Industrial & commercial security applications

Identiv, Inc., a global provider of physical security and secure identification, has secured new agreements with two major customers in the banking vertical. The first new agreement is a three-year software and services agreement with an existing customer that has been using Identiv’s 3VR video and analytics solution for bank branch security, fraud detection and ATM skimming prevention. Expanding Recurring Revenue Base This top 5 U.S. bank customer has contracted with Identiv to provide maintenance services to support its video security and analytics infrastructure, which encompasses over 10,000 video surveillance cameras throughout North America. The aggregate value of the contract exceeds $3 million. Additionally, the company recently secured a win with a leading Mexican banking conglomerate. The initial deployment across more than 100 locations combines video security, customer experience and business enablement. Business-Enabling Solutions “These two wins reflect our focus on expanding our recurring revenue base, as well as continued growth and momentum in our banking vertical,” said Steven Humphreys, Identiv CEO. “It is representative of our emphasis on strategic verticals, as well as growing our recurring revenues across our customer base. “Through our comprehensive solutions and our strong customer relationships, we are expanding the software revenue and services aspects of our business, as well as expanding from pure security applications into business-enabling solutions. As we continue to leverage our installed base and secure new customers, we expect our recurring revenue business to continue to increase, generating more sustainable growth and margin expansion over time.”

Two giant video surveillance companies have responded to a United States government ban on use of their products included in the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Both Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company and Dahua Technology Company are mentioned by name in a section buried in the giant military reauthorization bill. A ban on use of their products will take effect “not later than one year after” the law is enacted. Response From The Manufacturers Hikvision’s statement expresses disappointment with the version of the 2019 NDAA passed by both chambers of the U.S. Congress Hikvision’s statement expresses disappointment with the version of the 2019 NDAA passed by both chambers of the U.S. Congress. “This legislation was quickly drafted without sufficient evidence, review, or investigation to warrant the video surveillance technology restrictions outlined in section 889,” says Hikvision. “The process resulted in an ambiguous provision with potentially far-reaching implications for American business and represents a rejection of the U.S. government’s commitment to use a standards-based approach when evaluating security risks in federal procurement.”  Dahua was less direct and did not specifically mention the ban in its statement. “Although local laws and regulations may present challenges, we never lose sight of our goals — to provide top-tier products and services for the North American market,” says the statement from Zhejiang Dahua Technology Ltd. The rest of the statement centers on Dahua’s ongoing commitment to the video surveillance market and addresses possible motivations for the ban (see below). Impact On Contractor Business Dahua’s statement expressed its ongoing commitment to the video surveillance market Hikvision also cited a recent article published in The Hill that quoted Chris Nickelson, a Missouri-based contractor, who argued that a ban on Hikvision products would actually harm small American businesses like his. According to the article, Nickelson said allegations against Hikvision have hurt his business, and he decried a lack of evidence supporting the allegations. “Somebody still needs to show me that there’s any real meat and potatoes behind any accusations that have been made towards Hikvision,” Nickelson is quoted in The Hill. The rest of Hikvision’s statement: “Hikvision is committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations and has made efforts to ensure the security of its products go beyond what is mandated by the U.S. government, including certification under the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 and opening our Source Code Transparency Center (SCTC), which makes the company’s source code available for review by law enforcement authorities and government agencies in the U.S. and Canada.”We understand that in today’s security industry, cybersecurity is the biggest challenge" Company Statement On The NDAA Here is more of Dahua’s statement on the National Defense Authorization Act: “Dahua Technology is a global leading IoT video surveillance solution provider operating in 37 countries and dedicated to bringing our customers innovative solutions. Dahua Technology has been publicly traded on Shenzhen stock exchange market since 2008 and is not a government-owned entity. We understand that in today’s security industry, cybersecurity is the biggest challenge. We have provided remedies to correct those issues with our customers. We take cybersecurity very seriously by implementing a seven-module cybersecurity baseline into our product design. Meanwhile, we continue to work with 3rd party partners like DBAPP Security and Synopsys Technology, to rigorously test our products to combat against current cybersecurity vulnerabilities."To personalize our interaction with customers at this event, Hikvision will not have a booth on the GSX show floor" Dahua’s statement continues: “With over 6,000 R&D Dahua professionals, we strive to provide secure products and solutions to our valued customers to secure what they care about. Although local laws and regulations may present challenges, we never lose sight of our goals — to provide top-tier products and services for the North American market. We will continue to invest in resources and employees to ensure our customers and partners retain the highest quality of services to support future growth in this market. "We will continue to invest in resources and employees to ensure our customers and partners retain the highest quality of services to support future growth in this market.” Hikvision Comments On GSX Presence Hikvision has also issued a statement about its downsized presence at the upcoming GSX trade show (formerly ASIS) in Las Vegas. A Hikvision spokesperson confirmed that the decision to abandon Hikvision’s large booth presence was made earlier this summer and was not a result of the ban. Here is Hikvision’s statement about GSX: “As in previous years, Hikvision will be well represented at the GSX show in September in Las Vegas. To personalize our interaction with customers at this event, Hikvision will not have a booth on the GSX show floor. Instead, a contingency of Hikvision professionals will attend the conference and host partner meetings and product demonstrations in meeting facilities throughout the trade show. "As a total solution provider, Hikvision looks forward to meeting with end users, A&E consultants, integrators and other partners to discuss how Hikvision's full suite of products can help address the challenges facing security directors and the broader C-Suite.”

