Hybrid security

360 Vision Technology, the UK manufacturer of ruggedized HD, radar, and thermal PTZ imaging cameras, has enabled a flexible, CCTV town center network extension and replacement program for Plymouth City Council. “Starting over 2 years ago, 360 Vision has assisted us to make a painless transition from an analog camera network to an IP one, by the use of their clever Invictus Hybrid camera technology,” says Stuart Venn, CCTV & Street Lighting Engineer, Street Services, Plymouth City Council. IP transmission “To explain, at the time, we were operating a completely analog network and needed to replace some of our cameras that were beginning to fail." "However, we didn’t want to just replace them with the same style of analog technology, because we had a long-term vision to upgrade to complete IP transmission, once funding and the right technology became available." 360 Vision Invictus camera “Additionally, and ideally, we wanted a solution we could apply piecemeal, one area at a time, in our vast system. Not only would budgets not allow us to replace the entire camera network in one hit, but we could not afford the system downtime that switching all the network to IP transmission in one go would require." “So, to bridge the gap and having consulted with camera manufacturers at the time, we found 360 Vision Technology offered the only system that would fit the bill for us, and therefore deployed the innovative 360 Vision Invictus camera, with its high-performance Hybrid technology." Modern functionality and quality "This enabled us to procure replacement analog cameras with all the modern functionality and quality we required but with the built-in capability to turn them into IP transmission devices, literally, at the flick of a switch once our network had become IP ready." “Additionally, as well as transmission, we were also looking to update our control room VMS to IP technology, so the ability to ‘switch’ our new cameras’ transmission when we did this was critical to the project." Hybrid camera technology “The Invictus Hybrid camera technology has proved to be a great solution for us, that has bridged the gap between the analog and IP transmission worlds and importantly, meant that we didn’t waste investment on new analog-only cameras that would eventually be replaced long before the end of their service life." “To date in this rolling project, we have installed 70 Invictus Hybrid cameras across the network, updating an area at a time as and when necessary and our budgets allowed. This meant that we had several small projects of camera replacement, instead of one big one.” IP network “Each time a camera was replaced, we instantly saw a vast improvement in image quality, with more detail and ease of control for operators." "An IP network brings recording and playback benefits too. With an IP network with digital recording, we can send images to other agencies such as Police and departments instantly, dramatically improving our response to incidents and continually improving our service.” Cutting-edge camera surveillance Jason Wyatt, National Account Manager at 360 Vision Technology says, “Using the Invictus Ruggedised Hybrid PTZ camera in its true dual Hybrid mode (video and control), has allowed Plymouth City Council to add new, cutting-edge camera surveillance to their existing analog system over the years, without the requirement for an immediate infrastructure upgrade." "As their existing infrastructure changes to IP, the council can benefit from stunning HD imaging and IP control at the flick of a switch, with no other camera hardware changes involved.”

Genetec Inc., a major technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations, and business intelligence solutions, is pleased to announce its debut at PropTech Connect, taking place at the InterContinental Hotel in London from the 4th to the 5th of September 2024. This two-day event connects real estate businesses, investors, and policymakers across Europe to explore the transformative power of technology in shaping the future of real estate. Genetec Security Center SaaS Genetec will showcase its latest physical security innovations for the commercial real estate market, alongside its technology partner - Smart Spaces. Among the innovations on display will be Genetec Security Center SaaS, its new enterprise-grade, unified physical security-as-a-service solution. Cybersecurity and privacy Genetec Security Center SaaS allows real estate organizations to move their security components to the cloud Based on a hybrid-SaaS architecture, it allows real estate organizations to move their security components to the cloud based on their needs and requirements using a combination of cloud-native services and cloud-managed appliances, with storage and processing at the edge. Built with cybersecurity and privacy at its core, it combines access control, video management, forensic search, intrusion monitoring, automation, and many other advanced security capabilities. Unified system The Genetec team will showcase the capabilities of the solution at a live demo station located at the Smart Spaces stand. "We’re excited to attend PropTech Connect for the first time and demonstrate our intelligent approach to securing buildings. Our unified system connects security devices, sensors, and data into one interface, enabling commercial property owners to analyze and proactively respond to threats," comments Viet Tang, Account Executive at Genetec. Operational efficiency and sustainability Viet Tang adds, "Beyond security, our platform also enhances operational efficiency and supports sustainability initiatives - whether by monitoring occupancy levels or reducing energy consumption when spaces are unoccupied." He continues, "The era of smart buildings is here, and we are thrilled to be at the forefront of this transformation."

Blackline Safety Corp., a global pioneer in connected safety technology, is pleased to announce the appointment of Robin Kooyman, CFA, MBA, as the company's new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) effective September 9, 2024. Kooyman brings 15 years of global experience in finance, capital markets, and strategic leadership, having held prominent positions with Brookfield Corporation, TD Securities, and RBC Capital Markets in Canada, the U.S., and the UK. Robin Kooyman She joins Blackline Safety from Charger Ready Properties, an energy transition business, where she served as CFO establishing the accounting, finance, IT, and legal functions. Previously, she served as CFO at Certarus, a rapidly growing North American distributor of low-carbon energy solutions. During her term, the company saw its adjusted EBITDA double and was acquired by Superior Plus for over $1 billion in 2023. Work experience Kooyman brings extensive experience in the capital markets having held positions as Head of Global Clients During her tenure as a Senior Vice President of Investor Relations at Brookfield Renewable in London, England, she played a pivotal role in boosting stock market visibility and supporting over C$1.0 billion in equity issuance. Kooyman also brings extensive experience in the capital markets having held positions as Head of Global Clients - Europe, Global Equity Sales for RBC Capital Markets, and Director of Institutional Equities at TD Securities. "I am thrilled to join Blackline Safety at this attractive inflection point in its growth story, building on its strong foundations," said Kooyman. Energy, drive, and global experience "Blackline Safety is defined by helping workers come home safely every night, and it is clear that the market opportunity is immense," added Kooyman. "I am delighted to welcome Robin to Blackline Safety as Chief Financial Officer. Robin brings the skills and experience required as we enter our next phase of expansion," said Cody Slater, CEO and Chair of Blackline, adding "Her energy, drive, and global experience will undoubtedly contribute to our financial strategy and support our mission to transform the industrial workforce." Seamless transition Mr. Slater continued, "On behalf of the Board, I would also like to acknowledge and thank Elisa Khuong for acting as Interim CFO and supporting a seamless transition." He adds, "We will continue to benefit from her extensive expertise as she resumes her role as Vice President, Accounting & Corporate Controller effective upon Robin's appointment." Kooyman's education As a CFA Charterholder and with an MBA from the London School of Business, Kooyman also brings leadership in developing sustainability strategies and establishing strong ESG credentials. In addition, she volunteers on the Board of Wood’s Homes Foundation, serves on the Limited Partner Advisory Committee (LPAC) for The 51 (Fund II), and regularly mentors women through Women in Capital Markets (VersaFi).

Commvault, a provider of cyber resilience and data protection solutions for the hybrid cloud announced an expansion of its cyber and data security ecosystem through strategic integrations with an array of security partners: Acante, Dasera, Google Cloud, Splunk, and Wiz.   Cyber resilience These integrations play a key role in helping joint customers advance cyber resilience in a variety of ways across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments from identifying potential threats or anomalies, to understanding where sensitive data exists, to accelerating clean recoveries. These bi-directional integrations also empower customers to use their preferred security, data protection, and cyber recovery solutions. Recovery ability Only 13% of organizations are equipped to effectively defend against and rapidly recover from cyberattacks Security operations teams can leverage these integrations to help better understand risks and threats, defend against them, and recover with confidence. The need for these types of integrations has never been more critical or timely.  According to a recent study commissioned by Commvault and conducted by GigaOm, only 13% of organizations are equipped to effectively defend against and rapidly recover from cyberattacks, with 54% of these organizations expressing full confidence in their recovery abilities. For more on these findings, read the 2024 Cyber Recovery Readiness Report.   Cyber security, DSPM, and AI “Commvault is committed to partnering with industry leaders in cyber security, data security posture management (DSPM), and artificial intelligence (AI) with one goal in mind to help customers advance their security posture,” said Rajiv Kottomtharayil, Chief Product Officer, Commvault. “It takes a village to fight today’s cyber threats, and through these integrations, we help enable our customers to build a bridge towards true organizational resilience.”   Advance data discovery Integrations with these partners continue to advance data discovery and classification, cyber resilience, and cyber security.  Acante: Acante's data access governance solution for modern data and AI clouds empowers data teams to radically simplify and dramatically accelerate precise, secure, and compliant access to their fast-growing critical data.   Dasera: Offers DSPM solutions that help companies identify where sensitive structured and unstructured data is, automate data security and governance, and rapidly find, flag, and fix data security risks.   Google Threat Intelligence: Provides unmatched threat visibility and actionable context powered by AI to help organizations proactively set defenses, hunt efficiently, and investigate and respond to new and novel threats. With a Google Threat Intelligence licensed API key, customers can realize a seamless experience to investigate Commvault-detected threats without jumping between tabs.   Splunk: Enhances threat detection and response capabilities via Splunk's advanced data analytics platform, providing real-time operational intelligence for comprehensive security insights.   Wiz: Delivers a consolidated cloud security platform that excels in providing clarity, visibility, and context, enabling users to secure their cloud environments. Quotes from integration partners  Acante: “We are thrilled to partner with an industry leader like Commvault to help customers bolster their data resiliency by combining Commvault’s cutting-edge data protection technology with Acante’s data access governance solution,” said Ranga Rangachari, Acante CEO and co-founder. “This integration dramatically enhances our customers' data security posture.” Dasera: “Our DSPM solutions complement Commvault’s offerings and help to provide continuous monitoring and rapid remediation of data security risks,” said Ani Chaudhuri, Dasera CEO and Cofounder. “Together, we are committed to helping organizations achieve robust data security and compliance.” Wiz: “The collaboration between Wiz and Commvault delivers cloud security context that enables highly secure backup recoveries with embedded vulnerability patching,” said Oron Noah, VP of Product Extensibility & Partnership at Wiz. “We're paving the way for a new era of cloud resilience, where data protection and security go hand in hand.” Availability These new integrations are available immediately through Commvault and its partners.

