Network Computingwww.networkcomputing.com

Analysis: Physical/Logical Security Convergence

Posted by Jeff Forristal
November 17, 2006

Tags: oBIX, Federal Convergence Experiment, HSPD-12, Logical security, Open Building Information Exchange, PHYSBITS, Physical Security Bridge to IT Security, Physical security, budgets, holistic access, Access Control, Administration, Check Processing, Client/Server Protection, Credit Card Processing, Credit Card Security, Credit Union, Custom Programming, Data Networking & Management, Data Protection, Data Security, Database Management Services, E-mail, Electronics, Enterprise Management, Fingerprint recognition, GPS , Hotspots, Identity Management Software, Interactive Applications, Internet Authentication, Internet Regulations, Java, Keyboards and Keypads, Linux, Network types, New Technology, Other, PBXs, Physical Security, Remote Access, Remote Access Software, Retina recognition, Scripting, Security Collaboration, Security Policies and Management, Security and Privacy, Servers, Servers & Storage, Software and Web Development, Technology, USB, USB Cards, Unified Communications & VoIP, User Interface, Voice recognition, WLAN Security, Web Servers, Web Standards, Windows, Wireless, Wireless PBXs

Channel: Other, Networking & Mgmt, Servers & Storage, Data Protection, Wireless, UC & VoIP

Physical and logical security staffs have the same goal--protect enterprise assets--yet they exist as independent factions ... and not always peacefully. But now technological shifts, budgetary realities and a major government initiative are doing some converging of their own and driving enterprises to question whether business as usual is hurting the bottom line.

It's a nascent movement, but not for long. Last year Forrester Research projected a tenfold increase in U.S. spending on merging physical and logical access control, across both the public and private sectors, from $691 million in 2005 to more than $7 billion in 2008. That's still not a huge number--enterprises will spend $8.3 billion on CRM this year alone--but a large-scale U.S. government program, HSPD-12 (Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12), suggests healthy growth will continue.

Meanwhile, CFOs are increasingly feeling a sense of budgetary déjà vu. When the heads of facilities and IT both request capital outlays for new access-control systems, complete with per-user hardware authentication credentials and identity-management software, plus recurring budgets for end-user training and helpdesk support for replacing lost tokens, something's going to give. These overlapping budget requests reflect the evolution of physical access-control technologies: More and more, these systems depend on TCP/IP networks, servers and digital storage mediums--resources firmly in IT's domain. Many physical security pros find this trend worrisome, however, and with good reason.

Impact Assessment Click to enlarge in another window

Related Reading

More wireless Insights