FLIR Systems, Inc. announced the Saros line of security cameras, its next-generation outdoor security product line that combines multiple traditional perimeter protection technologies into a unified solution. This approach is designed to deliver accurate, actionable alerts and verified alarm data. FLIR Saros Security Camera The FLIR Saros camera line enables commercial businesses to implement state-of-the-art outdoor intrusion detection in a cost-effective manner. Traditional perimeter security systems can require substantial investment, both in infrastructure and in ongoing expenses stemming from false alarms. FLIR Saros not only greatly reduces the cost of initial deployment by minimising the amount of equipment required, but also reduces false positives with built-in advanced analytics, expanding the outdoor perimeter protection market for security alarm monitoring companies. The FLIR Saros platform was designed and engineered with today’s cybersecurity risks in mind Combined Security Technologies A single FLIR Saros unit combines numerous security technologies, including: Multiple FLIR Lepton thermal sensors – Provides the ability to deliver wide-area monitoring regardless of unfavorable lighting or weather conditions High-definition optical cameras – Option of 1080p or 4K resolution to realise accurate visual identification of intruders IR and visible LED illuminators – Ability to deter intruders with white light illumination Advanced onboard analytics – Accurate target detection and classification, to help reduce false alarms 2-way audio and digital input/outputs – Enables real-time audio response  The FLIR Saros platform was designed and engineered with today’s cybersecurity risks in mind, with end-to-end encryption for setup, web, and video streams, and configuration lockdown after initial setup for increased tamper prevention. FLIR Saros also eliminates the need for port-forwarding, so devices are less exposed to remote security attacks. FLIR Saros, equipped with multiple FLIR Leptons, represents a new security paradigm for wide-area commercial locations" FLIR Lepton Thermal Sensors “FLIR Saros, equipped with multiple FLIR Leptons, represents a new security paradigm for wide-area commercial locations that face the threat of loss,” said James Cannon, President and CEO of FLIR. “FLIR Saros products open new business opportunities for both central monitoring stations and security integrators looking to distinguish themselves in the industry. The Saros family is an important addition to FLIR’s security portfolio and supports our goal of innovating technologies that increase perception and awareness to support professionals in decision-making that saves lives and livelihoods.” Initial FLIR Saros models – in both dome and multi-imager form factors – will begin shipping in North America and Europe in the third quarter of 2018 through FLIR’s established network of dealers and integrators.

3xLOGIC, Inc., a provider of integrated, intelligent security solutions, and a three-time Deloitte Technology Fast 500™ winner, announced NLP Logix has deployed 3xLOGIC integrated video and access control at their Jacksonville, FL headquarters. Bates Security, with offices in Lexington, KY and Jacksonville, specified the system and completed the installation. NLP Logix automates repetitive tasks currently being done by humans. Using its suite of algorithms, and proprietary technology, NLP Logix automates such things as interpreting imagery, matching candidates to job requirements, extracting text from documents, or as CEO Ted Willich said, “We do AI, we teach machines to do things humans do.” Providing excellent security for our employees is very important, and we wanted to achieve greater peace of mind overall about our security" Enhancing Staff Security NLP Logix occupies half of the first floor of a multi-tenant office building. During the most recent hurricane (Irma), Willich, his wife, and some employees sheltered at their offices. They became aware of possible looters around their building. “We couldn’t see the front door, the hallway leading to our door, or our own entrance from where we were. We didn’t have the visibility we needed to feel better about our situation.” In the Fall of 2017, NLP Logix won a number of major new contracts and they are ramping up staff. “Providing excellent security for our employees is very important, and we wanted to achieve greater peace of mind overall about our security.” Mobile And Remote Access Control Relying on Bates Security’s expertise and recommendations, NLP’s new system includes four 3xLOGIC cameras covering three points of entry into the offices and one camera that covers the main entrance to the building. Bates’ lead commercial consultant, Scott Green, designed the system to accomplish the goals clearly laid out by his client. “We now have total visibility,” commented Willich. All senior staff have installed the 3xLOGIC mobile app that enables them to pull up camera views on their phone, as well as through the web application on laptops or other devices. For access control, all employees have a key fob, but system management functions such as remotely locking or unlocking doors can only be done by senior staff. The video streams in lower resolution to keep network demands low, but with one click, you can get the higher resolution" High-Resolution Video Images After a little over one month of operation, Willich reported that “it’s working extremely well, we can see all our offices, and we feel much more secure. Plus, we have accountability as to who is coming and going at all times. This is a significant upgrade from our previous system, the video images have great resolution, I’m definitely impressed with the quality. The video streams in lower resolution to keep network demands low, but with one click, you can get the higher resolution. We can do playback of events and when people access the system. I’m looking at myself right now coming to work this morning.” Effective Solution At Reasonable Cost “We are changing the rules of the game for video and access control for the SMB market with our integrated, hosted video and access control solution,” said Matt Kushner, 3xLOGIC CEO. “We have achieved the most powerful commercial feature set at a price that fits the budget for even the smallest business owners and also for growing companies like NLP Logix.” Willich reported that after their new integrated system was installed, one of their fellow tenant companies was so impressed, he asked Willich for contact information for Bates Security. “He’s looking into getting the same system for their offices."

