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Home security devices are evolving and expanding their offered features, providing new opportunities for the security industry Home security isn’t just home security anymore. These days cameras, door and window alarms are just pieces of the web–enabled “smart home.” And, the home is getting smarter, as service providers begin to merge home security systems with home automation. The added value of these additional features is now drawing more potential c...

Discussions in our industry about cyber-threats to physical security systems, including IP video, often center around hypotheticals. How might a hacker gain access to a video camera feed? How might he or she enter the larger enterprise system through a software vulnerability related to physical security? We all know assessing threats often involves considering the hypothetical, of course, but we should also seek to learn from actual events in the past. In relation to vulnerabilities of video su...

The vision of a utopian urban future restsheavily on the success of Open Dataand a Cloud Computing paradigm Confronting urban challenges using technology requires the private sector to work in tandem with governments to enable "smart cities." In fact, one report predicts the number of safe cities worldwide will quadruple in the next decade. It’s a topic that is increasingly top-of-mind. For example, the Safe Cities Asia 2015 conference in Singapore in May brought to...

Problems caused by physical systems in terms of cyber-attack are quite extensive, damaging systems and assets  Security experts of various disciplines agree that physical systems are increasingly being leveraged in attacks on organizational networks and supply chains. Many manufacturers maintain that security (including that of security systems) is the responsibility of the end user, which would be fine if they were only expected to maintain security and not create th...

The security industry’s continued migration to networked IP-based systems ensures that PoE will be integral in their design and installation Power over Ethernet (PoE) has without question become the de facto choice of security installers for delivering power to security and access control devices. This should come as no surprise given PoE’s ability to reduce labor and installation costs by delivering power and data over a single cable, thereby increasing overall to...

People using computers to surf the Internet is "so 20th century". Today, the big trend involves machines using the Internet to communicate, exchange and analyze data in what has widely become known of as the Internet of Things. Various security devices are among the IoT components, and how devices connect effectively using the Internet – even devices not related to security – will constitute a large part of the future business of security integrators and installers, whether in the re...

NVRs make it easy to benefit from HD solutions and integrations to access control, alarm systems, intercoms and other technologies Developments in the IP video camera market have a direct impact on the other components in a system. With the emergence of higher definition cameras – whether 4K cameras or 8K or even higher – the market now needs back-end devices that can perform the decoding work. Also, more intelligence is needed, including smart functions such as pe...

7K cameras are best suited for large openspaces such as stadiums and city centers,capturing the finest details in their footage With several manufacturers now offering 4K CCTV cameras, Avigilon, based in Vancouver, B.C., raised the bar in April 2015 with the launch of their 7K HD Pro surveillance solution. The 30-megapixel camera is the latest addition to the company’s Professional Series, an innovative model Avigilon believes will drive competition in the security indus...

With more physical security systems using Internet protocol and being connected to the enterprise IT network, it’s not surprising that the corporate IT department is more involved than ever in the buying decision – for better or worse. Does the IT department bring valuable resources to the table, or are they an impediment to the sales and integration process? It’s not a new issue, but an increasingly important one as the industry changes. We asked this week’s Expert Panel...

Automation is another hallmark of PIAM solutions, which can perform a wide variety of processes that are prone to error if performed manually Security departments in organizations face a number of threats from both internal and external sources, thus forcing security personnel to remain vigilant and aware of the growing number and scope of new and emerging risks. The most powerful weapon in this seemingly endless battle is data. Every organization has it – probably more...

NVRs come preinstalled with latest software releases to minimize setup time Looking for a perfect marriage of hardware and software for a video management system application? A preconfigured network video recorder (NVR) appliance may fit the bill. Consider these advantages of going the NVR appliance route, as suggested by vendor companies contacted by SourceSecurity.com. 1. Greater Freedom Of Deployment NVRs provide more application flexibility – because the recorders...

Hikvision USA’s ascension from virtual obscurity to the upper tier of manufacturers in the U.S. market is being built on the Chinese company’s huge manufacturing capacity – they turn out 50,000 to 60,000 surveillance cameras every day from factories in China. The large capacity enables Hikvision to achieve economies of scale. In effect, they can make high quality video surveillance products at a lower price, a capability that will continue to serve them well as they begin compe...

The open and exposed nature of rail yards exposes railway assets to tremendous risk  The importance of rail transportation in driving the U.S. economy cannot be overstated. In recognition of this, America’s railroads are investing in the infrastructure and technology necessary to improve security for the tracks, bridges, tunnels and other vital components that make up this critical transportation network. The unique security requirements of these assets present a nu...

Software changes constantly. There’s always a new patch or fix, and our computers persistently remind us that an update is available. As a core component of today’s IP networked video systems, video management software (VMS) is also subject to the need to be constantly updated and refined. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable to elaborate: Why is it important that networked video customers keep up to date with the latest version of video management software (VMS)?

Internet of things is worth the resilience trade-offs it demands – effort, thought and inconvenience ‘No society is more than three meals from revolution’ says the old adage. Updating the idea for the Information Age is a revealing, if somewhat worrying, exercise. How resilient are we as a society? Could your company function efficiently after a complete failure in IT? How effective would your employees be if forced to work from home following a collapse in t...

