Value Proposition for Covergance - Free ROI Tool

Using smartcards is one way to integrate physical and data security. Using directory services (e.g. Active Directory, LDAP) is another. In either case, many security directors have discussed with me how this convergence might be financially justified during this budgeting season. This is becoming such a widespread concern that I have initiated the development of a sophisticated eCrime ROI Tool that links several worksheets into a consolidated value proposition. This is one of the advantages of belonging to a company with over 500 CFOs.

So far, it seems quite easy to justify a smartcard initiative if the company also sells security products. When this is the case, it is clear that aligning the customer-facing product strategy with security operations will both enhance revenue and reduce risks. This helps the numbers favor integrating security, even with the more expensive smartcards. When this situation is not the case, then it helps to explore applications, in addition to access control, that can be added to the smartcards. Such applications might be for travel expenses, credit union, cafeteria access, uniforms and equipment accounts and so on.

We have found that expenses related to lawsuits can be a good source of cost justification, especially when we look at how they prevent lawsuits, decrease the potential for awards going to the other party and increase the potential for winning awards. In a related manner, consider the costs related to investigations. A major value in convergence is its audit ability: You should be able to create very nice support when you look at the time and cost of tracking down events that occur on physical space and on the network. These systems are usually disparate, record events with clocks on slightly different time and have user IDs that are often different. They are a quagmire of line items that take a lot of time to sort through.

The ROI Tool is easy to use and available upon request. All I ask is that after you use it, you provide comments on how it worked and how you would like to see it improved. I am glad to share this ROI Tool. Simply send me an email (joelrakow@olliviercorp.com) and I will send it you.