Lenel, a provider of advanced security systems, introduces its OnGuard® 7.4 security-management platform, which can be deployed in the cloud and accessed through a web browser on a mobile device or computer. Lenel is part of UTC Climate, Controls & Security, a unit of United Technologies Corp. OnGuard version 7.4 combines ease of use, mobility and simple upgrades. When deployed under an Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) model, this latest version can reduce or eliminate the need for onsite OnGuard server hardware along with the need for multiple software installations and updates. Cloud Deployable With Mobile access “OnGuard version 7.4 provides more choices than ever as end-user demand for cloud deployment with desktop and mobile access to enterprise security continues to grow significantly,” said Jeff Stanek, president, Lenel. “This version is the culmination of years of behind-the-scenes work to deliver a re-imagined OnGuard platform that is cloud deployable and can be used on a daily basis without client software installation.”Improvements to the OnGuard Credentials client and Cardholder Self Service module expand the range of OnGuard tasks that can be completed through a web browser Two new OnGuard version 7.4 browser-based client applications make it easier for users to manage their systems. OnGuard Monitor provides alarm-management capabilities and OnGuard Access Manager provides access-rights management to area managers. Improvements to the OnGuard Credentials client and OnGuard Cardholder Self Service module further expand the range of OnGuard tasks that can be completed through a web browser, including the ability for anyone in the enterprise to schedule visitors or change their own PIN number. FICAM-approved Door Controllers New Lenel Series 3 door controllers support FICAM-approved authentication of FIPS-201 U.S. government credentials and encrypted communication to readers supporting the OSDP™ Secure Channel protocol and other authentication solutions. FICAM is a set of security disciplines designed to ensure federal systems and facilities are being used by the right person, at the right time, for the right reason. OnGuard version 7.4 also enables more than 1 million cardholder records on the LNL-4420 intelligent controller. These enhancements reaffirm Lenel’s commitment to customer choice, while increasing OnGuard’s value in both wired and wireless access control Extending Wireless Lock Support Lenel has also significantly extended wireless lock support in OnGuard version 7.4. In addition to supporting Schlage NDE/LE series of Bluetooth®-enabled locks, support for the Assa Abloy Aperio® technology has also been enhanced. These enhancements reaffirm Lenel’s commitment to customer choice, while increasing OnGuard’s value in both wired and wireless access control. To see all the new features of OnGuard version 7.4 first-hand, visit the Lenel booth #18019 at the 2018 ISC West trade show April 11 – 13 in Las Vegas.

Qognify, the pioneer in big data solutions for physical security and operations, will be presenting a new packaged solution, Qognify ISM - Intelligent Security Management, at ISC West 2018. Qognify is introducing a Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) based solution, featuring pre- or auto-configured components, to minimize the time and cost of implementation, reducing the time for the security organization to gain value from this unified operational system. Compared to standard PSIM solutions, Qognify ISM takes away much of the configuration drain associated with complex PSIM projects. Newly introduced automation tools, provide simplicity for the operator and optimized security operation, after the implementation phase, generating much of the security value through smart technology, pre-configuration and adaptive integrations. Challenges Addressed By Qognify ISM Examples of the challenges which are addressed by Qognify ISM: Video verification configuration automated: Qognify ISM uniquely features automatic alarm-to-video associations, based on advanced technology, to allow easy verifications of alarms through visual validation. No longer you need to manually associate cameras to alarm sources of any kind. Qognify ISM, with its inherent intelligence, will do that for you. Smart data intake: security operators need to record information from phone calls, take resolution steps, and dispatch as needed. Qognify ISM provides standard procedures and intake forms based on common call types, enhanced by context-driven auto complete options, and by automatic incident geo-placement on the map, to simplify and optimize incident handling. Security subsystems advanced dashboards: most organizations have so many security sub-systems that it becomes difficult to keep track of these assets. With Qognify ISM, information such as sensor activity and failures are easily provided. Dashboards allow users to filter or expand this information for better understanding of maintenance issues, utilization of security subsystems, and overall performance. Management dashboards: overall organizational performance can be difficult to monitor while managing the emergencies of the day. Qognify ISM dashboards provide illustration of trends and data for organizational improvement by monitoring key metrics such as number of incidents, user activity, resolution times, and incidents location. Qognify ISM is part of Qognify’s Packaged Solutions, a library of pre-designed and pre-configured bundled solutions to address common and specific security-related challenges. Using the intelligent capabilities of the market-leading Qognify portfolio, including Situator, VisionHub and video and data analytics, Qognify Packaged Solutions provide organizations with access to powerful capabilities, with minimal installation and faster deployment.

