Tom Buckley

PSA, a large consortium of professional systems integrators, announced the addition of Qumulex, to its Managed Security Service Provider Program (MSSP). Qumulex offers a cloud-based, unified access control and video surveillance solution for physical security integrators that serve commercial markets. Modern progressive web app “Qumulex designs products that make the transition from legacy systems to the cloud, easier and more manageable,” said Tim Brooks, Vice President of sales and vendor management for PSA. “This hybrid model allows customers to be both on-premises and in the cloud without having to entirely replace a legacy system. We are very pleased to add Qumulex to our lineup of products.” Qumulex’s video management and access control system is browser-based, using a mobile-first, modern progressive web app that runs on any device with a browser. The Qumulex open platform assures maximum flexibility for security integrators to choose best of breed cameras, door controllers, switches, analytics, and cloud integrations. Migrate on-premises installations to cloud “We’re very pleased to partner with PSA and provide its members a video surveillance and access control platform to migrate their customers from on-premises installations to the cloud and recurring revenue,“ said Tom Buckley, VP Sales & Marketing on Qumulex. “With Qumulex, dealers have one modern, easy to use platform which they can easily manage all of their customers and provide remote setup and support.” PSA’s MSSP program hinges on uniting pioneering partners in cybersecurity and cloud-based security solutions, offering training and certification opportunities and financing options with assistance from PSA.

Qumulex Inc. is proud to announce that Adam Messina is joining the team as Regional Sales Manager. Messina brings his over 20 years of security experience to Qumulex, with an emphasis on enhancing sales and building market awareness. Prior to joining, he served as President of ThinkReps, a manufacturer’s rep firm based in New York. Under his leadership, the company represented high profile security product manufacturers in the New York Metropolitan area and helped increase sales revenue yearly.  Cloud-Based video surveillance Prior to that, Adam held Regional Sales Director positions with Tyco Security Products, Exacq, OnSSi and I.D. Sales & Associates. “Adam brings a wealth of experience and channel knowledge to Qumulex, and is well versed in selling cloud-based video surveillance and access control solutions,” said Tom Buckley, VP Sales & Marketing, Qumulex. “Adam is a key addition to our growing sales team.” “The platform Qumulex has created is exactly what the security integrator channel has been asking for, and enables them to easily migrate video and access customers from on-premises to the cloud and recurring revenue,” said Messina. Messina is joining Qumulex at its release of QxControl, a Unified video surveillance and access control platform that is browser-based, using modern tools and user interface.

Qumulex is a new startup with a mission to provide physical security integrators a transition path to embrace the technology of the cloud and a subscription-based business model. Qumulex’s products seek to provide capabilities to embrace the cloud without an integrator having to turn their back completely on the ‘transactional revenue’ of installing new systems. As the transition happens, Qumulex offers a product line that supports any mix of systems from on-premises to the cloud. The flexible deployment model – enabling a cloud installation, an on-premise installation or any combination – is one of the ways Qumulex seeks to differentiate itself in the market. Installing fully on-Premise system The Qumulex cloud-based platform uses a gateway device located on-premises to which local cameras are connected The system is designed so that an integrator can install a fully on-premise system and then later ‘flip a switch’ and transition to a cloud model, says Tom Buckley, VP Sales and Marketing. The Qumulex initial 1.0 system launch is currently entering its final beta test. Full commercial availability is expected in the first quarter of 2020, which the company will highlight in a bigger 20x20 booth at ISC West next year. The Qumulex cloud-based platform uses a gateway device located on-premises to which local cameras