Gunnebo Entrance Control has announced a strategic partnership with the Arab Organization for Industrialization (AOI) and the Transport Information Technology Company (TransIT), a subsidiary of the Ministry of Transport, Egypt. The new collaboration is set to enhance local manufacturing capabilities and support technological localization in the production of electronic gates, leveraging advanced Swedish expertise. In a significant step towards reducing imports and boosting local production, a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between TransIT, the Arab British Company for Dynamic Industries (ABD), a subsidiary of AOI, and Gunnebo Middle East. This MoU aims to facilitate the manufacturing of electronic gates with local content marking a substantial advancement in Egypt's industrial sector. MoU signing ceremony The event highlighted the shared duty to improve bilateral alliance and industrial growth The MoU signing ceremony was graced by the General Director of AOI Major General Engineer Abdel Rahman Abdel Azim Othman, the Ambassador of Sweden to Egypt His Excellency Mr. Håkan Emsgård, and Chairman and Managing Director of TransIT Major General Engineer Khaled Mohamed Attia. The event highlighted the shared commitment to enhancing bilateral cooperation and fostering sustainable industrial growth. His Excellency Mr. Håkan Emsgård highlighted the significance of this collaboration, stating, "This partnership not only strengthens the ties between Egypt and Sweden but also opens up new avenues for investment, knowledge exchange, and technological integration, benefiting both nations." Importance of the Made in Egypt initiative Chairman of AOI Major General Engineer Mokhtar Abdel Latif, expressed his pride in this collaboration, emphasizing the importance of the "Made in Egypt" initiative. He noted the AOI is dedicated to reducing import dependency and increasing the value-added in various industries, particularly high-tech sectors like electronic security. The partnership will focus on producing electronic gates for a variety of applications, including metro systems, corporate offices, shopping malls, public buildings, airports, and border crossings. The collaboration aims to develop smart, integrated solutions for the design, manufacturing, and assembly of these systems, to meet the needs of both the local and export markets. Economic benefits of the collaboration The project aligns with the country's broader goals of industrial growth and technological invention Chairman and Managing Director of TransIT Major General Engineer Khaled Mohamed Attia, emphasized the economic benefits of the collaboration for Egypt, noting the project aligns with the country's broader goals of industrial development and technological innovation. This initiative is part of a broader effort to localize technology in Egypt, enhance local manufacturing rates, and attract international investments. By integrating Swedish technological expertise with Egyptian manufacturing capabilities, the partnership aims to support sustainable development and various national projects. Success of partnership   Vice President of Gunnebo Group Jacob Toma, concluded, "Gunnebo Entrance Control is proud to bring its expertise to this partnership, working with the Arab Organization for Industrialization and TransIT to ensure the required efficiency, the highest level of quality, speed in implementation, and delivery on time to a world-class expectation that meets international standards." "Even after the work is complete, we will remain committed to providing ongoing support and after-sales service, ensuring the longevity and success of this partnership and the projects we undertake together.”

LenelS2, a global pioneer in advanced physical security solutions, has announced the launch of OnGuard® Cloud, a managed service leveraging Amazon Web Services (AWS) to deliver the feature-rich OnGuard access control system in the cloud.  OnGuard Cloud allows organizations to focus on their security operations by eliminating the IT burden of managing and maintaining their OnGuard software and servers, all while maintaining control over their unique environment configurations. LenelS2 is part of Honeywell, a pioneering provider of building automation solutions that help create safer, more efficient facilities and are used in more than 10 million buildings worldwide. LenelS2’s OnGuard Cloud solution 82% of organizations plan on transitioning their access control solution to the cloud within two years As the world’s pioneering physical access control system, OnGuard provides a powerful, flexible solution for the access control market’s most sophisticated security needs. A growing number of enterprise-level security customers have moved their other key business platforms to the cloud, and 82% of organizations plan on transitioning their access control solution to the cloud within two years. For those organizations ready to move their security to the cloud, LenelS2’s OnGuard Cloud solution offers robust power and performance to meet their unique and often geographically specific security needs. Key features and benefits Key features and benefits of OnGuard Cloud include: The replacement of on-premises server hardware with a custom-configured, resilient cloud service powered by AWS services and cybersecurity best practices. 24/7/365 Support, proactive health monitoring, and system redundancy to drive efficiency, high availability, peace of mind, and help maximize uptime. Automatic updates and maintenance, reducing the burden on in-house IT staff and additional costs. Access to the full range of capabilities available within the OnGuard ecosystem, including LenelS2’s OpenAccess Alliance Program technology partner integrations, allowing customers to take advantage of the OnGuard platform’s wealth of customizable and certified integrations directly within a cloud-based solution. All-inclusive licensing for the most sought-after features, including badge printing, visitor management, advanced reporting, and more. Comprehensive white-glove service for organizations transitioning to OnGuard Cloud, delivering on customer outcome goals and operating environment requirements that extend all the way through implementation and training. Access and ease of migration to newer versions of the OnGuard platform as they become available to the cloud given the use of AWS and common services, providing a seamless experience to new capabilities as they become available. Spectrum of access control solutions “The OnGuard Cloud service is a game-changer for the physical security solutions ecosystem,” said Jeff Stanek, vice president and general manager, Global Access Solutions at Honeywell. “With OnGuard Cloud, LenelS2 now offers the most robust, customizable enterprise access control solution as a fully cloud-hosted solution. And how we're doing this is key - we are empowering organizations to embrace the future at their own pace, seamlessly transitioning to the cloud when the time is right for them." LenelS2 offers the full spectrum of access control solutions, including on-premises, hybrid, and cloud-deployed platforms, to suit virtually any commercial or enterprise customer need.

