Intrusion Detection Systems Essay - 1,382 words

Intrusion Detection Systems When it comes to protecting the security of assets, organizations have many options to choose from. From basic alarms to the varied sensors that are available, there are many variations on security, and organizations should make a thought out choice based on the specific needs and dangers of its location, as well as any other factors including what needs to be protected, and from whom. These needs will determine the type and scope of the system to best protect against the specific dangers that an individual organization may face. The most basic security system usually consists of three major components, including a control unit, sensors, and annunciators. There are two basic types of burglar or intruder alarm systems: hardwired and wireless. With a hardwired alarm, the company or individual installing the system needs to run wire from the control unit to each sensor and to the siren, alarm, or bell. Often called a "control box", control panel" or "keypad," the control unit of the security system is the "brains" of the system, and is where an organization can program, arm and disarm the system.


A small system may have only one control unit, but many more advanced and larger alarm systems have multiple remote control panels or keypads for the convenience and ease of use of the security personnel or employees that use them. Sensors, also known as "detectors, come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and they are designed to detect sound, air movement, body heat, and other conditions that indicate an intruder is present. An annunciator alerts the security personnel or employees that the alarm has been triggered, and that they should follow whatever protocol has been set by the company. Sometimes it also alerts the local authorities for a faster response. Common annunciators include sirens, bells and lights. When a properly placed sensor detects an intruder, it then signals the control unit and the control unit then responds as programmed which usually means to trigger annunciators and other components, or alerts authorities as stated above. Most security system detectors fall within the two categories of perimeter and space.


Perimeter devices protect doors, windows and walls, and they detect intruders before the intruder enters the specific physical space that the organization wants to protect. The most common perimeter devices include magnetic switches, audio discriminators, and foil tape sensors. Space protection devices cover open areas like rooms and hallways within a building. They work well in tandem with perimeter detectors because they can detect an intruder who has bypassed a perimeter device. One of the most cost-effective and basic sensors is the foil tape type, which is usually applied to windows. Like wire, the foil acts as an electrical conductor to make a complete circuit in an alarm system so that when the window is broken the fragile foil also breaks, which interrupts the circuit and triggers the alarm. Foil tape is so inexpensive that it costs literally pennies per foot, but a downfall is that it breaks easily even when the building's windows are washed.


Another downfall for some organizations is that often foil tape generally isn't considered attractive on windows. The most popular perimeter protection device is the magnetic switch, which is used to protect doors and windows that open. A magnetic switch is reliable, inexpensive and easy to install. It consists of two small parts: a switch and a magnet, and both are usually kept in an identical shaped plastic case. The switch contains two electrical contacts and a metal spring-loaded bar that bridges the contacts while magnetism is applied, which maintains a complete electrical circuit in the alarm system. When the magnetic force isn't present, the bar lifts off one or both contacts, creating an open circuit and triggering the alarm, which is how magnetic switches function in many burglar alarm systems.


For a typical installation, the magnet is mounted on a door or window and the switch is aligned a short distance, such as half an inch, away on the door or window frame. When an ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: control unit, alarm, sensor, magnetic, device

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