Many security solutions available today have the problem of being insufficiently open, offering very limited flexibility. Integrating third-party products is practically impossible. Customers therefore very often have to make a long-term bet on just one vendor. Upgrading or expanding security systems is often complex, expensive and time-consuming. But the industry is changing. Initiatives like open standards and cooperation between suppliers are emerging to help companies react faster to changing security demands.
For 2016 we see customers facing challenges such as new means of identification, changing regulations and the impact of cyber threats on physical security.
Because a security system is always used for the longer term, it is almost certain that new security requirements will be introduced during the service life of the system. Therefore, we believe that an open, software-based security system is getting more important.
Introducing Open Standards
In IT, the decoupling of hardware and software has been a proven principle for many years, and so has the use of open standards. The paradox is that the use of generic hardware will make it easier to implement open standards, as it only requires development of software, not hardware. The adaptation of these standards offers many benefits to security system customers, the most important of which might be freedom of choice and dealing with future needs. Introducing open standards allow companies to mix and match not only the cameras they need or the card readers that best fit their budget, it also allows them to select the functionality that suits their security policy.
As companies want their security always to be well arranged, Nedap believes that making a choice now should not limit them in future. Customers need to be able to meet new requirements without investing in an entire new system prematurely. Not only do they need a security system that is fully equipped to cope with the security requirements of today and tomorrow, they also need a supplier that continuously invests in its product and has an extensive partner network, so that companies are able to adapt their system anytime they need to.
See the full coverage of 2015/2016 Review and Forecast articles here