Building security - Expert commentary
Whether you are a veteran in the access control world or have never installed a card reader before, there are always ways to increase profits in the ever-evolving world of access control. The hope is that by considering a few key focal points, you can find ways to increase market share. Whether we are releasing an electronic lock through a simple intercom button or using biometric and multi-authentication based on a database; the tactics for bringing on more revenue is the same. Learning to focu...
As we approach National Safe Schools Week (October 21-27), it is appropriate for a conversation to begin regarding establishing standards for K12 school security. Currently no standards exist for assisting schools navigate the complexity of understanding what they need, how much it will cost and how they will secure their learning environments. Security Industry Experts The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) is one of the organizations at the forefront of establishing security standards...
In today’s market, efficient use of bandwidth and storage is an essential part of maintaining an effective video surveillance system. A video management system’s ability to provide analysis, real time event notifications and crucial image detail is only as a good as the speed and bandwidth of a surveillance network. In the physical security industry, H.264 is the video compression format used by most companies. Some companies also employ H.264 enhancements to compress areas of an im...
Governments and corporations face crisis events every day. An active shooter terrorizes a campus. A cyber extortionist holds a city for ransom. A hurricane washes away a key manufacturing facility. Not all critical events rise to the level of these catastrophic emergencies, but a late or inadequate response to even a minor incident can put people, operations and reputations at risk. Effective Response Plan In 2015, for example, the City of Boston experienced several record-breaking snowstorms...
If you’re responsible for a medium or large-sized office, it’s more important than ever that you have access to a means of ensuring people’s safety, managing risks and fraud, and protecting property. Any security system that you employ must therefore meet the most demanding commercial requirements of today’s offices, and tomorrow’s. This means thinking beyond a basic intrusion system and specifying a comprehensive solution that integrates smart features like access...
Schools today are charged to provide an environment that is both safe and conducive to learning, which can be difficult considering the range of security incidents and challenges they face, including bullying, fights, graffiti, theft and more. In addition to working within often tight budgetary constraints, a main challenge is to provide the highest level of security in an aesthetically pleasing way that doesn’t make students feel as if they are in prison. While these two needs may seem...
The Internet of Things (IoT) is having a significant and ever-changing impact on the way we view video security. Today, cameras are expected to be so much more than devices with which to simply capture images; they need to be far smarter than that. These future-facing cameras are becoming an integral part of the vast digital connectivity infrastructure, delivering a parallel performance as intelligent sensors with the ability to extract the kind of invaluable data that helps businesses make impr...
When asked about what the market should be thinking about in 2018, I am left offering an answer that serves as an urgent call to action: Prepare yourself for change! The security industry is soon likely to see a dramatic shift from the traditional segmentation of commercial and residential security. Smart phones, mobile technologies, cloud computing, and having everything provided ‘as a service’ in peoples’ lives means users of buildings have a new set of expectations. In many...
There was a time when one of our biggest challenges was securing our physical assets, whether that was our people or our property from crime. We researched and deployed the very latest in video solutions, intrusion systems, fire alarms and access control devices, all in an effort to keep the bad guys out and the good guys safe, along with protecting our facilities from break-ins, robberies and countless other crimes. However, times are changing. No longer must we only be concerned about keepin...
2017 was an incredible year for VuTeur and the industry as a whole, as security has become a primary focus for stakeholders, now more than ever. VuTeur introduced its proprietary IRIS (Internal Real-time Intelligence Software) technology this year, which is part of its emergency management and asset protection solution. IRIS leverages real-time location services (RTLS) technology and utilizes the existing WiFi infrastructure in a building to create a personal, mobile safety...
Consumer confidence is its highest in a long time, and the unemployment rate is very low. This confidence in the economy is spurring investment in new facilities and expansion of facilities, and that’s driving security industry growth. Workplace Violence Issue Against this backdrop, another factor is on the rise and it’s not good: More violence in the workplace, possibly more than ever before. This is causing a shift in security strategy: the C-suite is increasingly less intereste...
The optical speed lane and turnstile sector of the security market has had a very busy 2017. Growth in commercial construction has provided more opportunity. Innovations in technology have given speed lane manufacturers an opportunity to deliver a better product. Orion Sales Increase And Company Growth Orion Entrance Control, Inc., had a great 2017 as sales increased and our company grew. We attribute our success to the unique approach we have taken since day one: providing customized pr...
In the wake of Securing New Ground event in New York City in 2016, the Security Industry Association (SIA) published an inaugural “Security Megatrends” report that assessed for major “megatrends” for the security industry in 2017. 10 Major Megatrends Only days ago, SIA published “Security Megatrends: The 2018 Vision for the Security Industry,” again identifying 10 major megatrends to watch in the year ahead. SIA saw a great deal of activity unfold in 2017, a...
This year has unfolded generally as predicted. Complete solutions have enabled IP video to further penetrate the small to medium business markets. IP convergence opened up new fast-growing markets for IP intercoms and IP audio systems. The preponderance of IoT devices has driven cybersecurity efforts to new heights. In addition, lower prices, along with the increasing investment needed in R&D to keep pace with rapidly changing technology, have led to market consolidation. IoT Creates Oppor...
In 2017 we saw a lot of new construction projects, and many existing buildings upgraded their security systems to include high-resolution cameras and better-quality recording systems. Because the economy is stronger, many businesses and municipalities increased their security budgets for large-scale and public projects due to terrorism threats in public places. Smart Cities Became More Popular One of the bigger trends we saw in 2017 is the growing popularity of sm...
