Security service

PSA, the consortium of professional systems integrators, announces the addition of Tyco Cloud to its Managed Security Service Provider Program (MSSP). Tyco Cloud is a cloud-based physical security management suite from Johnson Controls developed for video surveillance, access control, intelligence, and integration services on an open and modern micro services architecture. “Tyco Cloud has more than 20 years of experience providing cloud-based security services,” said Tim Brooks, PSA’s vice president of sales and vendor management. “As our industry moves more and more towards cloud-based offerings, Tyco Cloud is an important addition to our lineup of products.” Digital revenue streams Tyco Cloud provides the cost efficiency of software as a service (SaaS) with the simplicity of secure cloud connected hardware. Since its inception, Tyco Cloud has helped customers store and manage over 25 billion minutes of video surveillance in the cloud and is available in 140 countries. "PSA is a leading distributor with a powerful history of delivering best in class physical security technologies as well as the training and support their members need to take advantage of the digital transformation happening in our industry," said Martin Renkis, General Manager of Global Cloud Solutions for Physical Security at Johnson Controls. "We are focused on providing the best solutions to create new digital revenue streams for the PSA members and cost-effective value for their customers." On-Premise security infrastructure Cloud computing improves efficiency, reduces IT costs, and streamlines application management, while increasing scalability, availability, security, and convenience compared to traditional on-premise security infrastructure. Integrators in the PSA Network can leverage the power of IoT, big data, and artificial intelligence for security with Tyco Cloud. PSA’s MSSP program hinges on uniting partners in cybersecurity and cloud-based security solutions, offering training and certification opportunities and financing options with assistance from PSA.

ISC West 2020, scheduled to take place from October 5th to October 8th 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada, has been canceled due to industry and market circumstances. While the organizers cannot convene in person in 2020, Reed Exhibitions, along with Premier Sponsor, SIA (Security Industry Association), will transform ISC West 2020 into an all-virtual event that has been scheduled for October 5th to October 7th, 2020 to serve the security and public safety community. ISC West 2020 event canceled During this time of major change and transformation in the U.S., the ISC West community of security integrators, installers, dealers and consultants, along with corporate, government and law enforcement/first responder practitioners, have frontline essential services and mission-critical responsibilities. Amidst travel and budget restrictions, security industry professionals and solution providers are playing a major role in serving regional communities, as businesses are working on re-opening and re-designing facilities in order to ensure public health and safety across all cities and communities. Connecting via digital programs and virtual events We look forward to continuing to help the ISC West community engage via digital programs, resources and connections" “While we are very disappointed to not be able to meet face-to-face this year in Las Vegas, we look forward to continuing to help the ISC West community engage via digital programs, resources and connections. Our team, along with our valued venue partner, Sands Expo and Venetian, is working on detailed planning and protocols for ISC West 2021, which will take place March 23-26, 2021,” said Will Wise, Group Vice President, Reed Exhibitions. Pierre Trapanese, Security Industry Association (SIA) Chairman said, “We at SIA sincerely regret not being able to meet face-to-face in Las Vegas in 2020. We know the importance of ISC West to our community and know that we have a responsibility to our industry to adapt during this period.” ISC West 2020 Virtual Event Pierre adds, “We will continue to provide our members with timely information and resources on an on-going basis. We look forward to producing a great virtual event with the ISC team, anchored by a compelling SIA Education@ISC conference program delivered in a dynamic format in October.” “We will be rolling out additional information on the ISC West 2020 Virtual Event very soon, including formats for education, discussion groups, matchmaking, showcased solutions and technologies, plus elements to celebrate the security community, and support our charity partner Mission 500 and their key role in helping kids and families in crisis,” stated Mary Beth Shaughnessy, Event Director of ISC Security Events. ISC East 2020 event under continuous assessment She adds, “Regarding ISC East 2020, our smaller scale, more regional-focused event slated for November 18th to November 19th, 2020 in New York City, we will be assessing event viability over the next 8-10 weeks with guidance from the Javits Center, New York State and New York City authorities.” Mary further stated, “We will continue to consult with SIA, with the ASIS NYC Chapter, and other Northeast regional association supporters, along with our loyal community of attendees, speakers and exhibitors. Our security community is committed and resilient and we look forward to continuing to rally and adapt with everyone to chart the course forward.”