Security and surveillance systems are becoming critical to manufacturing plants and factories by helping to address the theft of raw materials, the theft of IP, and the tampering of equipment, machinery and cargo. They can also serve as an effective monitoring tool for overseeing assembly line production and worker safety. A Micron/Repon Case Study Repon, a manufacturer of high-quality ball bearing slides used in various industries including server- and rack-mount systems, office/home furniture, white appliances, tool boxes and medical carts, recently deployed an advanced security and surveillance system—an edge storage solution—at their newly built manufacturing plant in the south of Taiwan. Their system architect, Apogear, integrated Micron’s industrial microSD cards into this solution. In the case of Repon’s deployment, 24x7 operational requirements needed to be met while minimizing the risk of data lossIn this case study, we discuss why Repon implemented an edge storage solution and how they will benefit—from a total cost of ownership (TCO) perspective—with Micron’s industrial microSD cards. Why Edge Storage? The simple answer: to enhance overall system reliability. In the case of Repon’s deployment, 24x7 operational requirements needed to be met while minimizing the risk of data loss. Edge storage—the recording of video and storing it at the camera—provides recording redundancy, helping to reduce the risk of data loss. By storing a second copy of recorded video in a microSD card, edge storage provides backup in case there are any issues with the primary network storage (including network reliability issues). In the event the primary network storage goes offline, video continues recording in the microSD card. The recorded video can then be synchronized to network video recorders (NVRs) or video management systems (VMS) after the primary system is restored. Selecting The Right Industrial microSD Card Historically, memory manufacturers sell the lowest quality NAND flash (media grade) memory to the memory card market. While this quality of NAND can be sufficient for storing pictures and video (where data is written to once and stored), using it in microSD cards for edge storage (where data can be written and rewritten to often) is not recommended. Figure 1: Edge Storage for Recording Redundancy Edge recording with memory specifically designed to support 24x7 recording over a long period of time requires a new understanding of how that memory is made— from silicon selection, to manufacturing flow, to product design, to qualification testing. Many microSD cards available in the market today are intended for consumer use in digital still cameras (DSCs), car dash cams, or home cameras; they are not designed for commercial and industrial edge storage in IP video surveillance cameras. As such, edge storage can often be viewed as ‘unreliable’ by system integrators and installers.Users may not understand that the lifetime and quality of a microSD card can vary significantly depending on the quality of the card Users may not understand that the lifetime and quality of a microSD card can vary significantly depending on the quality of the card. Selecting the wrong quality of microSD card can result in costly field failures, often occurring within months after deployment. The importance of selecting the right memory card in an edge storage solution is illustrated in Apogear’s analysis of Repon’s edge storage solution. The analysis also shows the cost savings Repon anticipates from using Micron’s Industrial microSD cards in their solution. Project Cost Analysis And Assumptions Apogear’s total cost of ownership (TCO) analysis (below) is reflected in relative percentages, and not on actual dollars and cents given regional and vendor differences. To create an understanding of the project scale, the TCO was estimated at approximately $850,000 USD over a three-year contract term in regards to deploying a 600-camera system at Repon’s manufacturing facility using Micron Industrial microSD cards. Figure 2: Cost Distribution Data, as provided by Apogear Figure 2 provides the percentage of costs during the estimated lifecycle of the edge storage system. The cost per system phase amounts to: Equipment cost (68%) - the cost of an IP camera, networking equipment (switch, cables, etc.), accessories, NVR and central monitoring system (CMS), and storage (HDD and microSD card). Deployment cost (20%) - the cost of installation, configuration and integration. Design cost (2%) - the cost of consulting and system architecture design. Maintenance cost (8%) - the cost of planned, regular and additional maintenance services. Decommission cost (2%) – the cost of dismounting and recycling equipment at the end of its lifetime Why Micron’s Industrial microSD Card? Micron’s solution is backed with a 3-year product warranty under professional surveillance use casesThe importance of product reliability is often underestimated when considering the cost of maintenance and field service. When a retail-grade microSD card fails, the card must be replaced. Not only are there direct costs of sending a crew to service and replace the card, but there are also outage times that can result in significantly more costs. By implementing Micron’s industrial microSD card, which is designed for 24/7 video surveillance edge storage usage, it is estimated that Repon will see an approximate $141,000, or about 16%, improvement in TCO compared to using an off-the-shelf retail microSD card1. High Reliability and Quality, Lower Maintenance and Replacement Costs Micron’s industrial microSD card supports 3 years of high-quality continuous 24/7 video recording with a quality specification of 2 million hours mean time to failure (MTTF) and 0.44% annualized failure rate (AFR) —2X better than a typical HDD today. Additionally, Micron’s solution is backed with a 3-year product warranty under professional surveillance use cases, helping to keep maintenance and replacement costs to a minimum. Figure 3: Maintenance and Replacement Cost Comparison, as provided by Apogear Advanced Features Minimize Risk Of Data Loss Micron’s industrial microSD card contains firmware optimized to provide stable performance for 24x7 high quality video recording with minimal frame drops.Micron understands the unique needs of this market and has developed deep application-level expertise In addition, Micron’s industrial microSD card offers a health monitoring feature for IP camera integration that reports card usage and lifetime remaining. Systems can integrate this feature into their software to alert predictive maintenance service. Micron’s industrial microSD card comes with password protected lock/unlock features to keep the device secure. Conclusion The move to edge recording and high endurance storage is happening across the Industrial IoT landscape. Targeted solid state storage solutions are emerging, and with it, new entrants into the security and surveillance ecosystem. As a leader in automotive and industrial memory solutions, Micron’s new product line of industrial microSD cards are built to meet the requirements of this industry. As a trusted advisor to its embedded customers for more than 25 years, Micron understands the unique needs of this market and has developed deep application-level expertise and a portfolio designed with that in mind. Most importantly, it brings to the market a mindset to deliver sustainable value to its customers.