As we head into a new year, it’s fair to say that it isn’t easy out there for the security integrator community. That’s understandable given the big ruptures felt in the market for physical security in 2023. Typically, Commercial Real Estate (CRE) landlords are the biggest and most influential buyers of physical security hardware and software, but this is starting to wane as heightened borrowing costs and biting inflation cause real estate valuations to plunge. Building security upgrades A lot of CRE landlords are in a fight for survival which unfortunately doesn't leave much room for budget spend on building security upgrades. This state of affairs is a problem for security integrators with extensive connections in the CRE space. Where do they pivot their services to keep their business growing in 2024? From the conversations I’ve been having with integrators and customers alike over the past few months – the answer is that the growth potential lies in the enterprise space. The trajectory of enterprise IT and physical security Aren’t enterprises carrying out cost-cutting efficiency drives and downsizing office space to reflect hybrid working It might initially feel unnatural to see the enterprise segment as a potential driver of demand for physical security services and products. Aren’t enterprises carrying out cost-cutting efficiency drives and downsizing office space to reflect hybrid working habits? These things are true but also present an opportunity for the right physical security proposition. Standardization of enterprise IT Take efficiency drives as an example. A key element of such efforts is an acceleration toward the standardization of enterprise IT platforms, hardware, and solutions, using the cloud. What was once a focus on moving on-prem systems and workloads to the cloud has shifted to efforts to keep cloud OpEx costs down by centralizing as much as possible. Practically, this means utilizing APIs to plug disparate IT applications and services into central platforms that boast a “single pane of glass” view. APIs APIs drive consumption, open new business models, and foster cross-industry partnerships APIs aren’t anything new to enterprises. They drive consumption, open new business models, and foster cross-industry partnerships. However, the use of APIs in the physical security sphere has been surprisingly slow to take off. There are multiple elements to this but a key reason is that some security software products on the market aren’t cloud-based. Adding cloud-based solutions to network Others are cloud-based, however, and these are the solutions that security integrators need in their portfolio to serve the influential enterprise market segment and its approach to IT networks. Selling the value of these solutions requires integrators to take it a step further by speaking the language of the enterprise IT buyer and understanding their goals. The power of Cloud-based access control in the enterprise Hybrid working and the occupancy rate fluctuations it brings require closer monitoring of access events The continued relevance of physical security for enterprises can’t be understated. After all, hybrid working and the occupancy rate fluctuations it brings require closer monitoring of access events – not less. Despite the discourse around office downsizing, the reality for most enterprises is that the office can’t be done away with completely and there’s always going to be growth experienced by successful companies that require an upgrade in physical square footage. Physical security  Access control systems that are cloud-based will be preferred by the enterprise to fulfill the essential function of physical security. That’s because they align with the push towards centralization in the cloud that enterprises are carrying out business-wide. Access control has the potential to result in lots of disparate dashboards and apps. Think video management, license plate recognition, building management software, elevator monitoring, hot desking solutions, guest booking software, room booking functions, and more. Uniting all of these functions in one platform suits enterprise security teams well. Access control solutions Linking employee databases to an IAM solution, or creating seamless experiences by tying access credentials But this only scratches the surface. Access control solutions that can be integrated with hugely popular corporate software applications like Okta, Azure Active Directory, and Google Workspace quickly catch the eyes of enterprise IT security teams by pulling in the same direction as the broader tech stack. Whether it’s applying AI analytics to anomaly detection, linking employee databases to an Identity Access Management (IAM) solution, or creating seamless experiences by tying access credentials to things like meeting room bookings, it’s through APIs that cloud-based access control can thrive in an enterprise setting. Security integrators It’s worth also noting that as enterprises grow, access control gets harder. Managing the access requirements of thousands of employees across a global real estate footprint requires the scale that cloud computing is best placed to bring. Security integrators who can join the dots to make that link are well-positioned to pivot toward the enterprise. Broadening horizons Concepts like smart access and applying AI to access data to automate the monitoring of occupancy rates This pivot is understandably a daunting prospect but the potential for natural synergy shouldn’t be overlooked. Concepts like smart access and applying AI to access data to automate the monitoring of occupancy rates and security anomalies won’t be completely alien to cloud-first enterprises. That’s an opportunity for integrators to upsell more sophisticated security set-ups in a way that they may have found more difficult with CRE clients and prospects. Tailored propositions It would be remiss to avoid mentioning that ‘enterprise’ is a very loose term that encompasses businesses across multiple industry verticals. To better pivot, security integrators need to offer tailored propositions specific to set verticals that cover all bases as opposed to offer, for example, piecemeal alarm or video product solutions. Enterprise industry verticals Security integrators should be weary of all-encompassing narratives in 2024. Whether or not the global economic picture darkens, there are always going to be pockets of growth within certain enterprise industry verticals. Plus, anecdotally, the indicators point to enterprises being the driver of demand for cloud-based access control as we head into the new year. Integrators who can dial into that shift have a lot to gain and nothing to lose.

These days, business is more collaborative, adaptable, and connected than ever before. In addition to offering new identities and access privileges, new applications and data also increase the attack surface available to cyber criminals, hacktivists, state actors, and disgruntled insiders. These new identities need to be handled carefully. CISOs must develop an identity management strategy that is consistent across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud systems. Good security is built on solid identity governance and administration (IGA) principles. From ransomware to supply chain intrusions, high-profile cybersecurity events frequently take advantage of weak identity and access management procedures. The Identity Defined Security Alliance found that 84% of organizations experienced an identity-related breach during its one-year study period. Robust IGA system Consequently, organizations need to find best-of-breed solutions for each section of the fabric Some of the most well-known cyber-attacks have not been made possible by a nation-state exploiting a remote zero-day vulnerability; rather, they have been made possible by something as basic as a hacked orphaned account. This resulted in lateral movement from an insecure platform to a high-value system, illegitimate privilege escalation, or unsanctioned access to a computer system. To safeguard against such attacks, organizations must be aware of who has access to their systems and apps, and guarantee that access is revoked when it is no longer required. Here, a robust IGA system is helpful. It is not the whole picture, though; IGA is part of a larger identity fabric. A report by KuppingerCole noted that “Identity Fabrics are not necessarily based on a technology, tool or cloud service, but a paradigm for architecting IAM within enterprises.” The report pointed out that the paradigm is created using several tools and services. That’s because, contrary to marketing claims, no one vendor has a platform that provides all the needed elements. Consequently, organizations need to find best-of-breed solutions for each section of the fabric. Threats to the new corporate landscape Due to their exclusion from the corporate firewall and the security culture that comes with working on-site, remote employees and third parties are desirable targets for hackers. The transition to online office suites is another vulnerability that hackers are taking advantage of–for instance, through bogus authentication login dialogs. Additionally, hackers are using technologies like machine learning and artificial intelligence to circumvent current security tactics. A cyberattack powered by AI will imitate human behavior and develop over time. Even publicly available information might be used by this "weaponized AI" to learn how to get past a target’s defenses. CISO and the business users Attackers will finally find an entryway, but firms can protect the new perimeter–their identities It's no longer possible to secure the traditional perimeter. Attackers will eventually find an entryway, but businesses can protect the new perimeter–their identities. To defeat these threats, organizations must look again at identity and access management tools and how they are weighed against the impact on the organization. Should you mandate multi-factor authentication (MFA) more often and earlier? Should only company-owned devices have access to networks, or should access be restricted to specific business hours or regions? Should access to sensitive information and critical systems be given just temporarily or should it be offered on a task-by-task basis? Both the CISO and the business users they assist should be asking these questions. Staying ahead of threats with identity Access control limits decrease dangers but can come with a cost. If you give your users too much access, your organization becomes susceptible; if you give them too little, productivity suffers. But there are ways to strike a balance with security, compliance and productivity. More CISOs are turning to Zero Trust–which is based on the principle of maintaining strict access controls and not trusting anyone by default–to protect their systems from new attack types. However, Zero Trust is reliant upon having a thorough and baked-in strategy that underpins it.  Other actions that companies can take include implementing automation for identity management, such as automating workflows for approval. This would significantly lessen the administrative burden and friction that security solutions like multifactor authentication (MFA) or time-restricted access to critical systems have on business users. This might include restricting access to particular devices, capping access hours during the day or enforcing MFA based on user behavior. Identity fabric: Putting it all together Make sure your identity architecture is scalable, secure, and provides a seamless user experience These are just two elements of the identity fabric approach. Most organizations today have implemented pieces of an identity fabric, which is basically an organization’s identity and access management (IAM) infrastructure and typically includes a mix of modular IAM solutions for multi-cloud and/or hybrid environments. Now, organizations need to define, enhance and develop this infrastructure. They must also institute guiding principles for how it should operate, meet current and future business requirements as well as identity-related cybersecurity challenges. In doing so, businesses can move past identity platforms and adopt an identity fabric perspective. The key is to make identity governance the starting point of your identity fabric strategy, ensuring seamless interoperability within your identity ecosystem. Make sure your identity architecture is scalable, secure, and provides a seamless user experience. Aligning security with business Due to the increase in knowledge workers using the cloud and working remotely, attackers are focusing on this group. These employees are easier to compromise, give access to valuable data and offer more attack targets. Knowledge workers also lack an administrator’s level of security expertise. Therefore, as part of their security fabric strategy, enterprises require a scalable IGA system. It is easier to comply with security and access regulations and takes less time for IT teams to do normal administrative activities when they invest in IGA, a crucial tenet of identity security. CISOs and boards, though, are currently looking at more than identity management. IGA is at the center of the debate about security and governance. Taking an identity fabric-based approach, with a foundation built on modern, cloud-based IGA, will safeguard identities, increase productivity, and make staff adherence to organizational procedures easier.