Cybersecurity is a trending topic in the video surveillance market. As a result of international regulations, companies are assessing the potential security risks of video surveillance systems, deploying crisis management policies and developing mitigation plans for events related to a data breach. Customers desire trustworthy products and vendors are rushing to fill this gap to satisfy the market demand. Multiple vendors are offering a great number of solutions; however the choice and diversification perplexes customers, who often have difficulty identifying the best solution for their needs. In this paper, Videotec puts forward its vision with regard to developing safe products and describes its strategy for cybersecurity. Explosion-proof rated cameras Customers are currently overwhelmed by the perpetual advertisement of products related to cybersecurity. At tradeshows and in sector magazines, multiple products are being promoted as key elements for cybersecurity. Unfortunately, cyber-safe products cannot be marketed with the same strategy as other devices, for example, explosion-proof rated cameras. For software, similar requirements exist but there is less clarity than with their counterparts The key difference is that for threats that do not concern software a set of well-defined and well-documented requirements exist: in general, it is possible to universally define safety requirements for installation in special environments, such as a drilling rig, a marine vessel or along a railroad. For software, similar requirements exist but there is less clarity than with their counterparts when it comes to security. Video management software Furthermore, a device's firmware and video management software (VMS) are updated by each vendor to introduce new features or to fix bugs. Every update may have an impact on the complete video surveillance system reliability. Finally, security researchers continuously identify new issues that may reduce the safety of the system, even if no change is applied to the facilities. Deploying a cyber-secure system is a challenging task under these ever-changing conditions. Other aspects of security, such as mechanical, electrical or environmental are not subject to similar uncertainty. As an example, designing an explosion-proof system is a well-known process, involving classifying zones, identifying the nature of the explosive elements, such as gases or dusts, and deducting the product requirements. Video surveillance equipment During the lifespan of the system, the identified risk sources do not change. Similarly, during installation on a marine vessel, the video surveillance equipment is commissioned and will not change until the entire ship is refurbished. Several certification options are currently available on the market, and these can be placed in two main groups The result of the lack of certainty that characterises software and the existence of complex standards that have a restricted competent audience is a professional market that is trying to incoherently fill this gap, by pursuing certifications and stamps or by adopting aggressive advertisement strategies, based on over-optimistic promises on product features. Cybersecurity certification Several certification options are currently available on the market, and these can be placed in two main groups: System certification Product certification As the name suggests, system certification addresses cybersecurity at a system level. This group includes ISO27001, NIST SP 800-53° ISA/IEC62443-3 for example. In these frameworks, risks related to information management are evaluated across every aspect of the organization: information generated by the devices, storage, access control to the information and physical security to protect data from being stolen from data centers. Video surveillance system Since these certifications must be flexible to adapt to a heterogeneity of systems, they define frameworks to perform the system analysis and the assessment of the risks of such systems, but they do not punctually mandate explicit requirements. System certifications delegate the definition of such requirements to the organization willing to achieve the certification. In contrast, product certifications are narrow in scope, targeting a single component subject to certification. A single component can be a camera, a networking switch or video management software A single component can be a camera, a networking switch or video management software. In this category are the EMV standard for credit and debit cards, the UL2900 series and ISO/IEC 15408, also known as Common Criteria. It is clear that pursuing a system-level certification involves the customer and the integrator installing the video surveillance system. Cyber secure surveillance Manufacturers should target product certifications and drive efforts to ease the integration of their products into the frameworks of system-level certification that is being pursued by their customers. Videotec started developing its DeLux technology several years ago. At that time, Videotec had a clear vision for its products: developing safe products for all possible tasks - mechanical, electrical, electromagnetic and software - according to current and future security requirements. The mission of the DeLux technology was, and still is, to provide a reliable, safe and future-proof platform that integrates with all products. Sharing a common platform between multiple products is challenging. It requires deep planning of product design to ensure the platform will function perfectly within any product. It also implies that new software releases are compatible with any previously released camera. New security feature Software architecture must be flexible enough to guarantee integration into very different products Thus, every time a new product is released the effort to validate the software increases. Due to this decision, Videotec guarantees that any new security feature and any bug fix will be available to its customers regardless of product age and whether it is still present in the current product catalog. From the beginning of the DeLux project, two key points were immediately clear. The first point is that software architecture must be flexible enough to guarantee integration into very different products, and at the same time it needs dedicated components that guarantee the un-exploitability of the device. Accomplish video acquisition For this reason, the code executed by the device is partitioned into different security domains, making sure that processes that implement the protocol interfaces towards the video management software cannot harm the internal components that accomplish video acquisition, perform compression and constantly monitor the correct function of the unit. The second point that Videotec immediately understood is that ensuring the correct functioning of the software in every device is as important as the software running in just the cameras. For this reason, Videotec started developing internal tools that perform automated testing on the entire set of devices that incorporate the DeLux technology. Secure video surveillance Every night, the validation tools embedded into the continuous integration process automatically test each product to verify that no regression was unconsciously added while the company proceed with software development. Every time Videotec adds a new feature in response to a suggestion for improvement by the company's customers or identification of an issue, it also updates the testing tools to increase the reliability of the company's products. Videotec has yet to definitively choose a certification scheme for the DeLux technology Videotec believes that its products, and the continual updating of these, actively contribute to maintaining the safe operation of secure video surveillance system, helping IT departments and system administrators by keeping their systems balanced and by not requiring excessive mitigating actions or protections due to future issues. At Videotec, they call this cyber-sustainability. System-level security requirements At the time of writing this white paper, Videotec has yet to definitively choose a certification scheme for the DeLux technology. Several options are being evaluated, as the company search for a solution that will create value for the company’s customers without sacrificing the addition of new features on all products that make up the DeLux technology range. Although Videotec is still exploring the best certification scheme for its software, this does not prevent the company from having a clear and active development path for the cybersecurity in their products. At Videotec, the following five principles are the basis for implementing cybersecurity in products: Hardened software architecture to minimize the attack surface of the cameras Constant updates and availability of new features, even on old products Removal of predefined credentials in the products, to strongly indicate to customers that, as a minimum, a new username and password combination must be defined by the user during installation according to the system-level security requirements Contribution to the ONVIF Security Service specification, to push the industry shifting from usernames and password to X.509 certificates Clear communication to customers, by avoiding fake marketing claims Security service specifications Videotec had an active role in the development of the ONVIF Profile Q specifications. Among other activities, it contributed to driving the standard towards the removal of predefined credentials. The security market must teach installers and users that using pre-defined usernames and passwords is equivalent to not having credentials at all. Videotec is proposing extensions to the ONVIF Security Service specifications Defining the factory-default state of Profile Q compliant devices, where no authentication is required, is the strongest reminder a vendor can provide to its customers. Similarly, with regard to the commitment for the ONVIF Profile Q, Videotec is proposing extensions to the ONVIF Security Service specifications that will include the widespread the adoption of X.509 certificates to replace the usage of credentials. Video surveillance market Moving towards this new way of handling authentication between devices and VMSs will not only impact devices, but it will require a leap forward for the whole video surveillance market. Beyond implementing the functionality in its devices, Videotec is already planning the actions that will be necessary to make its customers effective at selling, installing and maintaining video surveillance systems based on this technology. Last, but not least, trustworthy communication to customers is a key value for Videotec. For this reason, Videotec will never exploit the unintuitive requirements of system certifications of international privacy rules to send wrong messages to the market. As an example, Videotec added to all its IP products an instruction about performing a safe installation according to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), similarly to the instructions given for mechanical, electrical of environmental safety. IP-based device In the last ten years, the video surveillance industry has vigorously shifted from analog to IP products These instructions are meant to teach customers and stimulate their attention to aspects related to cybersecurity. As such, instructions will never be turned into unreliable market claims, such as claims for conformance to the GPDR or any other rule. Cyber threats started menacing video surveillance systems from the day the first IP-based device was put into the market. At that time, the number of digital systems was low and video surveillance was not as pervasive as it is today. In the last ten years, the video surveillance industry has vigorously shifted from analog to IP products and, at the same time, it has witnessed a constant growth in market demand. As a result, digital video surveillance systems are everywhere nowadays and attract attention not only from professionals but also from malicious users. Risk assessment analytics Keeping these systems safe from cyber-threats is an activity that cannot be performed just by performing a risk assessment analytics during the commissioning phase - maintenance and recovery plans must be operative during the whole lifespan of the systems. These activities have a cost; also managing the effects of a system violation has a cost. Integrators and users must find the correct balance, to minimize expenses while keeping video surveillance systems updated and secure. In order to make reduction of expenses related to maintenance and recovery plans easier, Videotec bases the development of its products on the concept of cyber-sustainability, where support, updates and training about the products span an interval that is larger than each single product lifecycle and assist integrators and customers keeping their systems protected.

DigiCert, Inc., the provider of TLS/SSL, IoT and other PKI solutions, and Valimail, the provider of identity-based anti-phishing solutions, announce that they are partnering to help companies prepare for Brand Indicators for Message Identification (BIMI), a new standard currently in pilot that allows companies to display a verified logo in emails with a Verified Mark Certificate (VMC). “DigiCert is pleased to partner with Valimail to support pilots that advance the BIMI email security standard with VMCs,” said DigiCert Senior Director of Business Development Dean Coclin. “We anticipate growing demand for digital certificates displaying verified logos in email and are developing scalable solutions to help companies be ready on day one.” Making the ecosystem more secure “BIMI is a huge step forward for email marketing, and when combined with DMARC enforcement it will help make the entire ecosystem more secure,” said Steve Mock, VP of Business Development for Valimail. “We’re very proud to be working with DigiCert to create a one-stop shop for companies to make themselves BIMI-ready.” A major BIMI pilot with Yahoo has been underway for the past year, and Google has recently announced plans to launch a BIMI pilot in 2020. Upcoming BIMI pilots are expected to require VMCs for participants. DigiCert issued the first VMC for a domain that sends email at scale to CNN in October 2019. Automated certificate management DigiCert and Valimail are working together to establish a streamlined experience for companies DigiCert and Valimail are working together to establish a streamlined experience for companies to enforce Domain-based Message Authentication, Reporting and Conformance (DMARC), an email authentication, policy and reporting protocol, and receive VMCs, both essential steps for BIMI compliance. DigiCert’s platform, together with regional staffing and expertise, enable fast, scalable and automated certificate management. The Valimail platform makes DMARC compliance faster and easier, and also offers an automated way for customers to manage BIMI configuration. VMCs provide the following benefits for early adopter organizations: Long term, ensure customers see their logo in their inbox — even before they open the email. Provide an additional layer of protection against identity-targeted attacks through DMARC compliance. Deliver a more authentic, recognizable and unified brand experience from email to conversion. Distinguish one's messaging from the clutter. Improve deliverability and open rates by up to 10%. Trustworthy inbox experience DMARC enforcement is a key tool in companies’ battles against growing amounts of email phishing campaigns. DMARC gives companies visibility into who is sending emails from their domains, and gives them the ability to control which of those services or servers are allowed to do so. With an enforcement policy, unauthorized senders using the domain are automatically blocked by most receiving mail servers in the world today. VMCs enable companies using DMARC to place a verified, trademarked logo next to the ‘sender’ field in customers’ inboxes. Developed by the AuthIndicators Working Group, the BIMI pilot program is intended to create a more trustworthy inbox experience for all email users worldwide through increasing the use of authentication to reduce email fraud.  Localized security standards DigiCert is the issuer of digital certificates, with a global presence and highly scalable infrastructure that makes it the top choice for emerging global and localized security standards using cryptography to authenticate identities and encrypt information online. DigiCert is supporting BIMI pilots in anticipation of a broad offering in its DigiCert CertCentral® TLS Manager DigiCert is supporting BIMI pilots in anticipation of a broad offering in its DigiCert CertCentral® TLS Manager, available in 11 languages and nine currencies, later this year. DigiCert was recently named 2020 Global Company of the Year in the TLS certificate market by Frost & Sullivan, in recognition of its strong market leadership in its growth, supporting the adoption of new standards and continually innovating with the most modern public key infrastructure (PKI) technology. Announcing additional developments Valimail is a pioneer in the DMARC space. This pioneering zero-trust identity-based anti-phishing company offers the only complete, cloud-native platform for validating and authenticating sender identity. It provides the most complete, effective visibility tool for interpreting DMARC reports, with the highest success rate among customers for achieving DMARC enforcement. It is also the provider of DMARC services to Microsoft 365 customers, and a growing DMARC vendor. Valimail and DigiCert are continuing to build on their partnership and will announce additional developments and milestones in the coming months.

