In this July 2015 issue read SDM'sTop Systems Integrators Report. Discover the key to generating interest in newer credential technologies is marrying security with convenience. Changes in the NFPA fire code open up new fire panel communications opportunities — and are driving a thriving retrofit market.
A broader base of competition, margin erosion, and pressure on end user budgets all played their part on performance, but integrators experienced enough opportunities to counter those impediments to growth.
While there has been no shortage of market pressures and disruptive influences on the security business lately, systems integrators nonetheless performed well last year. As a group, the integrators encapsulated in SDM’s 2015 Top Systems Integrators Report didn’t show much growth — just 0.3 percent. But that had more to do with the structure of the report than with the companies’ individual accomplishments in 2014.
It’s a tough sell to get clients to spend money on new access control credentials when the current ones still work. The key to generating interest in newer credential technologies is marrying security with convenience.
When it comes to access control cards and credentials it is difficult to have a discussion about technology without considering some of the seemingly contradictory trends in the marketplace. For example, the largest installed base of cards is proximity — a 20-year-old technology with known security issues. Yet in an industry that often seems to move at a glacial pace, the credential space is filled with some of the hottest buzzwords inside and out of the security industry, including Near Field Communications (NFC), Bluetooth, biometrics and even wearables such as the Apple Watch.
Recent changes to commercial fire alarm system codes have driven changes to fire panels, impacting how the panels communicate with the central station. Although some authorities have not yet adopted the latest codes, it’s a good idea for security integrators to be familiar with the latest requirements.
What is big data and how does it benefit you? If you are like many security integrators the subject of big data may barely be on your radar yet. However, looking to the future of the industry, it seems inevitable that as more and more devices become both smarter and more connected (think Internet of Things), the desire to do more than just sit on all of that information will prompt users to demand more from their security system, their integrator — and, increasingly, their data that may go way beyond the scope of “security” today.
Homeowners are looking to the security market for more than keeping the bad guys out; they want integrated access control and video packages that will help them manage their residences, even when no one is home.
Motivational writer Napoleon Hill wrote in his 1937 bestseller, Think and Grow Rich, that “You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be.” Fast-forward several decades and one could apply that same quote with a few liberties; for example, swap destiny, environment and life with the word “home” to describe what technology can do for the residential security market.
Which suppliers do the largest security dealers use? This SDM 100 brand-usage report lists the top 12 manufacturers and top six distributors that earn the business of the largest security companies in the installation and monitoring channel.
The security industry looks to the SDM 100 — a group of 100 of the largest security companies ranked by their recurring monthly revenue — as a wellspring of industry trends and operational best practices. So, which manufacturers and distributors are behind the SDM 100, supporting them with the products, solutions and services that have helped make them successful?
Advanced technologies combined with lower costs have made outdoor perimeter video more accessible for more end users. So while critical infrastructure assets, including electrical substations, refineries and petrochemical facilities, remain the highest-profile applications for outdoor perimeter video, there are more and more opportunities for a security integrator to take advantage of in other sectors, as well.
I was born one of seven and smack in the middle. However, having a twin brother gave me someone to share the status with. Right behind me was another set of twins and my Mom would always say she got a great ROI on the twin carriage, double cribs and matching outfits that she bought for us. For me, being in the middle was never the best place to be.
Back in the day, “the establishment” was something the younger generation of the 1960s didn’t trust because it referred to a group that included elite government officials, the media and large corporations — and it usually meant that two or more of these entities were thought to be in cahoots.
Founded in 1854, San Diego Unified School District is now the second largest in the state of California. More than 132,000 students representing 15 ethnic groups and more than 60 languages/dialects attend 226 educational facilities.
A case recently arose in the United States Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit in Missouri where the defense was they were protected by the doctrine of sovereign immunity.
The marketing madmen understand that a security integrator is not to be confused with a security dealer. When we first got started in the security industry we often got the proverbial slap on the wrist for referring to an integrator’s business as a security dealer. But after more than four years of dedicating our agency to the security industry, we’re proud to say we no longer get slapped for saying the wrong things.
“Look out honey, ‘cause I’m using technology.” — “Search and Destroy,” Iggy and the Stooges, 1973
Dispatch from Buffalo, N.Y.
I travel extensively around the lower 48 and Canada performing training classes for our industry. As a result, I have taken hundreds of cab rides in the past seven years.
How often do you work with architects, builders and interior designers? Often it is hard to explain how different technologies will impact a project. Working with your industry partners in the planning stages of a project just got easier.
This year’s DMP Owners Forum took place on April 14 at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. An all-day event that began with breakfast at 7:30, the Owners Forum was filled with informative and interesting speakers, networking opportunities, and great food. The agenda focused heavily on developing leadership and bettering business practices.
