many modes of communication the product allows. A good list to start with is text, email, digital signage, and alarms. A rule of thumb: The more, the better.
While you should consider how much redundancy the system offers by layering communication channels, you should also think about how those channels can be used. Therefore, it's important to learn whether you can target specific areas of your building with specific messages. This is critical in emergency scenarios since, for example, the evacuation routes that might appear on classroom screens will need to differ depending on where each classroom is.
Or, maybe you just want to announce an ice cream party for a particularly behaved room full of students without making the rest of the school jealous. After all, emergency notification systems aren't just for emergencies.
