 |
 |
 |
 |
June 2007 • Volume 12 Number 6
|
 |
|
Member Profile:Tyco Fire & Security’s Access Control and Video Systems
Roger’s core competencies are in the design, installation, and maintenance of electronic physical security, security video and access control systems. He is actively involved in developing standards for the integration of biometrics and smart card technology in Physical Access Control Systems (PACS). Previously he was involved in developing, testing, and implementing a wide range of integration and consulting engagements for identity management and electronic physical security. Roger was a member of the team that delivered the GSA’s FIPS 201 shared service solution. He led the team that developed the GSA Approved Products List (APL) test harness and NIST Special Publication 800-96 and was the technical lead for physical access control on the Transportation Works Identification Credential (TWIC) smart card identity program. Roger developed the medium security method that was published in the Technical Implementation Guidance: Smart Card Enabled Physical Access Control Systems by the Government Interagency Advisory Board (IAB). Roger also held the position of senior system integrator for the Department of State’s roll out of smart card enabled PASC. Prior to joining Tyco Fire and Security, Roger held a number of engineering and technical positions at BearingPoint, M.C. Dean, Battelle Memorial Labs, Siemens Building Technology and Security Technology Group. Roger served in the Air Force Security Police. Roger is also the current chair of the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council.
1. What is Tyco’s business profile and product offerings? Tyco International Ltd. is a global, diversified company that provides vital products and services. Our wide-range of access control and video brands—Software House®, American Dynamics™, Kantech, and CEM Systems—combine for more than three decades of delivering the latest, innovative technology to customers of all sizes. 2. What role does smart card technology play in supporting Tyco's business? The strong drive of U.S. government entities to create smart card directives has directly led our businesses to develop specific solutions to support these initiatives. Our diverse portfolio of security solutions allows us to utilize smart card technology in a variety of ways. Kantech access control solutions are used primarily by commercial customers on small to medium scale projects. The easy-to-use, cost-effective Kantech solutions primarily support memory and fixed file smart cards credentials. Software House enterprise security and event management solutions include a full suite of products that support the Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12 (HSPD-12). The Software House C·CURE® 800/8000 platform supports the extended format of the Federal Agency Smart Card Credential Number (FASC-N) in the PIV card and the newly released C·CURE 9000 security and event management system supports FIPS 201, while all of the Software House iSTAR controllers support PIV. The innovative Software House Multi-Technology Readers help government agencies who either need to transition to smart cards over time or want to utilize both smart cards and 125 KHz proximity cards in their facility to comply with the FIPS 201 credentials. 3. What trends do you see developing in the market that Tyco hopes to capitalize on? We certainly see HSPD-12 as setting a baseline upon which to build a credentialing system not only for using smart cards but also for tying physical and logical access control together through interoperable biometrics. With programs like the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) and those proposed by the First Responders Access Credential (FRAC), we see tremendous opportunities to explore the benefits that smart cards can bring to an enterprise. 4. What obstacles to growth do you see that must be overcome to capitalize on these opportunities? The use of a FIPS 201 type of credential causes a real cultural change that is not always embraced by either the physical or logical security personnel involved. Today, it often requires a senior visionary within the organization to recognize the benefits of smart cards and have the authority to champion this effort to transition to the new technology. As security professionals begin to see the benefits that the government reaps from their investment in smart cards, the technology will quickly become the norm in the security industry. Currently the only interoperable credential number that is defined is the Federal Agency Smart Card Number -- the FASC-N -- leaving commercial, state and local government with no standard credential number. In the FIPS 201 credential data model there is a reserved data Global Unique ID (GUID) that has not been defined. There is a real need for a defined GUID to make the FIPS 201 standards viable for the security industry. 5. What do you see as the key factors driving smart card technology in the market? Certainly for physical access, the government mandate of HSPD-12 has driven smart card adoption. Biometric template storage has also played a big role in smart card adoption. Moore’s Law will really drive smart card adoption in the upcoming years. As the price of smart cards comes down and as smart cards provide higher functionality, the technology will likely become one of the most cost-effective ways of providing a credential with non-repudiation. A perfect example of how smart card benefits become realized occurred at a recent consultant event when an official from a telecommunications company spoke about responding to Hurricane Katrina. His primary role was to staff the command center and act as a liaison between local, state, National Guard and Federal officials to repair critical infrastructure. The interesting point this official made was that, originally, his company had been looking for a FIPS 201 type of credential for emergency responses. After seeing the benefits that a smart card following the FIPS 201 standard could bring the company if it was fully integrated with their own employees and sub contractors, he now believes it is the correct solution for all of their employees and sub contractors. 6. How do you see your involvement in the Alliance and the industry councils helping Tyco? I have been involved with the council since its inception. The council provides virtually unlimited resources to identify key upcoming industry tends. It also provides end users with important unbiased information that is not influenced by a particular technology or company. We use these resources to educate our customers and to develop forward-thinking solutions that answer the needs of the most demanding security professionals. 7. In your role as chair of the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council, what do you see are primary goals for the Council for the next year? As chair of the Smart Card Alliance Physical Access Council, my primary goal is to get our council involved with other organizations such as the Security Industry Association (SIA), Open Security Exchange (OSE), International Biometrics Industry Association (IBIA) and other security organizations in which our members are involved. By creating a cross-functional team of members from these various councils I believe we could work together to create better solutions and have a greater influence on how standards are developed.
|
|
This month, Smart Card Talk spoke with Roger Roehr, Manager of the Government Vertical at Tyco Fire & Security’s Access Control and Video Systems business unit. Roger is responsible for driving product development in Tyco Fire & Security’s access control, video, and integrated systems to meet the specific needs of government customers and related markets. 
