Belden Access Control Accessories

The physical security market continues to experience growth as users look to capitalize on the promises of emerging technologies and because of this, 2017 proved to be a great year for Oncam. In fact, this year was the best year in Oncam's history in terms of sales, as 360-degree fisheye cameras have gone from being a “specialty” camera used only in certain applications to a primary device for enabling total situational awareness. Today, many of our customers leverage 360-degree cameras exclusively to provide extensive coverage inside a facility or in a large outdoor area, with traditional narrow field-of-view cameras used only at “choke” points. Increase In Cybersecurity Threats And Breaches At the end of 2016, we predicted a major trend this year would be an increase in cybersecurity concerns for users of physical security systems, and we were right. An increase in cybersecurity threats and breaches have put organizations on watch. Based on this and the adoption of more IT-centric infrastructure and protocols, there is significant collaboration between IT and physical security, and true “convergence” is finally starting to happen. The adoption of video analytics also continued to increase this year, as most video surveillance projects involved the use of some form of analytics and data analysis. Demand For Safeguards As we move into 2018, the trends of 2017 will roll over, and cybersecurity will continue to be a major issue. Suppliers of hardware and software will put an even greater emphasis being cyber secure and end users will increasingly demand safeguards. Additionally, the deployment and use of advanced analytics based on newer artificial intelligence-based technologies will continue to increase. It will be the technology providers that find ways to allow users to capture additional value from the information collected by security systems that will accelerate growth. Oncam made significant investments in new products that leverage analytics and cloud technologies. In 2018, we will continue to invest in the development of new products, with a focus on solutions for particular applications across industry segments. Beyond our technology advancements, we've invested significantly in boosting our sales force in the Americas and adding industry experts to ensure sustained customer and partner success with our solutions. From our vantage point, Oncam is well positioned to capitalize on opportunities for growth in the coming year.

2017 was quite an interesting and eventful year for the physical security industry. The economy has been robust and technology has become progressively sophisticated—with interactive services, cloud computing and network-based solutions taking charge to provide new insights to installers and their end-user customers. The Internet of Things is creating increasingly integrated solutions, with a heightened emphasis on total connectivity. Changing Security Expectations World events have also put the spotlight on the need for comprehensive security at public events, tourist attractions and schools and campuses. Security is an expectation and systems integrators are becoming trusted advisors to their customers, who are looking to them to solve problems or issues. Residential systems are more robust and now, are migrating to the commercial side of the business. There’s a blurring of the lines of technology—many of the products that come to the security industry originate from the consumer side. This proposition is also changing expectations by both residential and commercial customers, who want common, easy operation from their smartphone or user interface. Unexpected was some of the biggest deals in the industry, including acquisitions by dominant companies who grew even larger and continued ongoing consolidation on the manufacturing side. Those who remain will need to be progressive and step up their game with the latest proven technologies. Selling hardware isn’t the end game any longer. It’s providing solutions that generate revenue for security dealers and offer a solid return on investment for the end-user. In addition, solutions need to be easier for the user, and integrate many different systems and components across the enterprise. Cybersecurity Safeguards End users want to get the most out of their solutions—and they want to be able to have more than safety and security. They are looking for the types of products that yield insights into system performance and give them the data the need for greater control and to proactively address any challenges or problems before they occur. Downtime is not an option and therefore, there’s an increased emphasis on consistent power so solutions are always on and running reliably. For security dealers and integrators, physical security and cybersecurity services will be part of their offerings and no longer separate disciplines Cybersecurity is a dominant conversation in the security industry these days and that buzz will continue into 2018. Because solutions are increasingly network connected, they have vulnerabilities that will have to be addressed by service providers and manufacturers. Manufacturers will need to take the upper hand in providing hardened products—testing and certifying for cybersecurity safeguards. That is not an easy task and can be expensive, but it needs to be done. Because