The average business owner or investor has some kind of security precaution in place, especially in the after-hours when there are fewer deterrents to inhibit criminal activity. Security guards, video surveillance systems, motion sensor lights, or even just fake cameras placed around the property are some of the common options people choose.  Future of overnight security Smart business owners are starting to realize, however, that some of these traditional security measures are becoming antiquated and no longer cutting. The now and future of overnight security is in remote guarding. Pioneered by companies like Los Angeles-based Elite Interactive Solutions, which was founded back in 2007, remote guarding is revolutionizing the overnight security business. Minimizing criminal activity Remote guarding is fast becoming the most popular choice among commercial end-user property owners Remote guarding utilizes a combination of cutting-edge technology, “digital guards,” highly trained security agents, and local law enforcement if and when necessary to minimize the potential of criminal activity. For those adequately enlightened to its overwhelmingly impressive crime prevention capabilities, remote guarding is fast becoming the most popular choice among commercial end-user property owners to secure and protect their investments. What Is Remote Guarding?  Remote guarding is a revolutionary concept and increasing trend in security systems that utilize a combination of methods to effectively analyze potential threats to property. Cameras and/or other monitoring devices running highly advanced algorithmic software are installed in strategic areas or vulnerable places onsite and remotely located security agents are immediately notified of any activity within a designated perimeter of the property. A blend of AI, cybersecurity, and video analytics When properly deployed by an expert provider, the technology stack includes a proprietary blend of video analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and more. Done right, “noise” is effectively filtered out, allowing agents to act on legitimate alerts and achieve zero false alarms communicated to first responders. Today, there are a lot of terms and descriptions tossed around about remote guarding, remote video, virtual guarding, etc., but those attributes must be present to represent the true definition of the offering and its many virtues. Realtime situational awareness Many systems have a two-way speaker that allows the security agent to give a verbal warning When specially trained security agents are alerted to trespassers, possible intruders, or other suspicious activity, they analyze the situation in real time and determine the necessary level of action. Many systems have a two-way speaker that allows the security agent to give a verbal warning, known as a voice-down, to the individual(s) that they are being watched. Most perpetrators, often believing the response is emanating directly from security personnel on the property itself rather than from a remote command center, flee immediately. However, if the threat persists, the security agent enlists local law enforcement to get on the scene.  Customized remote guarding When properly deployed, remote guarding systems are also customized to specific properties. A team of consultants visits the client’s property to evaluate its vulnerabilities and where to best place cameras and/or other monitoring devices for system efficacy. Traditional Security Shortfalls  According to Keith Bushey, a retired commander for the Los Angeles Police Department, there is much frustration between law enforcement officers and potential victims of crime due to the historically unreliable performance of traditional burglar alarm systems and central monitoring stations. He states about 90% of security-related calls are false alarms, a problem that has been well-documented through the years. Onsite challenges When a legitimate emergency does occur, the perpetrators have often already done their damage When a legitimate emergency does occur, the perpetrators have often already done their damage and/or escaped by the time law enforcement arrives.  Onsite security guards are not the remedy either as they bring their own set of issues and challenges.  Unexpected costs Traditional security systems can also have unexpected costs. The cost is not only in the security guards’ paycheck or the cost of the equipment itself. The cost comes when an actual incident occurs. In worst-case scenarios, the security guard(s) are injured, the business suffers inventory loss, and/or damage is sustained to the property.  The medical and other costs for the security guard(s), the loss of inventory, property damage, deployment of law enforcement resources, and possible fallout of legal expenses all add up. Even in the best-case scenario, false alarm expenses incur if law enforcement is dispatched. These, among many others, are some of the primary issues that remote guarding resoundingly answers as a superior alternative. A Bounty of Benefits Remote guarding systems have been proven to cut costs and be more effective than traditional security systems. Even though the monthly monitoring costs of remote guarding are significantly higher than traditional intrusion detection system monitoring, the much higher effectiveness in crime reduction, elimination of false alarms, and augmenting or replacement of manned guards result in a substantially higher return on investment (ROI) to the end user. Easy tracking of threats The security cameras already have their image captured on record, making them easier to track down For example, case studies have demonstrated reduced security costs for clients by 60%, on average. These reductions have come from the costs of security staff, inventory, or property loss, plus saving money on insurance premiums and deductibles. The nature of remote guarding reduces the risk and costs of false alarms, with professional security agents able to determine an actual threat before law enforcement is called. In a rare instance when a perpetrator escapes before law enforcement arrives or can detain the individual(s), the security cameras already have their image captured on record, making them easier to track down and identify. Reduction of false alarms The significant reduction in false alarms is greatly appreciated by law enforcement, as it allows them to focus on real emergencies or crises. Better relationships are also developed between clients and law enforcement, as remote guarding systems are highly reliable in providing accurate and real-time information to officers as they approach the scene. In short, it assists law enforcement in doing their job more effectively, as well as more safely thanks to having eyewitness information before engaging in an active crime scene.  Partnership When you combine the decreased cost with the increased efficiency and success rate, it is easy to see why many commercial end-user property owners across the country are making the shift to remote guarding. It’s also an outstanding opportunity for professional security dealers and integrators to partner with a remote guarding services provider to bring a superior solution to their end customers and pick up a recurring monthly revenue stream in the process.

