Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1386104
July/August/September 2021 I 63 Most importantly, the technical committee wanted to establish a framework to address cybersecurity through- out the entire code. With no formal Notice of Intent to Make a Motion (NITMAM) on the horizon, it appears that the addition of this chapter will include the existing framework from which to build upon in the future. In addition to the efforts of the technical committees to get cybersecurity into the 2022 Edition of NFPA, the NFPA Research Foundation is working on a current pro- ject to address cybersecurity for fire protection systems. The project's goal is to assess the cybersecurity threats of built-in fire protection systems connected to BCS, IoT, and other potential internet-facing platforms. This project is ongoing and will provide a solid basis of information for moving forward. In an effort to support the cybersecurity efforts as well, the National Electrical Manufacturer's Association (NEMA) is actively working on creating a cybersecurity risk assessment document that examines risk assessment for businesses. NEMA anticipates this document will be completed by the fourth quarter of 2021. REMOTE ACCESS According to some expert data center installers, there are data centers that deploy their facility net- works typically on isolated networks (i.e., no connectivity to other corporate networks or to the outside world). If there are management servers, they may have two network interfaces, one to the isolated facilities network and another to the corporate network. Updates are not made by remote access but by the operator of the server retrieving the update. If remote access to the server is required, it could be initiated by the onsite operator. Of course, different enterprises will have different needs and should set up their networks accordingly. Working remotely and creatively are not without challenges. One of the main challenges facing the NFPA code development is the need for technicians and AHJs to have remote access to fire alarm and signaling systems for testing and maintenance. Throughout the pandemic, many inspections are being performed using drones, but that does not address remote testing and maintenance. With the increasing convergence of building systems on networks, it has become a necessity within the fire and life safety industry to allow for remote access. At the end of 2019, people welcomed 2020 with a clear vision of hope for the coming year, never pre- dicting that a few months later the world and their lives would be forever changed through a pandemic. Almost overnight, businesses were forced to adjust to a remote workforce. Companies immediately began to hold meetings, conferences, and expos in a virtual setting. If change is a constant, how people adapt to that change is critical to survival. The NFPA standards are use throughout the world. The standards are used to ensure the highest level of life safety and property protection whether in a computer room or data center in the Pentagon, a research station in Antarctica, a power plant in the Middle East, the space shuttle, the hometown dry cleaner, or perhaps a historical library in Scotland.