The Partnership for Priority Verified Alarm Response (PPVAR) is pleased to announce Tom Nakatani, IT VP of Customer Monitoring Technology for ADT, has been elected President. Nakatani officially began his two-year term at the June 10th PPVAR member’s meeting after serving as Vice President. He succeeds Joey Rao-Russell, President and CEO for Sonitrol-Kimberlite, who will now serve on the PPVAR Board as an immediate past President and Treasurer. “I am honored to take on the role of PPVAR President and to work with the distinguished and influential group of industry thought leaders, public safety leaders, and key partners on our Board of Directors,” said Tom Nakatani. Changing verification technology use Tom adds, “The use of verification technology is fundamentally changing the relationship between the alarm industry and public safety for the better. We’re thrilled to be involved with the development of industry standards that will provide more actionable information for first responders. This information will improve officer safety while prioritizing their impact.” Tom Nakatani also sits on the Board of Directors for the Security Industry Association Nakatani started his career at ADT in 1991 and has held a number of positions with the company including global monitoring technology, monitoring standards, program management, operational reporting, M&A, and product delivery. He also sits on the Board of Directors for the Security Industry Association and participates on a number of industry and regulatory committees. Promoting the value of verification As PPVAR continues to work toward its mission of promoting the value of verification during the dispatch process, it is expanding the composition of its Board of Directors to increase the number of public safety representatives. This change will ensure that the PPVAR board will represent a balanced team of professionals with excellent relationships across both public and private sectors as they work together on the issues related to alarm response process. Three of the public safety and partner members were introduced and spoke at the virtual meeting, including: David L. Holl is the Director of Public Safety for Lower Allen Township, PA. Director Holl oversees the police department, emergency medical services, is liaison to two Township volunteer fire companies, and serves as the municipal Emergency Management Coordinator. He sees his involvement in PPVAR as a way to directly impact false alarm issues and is looking forward to influencing the future of responding to emergencies. Frank G. Fernandez, is the retired Chief of Police from Miami and Hollywood Police. He is the former Director of Public Safety and Assistant City Manager for the City of Coral Gables, Florida. He is currently president of Blueprints 4 Safety (B4S) Strategies Group LLC, a security and risk assessment consulting group specializing in vulnerability assessments, strategic planning and best practice policing/public safety strategic development. He chose to become involved in PPVAR because he sees the opportunity to increase situational awareness for police when responding to emergencies and to bring awareness to his public safety colleagues about the alarm industry. John Chiaramonte is President of Mission Critical Partners’ Consulting Business where he leads more than 80 dedicated and specialized public safety professionals in improving his clients’ emergency response outcomes. He is a subject matter expert in emergency communications, 911 and next generation 911. One of his goals in participating with PPVAR is to improve emergency response outcomes as new technology brings changes to emergency dispatch centers. Strengthening public safety partnership With a bold vision for the future for PPVAR, new President Nakatani plans to continue to build on the work of the previous presidents by helping improve collaboration with public safety and other partners. This vision for the future includes expansion of the PPVAR Board, educating public safety and industry members, creating a framework for alarm verification scoring, and collaborative work with PSAPs to incorporate the next generation of technologies.

Camden is showing how SureWave™ touchless switches provides the market with exclusive models, features, and quality with the release of six new product videos. Touchless switch line Presented by David Price, Camden’s VP of Communications and Glenn Woodworth, Camden’s Product Specialist, this video series provides an introduction to Camden’s touchless switch line, highlights the new 6” round stainless steel faceplate option, as well as each of the SureWave™ models. SureWave™ touchless switch videos include episodes on CM-330 battery powered wireless model, CM-331 line powered one relay model, CM-332 line powered two relay model, and CM-333 Hybrid battery powered model with one relay.

ISC West, the world's largest security industry trade show, is just around the corner. This in-person show gathered more than 1,000 manufacturers and over 30,000 visitors from all over the world in 2019. On top of that, more than 200 brands exhibited at ISC West for the first time. This year's event promises to be just as exciting, if not more so. Let’s overview some leading security trends in video management systems development, and what's worth your time and attention at ISC West 2020. AI analytics Emerging two or three years ago, the AI-based video analytics market is experiencing a boom in growth. The prototypes and ideas displayed at ISC West 2019 could This year's event promises to be just as exciting, if not more soalready be part of a functioning system today. There's a lot of hype around this new trend. So, if you're looking for solutions for your needs, it is important to be able to tell the difference between technologies that work and marketing bluster. To do that, you have to understand what today's AI-based analytics (also often referred to as a neural network, deep learning, or machine learning) can and can't do. Let's start with what AI can't do in video surveillance. It can't analyze the sequence in which events occur or understand the 'logic' of what's happening in the scene. In other words, there's no such thing as a 'suspicious behavior detection tool'. Nevertheless, neural networks are really good at recognizing and classifying objects. For instance, they can distinguish humans from vehicles, vehicles from other moving objects, and cyclists from pedestrians. Neural network trackers This technology is primarily used as a neural network tracker or object tracker that can identify and track objects of a specific type. Usually, it's applied to complex scenes with a large amount of non-relevant details where a classic tracker would drown in false alarms. The neural tracker can be used to detect people in dangerous areas at production facilities, cyclists riding on pedestrian lanes, or poachers trying to sneak into a nature preserve. Neural networks are really good at recognizing and classifying objectsObject identification function can be used for other site-specific tasks, such as detecting people without a helmet or a high-visibility vest at facilities where those are required by safety regulations. It can also be used to detect fire and smoke in open spaces, or at big premises with high ceilings or active air circulation, where common fire alarm systems can't be used or may go off too late. Behavior analytics  Behavior analytics is another field of analytics based on artificial neural networks. Even if recognizing suspicious or inappropriate behavior is nearly impossible, it can detect risky situations based on human postures, such as an active shooter pose, raised arms, crouching, or man down. In addition to that, AI has been successfully used to perform facial and license plate recognition for quite some time now. Although these systems aren't new, their recognition quality improves each year. Looking for solutions? You'll definitely find some interesting and new options from developers specializing in VMS and modular AI analytics at ISC West 2020. Even if recognizing suspicious or inappropriate behavior is nearly impossible, AI can detect risky situations based on human postures Smart search The ability to perform a quick, flexible search in a video archive is one of the most important features of a video surveillance system. In many ways, it's even more AI has been successfully used to perform facial and licence plate recognition for quite some time nowimportant than real-time monitoring itself. Constantly keeping an eye out for what's happening onsite is the security service's job. Medium- to large-sized companies usually have that kind of department. Meanwhile, lots of small businesses and households use video footage to investigate accidents, resolve conflicts, or analyze employee's work. They generally don't need real-time monitoring, but video search is a crucial element. The most basic search tools offer an interface that enables easy access to recorded video and event-based search (from video analytics, detectors, etc.). Smart systems with forensic search features that allow the user to set criteria enhance the system's search capabilities even more. How it works  VMS analyzes the video as it is recorded and saves the resulting metadata to a database. In the most basic case, the metadata contains information about motion in the scene as well as the moving object's coordinates. When searching, you can select an area of interest within the frame and take a quick look at all video segments containing motion in this area. More advanced systems save the parameters of moving objects, such as their size, color, motion speed and direction. TThe ability to perform a quick, flexible search in a video archive is one of the most important features of a video surveillance systemYou'll quickly find what you're looking for by setting more precise criteria. The first VMS with forensic search features appeared in the early 2010s. Since then, a growing number of users and VMS developers have recognized the importance of these tools. More and more manufacturers enrich their products with forensic search features, starting from basic search by motion detection. Integrating search functions with AI Recently, search technologies have gone even further by integrating search functions with AI analytics. Some systems are capable to recognize all faces and number plates captured by cameras and save them to the database. You can quickly find all videos containing an image of a person or a car just by searching a photo or a number plate across multiple camera archives at a time. One usage scenario for these systems can be seen in law enforcement deploying them to find suspects using CCTV cameras around the city. Another option for integrating smart search and AI is searching by criteria based on a neural network tracker. When you use it, you can set object's size, color, motion speed and direction in the scene, as well as object's type (such as a human or a vehicle). So, if you need to find out when a red car appeared in the surveillance area, the system will show you only red cars while ignoring other objects like people in red clothes. This technology lets you find what you're looking for even faster. If you or your clients use VMS primarily to record video, be sure to ask the manufacturers you'll talk to at the show what search capabilities they offer. More advanced systems save the parameters of moving objects, such as their size, color, motion speed and direction Hardware AI acceleration High CPU resource consumption is one of the hardest challenges that stem from implementing a neural network–based video analytics system. This significantly decreases the number of cameras that can be connected to a server that hosts AI analytics. It also makes the system much more expensive. AI technology lets you find what you're looking for even fasterThe solution is to use AI accelerators. GPUs and dedicated accelerator cards are used on servers to provide hardware acceleration for the neural networks' workload. These devices are mostly manufactured by Intel and NVIDIA. Intel also offers the OpenVINO™ toolkit, a software package for developers that helps distribute workload between CPU, GPU, and accelerators as effectively as possible using all available resources. New solutions Due to AI's growing popularity, lots of minor microchip manufacturers became interested in developing neural accelerator chips. The healthy competition will work in the market's favor, serving to stimulate tech development and cut prices. New solutions in the field were on display at ISC West 2019; they'll definitely be present at ISC West again in 2020. Developers specializing in VMS and modular AI video analytics should absolutely check these out. But users should understand that it's impossible to build a cost-effective video surveillance system with significant number (10–20 and more) of AI analytics channels without using neural accelerators. That said, various accelerator models may significantly differ in price and power consumption. So, when you talk to developers specializing in VMS and AI analytics modules, ask what accelerator makes and models they support. In conclusion Whether you're an integrator looking for interesting VMS offers for clients or an end-user searching for solutions to your own tasks, check out what AI analytics can do. This sector is developing very fast and is continuously introducing new features that may be just what you're looking for. Incorporating forensic search in recorded video footage is key to building an effective video surveillance system for users, and important to creating a unique product offering for integrators. Needless to say, you can't build a cost-effective video surveillance system without using CPU resources wisely. If a system's functionality completely aligns with what you're looking for, ask what neural accelerator hardware it supports to correctly estimate the cost of your video servers.