are connected. Ensuring cybersecurity, the gateway provides a ‘firewall’ of sorts to avoid any cybersecurity threat from entering an enterprise through a vulnerable IP camera. The system is designed to be ‘cloud-agnostic’ and to work with any public or private cloud, using Docker software and ‘containers,’ a standard unit of software that packages code and all its dependencies so an application runs quickly and reliably from one computing environment to another. At launch, the Qumulex system will use the Google cloud. Greater situational awareness The open platform approach will enable users to assemble best-of-breed solutions Another point of differentiation for the new platform is a unified access control and video surveillance environment – both are part of the same program. Access control can drive video events and vice versa for greater situational awareness. A unified system avoids having to integrate separate systems. A big emphasis for Qumulex is ease of use. They have designed the user interface to be as simple and intuitive as possible, using consumer-oriented systems such as Nest and the Ring Doorbell as a model of simplicity. Finally, the open platform approach will enable users to assemble best-of-breed solutions. Keeping it simple, the system offers native integration with only the major camera manufacturers that represent most of the market: Axis, Hanwha, Arecont, Panasonic, Vivotek and Sony. Longer-Term storage Other cameras can be included using the ONVIF interface. On the access control side, the system will initially be compatible with Axis door controllers, Allegion wireless door locks and ASSA ABLOY Aperio wireless door locks. Future versions of the software will seek to integrate HID Edge and Vertx and eventually Mercury panels. The gateway device may incorporate only a solid-state drive (SSD) for buffering Qumulex is taking a ‘mobile-first’ approach. The software is designed as a ‘progressive web app,’ which means is it is adaptable to – and fully functioning in – any smart phone, mobile device, laptop, or on a desktop computer with multiple monitors. The gateway device may incorporate only a solid-state drive (SSD) for buffering, or as many hard drives as the customer wants for storage. Short-term storage is available in the cloud, but local hard drives may be used for longer-term storage which can get expensive given the monthly fees of cloud storage. Using third-Party server To manage the variety of scenarios, Qumulex will offer a line of gateways and recorders, or a customer can use a third-party server along with Qumulex, which is an open system. Qumulex will use a manufacturer’s representative sales model and has already signed up 11 rep firms covering the United States (the initial target of the launch). The company has been spreading the word among integrators, too, first at the ISC West show last spring, when 98 integrators saw demonstrations of the system at a suite in the Palazzo. Another 48 integrators saw the system at ESX in Indianapolis in June. At the recent GSX show in Chicago, Qumulex had a booth on the show floor, where they scanned 450 badges that yielded 176 unique integrators. Entering the physical security market Qumulex just closed a second round of funding, which does not include any ‘institutional’ money Buckley estimates there are around 10,000 total security integrators in the United States that sell products similar to theirs at their price point. They are working to build their database to reach out to those integrators. (Exacq had more than 4,500 dealer/integrators before it was sold to Tyco/Johnson Controls.) Qumulex is the third company to enter the physical security market by the same team that launched two other successful startups in the last 20 years: Exacq Technologies (sold to Tyco in 2013) and Integral Technologies (sold to Andover Controls in 2000). Both previous companies were built around a need to help the integrator community transition to newer technologies. Qumulex just closed a second round of funding, which does not include any ‘institutional’ money. The first round of investment involved only the founders, and the second round added some ‘angel’ investors to the mix. The funding allows more flexibility and control over the company’s timeline and the evolution of the product’s feature set, free of outside mandates, says Buckley.