cybersecurity is in constant evolution, many will go the route of outsourcing this component of their manufacturing to third parties well-versed in threat detection and hardening. Hardened products will also need to evolve with new emerging attacks. For security dealers and integrators, physical security and cybersecurity services will be part of their offerings and no longer separate disciplines. Intelligent Access Control Solutions Manufacturers no longer operate in silos. They are working with systems integrators to more fully understand their needs and those of the end-user. Manufacturers are also partnering with technology providers—bringing in the expertise of others so their solutions are comprehensive and holistic. We will continue to see integration of formerly disparate components, open systems and open APIs. There will also be strong migration to access control systems with edge intelligence and power over Ethernet, leveraging existing cabling for network connectivity. The winners will be those who take the lead in providing cyber secured and hardened products, as well as companies who partner with others to bring best of breed solutions to market. The losers will be those who continue to develop proprietary, closed systems and fail to recognize the importance of network connectivity for real-time, proactive reporting. Without networked power, the facility cannot yield the proper insights it needs to stay reliably connected 24/7 Ongoing Partner Success LifeSafety Power® has been working consistently and diligently on elevating the status of power from unintelligent hardware device to network-connected component that yields rich data for the user and allows the installer to provide remote monitoring and managed power services. We have changed the paradigm of power but there’s additional work to do to get people to understand the new, critical role power plays in comprehensive enterprise and campus security. Now, security installers can help the end user know what’s happening with locks, access control, gates or other connected solutions and fix problems before they happen. Without networked power, the facility cannot yield the proper insights it needs to stay reliably connected 24/7. We have also had continued, ongoing successes with our many partners in the access control community and that’s where we will further focus our efforts in 2018—working with leading security solution providers to present the best technologies and solutions that are reliable, certified and present the types of insights security dealers need to offer customers to provide the highest levels of service. This will also help security dealers and integrators differentiate themselves and compete more effectively in the crowded marketplace.

 Part 1 in our Intercoms in Security Series Lambert-St. Louis International Airport uses Code Blue intercoms Organizations are demanding a new level of interoperability among mission-critical security systems. Intelligible audio, the ability to hear, be heard and be understood, is critical to communication, which is essential to the core security processes within an organization, as well as to emergency situations. Intelligible audio provides a platform to optimize various processes, including the use of security officers. “Our main thrust is to ensure our clients see intelligible and interoperable audio, not as an option, but as instrumental to their budget optimization, stakeholder communication and risk mitigation efforts,” says Jim Hoffpauir, President of Zenitel North America, a manufacturer of intercoms and other communications solutions. Iintercoms In Building Safety And Security  The role of intercoms in building safety and security is a given across many markets, and that use is growing. Intercoms are used in campus call boxes, elevators, muster locations, and for emergency notification. The trend is toward video, audio and access control, all tied together. There is also an emphasis on providing intelligible audio in any environment, even demanding ones. The education market has historically been a large sector for intercoms. Emergency phones and intercoms traditionally have been found throughout education settings, including colleges and universities, where they remain quite popular. Expanding Markets For Two-way Communication In recent years, however, their popularity has also grown within the healthcare and mass transit sectors, where their versatility allows authorities to react to emergency situations while also providing a wide range of applications for non-emergency situations, such as car trouble or requests for directions. Intercoms can fulfill a variety of emergency and non-emergency needs in places like downtown Santa Ana, California (Photo courtesy Code Blue) “Markets of all sizes and shapes can benefit from a two-way communication solution that can help individuals place calls for assistance with first responders, police departments or customer service representatives,” says David Fleming, Chief Design Officer for Code Blue Corp. Intercoms For Public And Private Sectors Aiphone is another intercom manufacturer for which education is a big market. Bruce Czerwinski, U.S. General Sales Manager, Aiphone Corp., says about 80 percent of both public and private K-12 and higher education campuses are using at least one intercom in some form. That percentage