Security access systems - Security beat

Axis has a new camera that “shakes like a dog” when it rains -- to get rid of the extra moisture. KiwiSecurity, an Austrian company and IFSEC newcomer, uses video analytics to scramble images of faces in live video to ensure privacy.These were two of the surprising things I saw on Day Two of IFSEC. Attendance picked up nicely in the halls of London’s ExCeL -- and the show floor seemed to get bigger as the day wore on (at least according to my weary feet!). There definitely were...

Time flies, and I’m sure it’s been 10 or 15 years since the term PSIM (meaning physical security information management) came into favour in our market. It was a variation on the term SIM (security information management), which in the realm of information security refers to a collection of data into a central repository for trend analysis. The idea was to apply the same concept to physical security equipment in the form of an over-arching software system that takes information from...

We’re seeing a market trend toward manufacturers seeking to provide “total solutions” rather than components. The trend is reflected clearly in recent industry consolidation, for example. When companies that manufacture various components become part of a single corporate owner, it’s not a stretch to expect the new owners to combine those components into a single end-to-end solution – sooner or later. Manufacturers are also leveraging OEM agreements and other partne...

It has been seven months or so since Tyco Integrated Security entered the small business security sector, and the company’s focused approach is paying off well in the five initial markets of Chicago; South Florida; Dallas-Fort Worth; Orange County, Calif.; and Burbank, Calif. It’s no wonder they hit the ground running. TycoIS had plenty of time to prepare for its September 2014 launch into the small business market. Expiration of a two-year non-compete agreement after the company sp...

Buying security services can be a tricky business, and success requires a strategic approach involving multiple stakeholders and careful evaluation of proposals, including a scoring system that targets the most important criteria. “Buying security services is a special beast,” says George Councils, AlliedBarton’s vice president of strategic sourcing and acquisition integration. “Evaluation requires special considerations.” I listened in on a recent AlliedBarton web...

Anyone thinking the Canon acquisition of Axis is a done deal should reconsider. Not so fast. A wrinkle has emerged as the Japanese imaging giant has been buying up shares of Axis in anticipation of acquiring the Swedish camera manufacturer. The wrinkle comes in the form of a hedge fund company called Elliott Management, which has reportedly bought 10.91 percent of Axis stock. Incomplete Sale The number is significant because Canon needs to acquire 90 percent of Axis stock in order to force th...

Phybridge is an unfamiliar name in the physical security market. That’s because the Canadian company first made its mark in the telecommunications market, serving customers transitioning from analog to digital telephone systems using “voice-over-IP.” The telecommunications transition came six to 10 years before a similar transition happening now in the physical security market, and the infrastructure solutions that succeeded in the former market are also applicable to the...

A message we’re hearing a lot at ISC West this year is the customer’s growing demand for end-to-end solutions. In the small- to medium-sized business (SMB) segment, especially, there is a strong demand for total solutions that are simple to use and easy to integrate and manage. The most efficient path to achieve such systems is often to install an end-to-end solution from a single supplier, combining access control and video. Creating Unified Solution By Uniting Product Businesses...

The spirit of collaboration was alive and well at AMAG Technology’s Security Engineering Symposium 2015 in Carlsbad, Calif. Targeting consultants, architects and engineers (A&E), and integrators, the weekend conference was built around AMAG’s Symmetry access control products, especially their role in a unified system that incorporates a variety of other technologies, too. Also participating in the event (and emphasizing the value of long-term partnering) were several other techn...

Is Axis Communications getting ready to expand its business beyond IP video cameras and even access control? A recent comment by Axis founder Martin Gren appears to suggest as much. In a Q&A sponsored by Memoori Research, Gren was asked about “adjacent markets that will merge with IP video” as they relate to the Internet of Things (IoT). Here is his answer: “If you’re talking about IoT, you’re talking about all types of intelligent sensors. Our DNA (at Axis) is...

Given a readily available supply of investment money to the security industry, might we see even more mergers and acquisition (M&A) activity in the coming year? Such appeared to be one message as the Security Industry Association (SIA) Investment Trends Committee presented an update on security-related capital markets, M&A and investment information. In the “middle market loan market,” where all but the top several security industry companies might look for money, there are...

The sale of Siemens’ Security Products to Vanderbilt is expected to close by the end of March, and already the owner-to-be is making good progress to form a new stand-alone company. Notably, the pending transaction is not a sale of company shares but rather a sale of assets, in this case product lines in the access control, CCTV and intrusion categories. In effect, a company is being created to manage those assets, and Vanderbilt has been working for the last several months to create the...

A lawsuit filed by the parents of children killed in the Sandy Hook school shooting in 2012 highlights how the best-thought-out security plans can fall apart because of details and/or last-minute changes. Before the tragedy unfolded, Sandy Hook Elementary had established protocols in place to cope in the event of an active shooter incident. However, some of the protocols broke down on the day of the shooting, and it’s possible that additional young lives were lost as a result. A lawsuit f...

It has been interesting to read all the Review and Forecast articles we published over the last month. The holiday season was a perfect time to reflect on the previous year, and it is interesting to read about all the companies, their visions for 2015 and their accomplishments. It reminds me how lucky I am to be a part of an industry dedicated to protecting assets, people and facilities. The opportunity to report on a constantly changing business climate and a wealth of interesting technology is...