The Emerging Technology Zone (ETZ) at ISC West welcomes new startups to the security industry; a requirement for exhibitors is that they have been in business for five years or less. This year, the ETZ will be in the Venetian Ballroom, a new section at ISC West 2019, incorporating companies that were previously featured in the “Global Expo” area along with mid-sized domestic companies and the return of the successful Emerging Technology Zone section. Now located in the Venetian Ballroom adjacent to the Sands Convention Center, this group of exhibitors will also have three large entrances of their own. Latest Technology Companies The ETZ will be a draw in and of itself and will do better for us than being on the main show floor" “The Emerging Technology Zone is a place for attendees to see the latest technology companies all in one place, rather than searching out individual companies all over the main show floor,” says Tom Buckley, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, for Qumulex, a 2019 exhibitor in the Emerging Technology Zone (ETZ). “The ETZ was an easy choice for us and is, in fact, the deciding factor in our taking a booth,” says Buckley. “As a technology startup, we wanted to be located with the other new companies. The ETZ will be a draw in and of itself and will do better for us than being on the main show floor.” Consistent Customer Lifetime Qumulex (Booth 40932) was formed in late 2018 by the founders of Exacq and Infinias. The new mobile-first, unified video surveillance and access control platform enables security integrators to increase recurring revenue and achieve consistent customer lifetime value, says Buckley. ”We are launching in the fall of 2019 but are exhibiting at ISC West due to early interest from security integrators wanting an early preview of what is coming.” Also among the 40 or so exhibitors in the Emerging Technology Zone will be a range of new technologies, from artificial intelligence (AI) to cloud solutions to wearables to lighting solutions and more. Video Analytics Platform Simple, intuitive situational awareness platform that gives first responders a tactical advantage Another ETZ exhibitor is ZeroEyes (Booth 40821), an intelligent video analytics platform, powered by AI, to detect weapons and recognize faces in real time. The company’s goal is to provide school administrators and decision-makers with a simple, intuitive situational awareness platform that gives first responders a tactical advantage. The company was founded by five former Navy SEALS with a combined 50 years of combat experience. “Our platform is being developed right now and has hit an inflection point where artificial intelligence and graphics processors are both capable enough and cost effective,” says Mike Lahiff, ZeroEyes CEO. “This technology is just at the point where it is ready for a wider release and not just for early adopters.” The company will be doing live demonstrations of the product in real time. “It is one thing to tell everyone our capabilities, but it is much more powerful to show our capabilities,” says Rob Huberty, ZeroEyes COO. “We will have cameras set up that are typical of school security systems. These cameras will be linked to the best available hardware on the market. We will showcase our software as it will actually be used in practice.” Companies At ETZ Last year’s Emerging Technology Zone, located downstairs on the lower level of the Sands Convention Center, had a lot of foot traffic and created positive feedback. Some of last year’s Emerging Technology Zone companies are exhibiting in the main exhibit hall this year, emphasising its role as a ‘stepping stone’ as new companies enter the market and then achieve critical mass. This year’s ETZ exhibitors will be looking for a similar level of results from the show. Our expectation is to demonstrate the huge value proposition in proactive security solutions in schools" “We will quantify our success at ISC West in the number of partners and integrators that decide they cannot live without our product,” says Lahiff. “Our expectation is to demonstrate the huge value proposition in proactive security solutions in schools. We want to have partners after the show ready to install our product.” Pre-show preparation will help ensure success. “We are inviting prospects and arranging demos ahead of time,” says Buckley of Qumulex. “Success at any trade show starts before the show. We’re fairly certain about the turnout we will get and the level of interest that integrators will have. We are sending out invites to several thousand security integrators to gain early interest. We also have a suite off the show floor for more in-depth demos.” Affordable Solutions The Emerging Technology Zone, along with the other exhibitors in the Venetian Ballroom, will be among the must-see highlights of ISC West. “Attendees will get to see the future in security,” says Huberty. “They will see actual solutions that are affordable and make sense. These solutions will have a clear value proposition.”

Exacq Technologies, part of the Security Products business unit of Tyco, a leading manufacturer of video management system (VMS) software and servers used for video surveillance, has announced an integration with the Proximex Surveillint physical security information management (PSIM) solution. Surveillint connects and correlates information from disparate systems into one centralized environment to help mitigate risk, ensure compliance and lower total cost of ownership. The exacqVision /Proximex Surveillint integration enables users to leverage the intuitive exacqVision VMS features within the Surveillint module. Video and events from the exacqVision server are delivered, synchronized and displayed through the Surveillint user interface along with events and notifications from a wide range of other physical security systems including access control, video analytics, perimeter security, storage solutions and more. With this integration, end users can further analyze and display live and recorded video with associated events and cameras (sensors) within a single platform, minimizing response time to security risks and threats. Key features of the integration include the ability to manage the following VMS functions from the Surveillint interface: Create soft triggers and event links Detect cameras automatically Link events to show video correlated with sensors pre-programmed in Surveillint Control pan-tilt-zoom presets, snapshots and exported video “The partnership with Proximex further develops our collaboration with PSIM solutions,” said Tom Buckley, Vice President Sales & Marketing, Exacq Technologies. “Combining our exacqVision VMS functionality into Surveillint provides a complete surveillance system for easily managing security.” This integration requires exacqVision server 6.0 or later with a current exacqVision Professional or Enterprise license.

