Glossary — AIMSS and Security Operations Terminology
Content Type: Glossary Article Audience: All users — operators, supervisors, IT administrators, and prospective clients Estimated Read Time: 10 minutes
Purpose
This glossary defines the key terms used throughout the BetaTrac platform, its documentation, and its knowledge base. Terms are grouped by domain to help you locate definitions relevant to your role. If you encounter an unfamiliar term in any article, return to this glossary for a definition.
AIMSS Platform Terms
AIMSS
Analytical Intelligent Management Security Solution. The overarching product family developed by BetaTrac. AIMSS encompasses guard tracking, vehicle fleet management, body-worn camera evidence management, data protection, and communications — distributed across three independent platforms. AIMSS is not a single application; it is a product family.
Platform
In AIMSS terminology, a "platform" refers to one of the three independent cloud-based systems that together form the AIMSS product family. Each platform has its own web interface, its own database, and its own API. The three platforms are:
- Platform 1 — Guarding Suite: eGuard, eGuard-K9, ePatrol, ePatrol-Pro, eSmartPatrol, ePatrol-Mobile.
- Platform 2 — Vehicle & Evidence: RapidTrac, RapidCam, eVision.
- Platform 3 — Data & Communications: Data-Armour, RADR, eTrac, eTrac-IS, RFID-Asset-Management, e-100, e-200.
Cross-Platform
A feature or capability that spans two or more AIMSS platforms. Cross-platform features retrieve data in real-time via read-only API queries. No data is automatically synchronised or copied between platforms. If one platform is unavailable, the other two continue to operate independently.
Chain of Custody
A chronological record of every individual who has accessed, viewed, modified, or downloaded a piece of evidence (e.g., bodycam footage). The chain-of-custody log is tamper-proof and is generated automatically by the system — it cannot be edited or deleted by any user, including administrators. This is a critical feature for regulatory compliance and forensic investigations.
Geofence
A virtual perimeter defined on a digital map. When a tracked vehicle, asset, or guard enters or exits a geofence, the platform generates an alert. Geofences are used for site boundaries, restricted areas, safe zones, and patrol route verification.
Guarding and Patrol Terms
Patrol
A defined sequence of checkpoints that a guard must visit in order. A patrol is assigned to a guard, has a start and end time, and generates a completion percentage based on the proportion of checkpoints scanned.
Checkpoint
A physical location (typically marked with a QR code or NFC tag) that a guard must scan upon arrival to confirm they were present at that point at that time. Checkpoint scans are time-stamped and GPS-tagged.
Shift Handover
The process of transferring operational responsibility from one guard or operator to another at the end of a shift. A handover includes a summary of open incidents, patrol completion status, and any notes from the outgoing officer.
Lone Worker
A guard or officer operating without direct supervision or without a colleague on site. The AIMSS platform provides lone worker protection through configurable check-in timers. If a lone worker misses a scheduled check-in, the platform automatically escalates an alert to a supervisor or control room.
K9 (Canine Guard)
A security dog deployed as part of a guarding operation. eGuard-K9 extends the standard eGuard guard tracking system with features specific to canine guards, including canine-specific patrol types and indoor location tracking via Bluetooth proximity beacons.
Control Room
The centralised operations centre where supervisors monitor live guard activity, vehicle tracking, and incident feeds. The control room is the primary consumer of data from the Guarding Suite and Vehicle platforms.
Vehicle and Evidence Terms
Telematics
The technology used to collect, transmit, and analyse data from vehicles in motion. The telematics data includes GPS position, speed, heading, and driver behaviour metrics such as acceleration and idle time.
Dashcam
A video recording device mounted in a vehicle to record the forward-facing view. Dashcam footage is ingested into eVision alongside bodycam footage and is subject to the same chain-of-custody and retention policies.
Footage Retention Policy
A configurable rule defining how long video footage is stored before it is automatically purged. Retention policies can be set per site, per camera type (bodycam vs. dashcam), or per incident. Policies generate a compliance report before any deletion occurs.
ONVIF
Open Network Video Interface. An open standard protocol for communication between IP-based video devices (cameras, NVRs) and video management software. eVision uses ONVIF to integrate with existing CCTV and NVR systems without requiring vendor-specific middleware.
NVR
Network Video Recorder. A system that records and stores video footage from network-connected cameras. eVision integrates with NVRs to centralise footage management across both AIMSS-deployed and legacy camera systems.
Data and Communications Terms
Immutable Backup
A backup snapshot that cannot be modified or deleted after it is written, even by an administrator. Immutable backups protect against ransomware — if an attacker encrypts the live data, the immutable backup remains intact and can be used for recovery. Data-Armour maintains immutable snapshots with configurable retention periods.
