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APPLYING IT STANDARDS TO BAS

Integrating a building system with an IT network means standard IT practices, methods, and maintenance apply to BAS as well. When convergence takes place, it is important for facility and security groups to learn standard IT operating procedures. The concept is simple, and becoming familiar with an organization's standards and practices can keep all of its systems running smoothly and effectively.

Specifically, IT standards include system-maintenance practices, notification procedures, and hardware standards. For example, if a network experiences an outage, or a system on the network goes down, how quickly will facility personnel be notified? How will regularly scheduled network maintenance affect critical building systems? Who will manage security patches for the building systems? Who will manage backups and disaster-recovery plans?

To address these questions, all maintenance and system changes must follow a standard management process that regulates when and how any action that affects the network is performed. For instance, those in charge of building automation might receive notification of scheduled maintenance letting them know they will not be able to adjust the HVAC system or view certain alarms during a specific time period. Taking a network down might mean video monitoring will not be available at a critical facility, so the facility needs to post extra guards to maintain security. Outlining a clear process to follow when making network changes can avoid unexpected downtime and interruptions that may impact system performance and security negatively.

Organizations also should be aware of IT-hardware standards, which can affect budgets and processes. For example, IT departments typically follow specific procedures for servers. Some may lease servers for a set number of years, while others may buy new servers on a schedule, which requires long-term planning and budgeting for additional expenses.

Hardware standards often cover specific hardware types and vendors. Knowing an IT organization's preferred vendor bodes well for many aspects of facility management, including system maintenance, performance, and overall uptime. When a BAS operates on a non-standard platform and something goes wrong, organizations can face long maintenance delays as systems sit waiting for outside service or parts to arrive. Systems delivered on a standard platform, however, enable organizations to have spare parts on hand and train maintenance-staff members to bring the system back online quickly.

BACKUP STRATEGIES

Backup strategies are among other key IT practices that must be addressed when integrating building systems into a network. Placing data from multiple systems in one location provides multiple benefits, but also introduces additional risks. Establishing sound backup strategies can ensure critical data are not lost.

User error typically is the cause of data loss, and placing data on a network often means increased user exposure and chances for error. To determine the appropriate backup strategy, companies must determine how much data loss and downtime they can afford, as well as how many changes are regularly made to the data and the frequency with which those changes occur. The answers will vary based on the type of organization. A commercial office building will have very different needs from those of a high-tech organization or facility that handles U.S. Department of Defense work.

These factors must be weighed with the appropriate data-cost model, including labor, space, and storage. Costs increase as the amount of stored data rises. An organization might decide it is not willing to lose more than an hour's worth of data and will pay the associated storage-backup costs.

Once the optimal level of backup is determined, organizations should apply backup methods, such as transferring database content to disks or keeping transaction logs, for all of their systems. Methods such as these can occur as frequently as every hour or once a day, depending on the organization's desired level of backup. Depending on the nature of the business, an organization also may find it useful to install an additional server for each critical-system role. This establishes system redundancy so data and operations remain uninterrupted should a server go down.

Another critical component of a backup strategy is regular testing and evaluation. For example, randomly select and test a server every month. Restore the server's data, and then evaluate the testing results. Did the strategy run smoothly? Did anything unexpected happen? Establishing these tests and analyzing the results can mean the difference between smooth convergence and losing mission-critical data.

PLANNING TO GET DESIRED RESULTS

Cementing roles and relationships, keeping lines of communication open, and planning for all aspects and phases of convergence are imperative if an organization is aiming to improve its processes and realize the full value of integrated systems. The thin line between success and failure is characterized by how well an organization can establish common ground and meet all departmental needs. By anticipating requirements and adhering to common standards, facility, security, and IT personnel can operate in partnership — and avoid a divided house — to achieve higher system performance for optimal business results.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Director of global offerings for Honeywell Building Solutions, Greg Turner is responsible for the research and development of technology that makes facilities safer and more secure, comfortable, and energy efficient. He has been with the company for more than 20 years, holding a variety of positions from maintenance technician to project engineer. He can be reached at greg.turner@honeywell.com.

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