Running head: HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PAPER Hardware and Software Paper Your Name CIS 205 – Management Information Systems Instructor’s Name University of Phoenix Date Hardware and Software Paper As the new technology has grown, and new products become available, we consider these products for our environment. As an employee of Polycom, I use many devices in my daily routine. Working in security department of POLYCOM requires me to use two-way radio, pager, cell phone, fax, copier, scanner, digital camera, pen drive, touch pad, mouse, keyboard, modem, router, computer and software to interact within the organization.
This paper will explain in detail how and what hardware and software are used in security department of Silicon Valley Technology Center. Security department of POLYCOM is using hardware in daily routine. Officer working in security depart of POLYCOM have to deal with two-way radio, pager, cell phone, fax, copier, mouse, keyboard and CPU on daily basis. Cell phones are also provided by the company to the security officers as a backup in case radios do not work.
These cell phones are restricted to call within the organization; and at the end of each shift, cell phones are given to the next shift officers. Two-way radios are required for each officer to keep with them when once is away from the post. Grant Eckert described in The Importance Of 2-Way Radios During A Disaster, “Two-way radios provide an inexpensive way to ensure adequate communication during a disaster. These radios provide a quick, and reliable, means of organizing a coordinated evacuation and response to any disaster situation. POLYCOM is using two-way radios to communicate in between the officers in case of a disaster. Pagers are provided to help security to get immediate update on ERT situations. This pager always stays at the front lobby of security department and no one is allowed to take pager with them. Fax machine also provided to the security department to send and receive documents. Fax machine also a mean of communication between security department and outside world. Copier and scanner are used in the department for various purposes from making copies to uploading documents to the computer.
The scanner allows officers to scan and upload the document into the computer which cannot be typed or created in the computer. Identity cards, driver license, guard card, gun permit, and insurance are some of the documents for which security department requires a copier and scanner to send copies of these documents via email. For all these scanning and sending documents via email, an officer has to use a computer. Mouse and keyboard and primary source of inputting data into the computer which all of the security officers are familiar with.
On the software side are used repeatedly everyday are MS Outlook, MS Excel, and MS Word to create, send, and receive Daily Activity Reports (DAR). But for all other requirements to monitoring and securing the property of POLYCOM, security department is using S2 NetBox. S2 NetBox is a software which has two different sections in it. First section is used to monitor the badge activity on all the doors of POLYCOM. This section allows security officers to view the picture ID of the person whom badge is used to open the door.
This allows security officers to keep a close eye on the individuals who try to again access in the building of POLYCOM with piggybacking and display a message in red color for the doors which are forced open or held open. Another section of S2 NetBox is used to issue badges to visitors, contractors and employee badges. This is the section which is use digital camera to take pictures of the employees and issue them the picture ID badge with the access level assigned.
To view the CCTV cameras installed in the buildings of POLYCOM, security department is using a web based application which is called Digital Sprite 2. This web based system has a hard drive located in POLYCOM server room and security is provided with a web link to view the live cameras. This web based application allows officers to clean the camera lens, zoom in and zoom out, rotate the camera 360°, and allowing the use of night vision on the exterior cameras with a click of a mouse.
While reviewing, this system allows officers to rewind and forward with more than 8 playback speed options. And to save the time, this system also allows jump to any specific date and time. As this is a web based application, supervisors and managers can view the live streaming of these cameras. Security department of POLYCOM is using new hardware and software available in this world. As the technology is getting better, it is helping businesses in various ways and POLYCOM is one of these businesses.
Security department of POLYCOM is using advanced applications to monitor cameras, badge system and using hardware like two-way radio, cell phones, pagers, scanners, fax, copier, and emails in their daily routine. As compared to a decade ago, now security officers working at POLYCOM are sending reports via computer and using advanced technical ways which are more accurate and faster. Technology helps the business like POLYCOM by providing new and advanced hardware and software; and businesses like POLYCOM are adopting new technology and moving with it.
References American Psychological Association (2001). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (5th ed. ). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Digital Sprite 2 User Manual. Retrieved on May 29, 2009 from: http://www. dedicatedmicrosus. com/? id=149 Grant Eckert. The Importance Of 2-Way Radios During A Disaster (2004). Retrieved on June 1, 2009 from: http://www. selfgrowth. com/articles/The_Importance_of_2-way_Radios_during_a_Disaster. html
