BICSI, the international association supporting the information and communications technology industry with information, education and knowledge assessment, has released the 4th edition of its Electronic Safety and Security Design Reference Manual (ESSDRM).

The security of life, property and assets is a subject of great interest and importance. With the first IP-enabled video camera in the late 1990s, the security industry has continued to innovate and expand system capabilities designed for protection. The speed of change and innovation has increased, incorporating concepts and technologies that have recently arisen.

BICSI’s new ESSDRM, 4th edition, addresses these principles and is an invaluable reference for both the information and communications technology (ICT) designer and the security professional. Today’s ICT projects require the knowledge of ESS and its principles, and security designers are required to become more knowledgeable of the ICT infrastructure required for ESS systems.

The updated ESSDRM describes how these systems have been transformed into elements of a larger security solution, where information and infrastructure are shared. This sharing allows personnel to focus attention at a wider, broader level, while systems manage the monitoring and initiating of alarms when, and even before, an incident occurs.

As the totality of security continues to converge with ICT, so too does the knowledge of security converge with the knowledge of the ICT designer.

“The fourth edition of the ESSDRM is an essential reference for all those involved in the design and implementation of ESS systems,” BICSI president Michael Collins, RCDD, CCDA, NCE says.

“Information and trends specific to the security industry are captured in the manual, including network storage, integration of wireless transmission and the basic tenets of cloud computing and software-as-a-service. The new ESSDRM continues to bridge the gap between the ICT and security industries to ensure a harmonious effort to protect us now and in the future.”

The manual is available in print and downloadable versions. More information can be found at www.bicsi.org/essdrm.