Exacq Technologies, part of the Security Products business unit of Tyco, introduces the ability to seamlessly “bookmark” important video, audio and data with the release of exacqVision 6.2—the latest release of the company’s Video Management System (VMS) software. Version 6.2 also includes EasySupport for streamlined online technical support; and the ability to quickly find important cash register and other point-of-sale (POS) data with Transacq Search. In addition to software for the client and server, this release also includes updates to the Exacq Mobile app, the exacqVision web client and Enterprise System Manager (ESM), a health monitoring program for use with exacqVision networked video recorders (NVRs). With bookmarking and case management, exacqVision users can permanently save, label and manage important video, audio and data to an exacqVision server. Users can name and add notes to each bookmark. Additionally, all bookmarks are retained and protected against deletion. Users of exacqVision Enterprise have the added Case Management feature which allows for multiple bookmarks to be arranged into “cases” for powerful and simplified viewing, exporting and administration. “Bookmarking and Case Management allows our users to permanently reference important video on their exacqVision servers without having to leave their client interface,” notes Tom Buckley, Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Exacq Technologies. “It makes organizing and accessing important data for investigations much easier and quicker.” exacqVision 6.2 adds the new EasySupport feature with the addition of the “Support Diagnostics” option on the client. With a few clicks, a user can automatically send important system information directly to the exacqVision technical support team where it is typically viewed and responded to within a single business day. The exacqVision VMS now supports over 1,900 IP camera models from the industry’s leading manufacturers including ACTi, American Dynamics, Arecont Vision, Axis Communications, Bosch, IQinVision, Panasonic, Pelco, Samsung, Sony and Vivotek. The latest release adds client-side dewarping support for “fisheye” or panoramic lens cameras from both American Dynamics and Samsung. Client-side dewarping enables the user to flatten out and zoom throughout a fisheye or panoramic video image directly from the exacqVision client. This works in both live and recorded video and only requires a single stream of video from the camera.  Multi-streaming is now available on certain Bosch, JVC and Samsung cameras. This allows for multiple streams of video to be viewed and recorded simultaneously. The latest Exacq Mobile app (Version 3.6) for iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8 devices allows users to view and utilie video meta-data for a timeline search. The video meta-data is displayed under the recorded video to indicate motion, alarm and continuous recording events in the same way as the exacqVision client and web client. Support for Active Directory and LDAP is now available for the Exacq Mobile app and the exacqVision web service for exacqVision Enterprise users. Active Directory and LDAP are commonly used by IT administrators to provide user privileges throughout an entire domain type network. The web client has also added the powerful thumbnail search feature that is available on the native client. The exacqVision Enterprise Server Manager (ESM) allows users to maximize the uptime of large exacqVision deployments while reducing overall administrator maintenance time. The latest release of ESM (Version 2.6) adds a powerful new e-mail rules engine design that makes it easy to define e-mail notification rules using natural language “if/then” structure. Start/stop rules and other specific rules can also be created for individual servers, server groups and cameras. The exacqVision VMS is accessed with the freely distributed exacqVision client software (Windows/Linux/Mac), the exacqVision free web client available for all leading web browsers (Google Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari and Opera), as well as the free Exacq Mobile app for iOS, Android and Windows Phone 8 devices. The VMS software is included with pre-configured exacqVision NVR servers or it can be installed on third-party Windows or Linux based systems.