Point-in-Time Recovery
The ability to restore data to its state at a specific past moment. For example, if ransomware encrypted files at 3:00 PM, point-in-time recovery allows you to restore the affected files to their state at 2:59 PM — immediately before the encryption occurred.
Ransomware
Malicious software that encrypts a victim's data and demands payment (a ransom) in exchange for the decryption key. AIMSS defends against ransomware through immutable backups, isolated storage, and rapid data recovery (RADR). The platform never pays ransoms.
RADR
Rapid Data Recovery. The AIMSS component responsible for fast, secure recovery of data affected by ransomware, hardware failure, or accidental deletion. RADR uses parallel disk reconstruction to reduce recovery times significantly compared to traditional restore methods.
SSO (Single Sign-On)
A authentication mechanism that allows a user to access multiple systems with one set of credentials. AIMSS supports SSO via SAML 2.0 and OAuth 2.0, integrating with corporate identity providers such as Microsoft Entra ID, Google Workspace, and Okta.
SAML
Security Assertion Markup Language. An XML-based protocol used for exchanging authentication and authorisation data between an identity provider (e.g., Microsoft Entra ID) and a service provider (e.g., an AIMSS platform). SAML 2.0 is the version supported by AIMSS.
OAuth 2.0
An authorisation framework that allows a third-party application to access a user's account without exposing the user's password. AIMSS uses OAuth 2.0 for SSO integrations where the identity provider supports it.
RFID and Asset Terms
RFID
Radio Frequency Identification. A technology that uses radio signals to identify and track physical objects tagged with RFID chips. AIMSS uses RFID for asset tracking, inventory management, and asset geofencing.
EPC
Electronic Product Code. The unique identifier stored on an RFID tag. Each EPC is unique to the tagged asset and is used by the RFID Asset Management module to distinguish one asset from another.
LLRP
Low Level Reader Protocol. The communication protocol used between RFID readers and the software that controls them. AIMSS connects directly to RFID readers via LLRP, eliminating the need for middleware.
Asset Geofencing
The assignment of an RFID-tagged asset to a specific geographic area. If the asset is moved outside its assigned geofence, the platform generates an alert with the asset ID, timestamp, and last-read location.
Fleet and Driver Behaviour Terms
Driver Behaviour Score
A composite metric rating a driver's performance based on speed compliance, acceleration patterns, route adherence, and idle time. The score is calculated per driver and can be aggregated per fleet or per site. Thresholds and weighting are configurable by site administrators.
Idle Time
The duration for which a vehicle remains stationary with the engine running. Prolonged idle time is often indicative of inefficiency or unauthorised activity and is included in the driver behaviour score.
Fleet Risk
An aggregate assessment of the operational risk associated with a fleet of vehicles, considering driver behaviour scores, vehicle maintenance status, and historical incident data. Fleet risk is surfaced as a dashboard metric in the e-100 and e-200 products.
Compliance and Regulatory Terms
POPIA
Protection of Personal Information Act. South African legislation governing the processing of personal data. AIMSS is designed to be POPIA-compliant by default — personal data is access-controlled, audit-logged, and retained only for defined periods.
Audit Trail
A chronological, tamper-proof record of every action taken within the system — who did what, when, and from where. Audit trails cannot be edited or deleted by any user, including administrators. They are essential for regulatory compliance and forensic investigations.
Retention Period
The duration for which a specific type of data is stored before it is automatically purged. Retention periods in AIMSS are configurable per data type (footage, incident records, access logs, audit trails) and must align with the organisation's regulatory and legal requirements.
Technical Terms
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of defined endpoints that allow one software system to communicate with another. Each AIMSS platform exposes its own RESTful API. APIs are used for integrations with external systems such as HR databases, payroll platforms, and SIEM dashboards.
Webhook
An automated message sent from one system to another when a specific event occurs. For example, when an incident is created in AIMSS, a webhook can notify an external system in real time. Webhooks are configured per platform and per event type.
REST
Representational State Transfer. An architectural style for web APIs that uses standard HTTP methods (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to operate on data. All AIMSS APIs are RESTful.
SFTP
Secure File Transfer Protocol. A network protocol used to transfer files securely over an encrypted connection. AIMSS supports SFTP for legacy integrations where modern API or webhook integration is not available.
MQTT
A lightweight messaging protocol designed for low-bandwidth, high-latency, or intermittent connectivity scenarios. AIMSS uses MQTT for real-time vehicle position streaming from telematics devices in areas with poor cellular coverage.
Feedback and Updates
This glossary is maintained as a living document. If you encounter a term used in any AIMSS article or platform interface that is not defined here, contact BetaTrac support and the term will be reviewed for inclusion in the next update.