Video walls are growing in popularity in security applications, providing everyone in a control room access to the same current information at the same time. They are a perfect way to display the “big picture” – literally. Video walls are often used in situations where several people are working together to create a coordinated effort, whether related to security, emergency response, process control or other discipline. In the security sector, video walls are commonly used in...

January 5, 2015 is the deadline to suggest changes to the National Fire Protection Association’s two documents that serve the security marketplace. Anyone can provide public input into the standards through the NFPA website. NFPA 731: Standard for the Installation of Electronic Premises Security Systems provides guidance on how to install, test and maintain electronic premise security systems and their components. Its specific requirements are written so that they can be easily incorporat...

Cybersecurity is an ongoing concern in the realm of home automation and security systems. Joe Albaugh brought a unique perspective to the subject in July when he became Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Vivint, the second largest residential security and home automation provider in the United States. Albaugh’s approach to the cybersecurity aspects of home automation is based on his 20 years of experience including past positions as chief information security officer for three large, critical...

The incident in Ferguson, Mo. has highlighted the value of body-worn cameras for police officers. However, the largest manufacturer of body-worn cameras is also actively promoting their use by others outside law enforcement, including security officers, human resource (HR) professionals and even CEOs. Body-worn camera manufacturer VIEVU, Seattle, Wash., sees a growing market among “prosumers” (i.e., professional consumers). A “prosumer” might be anyone who needs to docum...

Sometimes companies want to buy their physical security software separate from the servers it runs on. Other times, companies prefer to buy an “appliance” – a purpose-built machine that is perfectly matched with the software it is running. The latter category is especially popular among small- and medium-sized business customers. For example, preconfigured video management appliances contribute an element of simplicity. That’s why you see video software companies –...

Iris recognition has been used as a biometric for access control applications for many years, but we have heard a lot more lately about fingerprint scans. However, iris recognition has many advantages over fingerprints and other biometrics, and the technology has come a long way. Mark Clifton, vice president of the Products and Services Division of SRI International, calls the iris a “protected” biometric, typically not injured and unlikely to be contaminated as fingers or hands mig...

Spread of the Ebola virus beyond Western Africa has heightened concerns among healthcare professionals and the general public. In practical terms, healthcare facilities – including their security departments – are preparing to deal with whatever happens next as concerns about the disease continue. Even areas that are not a “hot zone” for Ebola virus exposure may face additional challenges, given uncertainty about the spread of the disease and a possible influx into hospit...

Are attendees at the ASIS trade show becoming more business-savvy? Have they mastered the technology basics and moved on to more complex issues of how various products can be used to help their businesses? One exhibitor at ASIS 2014 in Atlanta says they have, and the change is impacting how the company displays its products. “Boon Edam has been exhibiting at ASIS for 15 years, and we have observed a new trend in how our customers approach us today versus just a few years ago,” says...

The merger of Vicon and IQinVision has been one of the more interesting business developments in the security and video surveillance markets in 2014. Wondering how the merger is working out, I spoke with Eric Fullerton, CEO, Vicon Industries Inc., at the ASIS 2014 show in Atlanta. Here are some of his comments: SS.com: What drew you to Vicon; what opportunity do you see here? Fullerton: The merger of Vicon and IQinVision was announced at the end of Q1, and I thought: What is that? My first rea...

A busy first day at the ASIS International Seminar and Exhibits in Atlanta ended with a surprise strategic announcement by one of the industry’s largest suppliers and one of its most successful up-and-comers. Axis Communications and Sightlogix announced a strategic agreement to sell both technologies cooperatively to end-user customers through dealer channels. Despite the broad product range Axis brings to market, the company does not have a perimeter security solution, which is the stren...

In its role to achieve “plug-and-play” interoperability for security system and device integration, the Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA) is looking ahead to some new possibilities in its long-term roadmap. David Bunzel, PSIA executive director, shared with me some of the active discussions among alliance members about where the next wave of interoperability initiatives may lead. Integration of wireless locks is at the top of the list, a response to the growing and...

Commoditisation is the biggest problem facing today’s security integrators, says Bill Bozeman, president and CEO of PSA Security Network, an electronic security cooperative encompassing some 250 electronic security systems integrators, and aligning them with over 150 vendor partners. Multi-million-dollar manufacturers are taking advantage of economies of scale to drive down pricing of many of the components our industry uses, and lower prices are poised to have a long-term detrimental imp...

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

A pessimist might see the coming “Internet of Things” as the “Internet of Things that Could Go Wrong.” Clearly the networking of more machines in the home, including video and security systems, suggests that somebody (or something) needs to be available to make sure that the resulting home automation system is working as intended. If you need technical support for home automation, who do you call? It’s not just a theoretical question, given the accelerating trend...

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

The next generation of access control standards will be developed by the recently announced collaboration between the Open Network Video Interface Forum (ONVIF) and the Security Industry Association (SIA), the American trade association headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., near Washington, D.C. Both organizations have staked a claim in the area of access control standards, and now they’re seeing their interests converge. SIA’s Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) standard addresse...