Two of the most familiar names in the physical security market – Pelco and Panasonic – underwent ownership changes during 2019. Consolidation continued on multiple other fronts. Security service companies, video companies and access control companies were all among the entities involved in merger and acquisition (M&A) activity during the last 12 months. In short, the industry landscape continues to transform in response to a changing market. Here's a look at the Top 10 M&A stories in 2019: 1. Pelco Acquired by Private Equity Firm Transom Capital Pelco Inc. was acquired in May by Transom Capital Group, a private equity firm, from Schneider Electric. Since the acquisition, Transom Capital has been working with Pelco’s management and employees to define and direct the next chapter of the iconic company. Pelco maintains its headquarters in Fresno, Calif., and has a presence in Fort Collins, Colo., near Denver, and a sales office in the New York area, not to mention many global employees who work remotely. 2. Panasonic Spins Off Security Business Electronics giant Panasonic sold off 80% of its video surveillance business to a private equity firm but is retaining 20%, and the new company will continue to use the well-known Panasonic brand. The move is aimed at reinvigorating a business challenged by competition from Chinese companies and lower video prices. Polaris Capital Group Co. acquired 80% of the outstanding shares of the new security systems business. 3. Qognify Acquires OnSSI and SeeTec 2019 began with the acquisition of IP video management software (VMS) company On-Net Surveillance Systems (OnSSI), including SeeTec in Europe. Backed by the global investment firm Battery Ventures, Qognify completed the acquisition in the final days of 2018. With Qognify, OnSSI and SeeTec operating under one umbrella, the company provides VMS, video analytics, PSIM and critical incident management for mid-market and enterprise organizations. 4. Busy Year for Acquisitions at Allied Universal Security services company Allied Universal had an active year in acquisitions, beginning in April with the acquisition of integration company Securadyne Systems in Dallas. There was an additional acquisition announced in each of the next four months: Point 2 Point Global Security, Dallas, in May; security services company Cypress Private Security in June, services company Shetler Security Services in July , and Midstate Security in August. Allied Universal announced two more acquisitions in November – low-voltage integrator Advent Systems Inc. in Chicago and Vinson Guard Service in Louisiana. Also in November, Allied announced a transformational merger with SOS Security. In December, Allied Universal acquired APG Security, South Amboy, N.J. 5. Motorola Continues Video Push with VaaS Acquisition Following its acquisition of Avigilon in 2018, Motorola Solutions continued to build its presence in the security market in 2019 with the acquisition of VaaS International Holdings, Inc. (VaaS), a data and image analytics company. Motorola Solutions paid $445 million in a combination of cash and equity for the company, which includes fixed and mobile license plate reader cameras driven by machine learning and artificial intelligence. 6. ACRE Acquires Access Control Companies Open Options and RS2 Open Options is an open architecture access control company headquartered in Addison, Texas; and RS2 is an open systems access control provider in Munster, Ind. ACRE, global provider of security systems, wrapped up acquisition of both firms in 2019, after announcing the Open Options deal in the waning days of 2018 and following it up with the RS2 announcement in the spring. ACRE’s portfolio now consists of Vanderbilt, Open Options, RS2 and ComNet. 7. Assa Abloy Expands Capabilities with LifeSafety Power Lock and access control giant ASSA ABLOY acquired LifeSafety Power in September, providing a complement to the access control portfolio. The plan is to incorporate LifeSafety Power’s knowledge of power supply and consumption throughout the ASSA ABLOY access control line. LifeSafety Power was established in 2009 and has some 65 employees. The main office is located in Libertyville, Illinois. 8. Distributor Anixter Going Private and Selling to CD&R Anixter International Inc., a distributor of network and security solutions, electrical and electronic solutions and utility power solutions, entered into a definitive agreement with an affiliate of Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R) to be acquired in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $3.8 billion. The transaction will result in Anixter becoming a private company and is expected to close by the end of the first quarter of 2020. Under the terms of the merger agreement, CD&R-managed funds will acquire all the outstanding shares of Anixter common stock for $81.00 per share in cash. (It has been reported that a new bidder has also emerged, although Anixter is resisting – stay tuned.) 9. Alarm.com Expands Commercial Offering with OpenEye Acquisition Alarm.com has announced a majority-stake acquisition of OpenEye, a provider of cloud-managed video surveillance solutions for the commercial market. OpenEye is optimized for enterprise-level commercial customers requiring expansive video recording capabilities, in addition to remote viewing, administration and diagnostic reporting. Combined with the Alarm.com for Business offering, service providers partnered with Alarm.com now have solutions to accommodate commercial accounts of any size. 10. ADT Makes Multiple Acquisitions, Sells Canadian Operation Another North American security giant, ADT Inc., also had a busy year in mergers and acquisitions. In February, ADT acquired LifeShield, a pioneer in advanced wireless home security systems. In June ADT continued expanding capabilities and geographic reach via Red Hawk Fire & Security, ADT Commercial with the asset purchase agreement of Security Corporation, a commercial security integrator headquartered in Detroit, Mich. In November, ADT Commercial purchased Critical Systems, which specializes in enterprise-class fire alarm, fire suppression, life safety and integrated building security solutions for high-rise properties, healthcare campuses and data, manufacturing and distribution facilities in Atlanta.  In October, ADT announced an agreement to sell its Canadian operations to TELUS Corp.  

