When you run a central monitoring station, you know that lives are on the line: every second is pivotal when it comes to getting help to where it’s needed. That’s why any kind of interruption or disruption to service can be devastating–and why it’s up to you to ensure that your central station is always up and running to serve the people who count on you most.
But with such a complex operation to run, that is a daily challenge. You might be fielding thousands of calls per day, relying on your infrastructure, power supply, and equipment to perform flawlessly day in and day out. And if one piece of that puzzle fails, it can freeze your whole operation.
That doesn’t have to happen, and you can ensure you’re well-protected in case of any eventuality. Here are the best ways to prevent or minimize disruptions to your central monitoring station operations.
#1. Plan for the unexpected
Do you have a formalized downtime strategy that outlines what you would do in the event of an unforeseen failure or interruption to service? Whether it’s a fire, flood, power outage, or cyber attack, it is essential to know exactly how you would preserve service continuity in the event of the unexpected.
That’s where a downtime strategy comes in. Instead of waiting for a failure or service interruption before springing into action, you should do everything possible to keep it from happening in the first place.
This includes the basics like regular maintenance, scheduled inspections, system tests, and timely repair. But it should also include the unexpected–risk scenarios that might take you by surprise. By collaborating with your operations team to identify potential security weaknesses, watch for emerging trends, and even perform your own penetration testing to help fortify your defenses.
The truth is that there’s no telling where the next threat to your operations may come from: it could be the result of a mechanical problem as easily as it could be the actions of an outside adversary. That’s why it’s important to think ahead, imagine the unimaginable, and then plan and prepare for it before it can materialize.
#2. Build in redundancy with a second monitoring location
Do you have a second alarm monitoring location that could seamlessly step into action in case of an unexpected failure or interruption at your primary location? Is all of your data stored at one physical location, or do you have a backup digital infrastructure that serves as a failsafe? It’s wise to spread your risk across locations and build in redundancies, especially with critical alarm monitoring operations.
As an effective defense against attacks or interruptions, we recommend duplicating your operations at a second, unrelated location–one based in a different geographical region and reliant on a different power grid.
The costs associated with doing this may give you pause, but there is actually a simple solution, and it involves using the cloud as your backup location.
The recent UL 827 certification standards have freed central stations to use cloud-based or hosted services instead of, or in addition to, a physical operating location. This comes just as major certifying bodies, like Underwriters Laboratories of Canada (ULC), are requiring alarm monitoring centers to have a redundant backup site if they want to receive or maintain ULC certification.
The good news is that a ULC-certified solution, like Bold Group’s Manitou software, fulfills these requirements in a way that’s simple, cost-effective, and secure. By setting up a redundant operation in the cloud, you can ensure service continuity in the case of unforeseen interruptions.
Using a cloud-based alarm monitoring solution like Manitou allows you to continue with uninterrupted operations in the event of primary site failure. And Bold Group’s new partnership with OneTel Security gives you the added benefit of seamless, no-interruption signaling and voice network capabilities for an added layer of assurance.
#3. Build resiliency by adopting industry best practices
When we talk about setting up a redundant location, we’re thinking of the big picture. But what about the smaller elements that go into a single monitoring center’s day-to-day operations? To ensure robust, uninterrupted operations, it’s important that these elements are diverse, resilient, and duplicated where necessary.
Guidance from industry watchdog agencies like UL and ULC has done a lot to keep alarm monitoring centers functioning smoothly over the years. In fact, compared to how often 9-1-1 centers or other systems can go down, central stations are remarkably resilient.
That’s no accident: the most reliable alarm monitoring stations have been careful to set up duplicate equipment like backup generators, servers, networking switches, and more; implement strong building security; and use a diverse variety of telephone and internet providers. To follow their lead, look at every aspect of your operation and ask: do I have a backup for this? If this generator, platform, or phone service goes down, for example, do I have a second option ready to go?
#4. Invest in the right software solutions
Choosing the right software, and the right partners to implement it, can also guard against potential interruptions or service failures. The software you choose to use at your alarm monitoring center must be robust, secure, and up to the challenges of your mission: to protect people and property. Any software you choose should have a reputation for uninterrupted uptime, securite, and stability.
When choosing a software provider, find out about their industry certifications and how they comply with the latest security standards. We recommend looking for UL or ULC-listed software solutions because they have been thoroughly vetted by leading industry watchdogs who can vouch for their reliability, security, and performance.
Manitou, for example, is both UL and ULC-certified for cloud-based alarm monitoring center operations. Contact us today to learn how it can help keep your alarm monitoring operations on track. We would be happy to show you what is possible when you use our powerful, streamlined, and secure alarm monitoring solutions.