Centralised security management system drive efficiencies at EDF
EDF (Électricité de France) are the world’s largest utility company and a main European electricity producer and supplier. EDF began operations in 1946 and over 60 years have grown significantly to become a major player in the world energy market.
Headquartered in France, EDF employ more than 165,000 employees worldwide with more than 900 individual locations. EDF are active on nearly every continent around the globe and are a major utility in all of the key European markets hubs.
SECURITY CHALLENGES
There were a number of unique technical complexities for EDF Normandie to consider and overcome before installing a new security system:
- Ensure that the entire region uses a single card technology and format to standardise access control requirements and simplify the entire card administration process.
Centralise the regional security management to ensure that information about the access control system and intrusion threats and along with other important aspects related to security could be easily reported and traced. Providing a complete security management system to the EDF region. - Whilst ensuring overall centralised management it is important that each site still maintains local independence for security aspects in a multi-site scenario.
- Develop a region wide generic security solution that was easy to use and simple to administer and would allow the region to grow and move forward with their security system as their needs changed and evolved.
- Implement an IP based access control and security solution that suited a multi-site architecture at a cost that represented an excellent return on investment over a short period of time.
- To provide an alarm system without the burden of having to train staff on how to use additional applications or expense associated with the need to install multiple systems that effectively only perform a single discipline.
PACOM INTEGRATED SECURITY SOLUTION
PACOM was chosen after an exhaustive selection process that included many other well known security systems and brands. However, it all boiled down to the perfect fit of the PACOM solution to the EDF requirements. Most importantly the multi-site capabilities with centralised management was a key factor in the decision to go forward with a PACOM solution.
PACOM’s expertise over TCP/IP allowed EDF to install the system over the existing IP network. The proprietary Graphical Management System (GMS) is used to centralise the management of access control and alarms for the entire region, providing real security efficiencies at EDF.
The PACOM equipment was selected and installed at more than 16 sites which are controlled using 3 GMS workstations. The controller provided the perfect solution for local alarm management, because it allowed arming and disarming alarm using the same controller as used for access control at each remote location.
RESULT
EDF now have an innovative and scalable solution that can grow with their security needs into the future and they classify their security system as “future proof”.
One of the key benefits for EDF is that their employees can use a single card at all sites regardless of the site they are visiting.
This saves both time and confusion during the administration process and of course for the employees that are required to visit multiple sites to perform their daily tasks.
The EDF Normandie region have a simple reporting mechanism and a single card administration log for all system users and sites. This provides complete visibility into who is accessing their remote sites and when, information they were previously not able to record and review.
The PACOM solution also means that EDF can see an immediate cost saving through the reduced need to engage physical security guards, providing an evident ROI. They also, for the first time, have control of the car parking facilities, which means only authorised users can gain access during off-peak times.
Looking to the future EDF plan to improve their reporting techniques and methods, so they can take full advantage of the power provided from PACOM. These plans for improvement will allow EDF Normandie to further increase security through the use of the advanced data and tools provided by the PACOM solution.
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