One of the responsibilities of construction project managers is to account for risks during the initial planning for a project and mitigate them. With all the tools, construction materials, and heavy machinery during the initial stages of a project, the construction site is a dangerous place to be at. However, this is not the only risk that project managers need to protect a site from. With plenty of valuables both physical and virtual within a construction site, it is also a prime target for theft and arson. Improving the security of construction sites It is important now more than ever that construction business owners and project managers invest in improving the security of construction sites. After all, security on construction sites is for the protection not only of valuable assets but also of workers and members of the public. Investing in adequate resources for construction site security can prevent several issues, including: Theft of expensive tools and construction equipment Cybersecurity breaches leading to loss of sensitive information such as invoice data Arson resulting in loss of life and property Vandalism of construction site property Trespassing by unauthorized parties and exposure to construction site dangers Risks of injuries that can result in litigation and legal claims Identifying security issues Having a dedicated security team in place is a good first step in bolstering a construction site’s security. They will be able to prevent theft, vandalism, and deter unauthorized personnel from entering the site. They can also identify security issues that can potentially arise and even respond quickly to accidents and other calamities should they occur. Having a dedicated security team in place is a good first step in bolstering a construction site’s security For a better implementation of construction site security measures, it is critical that business owners and managers assess an assessment of the site itself. This will help identify both internal and external risks that can affect the site’s security and guide project managers in putting systems in place to address them. Construction site security checklist To guide you, here is a sample template that you can use to form your own construction site security checklist.  SECURITY COORDINATION  YES   NO  1. Does the site have designated security coordinators?     2. Are the security coordinators available for contact during non-business hours?     3.  Does the construction site provide a means to contact the police, fire department, and other relevant authorities in case of emergencies?     4. Does the construction site have a written security plan, including procedures for specific scenarios?     5. If so, are construction site employees aware of the security plan?       GENERAL MACHINERY  YES   NO  1. Are all machinery adequately marked? (Identification number, corporate logo, tags, etc.)     2. Have all the machinery been inventoried? (Serial number, brand, model, value, etc.)     3. Does the project have a list of the names of operators handling the machinery?     4. Are all the machinery fitted with immobilizers and tracking devices when appropriate?     5. Are all the machinery stored in a secure area with a proper surveillance system?     6. Are the keys to the machinery stored in a separate, secure area?      TOOLS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT  YES   NO  1. Are all power tools and hand equipment marked? (Identification number, corporate logo, tags, etc.)     2. Have all power tools and hand equipment been inventoried? (Serial number, brand, model, value, etc.)     3. Are tools and equipment fitted with tags and tracking devices when appropriate?     4. Are tools and equipment stored in a secure place?      INVENTORY CONTROL  YES   NO  1. Is there a system in place to check material inventory to ensure they are not misplaced or stolen?     2. Are there procedures in place for checking materials that go in and out of the construction site?     3. Is there a set schedule for checking materials and equipment?     4. If so, do the records show that the schedule is followed strictly?     5. Are all material suppliers arriving for delivery properly identified? (e.g license plates, driver’s license, etc)      CONSTRUCTION SITE PERIMETER  YES   NO  1. Is there a physical barrier in place to secure the site?     2. Is the number of gates kept to a minimum?     3. Are there uniformed guards at every gate to check personnel and vehicles entering and leaving the site?     4. Are security warnings displayed prominently at all entry points?     5. Are entry points adequately secured? (With  industry-grade padlocks, steel chains, etc.)     6. Is there an alarm system?     7. Is the locking system integrated with the alarm?     8. Is the site perimeter regularly inspected?     9. Are “NO TRESPASSING” signs displayed prominently along the perimeter?      LIGHTING AND SURVEILLANCE  YES   NO  1. Is there sufficient lighting on the construction site?     2. Is there a dedicated staff member assigned to check if the lighting is working properly?     3. Is the site protected by CCTV cameras?     4. Are there signs posted on site indicating the presence of security cameras?     5. Are there motion detection lights installed on-site?      INTERNAL CONTROLS  YES   NO  1. Is there a policy on employee theft?     2. Are employees aware of the policy?     3. Are employees required to check in and check out company properties when using them?     4. Are staff members encouraged to report suspicious activity?     5. Is there a hotline employees can call to report security lapses and breaches?      SITE VISITORS  YES   NO  1. Are visitors checking in and out?     2. Are vehicles entering and exiting the site recorded?      CYBERSECURITY  YES   NO  1. Are the construction site’s documents and other sensitive data stored in the cloud securely?     2. Does the company have a strong password policy?     3. Are asset-tracking data accessible online?     4. Are confidential documents and data regularly backed up?     5. Are employees well-informed about current cyberattack methods such as phishing?     Security is a serious business in construction. Because of the dangers already present on your construction site, a lapse in security can have devastating effects on your business’s operations. Not only do you risk losing money in a security breach, but more importantly, you also risk endangering the lives of your site’s personnel and third parties.  Business owners and project managers need to make a concerted effort to educate employees about security and double down on their best practices for protecting their sites.

At a major music festival, a fan in the crowd aggressively leapt over a barricade to approach a famous artist. Personnel from Force Protection Agency immediately implemented extrication protocol to shield the artist from physical harm, quickly reversed course and calmly led the client away from the threat. Force Protection Agency (FPA) personnel intentionally did not engage the threatening fan in any way, as local venue security personnel were present and tasked with apprehending the rogue fan. FPA’s efforts were directed expressly toward the protection of the client, avoiding unnecessary escalation or complications and minimizing physical, visual, and legal exposure. Dedicated to the safety of clients Force Protection Agency is a unique, elite-level agency inspired by a vision for excellence and innovation Specializing in protecting celebrities and high-net-worth individuals, Force Protection Agency is a unique, elite-level agency inspired by a vision for excellence and innovation, and dedicated to the safety and success of clients. The agency was formed in 2017 by Russell Stuart, a California State Guard officer and security and entertainment industry veteran. The agency is the culmination of 20 years of experience in the fields of security, military, emergency management, logistics and technology, media and entertainment, and celebrity management. We interviewed Russell Stuart, Founder and CEO of Force Protection Agency (FPA), which has been called “the Secret Service of Hollywood,” for his insights into providing security for celebrities. Q: What unique need in the marketplace do you seek to serve, and how are you qualified to serve it? Stuart: The needs of celebrity and high-net-worth clients are complex and constantly changing. When dealing with a high-profile individual, discretion is paramount, extensive communication is required, and adaptation is ongoing. A critical objective is anticipating and planning for all types of potential negative scenarios and preventing them from even starting, all while not disrupting the normal course of operation of the client's day or their business. Force Protection Agency is poised to serve these needs by innovating and intelligently managing the planning, procedures, and personnel used in every facet of protecting the client’s interests and achieving their objectives. Q: What is the typical level of "professionalism" among bodyguards and security professionals that protect celebrities? Why does professionalism matter, and how do you differentiate yourself on this point? Stuart: Professionalism is an overall way of approaching everything to do with the business, from recruiting, to training, to making sure the right agent is with the right client. Nothing matters more; polish and precision are not only critical to mission success, but also support the comprehensive best interest of the client while preventing costly collateral damage and additional negative consequences. True “professional protective services" is intelligent strength and proper execution, not emotional or reactionary violence. Unfortunately, the latter is frequent among many celebrity bodyguards, and often incurs extremely expensive and even dangerous repercussions. Q: Your company has been described as "the Secret Service of Hollywood." How true is that comparison, and how does your work differ from (e.g.) protecting the President? Force Protection Agency prides itself on providing its services with discretion, precision, and poise Stuart: Totally true, and for this reason: the keys to success in protection are prioritization, and planning. Most people fail to even recognize the first, negating any level of effort given to the second. Establishing the true needs and the correct priority of objectives for each individual client and situation, and firmly committing to these without deviation, are what distinguishes both government secret services and Force Protection Agency from the vast majority of general security firms. Also, the term “secret service” implies an inconspicuous yet professional approach, and Force Protection Agency prides itself on providing its services with discretion, precision, and poise. Q: What is the biggest challenge of protecting celebrities? Stuart: The very nature of celebrity is visibility and access, which always increases risk. The challenge of protecting a high-profile individual is facilitating that accessibility in a strategic and controlled manner while mitigating risk factors. A client’s personal desires and preferences can often conflict with a lowest risk scenario, so careful consideration and thorough preparation are essential, along with continual communication. Q: How does the approach to protection change from one celebrity (client) to another? What variables impact how you do your job? Stuart: The approach is largely determined by the client’s specific needs, requests and objectives. The circumstances of a client's activities, location, and other associated entities can vastly disrupt operation activities. A client may prefer a more or less obvious security presence, which can impact the quantity and proximity of personnel. Force Protection Agency coordinates extensively with numerous federal, state, and municipal government agencies, which also have a variety of influence depending on the particular locations involved and the specific client activities being engaged in.  Q: Are all your clients celebrities or what other types of "executives" do you protect – and, if so, how are those jobs different? Stuart: Force Protection Agency provides protective services for a wide range of clients, from the world’s most notable superstars to corporate executives and government representatives. We also provide private investigation services for a vast variety of clientele. Force Protection Agency creates customized solutions that surpass each individual client’s needs and circumstances. The differences between protecting a major celebrity or top business executive can be quite different or exactly the same. Although potentially not as well known in popular culture, some top CEOs have a net worth well above many famous celebrities and their security needs must reflect their success. Q: What is the role of technology in protecting famous people (including drones)? Technology is crucial to the success of security operations Stuart: Technology is crucial to the success of security operations and brings a tremendous advantage to those equipped with the best technological resources and the skills required to maximize their capabilities. It affects equipment such as communication and surveillance devices like drones, cameras, radios, detection/tracking devices, GPS, defensive weapons, protective equipment, and more. Technology also brings immense capabilities to strategic planning and logistical operations through the power of data management and is another aspect of Force Protection Agency operation that sets us apart from the competition. Q: What additional technology tools would be helpful in your work (i.e., a “technology wish list”)? Stuart: The rapidly growing and evolving realm of social media is a massive digital battlefield littered with current and potential future threats and adversaries. Most mass shooters as of late have left a trail of disturbing posts and comments across social media platforms and chat rooms that telegraphed their disturbing mindset and future attacks. A tool that could manage an intelligent search for such threats and generate additional intel through a continuous scan of all available relevant data from social media sources would be extremely useful and could potentially save many lives. Q: Anything you wish to add? Stuart: Delivering consistent excellence in protection and security is both a vital need and a tremendous responsibility. Force Protection Agency is proud of their unwavering commitment to “Defend, Enforce, Assist” and stands ready to secure and satisfy each and every client, and to preserve the life and liberty of our nation and the world.