When it comes to security cameras, the end user always wants more—more resolution, more artificial intelligence (AI), and more sensors. However, the cameras themselves do not change much from generation to generation; that is, they have the same power budgets, form factors and price. To achieve “more,” the systems-on-chips (SoCs) inside the video cameras must pack more features and integrate systems that would have been separate components in the past.  For an update on the latest capabilities of SoCs inside video cameras, we turned to Jérôme Gigot, Senior Director of Marketing for AIoT at Ambarella, a manufacturer of SOCs. AIoT refers to the artificial intelligence of things, the combination of AI and IoT. Author's quote “The AI performance on today’s cameras matches what was typically done on a server just a generation ago,” says Gigot. “And, doing AI on-camera provides the threefold benefits of being able to run algorithms on a higher-resolution input before the video is encoded and transferred to a server, with a faster response time, and with complete privacy.” Added features of the new SOC Ambarella expects the first cameras with the SoC to emerge on the market during early part of 2024 Ambarella’s latest System on Chip (SOC) is the CV72S, which provides 6× the AI performance of the previous generation and supports the newer transformer neural networks. Even with its extra features, the CV72S maintains the same power envelope as the previous-generation SoCs. The CV72S is now available, sampling is underway by camera manufacturers, and Ambarella expects the first cameras with the SoC to emerge on the market during the early part of 2024. Examples of the added features of the new SOC include image processing, video encoders, AI engines, de-warpers for fisheye lenses, general compute cores, along with functions such as processing multiple imagers on a single SoC, fusion among different types of sensors, and the list goes on. This article will summarize new AI capabilities based on information provided by Ambarella. AI inside the cameras Gigot says AI is by far the most in-demand feature of new security camera SoCs. Customers want to run the latest neural network architectures; run more of them in parallel to achieve more functions (e.g., identifying pedestrians while simultaneously flagging suspicious behavior); run them at higher resolutions in order to pick out objects that are farther away from the camera. And they want to do it all faster. Most AI tasks can be split between object detection, object recognition, segmentation and higher-level “scene understanding” types of functions, he says. The latest AI engines support transformer network architectures (versus currently used convolutional neural networks). With enough AI horsepower, all objects in a scene can be uniquely identified and classified with a set of attributes, tracked across time and space, and fed into higher-level AI algorithms that can detect and flag anomalies. However, everything depends on which scene is within the camera’s field of view. “It might be an easy task for a camera in an office corridor to track a person passing by every couple of minutes; while a ceiling camera in an airport might be looking at thousands of people, all constantly moving in different directions and carrying a wide variety of bags,” Gigot says. Changing the configuration of video systems Low-level AI number crunching would typically be done on camera (at the source of the data) Even with more computing capability inside the camera, central video servers still have their place in the overall AI deployment, as they can more easily aggregate and understand information across multiple cameras. Additionally, low-level AI number crunching would typically be done on camera (at the source of the data).  However, the increasing performance capabilities of transformer neural network AI inside the camera will reduce the need for a central video server over time. Even so, a server could still be used for higher-level decisions and to provide a representation of the world; along with a user interface for the user to make sense of all the data. Overall, AI-enabled security cameras with transformer network-based functionality will greatly reduce the use of central servers in security systems. This trend will contribute to a reduction in the greenhouse gases produced by data centers. These server farms consume a lot of energy, due to their power-hungry GPU and CPU chips, and those server processors also need to be cooled using air conditioning that emits additional greenhouse gases. New capabilities of transformer neural networks New kinds of AI architectures are being deployed inside cameras. Newer SoCs can accommodate the latest transformer neural networks (NNs), which now outperform currently used convolutional NNs for many vision tasks. Transformer neural networks require more AI processing power to run, compared to most convolutional NNs. Transformers are great for natural language processing (NLP) as they have mechanisms to “make sense” of a seemingly random arrangement of words. Those same properties, when applied to video, make transformers very efficient at understanding the world in 3D. Transformer NNs require more AI processing power to run, compared to most convolutional NNs For example, imagine a multi-imager camera where an object needs to be tracked from one camera to the next. Transformer networks are also great at focusing their attention on specific parts of the scene—just as some words are more important than others in a sentence, some parts of a scene might be more significant from a security perspective.  “I believe that we are currently just scratching the surface of what can be done with transformer networks in video security applications,” says Gigot. The first use cases are mainly for object detection and recognition. However, research in neural networks is focusing on these new transformer architectures and their applications. Expanded use cases for multi-image and fisheye cameras For multi-image cameras, again, the strategy is “less is more.” For example, if you need to build a multi-imager with four 4K sensors, then, in essence, you need to have four cameras in one. That means you need four imaging pipelines, four encoders, four AI engines, and four sets of CPUs to run the higher-level software and streaming. Of course, for cost, size, and power reasons, it would be extremely inefficient to have four SoCs to do all this processing. Therefore, the latest SoCs for security need to integrate four times the performance of the last generation’s single-imager 4K cameras, in order to process four sensors on a single SoC with all the associated AI algorithms. And they need to do this within a reasonable size and power budget. The challenge is very similar for fisheye cameras, where the SoC needs to be able to accept very high-resolution sensors (i.e., 12MP, 16MP, and higher), in order to be able to maintain high resolution after de-warping. Additionally, that same SoC must create all the virtual views needed to make one fisheye camera look like multiple physical cameras, and it has to do all of this while running the AI algorithms on every one of those virtual streams at high resolution. The power of ‘sensor fusion’ Sensor fusion is the ability to process multiple sensor types at the same time and correlate all that information Sensor fusion is the ability to process multiple sensor types at the same time (e.g., visual, radar, thermal, and time of flight) and correlate all that information. Performing sensor fusion provides an understanding of the world that is greater than the information that could be obtained from any one sensor type in isolation. In terms of chip design, this means that SoCs must be able to interface with, and natively process, inputs from multiple sensor types.  Additionally, they must have the AI and CPU performance required to do either object-level fusion (i.e., matching the different objects identified through the different sensors), or even deep-level fusion. This deep fusion takes the raw data from each sensor and runs AI on that unprocessed data. The result is machine-level insights that are richer than those provided by systems that must first go through an intermediate object representation. In other words, deep fusion eliminates the information loss that comes from preprocessing each individual sensor’s data before fusing it with the data from other sensors, which is what happens in object-level fusion. Better image quality AI can be trained to dramatically improve the quality of images captured by camera sensors in low-light conditions, as well as high dynamic range (HDR) scenes with widely contrasting dark and light areas. Typical image sensors are very noisy at night, and AI algorithms can be trained to perform excellently at removing this noise to provide a clear color picture—even down to 0.1 lux or below. This is called neural network-based image signal processing, or AISP for short. AI can be trained to perform all these functions with much better results than traditional video methods Achieving high image quality under difficult lighting conditions is always a balance among removing noise, not introducing excessive motion blur, and recovering colors. AI can be trained to perform all these functions with much better results than traditional video processing methods can achieve. A key point for video security is that these types of AI algorithms do not “create” data, they just remove noise and clean up the signal. This process allows AI to provide clearer video, even in challenging lighting conditions. The results are better footage for the humans monitoring video security systems, as well as better input for the AI algorithms analyzing those systems, particularly at night and under high dynamic range conditions. A typical example would be a camera that needs to switch to night mode (black and white) when the environmental light falls below a certain lux level. By applying these specially trained AI algorithms, that same camera would be able to stay in color mode and at full frame rate--even at night. This has many advantages, including the ability to see much farther than a typical external illuminator would normally allow, and reduced power consumption. ‘Straight to cloud’ architecture For the cameras themselves, going to the cloud or to a video management system (VMS) might seem like it doesn’t matter, as this is all just streaming video. However, the reality is more complex; especially for cameras going directly to the cloud. When cameras stream to the cloud, there is usually a mix of local, on-camera storage and streaming, in order to save on bandwidth and cloud storage costs. To accomplish this hybrid approach, multiple video-encoding qualities/resolutions are being produced and sent to different places at the same time; and the camera’s AI algorithms are constantly running to optimize bitrates and orchestrate those different video streams. The ability to support all these different streams, in parallel, and to encode them at the lowest bitrate possible, is usually guided by AI algorithms that are constantly analyzing the video feeds. These are just some of the key components needed to accommodate this “straight to cloud” architecture. Keeping cybersecurity top-of-mind Ambarella’s SoCs always implement the latest security mechanisms, both hardware and software Ambarella’s SoCs always implement the latest security mechanisms, both in hardware and software. They accomplish this through a mix of well-known security features, such as ARM trust zones and encryption algorithms, and also by adding another layer of proprietary mechanisms with things like dynamic random access memory (DRAM) scrambling and key management policies.  “We take these measures because cybersecurity is of utmost importance when you design an SoC targeted to go into millions of security cameras across the globe,” says Gigot. ‘Eyes of the world’ – and more brains Cameras are “the eyes of the world,” and visual sensors provide the largest portion of that information, by far, compared to other types of sensors. With AI, most security cameras now have a brain behind those eyes. As such, security cameras have the ability to morph from just a reactive and security-focused apparatus to a global sensing infrastructure that can do everything from regulating the AC in offices based on occupancy, to detecting forest fires before anyone sees them, to following weather and world events. AI is the essential ingredient for the innovation that is bringing all those new applications to life, and hopefully leading to a safer and better world.

IFSEC International took place over three days at the ExCel in London, presented alongside shows covering fire safety, intelligent buildings, facilities management, and safety and health. While perhaps not on the same scale as pre-pandemic events, the atmosphere was convivial and spirits high, everyone glad to be back amongst their peers in the industry. Predictably, the trending topics were steered by issues in the wider world: sustainability, moving services to a subscription-based model, and new ways of working inspired by COVID-19 safety measures. A place for cutting-edge innovation After a challenging couple of years, companies were keen to meet customers, showcase their products and reveal the latest innovations. Integrated Design Limited displayed their new Glassgate 400 Plus turnstile, a sleek design for the corporate market. Tony Smith, Major Accounts and Marketing Manager, Entrance Control and Turnstile Security, told SourceSecurity.com, “I feel trade shows are a very important part of IDL’s marketing effort. We are more than pleased to display alongside our peers and have customers make direct comparisons with our products and theirs.” Biometric access reader Biometrics, as ever, generated a lot of interest, including the European launch of RealNetworks’ new SAFR SCAN biometric access reader, which combines facial recognition, computer vision, and image capture technologies for a range of applications. “Overall, there was a really good footfall, and we met an excellent mixture of end-customers, system integrators, distributors, and consultants from both Europe and the Middle East who are exactly the types of people we were hoping to demonstrate SAFR SCAN to,” commented Charlie Bennett, Vice President UK & Europe – SAFR, RealNetworks. Access control systems going green HID Global is one company leading the way in the move away from plastics to focus on mobile access The eco-friendly trend and the need to be more sustainable is becoming a real force in the security industry, particularly in access control where there is considerable pressure to ditch the plastic. HID Global is one company leading the way in the move away from plastics to focus on mobile access. Gerald Grattoni, Vice President, Physical Access Control Solutions Regional Business Unit Vice President at HID Global (part of the ASSA ABLOY Group), explained in a press briefing, “Making buildings smarter and more eco-conscious is high on the corporate responsibility agenda of many companies as the sustainability credentials of new buildings are now very important. With digitalized mobile identities there is less plastic waste and lower emissions.” Flexible, remote, and contactless Innovation in smart buildings is also being led by changes to how we work, live, and play, inspired in part by the recent pandemic. New technology is required to meet the needs of the hybrid workspace, as employers adopt more flexible working models and demand for contactless access control increases. Now, the most technologically sophisticated buildings are controlled by an app on a mobile phone, giving ease of access and full control without the need for plastic cards. Remote monitoring Advances in remote monitoring have escalated due to COVID-19, particularly in high demand in the health and education markets. Connecting via industrial standard network protocols allows for remote communication Ian Bridgewater, Director, Technical Sales Manager, TOA Corporation (UK) Ltd, explained further, “Connecting via industrial standard network protocols allows for remote communication. Working with specialist software developers has expanded this, giving greater flexibility to monitor and maintain systems remotely from a central hub.” AI-based autonomous access solution AI also has a role to play in this new high-tech, touchless world and various companies are utilizing this technology. Alcatraz AI found IFSEC the perfect opportunity to exhibit their new Rock autonomous access solution. "We now live in a time in which AI can make precise real-time decisions at the door to authenticate or deny access using your face as a credential,” said Greg Sarrail, Senior Vice President of Sales at Alcatraz AI. “IFSEC 2022 allowed Alcatraz AI to demonstrate the speed and accuracy of autonomous access control. The number of qualified partners and end-users representing a broad international scope in attendance at IFSEC was encouraging.” Meanwhile, the Eagle Eye Networks stand attracted a lot of visitors keen for a demo of their new Eagle Eye Smart Video Search, which allows users to search for people, vehicles, or objects, and immediately find the exact video across all cameras in all sites. "AI and cloud are two trends that Eagle Eye, the media, and the security business community have been talking about for a while. We were excited to showcase Eagle Eye's new AI-powered technologies at IFSEC 2022," added Rishi Lodhia, Eagle Eye Networks Vice President and Manager Director EMEA. "Our stand was buzzing with activity and AI was the main topic of discussion for all three days. All in all, a great show."  Investing in a secure future Engineers of Tomorrow gave apprentice finalists the chance to show off their skills in front of thousands of peers and professionals from the security sectors live on the show floor. The winners will go on to the WorldSkills UK (WSUK) LIVE competition – the nation’s premier skills, apprenticeships, and careers event. Although the products on display at IFSEC promised a contactless, digital future, this was a good reminder of the importance of the people who install and maintain these systems and the vital role of engineering apprenticeships in the industry.