At one of Spain’s newest co-working spaces, the founders’ vision incorporated using the latest in security, accessibility and design to create a 21st-century business center. Flexible and wire-free, SMARTair™ from TESA delivers real-time access control that can accommodate both regular daily traffic and busy one-off events at ULab’s dedicated events area. SMARTair Wireless Online Management SMARTair™ Wireless Online management now enables access to the building and individual offices to be controlled in real time. ULab’s SMARTair™ system securely manages regular daily traffic of approximately 100 people, and has the flexibility to accommodate many more temporary visitors when their event space is full. “In addition to regular daily traffic, weekly traffic can almost multiply by 10 if an event is held,” says Enrique Burgos. “We needed an access control system as flexible and convenient as SMARTair™.” Also — and critically for ULab — SMARTair™ escutcheons and wall readers complement the ultra-modern design aesthetic of this new workspace. With SMARTair™ Wireless Online, ULab’s facility manager can monitor the building’s security status from a single control point and in real time, controlling who enters and when. The installation permits remote opening of any door at ULab, enabling easy access in cases where users have lost or forgotten their credential. Remote access can be granted from the SMARTair™ Web Manager software, which works on any device inside a standard browser without software installation, or from the SMARTair™ admin app for Apple and Android cellphone devices. Individual Access Rights For User Profiles It’s also easy to schedule individual access rights for different user profiles — allowing, for example, site managers to access all doors, but offering occasional users more limited entry to common areas. Changes in status can be made instantly from the Web Manager. And because SMARTair™ locks are operated with RFID smartcards, there’s no security problem if an employee loses their credential. With the SMARTair™ admin software, a simple click cancels the credential’s access rights — a much quicker and cheaper process than replacing a mechanical lock. With contemporary, low-profile design, user-friendly operation and flexible, real-time security functionality, SMARTair™ wireless access control has captured the spirit of ULab.

Since 2008, Transportation Impact, a privately held 5-time Inc. 5000 company, has been providing maximum supply chain cost reduction for clients in multiple vertical markets. The company, which is based in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, has made a huge impact on the bottom line for clients by reducing shipping costs through small package and freight negotiation along with their state-of-the-art transportation management system.Today, the company employs a team of 70 to employees and contractors, with more than 300 years of combined carrier experience, leveraging its industry savvy to drive down clients’ net annual freight spend by an average of more than 20 percent. By staying true to its core values of work ethic, professionalism, perfection, integrity and passion, Transportation Impact has developed a strong presence in its community, is among the fastest-growing businesses in the country and has been named among the Best Workplaces 2017. With two ultra-modern office buildings based in North Carolina, the safety and security of the company’s dedicated employees and infrastructure became a major priority for Transportation Impact. It was time for the company to invest in an industry leading access control system to protect their valued employees now and down the road. Securing Conference Room And Executive Areas Transportation Impact is dedicated to making a significant impact on its clients’ bottom line and this dedication proliferates into their internal operations. With 70 employees working out of two office buildings in Emerald Isle, NC; they needed an access control solution to safeguard employees and their infrastructure.The company’s corporate headquarters reside in a building that consists of 4 floors with two floors containing executive offices and conference rooms and the top two floors housing a restaurant and bar which is open to the public. The biggest challenge Transportation Impact found with a shared building is the common occurrence for the public to walk in on private meetings taking place in the conference rooms and inquire about the location of the restaurant. Having the public enter Transportation Impact’s office at will was not only a disruption, but a security risk for employees and private company information and systems. It was imperative that the conference room and executive areas were safeguarded from unauthorized access. Having the public enter Transportation Impact’s office at will was not only a disruption, but a security risk for employees ISONAS Pure IP™ Access Control Solution With its rampant growth, it was time for the company to increase the level of security at their facility and invest in an access control solution that was simple to administer across multiple buildings, could handle the addition of geographically dispersed locations and provide their users with a convenient method to access the buildings. Transportation Impact needed a special delivery, the right access control solution from their trusted security integrator, Electronic Solutions. Electronic Solutions has been working with Transportation Impact over the last few years and understood their need for a simple and convenient access control solution. Ron Snyder, President at Electronic Solutions and an ISONAS certified partner, delivered the ISONAS Pure IP™ access control solution in the fall of 2016 starting with a pilot program for ISONAS’s new RC-04 reader-controller all managed from the ISONAS software, Pure Access cloud.Transportation Impact was one of the first companies to use the new hardware product and provide feedback on the functionality and usability of the system. In addition, they were one of the first to take advantage of the Pure Mobile credentials from ISONAS. “ISONAS is a great team to work with as they are all about supporting their certified dealers and offering top notch customer service to help make the implementation process seamless,” states Ron Snyder, President at Electronic Solutions. “The ISONAS solution is a great product and so much easier than the past access control systems that required running several cables to install it. ISONAS offers a simple solution, which only requires an ISONAS reader-controller and a CAT 5 cable for power and data; making it an easy deployment for customers.” Together, ISONAS and Electronic Solutions made a huge impact and created a safer workplace environment for Transportation Impact with convenient security at a minimal cost. Convenient Mobile Access Control One key challenge that drove Transportation Impact and Electronic Solutions of Greenville to choose ISONAS was the need for convenient access for their users. Upon the initial installation, Transportation Impact utilised key fobs to provide access to their users. Unfortunately, a number of the key