Nigel Waterton recently joined cloud video company Arcules to lead the sales and marketing efforts as Chief Revenue Officer (CRO). He brings to the task the benefit of 22 years of experience building and managing large, high-growth technology organizations. Waterton joins Arcules from Aronson Security Group, an ADT Commercial Company, where he served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Development. We caught up with the new CRO to discuss his position and to reflect on how industry changes are impacting integrators and manufacturers. Q: What fresh insights do you bring to Arcules from your previous positions? Waterton: Generally, most manufacturers don’t understand the business model of the integrator. And if they do, their programs don’t necessarily help achieve their goals. Since most manufacturers use integrators to get to the end user, they are often disconnected from truly understanding the customer, their organization’s business and its impact on the value of the security program. In my previous role, I spent most of my time bridging the gap between these two worlds. It gives me a great platform for understanding how to achieve that with Arcules. Q: How is ‘Chief Revenue Officer’ different from your previous jobs? I have the responsibility of driving innovation for the companyWaterton: While the title is different, the ultimate role I’m in isn’t too different from previous roles that I’ve held in my career. I have the responsibility of driving innovation and strategy for the company, as well as serving as a leader for the sales and marketing team and developing a sales and marketing strategy for the company. This position allows me to build on what I’ve learned throughout my career from an end-user and integrator partner perspective and brings that expertise into the fold of this young, fresh, innovative company that’s paving the way for cloud-based innovation in the marketplace. Q: Is there an industry-wide ‘culture clash’ between the IT-centric nature of cloud systems and the physical security market? How can it be managed? Waterton: Adopters from the IT and physical security worlds are a little at odds over the software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings as a result of a disconnect with how the cloud is defined in both spaces. A lot of people and companies are creating their own notion of what cloud and SaaS mean. And without a common nomenclature in place, there is a lot of confusion among all users. Similarly, there is a clash among integrators around how to monetize the SaaS offering. This gap can be closed through increased awareness, education and the reiteration of how ubiquitous the cloud already is in our everyday lives. Q: From the integrator perspective, what is the impact of a transition to a cloud/SaaS model on how revenue is managed in the increasingly service-oriented security market? Waterton: Transitioning to a cloud/SaaS model shifts the mindset of the integrator significantly, as the focus changes from project-centric to more customer service-based impact. Becoming more service-minded creates a greater awareness of what the client’s needs are on a day-to-day basis and how that can be improved over time. When operating with a per-project focus, it can be difficult to create a more long-term impact on an organization. With a cloud-based, service-oriented model, integrators now have the ability to manage client expectations in real-time, which greatly increases their value proposition. Q: What about from the end user perspective? Waterton: There are so many benefits from the end user perspective, including the ability to remove the process of a large investment in capital expenditures (CapEx) and shift to a more manageable, predictable operational expenditure (OpEx). Not only does this allow organizations to adjust as needs change; it also prevents being locked into a long-term solution that might not be able to move with the speed of the company as it scales. That being said, the main benefit is the ability of SaaS/Cloud services to drive innovation and introduce new features as they’re introduced without additional investment from the end user. Q: What impact does the recurring monthly revenue (RMR) model have on the operations/management/cashflow of a supplier/manufacturer company? Waterton: Traditional manufacturers struggle with the introduction of a SaaS modelTraditional manufacturers struggle with the introduction of a SaaS model for many of the same reasons integrators struggle. They must sell the board and possibly their investors on a new valuation model as well as revenue recognition model. That is constraining their innovation in the market. Oddly enough RMR from a manufacturer’s perspective is very similar to the integrator model in that cash flow is more predictable in nature. An RMR model allows a company to grow strategically and innovate constantly, expanding and adjusting to cater to client needs on a daily basis while also providing the ability to look ahead and ensure we’re meeting the needs communicated to us in the market now and into the future. Q: What will be the biggest challenge of your new position at Arcules (and how will you meet the challenge)? Waterton: One of the biggest challenges we’re seeing — and one that will have a significant impact on my role — is the challenge of market adoption of SaaS/cloud services, as well as the awareness about why cloud is a significant part of the future of the industry. There’s also an opportunity to shift the conversation within Arcules from tech-focused outcomes to becoming practitioners of risk-based outcomes. We have to focus on the risk model for organizations, not technology. If we truly understand the risks to the organization, the tool will become apparent. Answering the questions: Why does a retailer lose product? Why does a facility experience vandalism? We have to understand the sociology of it because that’s how we can address what the service does in the marketplace. Q: Taking the various elements into consideration, what will the ‘physical security industry’ look like five years from now? Waterton: In sum, wildly different. It’s much different than what it was five or even 10 years ago, and with each leap, the industry has moved forward. Products are maturing, bandwidth is improving and the knowledge that we have is exponentially more advanced. There is increasing use of outside perspectives aimed at shaking up the ‘this is how it has always been done’ mentality that many organizations have suffered from. It’s going to look very different five years from now, and cloud-based initiatives will be the key to the success of many organizations.

The success of smart homes began with professional security providers offering bundled packages, focused mostly on security monitoring. However, due to the cost of professional contracts, consumers began to embrace the do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. Despite the challenges and opportunities that come with professional and DIY approaches, the momentum of smart home growth depends on these two approaches working symbiotically. Smart home systems In 2017, there were about 122 million smart home devices shipped globally, according to IHS Markit. The retail channel represented about 62 percent of all device shipments in 2017 and will represent about 70 percent in 2021. Despite the increased demand for professional installation, the “do-it-for-me” approach, most the volume remains with ad-hoc purchases. This includes a consumer video camera or a smart thermostat purchase from a retailer. Data capture form to appear here! When a consumer wants to add devices to an existing professionally installed system, they often will buy products from retail. Flexible service offerings and pricing are already taking shape across smart home offerings. DIY installed smart home systems such as Scout Alarm already offer no contract monitoring. Professional monitoring companies are already offering no contract pricing, and providers such as Comcast are looking to pilot programs for just video monitoring, bundled with Internet for a low monthly fee. Home automation system Connected smart locks can actually act as an extension of a smart hub or controller Options for financing are also going to become commonplace. Smart home equipment is expensive, even when attempting to outfit a modest size home (2,500 square feet). Immediate access to services is becoming more critical. This means consumers should be able to access on-demand service options directly from a mobile device to activate or deactivate professional monitoring. Lastly, pricing still needs to come down for many smart home devices, but there is a threshold. For example, the sale of wireless, connected smart locks (viewed by some consumers as DIY) can lead to opportunities for further home automation product sales and professional installations. Connected smart locks can actually act as an extension of a smart hub or controller. They can be used to communicate wirelessly with and control all the devices that make up a home automation system, including lighting, entertainment, thermostats, air, alarms, shades and more. Residential security According to a 2018 Residential Security Market Report prepared by Parks Associates, “More than 60% of installing dealers now report that DIY systems are biting into demand for their services.” But the rise in DIY is not entirely bad news for security and home automation installers and dealers. There are a number of ways to view this glass as half-full. For example, with their lower cost and perceived ease of installation, DIY products have broken down barriers for additional purchases. There are reasons for dealers and installers to be cheerful about the rise of DIY. For one thing, according to that same Residential Security Market Report from Parks Associates, residential security dealers are doing quite well. The report states, “In 2017, revenues were up an average 7.72% for security dealers.” Full-time monitoring DIY products have broken down barriers for additional purchase and installation of professionally installed systems What about installations? The report goes on to say, “For 2017, the average number of installs per dealer was 22 per month, compared to 17 per month in 2016.” So, revenues are up for security dealers, and at least part of the reason can be attributed to the fact that DIY products can raise overall awareness of and spur interest in other home automation and security products. With their lower cost and perceived ease of installation, DIY products have actually broken down barriers for the additional purchase, and installation, of complete, professionally installed systems. Instead of paying for monthly monitoring, homeowners can install a web cam, access from a smartphone or tablet and essentially do their own security monitoring. The downside of this approach is readily apparent. Without full-time monitoring, homeowners can easily miss the break-in or the aged parent who falls and can’t get up. Near-field communication Until they log on and take a look, there’s no central station to send medical aid or call the police. Connecting door locks and other devices to the Internet can also open a door to hackers, if the infrastructure isn’t properly protected. The areas of consumer electronics and security are closely intertwined. For example, Apple recently expanded near-field communication (NFC) support to include the NDEF (NFC Data Exchange Format), which will likely accelerate the adoption of smartphones for access control credentialing. In another recent development, Amazon acquired Blink, a home security camera startup that offers wireless home security systems. The acquisition aligns with Amazon’s effort to offer more home devices. A common theme among professional monitoring providers is that a homeowner who is aware of events happening in the home does not necessarily have a secure and protected household Traditional security features For example, a Nest camera, a DIY product, notifies a consumer via smartphone about events in the home when it detects motion, but only when the notification is opened and identified will a consumer be able to act on the related event. Self-installable smart home devices may resonate with a segment of the market that want security but are unwilling to adopt professional monitoring; however, providers can leverage these devices to enhance traditional security features and communicate the value of professional monitoring. Missed part one of our smart home mini series? Read it here.