NVR appliances ease analog to IP transition by providing end users with a hybrid-ready product There should be a palatable migration path from a large installed base of analog to the latest IP technology. The biggest missed opportunity related to network video recorder (NVR) NVR appliances in the video surveillance marketplace is effectively using existing analog camera investments while transitioning to the network. For example, IP encoders can be utilized as a bridg...

Product innovation may have slowed in the security market in the second half of the year. On the first day of the ASIS International Show in Anaheim, California, new product introductions seemed few and far between. In fact, most manufacturers were touting small improvements to the products they announced in the spring. Some emphasized that the products unveiled (or “previewed”) in the spring are now fully ready to be shipped. ASIS has historically been more an end user show than an...

Projects can be registered on-line in real-time to ensure rapid acknowledgement and turnaround of registration requests for Arecont Vision® Authorized Resellers Arecont Vision®, the industry leader in IP-based megapixel camera technology, is helping its partners to address their top business challenges quickly and efficiently with its online Project Registration Program. The program enables projects to be registered on-line in real-time to ensure rapid acknowledgement...

NVRs of the past may have been expensive & complicated to use, but today NVRs have user-friendly functionality How much do you know – or think you know – about network video recorder (NVR) appliances? Manufacturers in the sector say there is a lot of misinformation in the market about these workhorse system components. We asked several manufacturers to help us set the record straight. A common misconception among end users is that NVRs lack features and reliab...

Organizations can develop security master plan internally or use the assistance of an independent security consultant Whether it’s a college campus, a healthcare facility or a large corporation, organizations often tackle issues related to security management, operations, programs and technology in a reactionary manner. They often fail to consider the need to plan and develop a written roadmap to define and provide direction for the big picture of their security program....

The industry is counting down to the big industry trade show this fall, the ASIS International 61st Annual Seminar and Exhibits — ASIS 2015 in Anaheim, Calif. What topics will dominate the traditionally end user-based show in a year of shifting technologies and new capabilities on the horizon? We asked our Expert Panel Round Table to weigh in.

Police intelligence can help security directorsto understand the criminal trends across theirarea or city  Corporate security has changed dramatically over the last few years. Traditionally, security has always been associated with physical protection and installation of security systems. In this article, Tom M. Conley, president and CEO of The Conley Group, discusses the importance of information received from law enforcement. A good rapport with law enforcement can help...

NVR appliances are increasingly importantfor businesses incorporating a well-roundedphysical security plan  A major, oft-mentioned advantage of network video recorder (NVR) appliances is their ease of installation and use. These machines come pre-installed with software and are as close to plug-and-play as you can get in the IP video surveillance world. NVRs are also being designed to support 4K technology as well withstand a variety of applications and uses.  W...

Airbus Defense and Space has developed a Counter-UAV System which detects illicit intrusions of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) over critical areas at long ranges and offers electronic countermeasures minimizing the risk of collateral damage. “All over the world, incidents with universally available small drones have revealed a security gap with regards to critical installations such as military barracks, airports or nuclear plants”, says Thomas Müller, head of the Electronics...

Network video recorders (NVRs) are at the center of today’s IP video systems. The video surveillance market includes a wide range of NVR choices for integrators and end users alike. NVR appliances include purpose-built machines that have embedded software systems as well as servers that are sold by video management system (VMS) software vendors and that have been pre-installed and preconfigured with their latest software capabilities. This article will take a loo...

IP video recording systems offer high-resimaging, speed & analytics to its end users  Familiarity With Analog Systems Familiarity is one factor in the slow conversion of casino customers to IP technologies. Many end users and integrators are comfortable with and have long-term experience with the more simplistic analog systems. However, as IP systems continue to become easier to install and maintain with more plug-and-play technology, this dynamic should ch...

In a school security lockdown, teachers typically display red or green cards on the doors or in the windows of their classrooms. The manual procedure uses red cards to alert to a crisis condition; green cards designate that everything is safe inside the classroom or office. Color-Coded Crisis Management System Physical security company Sielox has adapted the idea of using a color scheme to characterize an emergency situation into its electronic security system. CLASS [Crisis Lockdown Alert Sta...

 IP is here and is continuing to proliferate in the security industry and its next major advancement is in pure IP access control IP technologies in the security industry are nearly ubiquitous today. End users and integrators have adopted and embraced IP cameras, building automation systems, wireless mesh networks, alarms, monitoring, and regularly view all of these technologies from the palm of their hand, on their smart phone. The technologies are easier to in...

Increases in the number of cameras and storage capacity have created an overabundance of video information that is difficult to manage  Investment in video surveillance technology continues to increase as technology improves and security equipment becomes more affordable. Companies invest in video surveillance primarily to protect people and property, for both deterrence and more crucially for incident response. While there’s no doubt that the systems can...

Executive protection can be costly, but it isa fraction of the loss that protecting a topexecutive could prevent  Corporate security departments work hard to protect people and property. Executive protection is one of the key components of corporate security services. In fact, many corporate security departments are now taking on this new responsibility. “We are seeing more companies adopting executive protection as a normal part of corporate security,” says B...