Network camera prices, which reflect those charged by the vendor before markups, have dipped and are expected to continue falling, according to data received from more than 100 companies.
The IC Realtime IC720 360x360 virtual PTZ video camera is designed to change how many security system companies will present surveillance systems to their clients.
The LINQ Network Communication and Control Solution provides remote IP access to real-time data from power supplies and distribution devices to help keep systems up and running at optimal levels. It is designed to facilitate fast and easy installation and setup, minimize system downtime and eliminates unnecessary service calls.
Arecont Vision’s latest products are designed to deliver increased performance and situational awareness while lowering total cost of ownership. According to Arecont Vision’s Executive Vice President Scott Schafer, the success of the company’s megapixel camera portfolio is equally attributable to both its superior technology and to the outstanding support processes and programs behind them.
DICE will be selling I-View Now’s video solutions through its Dice UL-Listed Cloud Center. “In the past, both of our companies offered video products that were sold independently by each company. This was difficult, as the DICE clients expect to receive all their product signals from DICE. Now that DICE is using a wholesale arrangement with I-View Now, we have solved the DICE users’ issues,” said Cliff Dice, founder and chief engineer at DICE Corp.
Digital Watchdog announced its new analog high-definition (AHD) products. The VMAX AHD CORE DVR and STAR-LIGHT AHD cameras offer 1080p images and recording and have been engineered to utilize an existing analog structure, increasing ROI while reducing installation time and complexity to provide an HD surveillance solution in minutes.
Hikvision USA teamed up with Citizen Schools, a national nonprofit organization that partners with middle schools to expand the learning day for children in low-income communities.
Partnering with InfoArmor, SAFE Security provides a complimentary suite of identity theft, credit monitoring, personal privacy and parental social media monitoring services to customers and their families called SAFEid.
Vivint, Provo, Utah, announced the Vivint Doorbell Camera, a new Wi-Fi enabled smart home product that integrates seamlessly with the Vivint Sky smart home system.
Following the recent announcement that Apollo Global Management has signed definite agreements to acquire both Protection 1 and ASG Security, Protection 1 acquired Cam Connections Inc. Under this new arrangement, Protection 1 will serve as the platform on which Apollo will enter the security market, and CCI will further complement the company’s offerings.
The (ISC)2 Security Congress with ASIS 2015 aims to bring operational and information security professionals together to better understand each other’s roles across the enterprise, gain new insights and work together to mitigate risk in all its forms.
Honeywell, Louisville, Ky., announced that its newest generation of Vindicator® Command, Control and Display Equipment (CCDE) has been certified to protect critical assets at U.S. Air Force bases worldwide.
Brivo has been wholly acquired for $50 million by Dean Drako, who will serve as the company’s chairman, while Steve Van Till, Brivo’s president and CEO, will continue leading the company.
Tyco Security Products, part of Tyco, introduced Illustra Edge, a complete HD video system combining an IP camera, pre-installed exacqVision Edge VMS software and SD storage into one, out-of-the-box solution.
The Ring Video Doorbell is a home security solution that enables homeowners to see and speak with visitors from anywhere in the world by streaming live audio and video of a home’s front doorstep directly to a smartphone or tablet.
HID Global introduced vanGO, a visual security solution that enables universities, enterprises and state and county government agencies to create and issue personalized, secure IDs with higher levels of protection.
Identiv Inc. released the uTrust TS ScramblePad, a significant update to the company’s scrambling keypad door reader for high-security government and commercial entryways.
ComNet, a manufacturer of fiber optic, wireless and copper transmission and networking equipment, introduced major capability upgrades in its CopperLine Ethernet over COAX/UTP distance-extending product line.
Prism 1.2, the newest version of VMS by Lenel Systems International Inc., offers performance enhancements and increased functionality designed to make it an ideal VMS for demanding video environments.
Digital Watchdog’s DW MEGApix IP camera technology is now available in new 2.1MP PTZ cameras with 5X optical zoom in both surface mount and flush mount models.
IPVideo Corporation, manufacturer of IP-based video surveillance and command center solutions, designed the CargoCam to serve as an ideal way to view and record HD surveillance video from within aircraft cargo bays.
The Optera panoramic cameras with SureVision 2.0 WDR imaging technology are designed to provide seamless situational awareness with blended panoramic views, creating a panoramic immersive surveillance experience.
HD-TVI cameras and DVRs offer an upgrade for full HD 1080p performance over existing coax infrastructures. T HD-TVI models include indoor/outdoor dome, turret and bullet-style housings that are IP67 rated.