grows to nearly 100 percent for hospitals, which are using intercoms as nurse-call stations and at parking facilities, exterior door entries, nurseries and pharmacies, he says. "About 40 percent of commercial units – from strip malls to large, multi-tenant campus settings – are using intercoms" Up to 70 percent of larger multi-family facilities are also using intercoms. And that percentage is even higher in older, heavily populated Eastern cities. Many locales have laws mandating the use of audio and video intercoms on buildings beyond a threshold number of units. About 40 percent of commercial units – from strip malls to large, multi-tenant campus settings – are using intercoms, says Czerwinski. In the past year, Aiphone’s emergency stations have become very popular, particularly in campus settings; both commercial and higher education. Also, a growing number of unmanned parking garages are using the stations to allow patrons to immediately reach first responders or security personnel. Each of these markets still has growth potential, but by its sheer size, the commercial market offers the greatest opportunities, according to Aiphone. Video-Enabled IP Intercoms Intercom usage differs widely in various global markets, according to Craig Szmania, CEO of 2N USA, a manufacturer of IP intercoms. In the North American market, intercom usage is relatively low compared to the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, where intercoms are a more mature market. Security, convenience, systems integration and IP-versus-analog adoption are driving usage and growth to more than 20 percent year-over-year. More and more video-enabled IP intercoms are seen as an integral part of a system wide security and video solution, according to Szmania. “Our intercom portfolio targets all the major verticals, but we have had particular success in the education sector – K-12 and universities,” says Szmania. “These end users are looking for specific features in securing their campuses, providing convenience to their administrators, employing programmability for differing use scenarios throughout the campus, and integration to their telephony or other systems.” More and more video-enabled IP intercoms are seen as an integral part of a system wide security and video solution Szmania says the latter point is becoming a particular need in light of a requirement for campus-wide communication and coordination in emergency situations. “Our intercoms integrate seamlessly with third party solutions such as Cisco’s telephone systems that are the communication backbones of many schools and campuses,” he adds. IP-based Solutions In Residential Verticals Considering near-term growth potential, single family and multi-tenant residential verticals have fantastic opportunities for increased usage of door stations/intercoms in the United States, according to Szmania. The company has entered this space over the last several years and has grown to be a market leader in IP-based integrated solutions, especially in the home automation space. The adoption of IP networked solutions for condominiums and apartments is just taking off, driven in part by consumer demand for mobile-anywhere video, audio and door control. The service is also a driver for integrator/dealer adoption of the technology to provide recurring monthly revenue (RMR). 2N has also achieved triple-digit growth in commercial building installations over the past two years. Building owners, IT departments and security managers want and need a networked solution for control and security. 2N’s open platforms are a good fit, says Szmania. Read part 2 of our Security Intercoms series here

The addition allows Belden to provide a vital element to its customer's connected environments Belden Inc., a global leader in signal transmission solutions for mission critical applications, recently announced that it has completed the acquisition of Tripwire, a leading global provider of advanced threat, security and compliance solutions. Tripwire, a leader in security and vulnerability management, enables enterprises, service providers, manufacturers, and government agencies to confidently detect, prevent, and respond to growing security threats. This addition allows Belden to provide a vital element to its customer's connected environments as they look to secure critical infrastructure from cybersecurity threats. "We look forward to offering our customers one of the most comprehensive and secure network solutions in the market today. Tripwire technology paired with Belden's application expertise across Enterprise, Industrial and Broadcast markets will position Belden as a leader in helping customers deploy and secure the ‘Internet of Things'," said John Stroup, President and CEO of Belden. The acquisition of Tripwire will be immediately accretive to adjusted income from continuing operations per diluted share with an estimated impact of approximately $0.65 in 2015. As a result of this successful outcome, the company increases its guided range for 2015 adjusted revenues from $2.40 - $2.45 billion to $2.565 - $2.615 billion and adjusted income from continuing operations per diluted share from $4.70 - $5.00 to $5.35 - $5.65. A more detailed discussion of the financial impact will occur on Belden's regularly scheduled fourth quarter 2014 earnings conference call on Thursday, February 5, 2015.