The mission of the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) is to ensure the reliability of the North American bulk power system (BPS). While electric utility companies are responsible for administering the day-to-day operations of the electric grid, regulators such as NERC and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) are charged with the overall responsibility of ensuring reliability and security. NERC develops and enforces Reliability Standards, annually assesses seasonal and long-term reliability, monitors the bulk power system through system awareness, operates the Electricity Information Sharing and Analysis Center (E-ISAC) and educates, trains and certifies industry personnel. Normal everyday operations of the system are the responsibility of utility owners and operators. Protecting critical infrastructure An attack by a disgruntled former employee, ideologically motivated activist, or a criminal could inflict significant damage Currently, a significant reliability threat to the U.S. grid is associated with squirrels and balloons, and not religiously inspired terrorists. However – and more applicable to grid operators – we have recently seen noteworthy interest in disabling or destroying critical infrastructure. Coordinated attacks can target the grid, and an attack by a disgruntled former employee, ideologically motivated activist, or a criminal stumbling across a “soft target,” could inflict significant damage. With an interconnected grid of over 450,000 miles of high voltage transmission lines (100 kV and higher) and over 55,000 substations (100 kV and larger), the targets of opportunity are endless. Data capture form to appear here! According to the Department of Energy, the number-one cause of most power outages in the U.S. is bad weather, which costs the economy between $18 billion and $33 billion every year in lost output and wages, spoiled inventory, delayed production and damage to grid infrastructure. The number-one cause of most power outages in the U.S. is bad weather, which costs the economy between $18 billion and $33 billion every year Large power transformers A large power transformer (LPT) is an enormous, custom-built piece of equipment tailored to customers’ specifications. They usually are not interchangeable with each other, and they are not produced for spare-part inventories; so if one blows, a lot of companies and homes could be without power for more than six months. They are not cheap, either. According to EEP (Electrical Engineering Portal), $10 million is a fairly average cost, but that doesn’t include transporting the gargantuan piece of equipment or installing it, which usually adds an additional 35 percent to the bill. Protecting power grids is essential to deliver electricity that serves millions of consumers. Transmission substations are a component of the power infrastructure that presents unique security challenges. These important facilities often sit out in the open, in remote locations, and were historically protected by little more than cameras or chain-link fences. According to EEP, $10 million is a fairly average cost for a large power transformer NERC/CIP guidelines The North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC/CIP) guidelines address security needs of electrical substations. Every facility has a baseline requirement for perimeter security protection around the site, although medium- and high-impact sites will have more stringent requirements. The geography surrounding sites – Is it an urban area or rural? Does the surrounding elevation provide additional lines of sight? – also impacts the types of systems they require. Electricity coming from coal, nuclear or hydroelectric plants goes to local utilities The U.S. power grid is divided into three sections: The Eastern Interconnection for states east of the Rocky Mountains, The Western Interconnection for states from the Pacific Ocean to the Rocky Mountains, and the smallest—the Texas Interconnected system—covering most of Texas. Electricity coming from coal, nuclear or hydroelectric plants goes to local utilities and they distribute power to homes and businesses, to millions of personal devices, lights, refrigeration, computers, and to other “loads,” that tap it. Inherited challenges According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), the nation’s electric infrastructure is “nothing but a patchwork system” that has evolved wildly since the first substation was erected by Thomas Edison in 1882, on New York City’s Pearl Street. Contributing to the challenges of securing the grid are the crazily disparate ages and capacities of the grid’s equipment. There are many possible targets, too. Approximately 300 control centers around the country monitor voltage and watch the data from SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) systems, which are placed at transformers, generators and other critical areas. Ideally, this allows engineers to monitor the data for signs of trouble and then communicate with each other to deal with whatever is happening to the grid, but SCADA has cybersecurity issues.

Matrix's client, a key law enforcement body in Gujarat, plays a crucial role in ensuring the city's safety and security. Serving as the central hub for law enforcement, it is equipped with cutting-edge facilities and a highly efficient organizational structure designed for swift responses to security challenges. This agency coordinates multiple enforcement departments to protect citizens effectively. By adopting advanced telecom solutions, it aims to optimize communication, boost operational efficiency, and enhance its responsiveness in safeguarding the city.  Challenge For a law enforcement agency, prompt response and effective grievance redressal are essential. The reliability of the communication system is paramount, especially when it comes to dialing an emergency number and registering complaints. However, the previous communication system faced several challenges:  Unrecorded missed calls: Calls that were missed were not logged, preventing attendants from returning calls—an issue of significant concern for a law enforcement agency.  Lack of IVR/Call Waiting: If all agents were occupied with calls and a user dialed the '100' emergency number, the call would be disconnected instead of playing an IVR message until an agent became available.  Lack of Call Routing: Calls to '100' were always directed to the first available agent, causing that agent to be overwhelmed while others remained idle. This imbalance reduced overall efficiency and responsiveness.  Solution Matrix developed a Hybrid Communication system with a mobility application tailored for the law enforcement agency. This solution specifically targeted the challenges citizens faced when dialing ‘100’ to reach the control room, to enhance response efficiency and effectiveness.  The system was implemented in the following way:   When a user dials '100', the call is directed through the ETERNITY GENX system to the control room, where an agent will handle the call.  If Agent 1 is occupied, the ETERNITY GENX PBX system will route the call via the PRI line to another available agent or an open control room.  If agents are too busy to answer, citizens calling in can leave a voicemail.  A report will be generated for all calls, resolving the issue of missed calls not being logged.  Results The customer had previously depended on a third-party open platform for managing complaints and faced numerous challenges. After implementing Matrix’s Hybrid Communication system, many of these issues were effectively addressed individually. For example,  Collaboration: The unified communication solution facilitated seamless collaboration between headquarters and mobile staff via VARTA, ensuring uninterrupted call transfer and reception for users.  Operational Efficiency: Effective call routing prevented calls from being routed exclusively to one agent, ensuring that calls were distributed among agents and maintaining overall efficiency.  Citizen Response Time: The responsiveness to calls improved significantly, leading to a substantial reduction in call response times.  Features Enabled: The IVR system reduced response times, and missed calls were recorded in the PBX system, effectively addressing the issue of missed call incidents.  Citizen response times have decreased, and operational efficiency has improved due to effective call routing. Matrix’s Hybrid Communication system enables the enforcement body to swiftly address citizen grievances.