fobs were lost which resulted in employees propping open doors; circumventing the security and effectiveness of the access control solution. With the number of lost key fobs, Transportation Impact needed to find a way to incorporate access control into their employees’ normal, everyday practices. The ISONAS Pure Mobile credential allowed them to take the convenience of their mobile phone to the next level. The Bluetooth® Low Energy feature of the Pure IP™ hardware family (RC-04) eliminated the need for a physical card or key fob and allowed a mobile device to act as an access card. With the simplicity of Pure Mobile in combination with Pure Access, there was no need to install additional software, purchase additional licenses to enroll mobile credentials, or acquire a massive bank of credentials. The RC-04 hardware and Pure Access software are ready to use with the ISONAS Pure Mobile credentials right out of the box. An employee at Transportation Impact can simply download the Pure Mobile application to their phone, present it to a reader-controller, and the facility administrator associates that mobile phone to the user’s profile. “In addition to having mobile access, we really liked having the ability to automate on a schedule and set the doors to lock and unlock during certain times of the day" “We were looking for an easy-to-use access control solution that allowed access with the touch of a button and we found it,” says Norm Pollock, VP of Information Technology at Transportation Impact. “In addition to having mobile access, we really liked having the ability to automate on a schedule and set the doors to lock and unlock during certain times of the day all from the Pure Access Cloud software.” With this new technological advancement delivered to their door, Transportation Impact had the right solution in place to avoid the days of lost key fobs. By having employees use their smart phones as a credential to enter the building, the company could rest easy knowing that they were protected and in a secure operation. Pure Access Cloud Software With a successful pilot program under their belt, Transportation Impact currently has 11 ISONAS RC-04 reader controllers installed across two office buildings all administered from the Pure Access Cloud software, giving them access from anywhere at any time. Pure Access cloud eliminated the need for any additional onsite network infrastructure and provided full administrative and management power of their access control system from any device. Now they can assign users to the system, establish access schedules, events and holidays preventing doors from being propped open and surprise visits from the public. With 9 doors secured in their corporate headquarters and two installed in their second building on the front and back doors; Transportation Impact is ready for business. ISONAS, Electronic Solutions of Greenville, and Transportation Impact all took the high road and worked together to implement a new access control system that helped to improve safety while being convenient at the corporate headquarters. With plans of a third office building in the works, it will be an easy road for Transportation Impact to add additional doors to their powerful access control system; now and in the future.

  The Dahl Auto Plaza in Winona, Minnesota is part of an auto dynasty that first began in 1911, when Andrew H. Dahl began selling Ford Model T’s out of his general store in Westby, Wisconsin. The company is in its fifth generation of Dahl family ownership with over a century of growth behind it. Today Dahl operates three dealership campuses throughout the Midwestern United States that are home to Subaru, Hyundai, Mazda, Toyota, Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, Ford, and Lincoln automobile franchises. During construction of the new Dahl Auto Plaza in Winona, the installation of a video surveillance system was a required part of the planning. Arecont Vision became the go-to manufacturer for all the dealership’s surveillance cameras. Video Surveillance System Challenge Winona’s Dahl is home to three different dealerships on a single campus — Chevy, Toyota, and the Dahl Used Car Express Service Center. The company needed a comprehensive video surveillance system to monitor its parking lots and service bays for traffic, customer flow, vehicle flow, vandalism, and theft. With a desired 15-16 camera limit to cover such a large amount of space, cameras with high image quality and flexibility were essential to the new surveillance system’s success. No other camera manufacturer could compete with the price and performance of the Arecont Vision Omni series Arecont Vision Try-and-Buy Program The implementation of Arecont Vision megapixel cameras at Dahl Winona began with the use of Arecont Vision’s Try-and-Buy program at the recommendation of Russ Neitzke, President and Founder of systems integrator Digicom, Inc. Cameras selected for a Try-and-Buy trial can be returned by the systems integrator for a full refund of the purchase price if the customer is unsatisfied. The only cameras considered for the Dahl video surveillance system were Arecont Vision SurroundVideo Omni models after they were tested. “No other camera manufacturer could compete with the price and performance of the Arecont Vision Omni series,” Mr. Neitzke said. “As a result, no other surveillance camera manufacturers were recommended by Digicom, Inc. or would be able to so effectively cover the 15 acres of new and used vehicle display, public access, and vehicle service areas at the new Dahl Auto Plaza.” SurroundVideo Omni Unique Design The SurroundVideo Omni series features a unique, patented 360o track design. Each camera includes four individual megapixel (MP) sensors mounted in multi-axis gimbals that can be independently placed and aimed in nearly any configuration, allowing coverage to be highly customized to specific project requirements. With features like remote focus in the SurroundVideo Omni G2, interchangeable lenses and high-resolution capabilities (12 and 20MP) in both G1 and G2 series models, the versatility of this camera family is unmatched. For large open spaces such as those found at the new Dahl campus, the SurroundVideo Omni series provides high resolution, omni-directional video in a rugged, low profile enclosure suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. The cameras are IK-10 impact resistant and IP66 environmental rated against dust and water, making them ideal for Dahl’s requirements. Reduced Need For Multiple Cameras Most critical for Dahl were the SurroundVideo Omni series benefits of low maintenance, high video resolution, and the ability to reduce the number of cameras required for full situational awareness throughout the campus. The SurroundVideo Omni 12MP models selected include Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technology, which aids in producing high quality, clear images even in challenging light situations. The SurroundVideo Omni reduces the need for multiple cameras to cover open spaces, saving the customer money With Digicom Inc. designing the surveillance and installation plans, Dahl was in good hands. Dahl