Belden has introduced Hirschmann EAGLE20-0400 and EAGLE30-0402 firewalls which deliver significant cost savings whilst achieving greater link speeds. Belden has added two new firewalls to its Hirschmann EAGLE20 range with extended number of ports enabling users to deploy a single device, instead of having to use multiple EAGLE20s. The Hirschmann EAGLE20-0400 and Hirschmann EAGLE30-0402 represent a significant technological innovation as they are the first firewalls on the market in a convection-cooled DIN Rail housing which supports six LAN ports - two of which are Gigabit - with such a range of WAN connectivity. According to Mark Cooksley Product Manager for Security and Network Management Industrial Network administrators know that providing robust network security is a critical step towards highest network availability: “To help achieve maximum availability, these two new Hirschmann™ EAGLE firewalls offer unprecedented flexibility of deployment, as well as state of the art security functionality. This enables operators to benefit from a protection regime which fits precisely to their individual requirements.” Because Belden has focused on the needs of industrial networks, the new EAGLE20-0400 and EAGLE30-040 bring a number of key benefits over current options by offering multiple ports, Gigabit ports, WAN connections, content inspection, certifications for PT&D and Oil & Gas markets. They have a greater temperature range, have more flexible deployment possibilities, and offer wider voltage ranges. Mr. Cooksley: “The primary advantage over other products is the increased number of ports. This means that a single device, rather than multiple EAGLE20s, can be deployed in some scenarios, resulting in space and cost savings. Where customers require link speeds greater than 100Mb/s, the EAGLE30-0402 is able to satisfy this requirement, allowing it to better fit the specific application.” The Hirschmann EAGLE20-0400 firewall supports 4 100Mb/s ports, while the Hirschmann EAGLE30-0402 firewall supports 4 100Mb/s ports and 2 1Gb/s ports. The Gigabit ports are SFP ports. Initially, the hardware release will support Ethernet ports only. A later hardware release will also support WAN connections, including ADSL, SHDSL, VDSL, E1/T1 and UMTS. The LAN and WAN boards have been designed in-house to support industrial specifications. This enables the product to support non-standard voltages such as 72VDC. The devices are delivered “modular from the factory”, so they can be delivered with the required combination of LAN and WAN ports.

Belden has extended its Hirschmann product program to include Ethernet switches from the new RSP family. These are especially designed for use in the field-level networks of power supply companies, but they also can be used in any situation where uninterrupted communication is required, for instance for mechanical engineering projects or drives for production facilities. These extremely robust fanless switches have eleven ports, three of which can be used for SFP transceivers. These support Fast (100 BASE-FX) or – optionally – Gigabit Ethernet (100/1000 BASE-FX). The remaining eight ports can be used either for 100 BASE-TX or as a combination of four SFP transceivers and four TX ports. Additional features of these switches include comprehensive management, diagnostic and filter functions plus a variety of redundancy methods and markedly expanded security mechanisms. In addition to the standard configuration, Hirschmann also offers a version that supports highly precise synchronisation compliant with IEEE 1588v2, plus PRP (Parallel Redundancy Protocol) and HSR (High-availability Seamless Redundancy). This means that, for the first time, it is now possible to implement networks that guarantee uninterrupted data communications with the attached systems and can thus – in the case of the electricity supply industry – guarantee reliable power supplies to end customers at all times. These switches, which comply with the standards and approvals of IEC 61850 3, IEEE 1613, EN 50121 4, NEMA TS2 and cUL 508, are remarkable for their high vibration resistance and extensive resilience to magnetic fields and electrostatic discharges, and can also withstand ambient temperatures in the range -40°C to +70°C. The supply voltage may be either 24/48 V DC or 60/120/250 V DC and 110/230 V AC. Redundancy methods such as PRP, HSR and PRP/HSR Redundancy Box, RSTP, MRP and Fast MRP ensure a high level of network availability. The supported security mechanisms include authentication, radius, role based access, port security, SSHv2; HTTPS and SFTP. The switch status can be monitored locally using indicator contacts while detailed information can be displayed via a standard web browser. The integrated SNMP interface offers an additional centralized management function that makes it possible to use network management software such as Industrial HiVision. The switches are mounted on DIN rails and feature sturdy, compact stainless steel housings measuring 100 x 164 x 116 mm (width x height x depth). They can easily be activated by plug and play. Configuration and diagnostics can be carried out with HiDiscovery, Industrial HiVision or via a web interface. A SD card offers comprehensive logging and can be used for, fast device replacement. The SD card stores not only the switch configuration but also the operating software which allows an automatic upgrade or downgrade of the operating system. With its new RSP family of Hirschmann™ Ethernet switches Belden is expanding Ethernet to cover the field-level networks of electricity supply companies. At the same time the company is the world’s first manufacturer to offer switches with integrated PRP and HSR redundancy protocols. As Product Manager Jürgen Schmid says: “A modern IT infrastructure not only offers manifold possibilities, it also involves a number of risks, from broken wires to hacker attacks. These new Hirschmann™ RSP switches give users maximum security and thus uninterrupted access to their applications’ data communications.”