Canada News

When Apple makes a new product announcement, the whole technology world takes note. Such was the case last week when the tech giant introduced its sleek and shiny new iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Almost as an encore, the company also unveiled the stylish and versatile Apple Watch, which will be available in early 2015. We have all seen the impact of mobile devices on systems and technologies used in physical security, so any new smart phone products have the potential to impact our market. In th...

You can expect to pass through tight security checks in environments, such as airports and government buildings, which are greater targets for terrorist attacks or other forms of violence. You don't expect to pass through the same level of security checks in neighborhood shops and schools. It's a simple rule that there will be more security systems in places where there's a greater need for them. Generally speaking, there isn't such a high need for very high end securit...

Viscount will secure sites for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – United States Citizenship and Immigration Services Viscount Systems, a leading provider of IT-based security software and services, recently announced that it has been awarded additional contracts to secure U.S. Federal Government facilities in Washington, D.C., and Ohio for the Department of Homeland Security – United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). “We are proud...

SureView Systems announces they have successfully integrated the mobiDEOS UCNE range of cloud and network-enabled surveillance systems into Immix, the company’s video based automation software. Immix® delivers a single platform to manage video surveillance/CCTV, intrusion and fire alarms, access control, and VoIP audio. The mobiDEOS UCNE system enables legacy CCTV systems to be quickly and simply connected through the device and onto Immix for remote monitoring across many locations t...

Matrox® Graphics Inc. recently announced that its next line of multi-display graphics cards will be based on AMD™ GPUs and their corresponding professional grade display drivers. Leveraging over 35 years of experience in board design and manufacturing, Matrox will expand and complement its line of PCI Express®-compliant graphics cards for demanding commercial applications. The soon-to-be-launched product line will enable unique features that solve real-world problems in enterprise,...

In today's world of mobile devices, the number of apps available to the general public is increasing daily - apps that are designed to make our lives simpler and help us be more efficient. With about three-quarters of the world's population having access to a mobile device, it's no surprise that the range of different types of apps available today is so wide and varied. For the general public, there's an app for nearly everything. You can do your banking, order grocerie...

Law enforcement and pure problem-solving skills will play less of a role for the future security director Much effort has been put down in the professionalization of security work. Not only is it a recurring topic of conversation at events for security professionals, but also a formal topic of concern for ASIS – having active task forces devoted to the promotion of professionalization and academization of security practice as well as a recently updated standard (ANSI/ASI...

If a video surveillance system is installed using public funds, should the resulting video therefore be accessible to the public? A poll in the United Kingdom suggests the majority of Britons think it should. 64 percent of 1,345 people surveyed believe that British taxpayers, who pay for cameras placed in public places, should have access to the video feeds through live web streaming. The survey was conducted by installer CCTV.co.uk. There could be advantages to providing public access to vide...

Maintaining a high level of customer service can be a challenging experience when an acquisition takes place.This issue is of particular relevance to the security industry, where merger and acquisition activity continues to rise. We asked some of our Expert Panelists to share their thoughts on how both the acquired company as well as the company making the acquisition can retain the focus on their customers throughout the integration process. Here’s what they had to say.

Many oil and gas companies utilize independent systems for incident management, crisis management and security It’s no secret that the security and fire industry is home to hundreds of suppliers, each competing for a slice of a global $100+ billion market. In niche industries such as oil and gas, where IHS sizes the market for security and fire equipment and services to be more than $1 billion, increased competition has prompted some suppliers to move beyond the integrat...

Quantifying information provides insights for business to improve performance management The ability to measure and analyze the effectiveness of security operations is extremely useful – not only for identifying and addressing an organization’s vulnerabilities, but also for demonstrating security’s mitigating impact on overall risk levels along with the higher-level value security delivers to a business. Brian McIlravey, Co-CEO at PPM, explains how security m...

The school decided to deploy the VIVOTEK network cameras because of their superior image quality The Prairie Hill School District is a gateway community on the North East state line. The District is part suburb and 100% committed to offering the finest instructional program in the area. It believes that an effective instructional program requires a school environment where student safety is top priority. To ensure the safety of its students, as well as staff, the Prairie H...

3xLOGIC, Inc. recently announced the availability of the SONIP FlexIP CPU Card. Supporting 16 Alarm Inputs, 16 Audio Sensor Inputs, and 4 Auxiliary Outputs, FlexIP represents a multi-communication protocol (IP, cell, and modem) plug-and-play upgrade path for legacy SONIP-Series FlexiBase Control Panel users. Developed at 3xLOGIC’s Innovation Center in Orlando, FL, the SONIP FlexIP Card represents the first of many deliverables resulting from the recently announced acquisition of Sonitrol-b...

Viscount Systems, a leading provider of IT-based access control software and services, recently announced that its Freedom Access Control security solution has been approved as a fully-compliant FICAM solution under the program’s Physical Access Control Systems (PACS) 13.02 topology. Successful completion of FICAM testing ensures Freedom meets the security and interoperability requirements outlined within the U.S Government’s FICAM testing process. FICAM (Federal Identity Credential...

Kantech, part of the Security Products business unit of Tyco, the world’s largest pure-play fire protection and security company, announces the release of the Intevo integrated security platform which now includes the latest version of the exacqVision video management system (VMS) software. Designed to unify access control, IP video and intrusion for small to medium size businesses, Intevo seamlessly integrates the Kantech EntraPass software with exacqVision VMS software into a single sol...