The client functions as a prominent producer of phosphate fertilizers in Sub-Saharan Africa. They began mining phosphate rock in the early 1960s and started producing phosphoric acid in the late 1980s. Their extensive industrial facility, located in Senegal, includes various sites such as Mining, an Acid Plant, a Fertilizer site, and a power plant. They mainly export their phosphoric acid to India and distribute their fertilizer products within West Africa and globally.  Client's requirements The client had a pressing requirement to connect multiple sites and consolidate them using a single communication platform. Additionally, they were in search of a hybrid communication solution that could support both modern and traditional networks. Their needs can be outlined as follows:  ​Hybrid Communication Solution: Deploy a blend of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and conventional networks to enhance communication efficiency.  ​Multilocation Solution: Create connectivity among various locations and merge them onto a unified platform to streamline communication effectively.  Additional Features: Specifically desired functionalities like Call Accounting and Billing to streamline daily administrative duties and operations across multiple sites.  Moreover, the integration of a public address system through the CO line at the power plant was crucial to guarantee the prompt communication of vital instructions to workers, whether in routine activities or emergencies.  Hybrid communication solution The solution had to address the challenge of linking remote locations while also leveraging the existing traditional networks Matrix, collaborating with Bintech, developed a Hybrid Communication solution tailored for this industrial leader. The solution had to address the challenge of linking remote locations while also leveraging the existing traditional networks preferred by the industry. While there was an opportunity to modernize through VoIP connectivity, analog terminals were also essential components of the solution.  The Matrix solution includes:  Two SETU VTEPs and a PRI Gateway extended an IP Connection to the ANANT, a server-based PBX, located at both the MINE and ACID sites. At the MINE, there were five ETERNITY GENX platforms, and at the ACID site, there were two, all connected over LAN to the ANANT. Various analog phones were linked to these GENX platforms, and each GENX platform at the ACID site featured a GSM trunk extension.  ​At the Fertilizer site, the primary ANANT was linked to the WAN. A single GENX platform, connected via LAN, facilitated connections to numerous analog phones on-site. Furthermore, this GENX Platform supported a GSM trunk.  At the power plant, an ETERNITY PENX was linked to the WAN, supporting a public address system over CO. Furthermore, 28 analog phones were incorporated into the network at the power plant.  At Senchim, a SETU VFXTH, a VoIP-FXS gateway, was linked to the WAN. This gateway provided connectivity to several analog phones as well.  Results The Hybrid Communication solution effectively integrated disparate sites onto a common communication platform, utilizing both contemporary and conventional networks. Moreover, it enhanced communication through a range of features. The solution delivered:  ​Smooth Multi-site Connectivity: With the support of SETU VTEP, capable of handling up to 2100 IP users, and ANANT, accommodating up to 5000 IP users, seamless connectivity across numerous sites was accomplished.  ​Hybrid Communication Solution: A tailored Matrix solution integrated products capable of harnessing both contemporary and conventional networks. VoIP, GSM, and analog networks were effectively amalgamated to ensure efficient communication among various sites.  ​Contemporary Features: The solution facilitated public address capabilities over CO via ETERNITY PENX at the power plant, allowing for vital information dissemination during emergencies. Integration of Call Accounting software, as requested by the client, was seamlessly integrated into Matrix PBXs.  By combining contemporary and conventional networks, the Matrix solution distinguishes itself for its effectiveness, efficiency, distinctiveness, and readiness for the future.

“BCD’s solution perfectly fit our scenario. All I needed to hear was ‘we have storage and scalability for the future’. As Suffolk is growing fast and is very land rich, we’re predicting a lot of growth and definitely need scalability,” Tim Forbes, Physical Security Administrator, City of Suffolk, Virginia. Customer overview When a mass shooting in which 12 people died occurred at a municipal building in Virginia Beach in 2019, it served as a wake-up call for nearby Suffolk, a city of around 95,000 people and the largest city in land area in the state of Virginia. As a result, a "crime prevention through environmental design" (CPTED) committee was immediately formed. One of the committee’s key recommendations was to hire a physical security administrator to act as a single point of contact for all security issues. In addition to being tasked with being liaison with Suffolk police, public safety, and city leadership, the administrator would be responsible for overseeing security technology, including access control, alarming, and cameras. These systems had been installed when the towers went up but were left fully unmanaged After a hire was made, a needs assessment was conducted which quickly determined that the existing security technology infrastructure was poorly functioning or, in some cases, not functioning at all. Many of these systems had been installed when the buildings went up but have been left completely unmanaged since. The number one priority became to construct a security “foundation” at the data center in Suffolk City Hall. In terms of a video management system, a new backbone was needed to ensure the ability to view all cameras from this central location. The approach Suffolk determined it needed an integration partner that could provide unified technologies and common knowledge around its security parameters. It initiated an RFP process to which it considered four responses. Based upon credentials, years of experience, and other qualifications (including expertise in ticketing and records management), the city selected Integrated Security and Communications (ISC). ISC had, in turn, been partnering with BCD for IP video data infrastructure solutions for several years. In particular, they had jointly worked on several server environment deployments using the company’s high availability, purpose-built appliances and trusted BCD to be the right partner for the city of Suffolk. After extensive evaluation of site requirements and recommendations provided by BCD, the REVOLV Hybrid Hyperconverged Infrastructure (hHCI), DEEPSTOR Lite was determined by all parties to be the optimal solution. The solution Video must be captured and stored at the set frame rate and key, to be admissible in legal proceedings Most video management systems can achieve the video retention requirements and anticipated camera counts for a given application. Yet, each application has city, state, and federal requirements that govern the amount of time the video must be retained, the required frame rate, and the required quality of video. Video must be captured and stored at the specified frame rate and resolution, to be admissible in legal proceedings. With a traditional bare metal implementation of a video management system, the archiver or recorder is a physical server. If that server experiences diffculties, or goes offline for an extended period, not only do the cameras stop recording, but the municipality also loses access to all the archived footage on that archiver. The city of Suffolk could not afford to experience a loss of recording, or not have access to the archived footage. The REVOLV DEEPSTOR Lite solution addressed these needs and ensured that cameras were always recording, and the customer always had access to its archived video. DEEPSTOR Lite is ideal for customers new to virtualized environments, providing a scalable solution that can support roughly 1,500 Mbps during a failed node scenario and up to 2,000 Mbps when all nodes are online. REVOLV is a hybrid HCI solution that leverages VMWare technologies to create a cluster of resources and virtualize the archivers to operate within that cluster. The server resources reside within a vSAN implementation on the cluster that acts as a shared resource pool for the servers. In the event of a node failure, the virtual machines that reside on that node will redistribute (vMotion) to the remaining nodes and continue operation. The Process REVOLV provides high availability, regardless of the capabilities of the VMS, or access control software The process occurs completely unattended, and in the case of the city of Suffolk, ensured that it would never lose recorded video or be unable to record resources. REVOLV provides high availability, regardless of the capabilities of the VMS, or access control software. Suffolk’s REVOLV installation also utilized powerful GPUs. These GPUs enabled BCD to shift processing power off the appliance CPU, for a smoother display of live and recorded video and the ability to display more HD cameras at the command center. “We got it all virtualized and it’s down to less than a quarter of a rack between servers, storage and all the networking that was required for it. Now Suffolk is in a high availability, high resiliency environment that eliminates all the pain points it had with five and seven-year-old servers,” Jim Cooper, Vice President of Technology, Integrated Security and Communications (ISC). Implementation The REVOLV system for Suffolk, including the vSAN cluster and all virtual machines, was built and pre-staged in the engineering lab at BCD’s facility in Fresno, CA. Once tested, it was shipped to the Suffolk city hall. BCD’s professional services team made an onsite visit to complete the installation with ISC. By pre-staging, BCD can ensure that the solution is ready for deployment, thus reducing the time spent on-site. Cut-over configuration and stand-up of the new environment were completed in a couple weeks’ time. Thanks to BCD’s expertise and the REVOLV solution, the city of Suffolk now has over 25 site managers and department directors who have a purpose-built, high-availability system that delivers video at their site and at multiple sites in their organizations for years to come. Says Tim Forbes, Physical Security Administrator for the city, “BCD and ISC have been great partners for us. I am 100% happy with everything.” And the scalability that the platform provides? It will be needed sooner rather than later. Three new large sites and three new small sites are already on tap to be integrated into the system.

Morse Watchmans, the industry pioneer in key control and asset management systems, reports a rising number of international cities and municipalities installing the company’s flagship key control system, KeyWatcher® Touch, to secure the buildings, equipment, and vehicles utilized by various municipal departments. “From public works to waste departments, courthouses, and beyond, the adoption of our KeyWatcher Touch solution continues to resonate positively across so many diverse cities,” said Tim Purpura, VP of Global Sales and Marketing, Morse Watchmans. “We take pride in knowing that our systems are being used to facilitate secure and efficient operations for some of the public’s most critical services.” New KeyWatcher Touch system By implementing effective municipal key control measures, cities can mitigate the risks associated with unauthorized key access while maintaining the operational integrity of public works. Cities and metropolises can set a foundation of trust and confidence within their communities This proactive approach not only safeguards against potential security breaches but also fosters accountability and responsible use of resources among city employees. In this way, cities and municipalities can establish a foundation of trust and confidence within their communities. In one instance, the Walworth County Public Works Department in Wisconsin implemented a new KeyWatcher Touch system after the original key box system failed to adequately support the county’s hundreds of keys for government buildings and county fleet vehicles. KeyWatcher Touch solution After seeing the success of the KeyWatcher Touch solution at the Department of Public Works, other departments within Walworth County have also begun installing their own KeyWatcher Systems. “These boxes are starting to catch on, and departments are really thinking about how they will use them for vehicles and building keys,” said John Miller, Senior Project Manager, Walworth County Public Works. The operational efficiencies of the KeyWatcher Touch solution are also appreciated Across the globe, the operational efficiencies of the KeyWatcher Touch solution are also appreciated. Blacktown City, a suburban community located approximately 22 miles west of Sydney, Australia, implemented a KeyWatcher Touch system at their Main Works Depot to help maintain usage accountability and eliminate the problem of missing or overdue vehicles, machinery, and building keys. KeyWatcher Touch automated control “We manage keys for at least 500 vehicles and machines here at the Depot and each of them has at least two to three sets of keys,” said Joe Haddad, Facility Manager, Blacktown City Main Works Depot. “Without the KeyWatcher Touch automated control and tracking, the job of accurately keeping track of these many keys would be almost impossible.”