For more than a century, SwedishAmerican Health System, its hospital and medical facilities, have been serving the community of Rockford, Illinois. As a division of the University of Wisconsin Health, the medical staff has been delivering high-quality healthcare and strategies to keep patients and families healthy. What families and patients don’t see is the security systems that have been put in place at all Swedish American medical facilities and outlying satellite healthcare clinics. “In an ongoing effort to provide security at the highest level, SwedishAmerican is upgrading all their servers to include Windows 10,” said Randy Lapp, a regional business development manager at Salient Systems. Reliable security solution “The security team has nearly completed the replacement of old DVRs with new enterprise network servers. This offers a much more reliable security solution tying all the medical facilities together. Each clinic will have a single server, while there will be multiple servers in the hospital. Server types and camera counts will depend upon the needs of each wing of the facility.” In keeping with SwedishAmerican’s mission to deliver excellence in healthcare, they also maintain the highest level of care when it comes to keeping their patients, medical staff, and facilities safe. One such effort is the migration from Windows 7 platform to Windows 10 and maintaining compliance in their OS. Utilizing Salient’s CompleteView VMS with Dynamic Resolution Scaling, the security team has more than adequate bandwidth to record and store video for 90 days at each facility. Video surveillance systems The servers replace an obsolete system and have been engineered by Salient System network engineers Because the medical center offers a daycare facility, recording is ongoing, and is stored for 90 days; however, some recordings are held for as long as six months. In locations where there are privacy issues, such as patient treatment areas, no video recordings are made. Still, in spaces such as parking lots and common areas, video recording is essential. The servers replace an obsolete system and have been engineered by Salient System network engineers to accept upgrades in security solutions as technology, and various solutions evolve. Even more important is the fact that the servers are tailormade to fit the specific needs of the various hospital departments and separate clinics. The servers, just like the hospital, have evolved over the years. The PowerProtect platforms extend the limits of operational capabilities for video surveillance systems engineered for continuous access and durability. Various requirements for storage “The reason for the custom build is to fulfill several missions of the hospital system,” Lapp said. “There are various requirements for storage and differing requirements for recording frames per second. The customized nature of these security solutions fulfills the unique needs of the customer.” SwedishAmerican Hospital has video recording requirements that weren’t necessary a few years ago. This is an inner-city hospital system, where there are different and sometimes difficult challenges" Terry W. Gagliano, security manager at the hospital system, said the investment in this server solution would not only help with the upgrade to Windows 10, but it will allow greater recording capacity. “This is an inner-city hospital system, where there are different and sometimes difficult challenges,” Gagliano said. “The clinics also are within the inner city, and we wanted to ensure that we had enough bandwidth to not only record, but to store the images that we are getting. We wanted to be able to effectively record and store video for 90 days.” Mission-Critical video surveillance Recording and storage specifications vary at the hospital. For instance, at the child daycare center at the hospital, recording is active only during hours of operation, and storage of those images last from three to six months. Parking lots also are under constant surveillance, and storage on the servers is ongoing. “We’re thrilled to have these server platforms in place and working,” Gagliano said. “What we had been using is obsolete. The PowerProtect solutions are engineered to accept upgrades as they are needed and as they become available. We expect these servers to last beyond five years before we have to consider replacement.” The servers or hybrid NVRs are a value oriented digital video surveillance system, offering continuous operation with advanced components. They are rack-mounted, and as any end-user would expect, delivers reliability and a processing power required by mission-critical video surveillance. High performance in a flexible platform Because the storage of video images is important, SwedishAmerican sought a single Intel Xeon processor with 16 GB of memory, which also offered the hospital system up to 48 TB of video storage. “We were looking for new servers at our existing buildings, so that meant we were in the market for 40 to 45 servers,” Gagliano said. Our clinics have varied and different missions, so demand for security services are different" “Our clinics have varied and different missions, so demand for security services are different. When we sought customized solutions, we found exactly what we needed.” PowerPlus is a two-unit NVR rack mount used for the installation because SwedishAmerican sought a balance between processing power, storage capacity, and redundancy for high performance in a flexible platform for its existing video surveillance applications. A hospital setting is a 24/7/365 environment, requiring a system that can withstand the rigors of continuous operation. That’s where the enhanced performance of CompleteView 20/20 comes in. Considering performance first and foremost “When we started the process of replacing our servers and NVRs, we considered performance first and foremost,” Gagliano said. “It was mission-critical to have flexibility, and it was important to honor the standard of excellence already offered by SwedishAmerican Hospital.” In recent years, SwedishAmerican has been honored in the medical professional for its commitment to quality, and it has become a gold standard for medical care of any other healthcare system in northern Illinois. The hospital has received a Top 100 Hospital Quality Award, 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare, and a Distinguished Hospital Award by J.D. Power and Associates, among many other accolades. While there may not be an award or designation for security in the workplace, SwedishAmerican has done its best to ensure that patients are afforded the highest level of safety and security.

Iris ID, a provider of iris recognition technology, announces it will provide its biometric recognition technology to the County of Los Angeles to make its prisoner release process safer, more accurate and efficient. Iris ID’s OU7S-AK camera module will be part of 163 Livescan stations in 114 law enforcement locations throughout the county. The new criminal booking solution will bring iris-based identity authentication capabilities to a system that previously relied on fingerprints and photos to enroll and identify individuals arrested in the nation’s most populous county. Identification of all criminals arrested The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is one of 64 law enforcement agencies in the county that are part of the Los Angeles County Regional Identification System (LACRIS), which is the entity responsible for the identification of all criminals arrested in the county. Tim Meyerhoff, director, Iris ID, said the company’s contactless iris-based technology was part of an FBI-funded pilot project began in 2015. “The Iris ID system will allow for a more accurate release of individuals as a person’s iris is much less susceptible to damage than their fingerprints,” he said. Automated fingerprint identification system “With more than 300,000 bookings annually, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is always interested in eliminating the improper release of any individual.” The iris capture technology is part of a larger contract to be overseen by South Carolina-based DataWorks Plus which will also supply central servers, supporting software and implementation and support services. The contract will be paid for using funds from the state Automated Fingerprint Identification System. Program implementation will begin after July 1, the start of the county’s 2020-2021 fiscal year. Full deployment is expected to be completed within six months.

Teleste Corporation will carry out information display deployment for Braunschweig Transit Authority (Regionalverband Großraum Braunschweig) in Germany together with the company’s local subsidiary iqu Systems. The project will be completed by March 2022 and it will include harnessing the entire tram network and selected bus stops in the city of Braunschweig with 243 monochrome LED displays as well as Teleste’s passenger information system for their management. In addition, all the included stops will be equipped with text-to-speech buttons and loudspeakers announcing the displayed information for visually impaired passengers. City-Wide transport systems “We at Teleste are pleased that Braunschweig Transit Authority has trusted our solution and capabilities in upgrading information infrastructure across their transport network in the city. While public transport is becoming the number one form of urban mobility for many citizens, the passengers are also expecting easy and safe travel across the city-wide transport systems.” It is clear that the right travel information needs to be available when and where the passengers need it" “It is clear that the right travel information needs to be available when and where the passengers need it. Investing in real-time information infrastructures ensures that operators will be able to meet the passengers’ expectations in an efficient and flexible manner”, said Stephan Brünig, Head of Teleste’s Public Transport Operators business. Teleste’s passenger information system includes versatile modules designed for the management of passenger information, media content, displays and fleets across public transport systems of various sizes and demands. Managing information and daily operations The system allows Braunschweig Transit Authority to manage all the 243 displays within the deployment with a web-based user interface including functionality such as status check-ups, configuration and operational management. The system will also provide the necessary interfaces to the real-time database of Braunschweig Transit Authority and the state-wide database of Lower Saxony. Through this integration, the system provides the passengers in Braunschweig with accurate and up-to-date information related to their journeys, making it easier and safer for them to navigate across the city infrastructure, while also providing the operator an efficient and flexible tool to manage the information and daily operations.

