Table Of Contents
Architecture Framework
The Cisco Open Platform for Safety and Security (Cisco-OPSS) is an architecture framework that technology architects can use to develop solutions for Urban Security. The framework offers public safety officials the flexibility to adopt new technology to meet evolving operational requirements, including real-time decision-making and networked command and control.
Cisco-OPSS consists of the following six major architecture building blocks as shown in Figure 2-1.
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Command and Control
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Figure 2-1 Cisco Open Platform for Safety and Security
Each architecture building block contains an hierarchy of functional building blocks. In combination, these building blocks provide a rich set of capabilities to support a particular organization's safety and security goals.
For this release of the Urban Security Design Guide, the focus is limited to the following three architecture building blocks of the COPSS architecture:
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Future releases of this design guide will expand on the concept and address the rest of the architecture building blocks not included in this release.
Cisco and its partners defined functional building blocks logically, rather than specifying a particular product offering. This gives organizations the flexibility to select various solutions based on their country and individual requirements. It also makes it easier to identify any missing capabilities in a specific solution.
The following sections provide brief descriptions of each of the six architecture building blocks of the Cisco Open Platform for Safety and Security.
Command and Control
Command and Control provides the emergency management team with up-to-date situational awareness, actionable intelligence, and decision support tools. Command and control contains the following functional building blocks:
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Sensing and Actuation
The Sensing and Actuation building block streams information from the incident scene to the operations center and provides the means for swift and automated remote action. It contains the following functional building blocks:
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Citizen-Authority Interaction
The Citizen-Authority Interaction building block provides two-way communications capabilities. Service codes, also known as N11 codes, are used to provide three-digit dialing access to special emergency support services. Examples of these numbers include 112, 911, or 999. Conversely, authorities can alert a specific group of individuals about immediate danger, such as a fire, bomb, or biological attack. This capability is sometimes called Reverse 911.
The Citizen-Authority Interaction contains the following functional building blocks:
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Mission-Critical Network
Public safety and security organizations today rely on a variety of heterogeneous networks to carry out all their activities. Consolidating these networks into a unified Emergency-Grade Network platform optimizes emergency operations. The Emergency-Grade Network must be scalable, resilient, secure, and intelligent.
The Mission-Critical Network functional building blocks include the following:
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The Mission-Critical Network uses IP to support multiple transmission standards, including Terrestrial Trunk Radio (TETRA), WiMax, Wi-Fi, 3G, and satellite communication technologies.
Incident Collaboration
The effectiveness of communications between first responders and the command and control center can have life-or-death consequences. The Incident Collaboration building block helps to ensure that teams can communicate using any available technology, including IP and analog or digital radio, as well as any media, including voice, video, instant message (IM) or short message service (SMS), and data. Incident Collaboration contains the following functional building blocks:
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Emergency responders must be able to spontaneously create communications groups that link people in a geographical area, regardless of their organization or the communication device they use.
Mobile Force
The Mobile Force building block ensures that human resources are as effective in the field as they are in the central monitoring room. The following are some examples:
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The Mobile Force architecture building block contains the following functional building blocks:
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