HID Global®, a worldwide leader in secure identity solutions, recently announced that its Identification Technologies division has added Near Field Communication (NFC)-readable tags to its rapidly expanding SlimFlex™ Tag portfolio of pliable, high- durability tags. The SlimFlex Tag family has gained wide acceptance in UHF RFID applications due to the tags’ flexible yet robust thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) housings. Today, high frequency (HF) systems can also take advantage of the...

How often have you been caught in the midst of animated chatter and swept up in the anticipation of "the next big thing in X", only to look back and think it was all overhyped? It happens everywhere and with everything, from pop culture movies and new budding artists, to aspects in professional industries such as new consumer products and technology. The security industry certainly has its share of overhyped technology. We asked some of our Panellists on their...

If you had a super power, would you use it for good or evil? The question might typically be the subject of vigorous debate among third graders, but it’s also a question that comes up when you consider technology. Sometimes the benefits of technology are almost like super powers. As much as we seek to apply the powers of technology to security, there is also a criminal element that stands ready to use them with evil intent. Such is the case with drones. We have previously mentioned t...

Matrix SATATYA HVR1624P is a 24 channel enterprise-grade Hybrid Video Recorder which offers the benefits of a highly mature Analog solution and security enhancements of IP solution. Organizations already using analog video surveillance can protect their existing investment in cameras and wiring and add IP cameras at new or critical points. For new video surveillance projects, Matrix SATATYA HVR allows mixed use of analog cameras and IP cameras depending on various factors like image quality, dis...

Centralized PIAM provides necessary security and operational reinforcement Similar to schools, airports and other semi-public facilities, hospitals and other healthcare facilities are grappling with the new reality that dictates stronger and more enforceable access restrictions. In these new circumstances, the need for security must be balanced with the individual’s need to easily move about the hospital by allowing medical staff, visitors or contract workers to go a...

Recent events in Ferguson, Missouri, have drawn huge national attention, and the news story has the potential to dominate headlines and stir controversy nationwide as it plays out over the next few years. Some elements here are similar to the Trayvon Martin case in Florida, a national story that grabbed headlines for years, climaxing in a televised trial and a troubling (for some) verdict that people are still talking about. The Michael Brown shooting case in Ferguson has similarities, but also...

IndigoVision's HD PTZ Dome Camera 11000 Range was perfect for providing high image quality The Banque de la République d'Haïti is the central bank of Haiti, a small Caribbean country in the Greater Antillean archipelago. They wanted to upgrade their existing security system, but were struggling to achieve the image quality they required in their glass foyers, which had changing light conditions. The excellent Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) of IndigoVision's HD PTZ...

RBtec’s IRONCLAD is an armoured passive vibration cable that detects intrusion by algorithm analysis As RBtec Perimeter Security Systems marks nearly 30 years of designing, manufacturing and providing advanced perimeter intrusion detection systems (PIDS), the company is proud to announce yet another successful partnership. The energy company is a full service renewable energy company that develops and operates solar energy stations on commercial, not-for-profit and publ...

Anixter International’s acquisition of Tri-Ed could help to accelerate implementation of IP video and access control by small and mid-sized dealer/integrators. In announcing the $420 million acquisition, Anixter emphasized the opportunity to expand its IP business through the new Tri-Ed customer base that has previously been more focused on analog video as well as access control, intrusion detection and fire/life safety. It’s just one of the opportunities for Anixter to leverage the...

Key control is a very strategic and integral element within a school’s security platform It used to be that the word “lockdown” was only ever used in reference to an emergency protocol to restrict movement in a prison environment. Today however, the term is in common usage in educational and other environments to describe measures taken under certain conditions of threat. In this article, Fernando Pires, VP of Sales and Marketing at Morse Watchmans, explain...

 How might "competing technologies" impact HDcctv’s efforts to gain traction as an alternative to IP? Editor's Note: HDcctv Alliance has announced that Dahua has opened its patented HDCVI technology to the global video surveillance industry as the basis for HDcctv's AT 2.0 standard. For additional elaboration on what the move means to the growing market for higher-resolution CCTV, we approached Todd Rockoff, chairman and executive director of HDcctv Alliance. Sourc...

Seeing surveillance cameras everywhere is becoming more of a norm these days, especially for large cities such as London, New York and Beijing.  Many members of the public have their reservations about this for privacy reasons. Often, this can be solved through educating the greater public about security technologies. However, concerns still remain that such captured data can fall into the "wrong hands". Surveillance footage is meant to be used for security purposes onl...

How much is the security risk each time an employee leaves a company? Unfortunately, many enterprises don’t manage the risk very well. Often, processes for canceling passwords or retrieving physical assets may be slipshod, or even non-existent. Research by IS Decisions highlights the problem: Over a third (36 percent) of desk-based workers in the United States and the United Kingdom are aware of having access to a former employer’s systems or data after leaving an organization. The...

Access Direct is widely recognized for providing sales and marketing support across Canada Samsung Techwin America is pleased to announce that Access Direct Sales Inc. is its new manufacturer’s rep firm for Canada. Headquartered in Ottawa, Access Direct is widely recognized for providing comprehensive sales and marketing support across Canada for leading-edge manufacturers of IP-based solutions. “As a highly successful sales organization with a reputation for prof...

Allegion is changing the way commercial building owners and tenants think about interior building access Allegion plc is highlighting its innovation pipeline, advancements in technology development, and additions to the company's safety and security product portfolio. Electronic locks will be a major component in the evolution of connected and smart-building applications. One product leading the way in the residential sector is the Schlage®Touchscreen Deadbolt. In June, t...