As one starts to adapt to the ‘new normal’ it has been announced that schools in Wales will reopen from June 29th with a phased return. With this in mind, Oprema has donated an Olix OBTM-FS1, Intelligent Free Standing BTM Terminal to Greenhill School in Cardiff. Greenhill School helps young people to thrive in a caring and supportive community while ensuring that children are equipped with the skills required to help them achieve to the best of their abilities. Their vision and purpose means that every child has a right to educational excellence through high quality teaching. Non-Contact temperature measurement As the school prepares to reopen its doors Oprema wanted to ensure that the children returning remain as safe as possible, along with the hard-working staff that work there. The Olix OBTM-FS1 takes a non-contact temperature measurement on the wrist and is accurate to +/- 0.3°C. The person’s temperature reading is displayed on an LCD screen. If the unit detects a raised temperature the alarm will sound to notify the user. The unit has been placed in the reception area of the school so that all students, staff members and visitors can be temperature checked before entering the building. High temperature is one of the key symptoms associated with the Coronavirus. Temperature monitoring system If a high temperature is identified, then government guidelines for testing and self-isolating must be followed. The Olix OBTM-FS1 helps minimize the risk of spreading the virus and the non-contact technology allows for no personal contact with potentially infected individuals. Shane Mock, Headteacher of Greenhill School has said “This temperature monitoring system will be a great help in ensuring all at the school are well and kept safe during this pandemic. It’s an impressive piece of technology which will give us further confidence in ensuring the health and safety of all members of the Greenhill community. We want to thank Oprema for their kind donation and generosity.” Oprema are delighted to have been able to assist the school in being able to open their doors once again in a safe way.

Kingfisher Sec, a West London-based security specialist, has adopted SmartTask to support the rapid growth of the business by streamlining and automating critical business processes. The company will use the cloud-based software to handle employee scheduling, proof of attendance and operational reporting across a team of up to 50 security guards. As a result, Kingfisher Sec has already reduced administration by around 17.5 hours a month, with further improvements expected moving forward. “We wanted an employee scheduling and workforce that would mitigate any growing pains we experience as the business continues to expand as well as helping us achieve our aim of creating a paperless operation,” explains Filipi Nascimento, Operations Manager at Kingfisher Sec. “SmartTask is allowing us to automate many of our manual processes in a phased approach to maximize benefit realization, without losing focus on our core operational priorities.” Electronic communication tool SmartTask was selected following a tender process based on its feature-rich and easy-to-use functionality. Kingfisher Sec is using the software to provide a simple tool to the company’s team of security guards, via a smartphone app, so they can simply book on and off shifts, accept schedules and book holidays. Meanwhile, the advanced rostering system allows Kingfisher Sec to quickly create monthly work plans and communicate them direct to staff for electronic confirmation. Kingfisher Sec is also looking to replace a paper-based DOB system at around 40 customer sites with SmartTask’s Daily Occurrence Log (DOL). The electronic communication tool will enable security guards to quickly create entries and upload details regarding any on-site occurrence, providing online visibility of all incident data and supporting photo evidence. Capturing accurate data The software is capturing accurate data about the performance of our team and the business" As well as reducing the administrative burden, both on-site and centrally, the DOL will also remove the cost of providing, distributing and archiving a paper-based log. “SmartTask is streamlining our business and operational procedures, so we can save both time and money while providing a better service to our customers. The software is capturing accurate data about the performance of our team and the business, which we simply did not have access to previously. This is allowing us to better manage staff, eliminate human error and quickly respond to any issues,” adds Nascimento. Cloud-based software Paul Ridden, CEO of SmartTask commented: “Our cloud-based software is a highly-advanced and easy-to-use guard management, monitoring and reporting solution that typically reduces costs and improves efficiency by 30 per cent. As a result, a growing range of security businesses are using SmartTask to plan, manage, conduct and measure workforce activities more effectively.”

Interface Security Systems, a managed services provider delivering managed network, asset protection, and business intelligence solutions to distributed enterprises, provided RMH Franchise, the world’s second-largest Applebee’s franchisee, with secure SD-WAN over broadband, 4G/LTE wireless WAN backup and VoIP solutions. A significant update for RMH’s aging network environment, the solutions are boosting RMH’s application performance, wireless failover capabilities, and providing a seamless voice solution that has proved to be particularly useful during times of lockdown and social distancing. Stricter compliance rules Founded in 2012, RMH Franchise operates more than 131 restaurants across 14 states. While it traditionally has offered in-house dining, additional Applebee’s options such as Carside To Go, online ordering and delivery have proved invaluable throughout the current health crisis. “I had been mainly keeping our IT in-house and managed our own Internet connections, routers, security, etc.,” explained Roger Somers, Executive Director of IT, RMH Franchise. “As our footprint was growing, the requirements for a secure network were also increasing, and it made sense for us to outsource. PCI (Payment Card Industry) requirements also became more stringent and businesses were required to adhere to stricter compliance rules.” Cost-Effective solution Interface implemented a next-generation Secure SD-WAN network architecture with broadband upgrades Somers was looking for a managed services provider who could quickly deliver a cost-effective solution for managing and securing their IT network and voice communications across all locations. Interface, a preferred provider for CSCS, the purchasing agent for Applebee’s, perfectly fit the bill and customized a scalable solution bundle. Interface implemented a next-generation Secure SD-WAN network architecture with broadband upgrades. Additionally, Interface combined managed 4G/LTE wireless capability with terrestrial circuits in areas with low-speed broadband to deliver an improved restaurant and guest experience. The 4G/LTE service automatically takes over should the primary network connection fail. It offers seamless fail-over for POS transactions, credit card processing, inventory management and other key processes to continue to perform without interruption or store personnel involvement. Consolidating several vendors Interface also implemented its VoIP phone service and consolidated several vendors, migrating all RMH’s locations from legacy phone systems to a fully hosted cloud model, saving long distance costs and standardizing all locations. As the worldwide health crisis became an ever-increasing concern and more restaurant guests were staying home, RMH leveraged these solutions for Carside To Go, and online delivery. Apart from the significant cost savings realized through Interface’s managed VoIP services, another benefit Somers sees is the cloud auto attendant feature. “The remote recording plays our business hours, curbside delivery or take out specials and can dynamically route calls. This reduces a lot of the call volume directly into the restaurants, has increased our efficiencies, and saved us time and money,” he explained. Providing business continuity Somers added that Interface has made spinning up secure networking and voice services ‘simple, fast and scalable’ with a fully configured proprietary cabinet that includes all of the franchises’ managed services. The Interface Cloud-Powered Remote Reboot feature power cycles equipment without any onsite intervention" He continued that the wireless backup has become “Increasingly important as we continue to layer more critical services on our Internet connection like tabletop devices. The Interface Cloud-Powered Remote Reboot feature power cycles equipment without any onsite intervention, before employees or guests realize there may be an issue. If an Internet provider is down or there is any sort of network failure, rolling over to 4G/LTE is automatic and provides for business continuity. That has become critical for us.” Alarm monitoring services Since implementing the Interface solutions, RMH has increased agility, gained operational efficiencies, and augmented security, all while realizing 10X cost savings. RMH is planning on further strengthening the partnership with Interface by adding alarm monitoring services to Interface’s powerful bundle of managed services for networking, voice and security. “RMH Franchise has been at the forefront of implementing technology that delivers a superior experience to their clients. We are proud to be their managed services provider and look forward to our continued partnership,” said Brent Duncan, Chief Revenue Officer at Interface Security Systems.

The ability to treat patients in a secure environment is a base requirement of hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Whether facilities are large or small, security challenges abound, including perimeter security, access control of sensitive areas, video surveillance, and even a long list of cyber-risks. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the security challenges of hospitals and the healthcare industry?

Technology advancements often come with new terms and definitions. The language of our marketplace evolves to include new words that describe innovations in the industry. In the skilled hands of marketers, terms intended to be descriptive can also take a new element of ‘buzz,’ often presaging exciting developments that will drive the future. We asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable:  What new buzzword have you heard, and what does it mean for the industry?

The new year 2019 is brimming with possibilities for the physical security industry, but will those possibilities prove to be good news or bad news for our market? Inevitably, it will be a combination of good and bad, but how much good and how bad? We wanted to check the temperature of the industry as it relates to expectations for the new year, so we asked this week’s Expert Panel Roundtable: How optimistic is your outlook for the physical security industry in 2019? Why?