Screencastify, the end-to-end video creation platform announced its partnership with Modern Classrooms Project, a nonprofit organization that empowers educators to build classrooms that respond to every student’s needs. Student-centered learning Screencastify’s video creation tools will enable MCP educators with fresh resources to improve teaching outcomes and fuel the future of K-12 learning. The partnership provides all educators who are enrolled in Modern Classrooms Project’s Virtual Mentorship program with unlimited premium access to Screencastify, helping more teachers open new possibilities by creating dynamic, differentiated instruction and student-centered learning. End-to-end platform An end-to-end platform that makes recording, editing, sharing, assessing, and viewing video simple and accessible Screencastify, an original video creation tool via an internet browser, has become an end-to-end platform that makes recording, editing, sharing, assessing, and viewing video simple and accessible, so anyone can become a more effective communicator. Nearly 13 million users worldwide have used Screencastify to make nearly 500 million videos since 2016.  Full access to creative tools “Screencastify has always had a singular goal of empowering teachers and students of all kinds to improve learning through the power of video,” said Vishal Shah, CEO of Screencastify. “This next evolution of our partnership with Modern Classrooms Project ensures that teachers and mentors within their program will have full access to our entire suite of creative tools to create the best video possible for students. We’re excited to continue to build on our partnership with Modern Classrooms Project and do our part in building the modern classroom and helping shape the classroom of the future.” Modern Classrooms Project Modern Classrooms Project has trained and certified over 700 Expert Mentors and Distinguished Educators Modern Classrooms Project is a nonprofit organization that leads a movement of educators in implementing video to drive blended instruction in a self-paced, mastery-based instructional model that leverages technology to foster human connection, authentic learning, and social-emotional growth. Modern Classrooms Project has trained and certified over 700 Expert Mentors and Distinguished Educators who implement its instructional model effectively in classrooms all around the world. New methods “Anyone who has spent time in the classroom knows that the task at hand perpetually feels unconquerable. But one place to start is in equipping educators with new methods that fundamentally restructure how they use space and time in the classrooms,” said Kareem Farah, CEO and co-founder of Modern Classrooms Project. According to a 2021 survey, the Modern Classrooms Project has helped 85% of teachers enjoy teaching more and feel more optimistic about their future in education and has made 72% more likely to continue teaching as a career. Video creation tools “With our partnership with Screencastify, the Modern Classrooms Project is investing in supporting teachers and unleashing their capacity." The partnership puts simple yet powerful video creation tools into the hands of leading K -12 educators who will implement the classroom of the future. Seamless assignments Each educator chosen was allowed to learn how to use instructional videos to carry on the mission “Screencastify is very intuitive. So, going into the Modern Classrooms Project mentoring program having already used Screencastify, it just made the assignments flow seamlessly,” said Cecelia Gillam, a teacher at St. Charles Parish School Board and MCP expert mentor.  In 2021, Screencastify used $25,000 to recognize and sponsor 50 educators to learn the nonprofit organization’s innovative and research-backed instructional model. Each educator chosen was allowed to learn how to use instructional videos to carry on the Modern Classrooms Project’s mission to improve learning outcomes for every student and give them more control over their education. Flexibility to pause and rewind “Screencastify does a great job of giving students the flexibility to pause and rewind the video and make notes … and give them a sense of control of their own pace of learning,” said Monte Woodard, Science Teacher at The Field School in Washington, D.C. and MCP expert mentor. Screencastify has remained laser-focused on helping empower K -12 educators with the right tools to implement blended and hybrid classroom environments that are necessary today. Screencastify is used by educators in more than 70% of U.S. school districts.

St Mary and St Ethelburga Church, a cherished Catholic establishment in Barking, has recently completed a transformative project to enhance its visual appeal and security measures. For more than a century and a half, this parish, home to two churches, has remained a steadfast pillar of faith and community within Barking and Ilford. Evolving needs of its congregation In 1869, the original church, an architectural marvel designed by E.W. Pugin, graced the landscape with its iconic wooden spired bellcote. In 1979, to meet the evolving needs of its congregation, the old church gracefully gave way to a modern brick structure featuring varied window openings, low-pitched rooves, and artificial slate. Old church gracefully gave way to a modern brick form featuring varied window openingsA homage to its roots, a large round window containing glass from the original Pugin church now adorns one wall of the new structure. Notably, 2002 saw the approval of an application to erect a freestanding bell frame, an architectural gem that has since become a local landmark, standing tall and proud. Forward-thinking design: The New Presbytery In 2018, a new chapter began with the granting of planning permission for a state-of-the-art Presbytery on the premises, meticulously designed by LAP Architects & Interior Designers. With a focus on creating a simple, energy-efficient building tailored to the parish's future needs, the Presbytery stands as a testament to forward-thinking design. The Barbican Imperial Solution Addition of the new residential building, a more robust perimeter indicator became vital At first, there was no demarcation fencing around the front of the site, making it easy for individuals to pass through the church and car park area. Implementing measures to deter casual passersby from entering is a standard recommendation by local law enforcement's Designing Out Crime Officers (DOCOs). This approach has been shown to effectively curtail impromptu criminal activities, such as theft of items left on the grounds, vandalism, and unsightly graffiti. With the addition of the new residential building, a more robust perimeter indicator became necessary. To enhance both security and esthetics of the frontage, and to complement the new Presbytery structure, the installation of demarcation fencing and gates was deemed essential. Barbican Imperial fencing Recognizing the importance of safeguarding the premises and creating an inviting atmosphere, St Mary and St Ethelburga Church opted for Jacksons Fencing’s Barbican Imperial fencing, with a double leaf and single leaf gate for access, was chosen for an elegant demarcation solution. The fence, with its classic appearance that mimics wrought iron railings, combined with modern construction, not only exudes timeless charm but also offers enhanced security and durability. Theft-proofing for peace of mind The galvanized and powder-coated black finish not only adds a touch of tradition but also ensures longevity In a bid to thwart theft, a common concern for churches (particularly scrap metal pilfering), the vertical bar railings boast a welded pale-through-rail construction with concealed bolts and tamper-proof panel-to-post connectors, making theft a near-impossibility. The galvanized and powder-coated black finish not only adds a touch of tradition but also ensures longevity, promising years of unblemished esthetics. Backed by a 25-year guarantee, this sustainable solution serves as a testament to the church's commitment to prudent investments. The 1.2-meter-high black railings strike a harmonious balance, providing a welcoming environment while preserving an open atmosphere. This design choice also allows the picturesque bell tower to be admired from the road, safeguarded from unintended contact. Furthermore, the strategically placed gates can be secured, preventing any unauthorized access to the church's premises. Author's quote Commenting on the successful project, Peter Jackson, Managing Director at Jacksons Fencing, expressed, “Unfortunately, places of worship across the UK grapple with a broad spectrum of crimes on a daily basis. As a result, our commitment to providing robust security solutions for these sites remains a primary focus. In our places of worship report, we discovered that the perception of visitors as they approach and enter a place of worship was critical. While the design of on-site security measures should effectively deter trespassers and prevent crimes, it should also create a welcoming atmosphere and instill a sense of safety." "Striking a delicate balance between effective security and esthetics is paramount. In this instance, the installation of our Barbican Imperial fencing not only elevates the church's security but also provide a timeless elegance upon its surroundings. It has been an honor to contribute to the preservation of this esteemed historic institution.”

When it comes to protecting the environment, the security industry has historically been perched on the sidelines. For instance, the amount of electricity that physical security systems use is minimal when compared to the total energy usage in a typical building. However, as awareness of environmental issues has surged, and as some of the "low-hanging fruit" has been harvested, attention has come back to opportunities for additional, if small, savings. The lifecycles of security products are also being more closely examined, including the environmental impact of using plastics and other chemicals. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: How can the security industry contribute to protecting the environment?

The economic fallout of the COVID-19 epidemic was felt in supply chain disruptions, higher prices, and shortages of certain goods. The physical security industry was not spared, although the epidemic also presented opportunities for security companies. Changing access control trends triggered by the pandemic are still reverberating throughout the industry, for example. Four years later, the impact of the pandemic is still being felt in the security market, lingering like the symptoms of "long COVID." We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: Four years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, what is its lingering impact on the physical security industry?  

Headlines of violence in our schools are a reminder of the need to keep educational institutions safe. In fact, if there is a positive aspect to the constant bombardment of headlines, it is that it keeps our attention perpetually focused on how to improve school security. But what is the role of physical security systems? As the new school year begins, we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: Are schools safer because of physical security systems? Why or why not?