The physical security market continues to experience growth as users look to capitalize on the promises of emerging technologies and because of this, 2017 proved to be a great year for Oncam. In fact, this year was the best year in Oncam's history in terms of sales, as 360-degree fisheye cameras have gone from being a “specialty” camera used only in certain applications to a primary device for enabling total situational awareness. Today, many of our customers leverage 360-degree ca...
During 2017, we’ve enjoyed stable economic growth for a number of years now; we’re not running into as much resistance for security entrances as we did, say, seven to nine years ago. Hardening Perimeters Against Active Shooters Compared to other security products such as cameras and card readers, security entrances are a big investment and considered somewhat of a luxury: during downturns we’re among the first to hit the “cutting room floor.” Now, however, fueled...
The term “smart city” gets thrown around a lot nowadays, but as different technologies that strive to be defined in this way are adopted by different countries globally, the meaning of this phrase gets lost in translation. The simplest way to define a “smart city” is that it is an urban area that uses different types of data collecting sensors to manage assets and resources efficiently. One of the most obvious types of “data collecting sensor” is the video ca...
The number of security cameras in use today is growing exponentially. At the same time, resolutions are getting higher and higher. These two factors are placing heavy demands on servers and storage equipment. Of course, the capacity of these systems is also increasing, but that alone does not make the equipment truly suitable for the most demanding applications - such as camera surveillance. A video stream is not comparable to 'normal' data, for which storage systems are usually designed. This a...
A tipping point is defined as: “The point at which a series of changes becomes significant enough to cause a larger, more important change”. In the same way that IP video changed surveillance a decade ago, our industry is now feeling the impact of recent developments in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Deep Learning, Big Data, and Intelligent Video Analysis. Keyword Definitions Let’s start with a few more definitions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) deals with the sim...
In recent years, organizations have transformed the way we prepare, respond to and manage emergency situations globally. Through the rapid uptake of new technologies, organizations can accurately account for their individuals in the event of an emergency and maintain the safety of their employees and visitors. In the event of an emergency in an organization, an efficient and rapid evacuation is of the utmost importance, as hundreds or thousands of people need to be evacuated as quickly as possi...
Access control and security entrance integration is a specialized discipline. It is true that security entrances require only a dry contact and can integrate with virtually any access control system, but there are some things to be considered when researching the right access control system for your organization’s security goals. After 21 years’ experience in the security industry—four of those serving as an advisor for security solutions to dozens of Fortune 1000 companies&md...
The threat of international terrorism has changed the way the domestic security industry thinks about protection, just as much as it has for national security services. While violent attacks and terrorism were once predominantly aimed at government, military or political establishments, an uncertain global political climate means the ability to rapidly lock down facilities has risen to the top of any organization’s security wish list. In reality though, just how easy is it for most organi...
In the digital age, speed has never been more critical. Customers expect an instant response to a query. Executives expect sales data on their tablets in front of them in real-time. A site manager at an oil refinery needs an instant alert about a defective valve. An IT manager expects to know about a phishing email before it hits his employees’ inboxes. The 'need for speed' is impacting the physical security sector too. Customers increasingly expect their security systems to identify and...
Recent research shows most access control technology currently in use is not as secure or convenient as many security managers believe, according to day-to-day users of the system. In this HID Global white paper, you will discover what different companies look for in an access control system, why certain legacy access control systems may be vulnerable to attack, and why upgrading to a new access control system can result in huge benefit for enterprises and end users. Find Out M...
A new study reveals that intelligent fire detection systems have the potential to unlock more than 30 percent cost-savings on routine maintenance checks through real-time, data-driven remote monitoring. Kevin Mears, Product Manager for Kentec Electronics, describes how remote monitoring and predictive maintenance can meet the competitive challenges of the digital age. Leading economists have identified the convergence and synergies delivered by The Internet of Things – the interconnection...
The security industry as we all understand it today is due for a much-needed paradigm shift. The solutions that security dealers and integrators are installing and deploying today have advanced considerably and for many, those systems do an excellent job safeguarding the homes and small businesses of their customers. However, all of those installed solutions have one inherent flaw: traditional fire alarms and security systems are only reactive in nature. By reactive, we mean that although today...
The need for interoperability, which is making different types of devices or technologies communicate with one another, is certainly nothing new in our industry. At Anixter, we have been testing interoperability in our Infrastructure Solutions Lab for many years, connecting devices and clients from different suppliers to our test server site to ensure that integrations and multi-supplier solutions are going to work correctly for our customers in real-world scenarios. Open Standards In Access Co...
Remember the old adage “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts?” Nowhere is that truism more evident than when you add network video to the current generation of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions. Whether we’re talking about industrial IoT applications, “Smart – X” (city, building, parking etc.) or retail operations, integrating network video into the solution provides value far beyond simple situational awareness. Optimising Sophisticated Video Tec...
In today’s connected world, network intrusions and breaches have become a way of life, as hackers and cybercriminals work constantly to discover and exploit vulnerabilities. Because businesses of all sizes rely on their IT infrastructure to a growing degree, technology providers are working just as hard to stay ahead of would-be attackers. However, it’s difficult if not impossible to eliminate every potential threat. Therefore, it is highly likely that most organizations will suffer...