selected the SurroundVideo Omni series, reaping the significant benefit of reduced installation time. Each sensor gimbal in a SurroundVideo Omni is magnetically set in place around the 70+ placement-point omnidirectional track and then quickly locked down during installation. The SurroundVideo Omni reduces the need for multiple cameras to cover open spaces, saving the customer money on both camera cost and installation requirements. Without the need for the constantly moving parts of a legacy Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera, there are no parts, gears, belts, or motors to wear out and to require maintenance in the SurroundVideo Omni series. This reduces ongoing operational costs. This makes it easy for the installer to arrange an ideal coverage layout. Another significant selling point for Dahl was that each SurroundVideo Omni camera requires only a single IP category 5 PoE (Power over Ethernet) cable, which reduces both complexity and installation cost. ExacqVision VMS Dahl can monitor the surveillance system locally, corporate-wide, and on various smartphones and tablets. Arecont Vision Technology Partner Program member ExacqVision is utilised for the video management system (VMS). A single ExacqVision VMS license is required for each SurroundVideo Omni camera, while providing four high-definition video views. Arecont Vision cameras are certified with ExacqVision and the VMS is installed in the Arecont Vision MegaLab™ to enable ongoing collaboration between the two companies and to ensure the best possible integration and support for customers. Dahl can monitor the surveillance system locally, corporate-wide, and on various smartphones and tablets Arecont Success At Dahl The Arecont Vision SurroundVideo Omni cameras at Dahl have been a great success, with high customer satisfaction. “Basically,” Mr. Neitzke stated, “The coverage that you get with the SurroundVideo Omni is really like buying four cameras in one.” Being able to effectively cover Dahl’s range of campus requirements with fewer cameras and lower purchase, installation, and operational costs meant that Arecont Vision has hit all the required marks for this project, according to Mr. Neitzke. The system has performed incredibly well, with few issues from the end-user. On the rare occasion when an issue has popped up, the Arecont Vision team has been responsive to the customer’s needs, providing technical support, advanced replacements, or any other kind of assistance Dahl has needed for the surveillance system. Future Projects Arecont Vision and Dahl are now planning a second, even larger project at Dahl’s campus in downtown La Crosse, Wisconsin. Dahl plans on upgrading this campus with a new surveillance system for indoor and outdoor spaces with Arecont Vision cameras. Digicom, Inc. and the Arecont Vision Field Application Engineering groups are developing a campus-wide plan for this next project. SurroundVideo Omni will be ready to be deployed yet again whenever Dahl needs it.

AThe IVX, Inc. is a revolutionary technology startup founded by industry veterans from Cisco, Jupiter and Motorola. The company is dedicated to providing innovative, high performance, fully integrated solutions for the public safety sector that effectively manage collaboration among multiple agencies and improve crisis management response time. The IVX enables real-time surveillance data collection, synchronization and collaboration across the private and public safety sectors. Public Safety Challenge In the wake of recent mass shootings and terror attacks on high profile cities, public safety is once again at the top of the agenda. The growing number of higher specification surveillance cameras and the huge amount of data they generate, combined with longer data retention periods and real-time response requirements, are pushing the boundaries of what traditional storage approaches can handle. With these market conditions building, The IVX set off to look for an alternative solution for video surveillance. From proprietary to open source to private and public cloud solutions, The IVX tried different approaches, but they failed to deliver the necessary performance and cost efficiency. Both NetApp and EMC solutions required expensive software licenses and would incur hardware and maintenance costs, while open source software lacked reliability, software manageability and support. Additionally, encryption and data security concerns are still inhibiting the widespread use of the public cloud for surveillance solutions. Promise Solution At The IVX After testing and conducting proof of concept, The IVX concluded that Promise Technology’s purpose-built hyperconverged infrastructure – VskyCube – was the only solution to meet all of their current needs while providing a path for the future. By using the VSky Cube software defined approach, The IVX can deploy and launch surveillance services with just a few clicks VSkyCube pre-integrates computing, storage, and networking into hyperconverged nodes, giving a pre-integrated and adaptable cluster with a unified pool of resources that can be deployed, adapted, scaled, and managed quickly and easily. It is specifically optimized for video surveillance workloads and brings the benefits of the hyper-scale datacenter to the market. By using the VSky Cube software defined approach, The IVX can deploy and launch surveillance services with just a few clicks. They also have the ability to manage, monitor, scale and adjust compute, storage and networking resources all in the same web interface with the centralized management software, VSkyView. As the number of cameras and the amount of video they capture continue to increase, the IVX can dynamically scale out to multiple PB for 24x7x365 intensive workloads without interruption, thanks to Promise’s software-defined cloud storage – VskyStor. And, most importantly, all sensitive data is protected by RAID and RAIN. High resilience and high availability features prevent drive and server failure, making for uninterrupted video capture and access. Promise Solution Business Benefits With 24/7 support from Promise Technology, The IVX has successfully delivered surveillance services through a virtual private cloud on top of VSkyCube. The IVX can now handle 250 TB of HD surveillance video data, and is enjoying a 20-40% reduction in budget that was previously going to things such as hardware and software licensing and operating costs.VSkyCube is the only enterprise-class surveillance infrastructure that delivers the highest levels of performance, resiliency and data protection, all without the cost, complexity and skills typically required by virtualized environments. Anson Chen, Vice Chairman and Co Founder of The IVX Inc. said: “VSkyCube is an advanced hyperconverged system with all of the enterprise storage features we need. It is a perfect fit for solution providers like us who need a reliable solution that can grow over time, and allow us to maximize budgets. Promise Technology delivered on everything they promised! The close collaboration and timely support from Promise’s global teams help us provide excellent service to our customers.”

A building development can fairly be described as ‘iconic’ when it changes the very skyline of a city. That was the case in Islamabad, Pakistan, for Centaurus, a three-skyscraper complex –the tallest buildings in the city – all linked by a prestigious shopping mall. When the four-story mall housing over 250 shops needed a powerful and effective surveillance system, they turned to Hikvision for high quality IP security video. Centaurus is a mixed use real estate development project designed by British architectural firm WS Atkins. The three 41-story buildings house offices, a 5-star hotel, and residential apartments, with the luxury Centaurus mega mall running between and connecting the towers. The interior design of the residential building and the shopping mall was courtesy of renowned firm ODEION-Turkey. The striking complex was built at an estimated cost of US$350 million. All public spaces, particularly those that attract thousands of visitors every day, pose a security risk. As a major shopping hub, the Centaurus mall needs to be able to protect its customers and provide a safe and secure shopping environment. Ensuring Customer Safety The mall’s management tasked Islamabad IP surveillance specialist installer Digital Links with providing a comprehensive video security system. The Centaurus security team was facing issues such as garbage being thrown in stairways and emergency entry/exits. More seriously, security staff were regularly receiving reports of thieves, shoplifters and pickpockets hiding in stairways to avoid detection. They would be detected once video was reviewed the following day – but by then, of course, it was too late. The new system had to monitor in real-time the key entry and exit points, the interior of the mall, and its emergency access points, as well as providing ongoing alarm monitoring. Hikvision’s cameras were deployed to cover these crucial zones, as well as providing standard overall security views of malls and walkways. Security staff were regularlyreceiving reports of thieves,shoplifters and pickpocketshiding in stairways to avoiddetection Digital Links project manager, Khuram Chohan, says, “The solution we devised included 400 Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I 3MP Infrared IP Bullet Cameras and 80 DS-2CD2432F-IW 3MP IR Cube Network Cameras, which send video images back to eight 64-channel DS-9664NI-ST high-end NVRs. The whole system is managed using Hikvision’s iVMS-5200 Professional Video Management Software.” Hikvision’s iVMS-5200 Pro is a centralized video software management system that allows users to manage all of their business security subsystems in one platform. This single platform can control surveillance, access control, license plate recognition, business intelligence, and control room video wall. Effective Real-Time Monitoring “The cameras plus the NVRs and the software provide a real-time live view for the Centaurus mall’s security staff,” says Chohan. “This enables them to monitor the mall effectively and efficiently. Powerful recording and remote playback mean video evidence is easily located and exported. “The iVMS-5200 software provides a smart alarm handling mechanism which helps operators quickly locate and identify alarm incidents – and react quickly and decisively to prevent security incidents occurring. The system’s alarmfunctions have resultedin the apprehension ofshoplifters and attemptedthieves “The system allows the entire mall to be monitored from the control room, where operators can proactively identify security risks. They are also able to ensure that emergency gates providing important access to the mall and skyscrapers are unobstructed and clear for emergency vehicles.” The system’s alarm functions, including motion detection, intrusion, video tampering and designated zone line crossing, have resulted in the apprehension of shoplifters and attempted thieves, and have solved the problem of unauthorized waste disposal in emergency exit staircases. The 480 IP surveillance cameras employed in the system send high resolution images to the control room for both live monitoring and recording – in order to investigate any incidents or suspicious activities. Operators are alerted to incidents via the iVMS-5200 Pro software’s built-in video analytics capabilities, allowing resources to be immediately directed to any troublespots. The 64-channel DS-9664NI-ST network video recorders offer up to 6 megapixel resolution recording, and output at up to 1920 x 1080P resolution in HDMI and VGA formats. They provide up to eight SATA interfaces, dual gigabit network interfaces, and HDD quota and group management, which ensures long-time recording continuously without failure. The result is a shopping experience unlike any other in Pakistan, and a level of comprehensive security which is, for the mall’s thousands of visitors, both reassuring and highly effective.