Reflections on ISC West 2024
ISC West 2024 attracted more than 29,000 security industry professionals to The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas. The four-day event featured more than 750 exhibitors, over 220 speakers and over 110 education sessions covering the latest trends and solutions across the security industry. IMAGE BY SDM STAFF
This year’s ISC West (April 9-12) was the busiest in a long time — certainly before COVID. Honestly it felt even busier than pre-pandemic, although that could be because it has been so long. Aisles were packed and often impassable as the more than 29,000 attendees excitedly moved through the booths this year.
From the Market Leader’s Reception on Tuesday evening, to Wednesday’s New Product Showcase Awards and live concert, to Friday Morning’s Women in Security Forum keynote, SDM Staff was there for it all. Read on for some top impressions, images and a recap video featuring both vendors and integrators’ reactions to the show.
For me, AI popped out as the top “new” technology, particularly as generative AI continues it’s meteoric rise in popularity and possibility. Sitting in on the keynote by futurist Crystal Washington on generative AI was both inspiring and a little bit scary, as she noted that, “In the 1980s, if you wanted to be very techy as a normal person, all you had to do was be able to use a fax machine and program your VCR ... Right now, if I were to download all the information, all the technology, everything you need to know today, by tomorrow it would be outdated. So here’s a truth for you: You will never be caught up again. … But no one else will either.”
ISC West 2024 Video Recap: Sights, Scenes & Observations
On a happier note, she also explained the key role the security community has to play in shaping how AI will be used for the good of the community: “Right now we are living in a Renaissance in history. Books are going to be written about this period of major, major shift. … The beautiful thing about living in times of Renaissance is you have an oversized ability to influence outcomes because everyone is looking for the leader, asking ‘What do we do?’
“So I want to encourage you to take all this information with the things you already know and influence the future of your industry [and] your company. Don’t just sit back and wait for people to make decisions, because no one is qualified to make these decisions. Because there are no experts on [generative] AI. It’s 18 months old. … But … you are the people that understand what we need to do to ensure that this technology is working for the betterment of our organizations, for our clients, for our customers, and for our teams.”
Cloud solutions also abounded, as both Axis and Genetec — among others — officially rolled out new cloud and hybrid solutions.
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It was also great to network, meet new faces and reconnect with old friends. All in all, it was a very successful show — Karyn Hodgson, SDM Editor-in-Chief
Reflections From a First-Timer
This year’s ISC West was a first for me, but — despite my inexperience with the event — I’m certain it was a special one. Enthusiasm for the event was at a palpable high. Attendance numbers continue to grow, and so does the security industry’s spirits with them.
The night before ISC West was spent celebrating Altronix’s 40 year anniversary — an impressive milestone any way you slice it — and attending SIA’s Market Leader’s Reception. Day one was spent — with thousands of others — looking in just as much wonder at the number of us in attendance as the new products and services on display.
Day one also hosted the SIA New Products Showcase awards, the first ISC West Concert — a live performance by the Wallflowers, and was capped off with plenty of cocktail events. Listening to the exhibitors, there were — in my opinion — three big things on the industry’s mind: artificial intelligence (AI), the cloud and commitment to the channel.
For one, AI is the talk of seemingly every town the world over — not just our town of security. That said, security is just as invested in its ethical application into the future as any other industry is. For two, everything is shifting to the cloud. Though the tech has been around for some time, the stars have finally aligned for its widespread use to be achievable and practical for most.
And for three, I heard from most manufacturers what sounded like complete devotion to the channel and their channel partners. This was perhaps the most satisfying part of the expo. It is something to take pride in about our industry — that we recognize each part of the channel is integral, that we recognize that we each have our expertise and purpose for existing. Here’s looking forward to ISC West 2025. — Christopher Crumley, SDM Staff Editor
Industry Trends Emerge From Panels and Pressers
ISC West 2024 may be in the rearview mirror but an abundant buzz from the event continues to resonate. Jam-packed aisles brimming with enthusiasm and an exhibit hall filled with tech advances ready for prime time assure as much.
My time at the big show began by taking a seat at Axis Communication’s annual press breakfast. Early on, Axis Founder Martin Gren took center stage, playfully donning a realistic spacesuit to signify the company’s formal launch of Axis Cloud Connect. The open cloud-based platform is said to facilitate the smooth integration of Axis devices and partner applications, offering a selection of managed services that support system and device management, video and data delivery, as well as meet stringent cybersecurity needs.
As Gren’s astronaut garb brought smiles and laughter, it also symbolized the security industry’s steady move into the digital stratosphere with cloud-based innovation — a top trend at the show along with artificial intelligence and data-driven analytics, edge-based processing, among other advancements. Joining Axis for the launch announcement were channel partners that have already built, deployed or leveraged the new platform. These include Genetec, Wesco and KONE. And while Axis has a long history of cloud connectivity, Gren said releasing a fully cloud-based solution was impractical until now. Necessary tech development and enhancements have finally progressed to the point the marketplace is ready to scale cloud adoption, he said.
The cloud trend is clearly in its infancy. Wesco’s Bill Geary, executive vice president and general manager, communications and security solutions, said cloud adoption is currently in the low single digits, although it is projected to rise swiftly. Those assertions were supported by Genetec’s Christian Morin, vice president of product engineering, who said the company’s own research shows cloud adoption is doubling every three years.
ASSA ABLOY also hosted its annual ISC West Breakfast, featuring a panel of subject matter experts who discussed three critical trends shaping the security industry: sustainability, AI and cybersecurity. Angelo Faenza, ASSA ABLOY Opening Solution’s head of digital access solutions moderated the program, titled “Navigating Megatrends for Sustainable Growth.” This engaging session featured Peter Boriskin, CTO for the Americas at ASSA ABLOY; Chris Warner, GuidePoint Security’s ICS industrial security and risk consultant; Antoinette King, founder of Credo Cyber Consulting and head of cyber convergence for i-PRO Americas; and Dan Reichman, CEO and chief scientist at Ai-RGUS.
Elsewhere on the trends discussion front at the show, the Security Industry Association (SIA) held a press briefing to provide an overview of the state of the industry and share key takeaways from its research on the global security market and the security integrator market. Among those joining SIA CEO Don Erickson was Axis Communication’s Scott Dunn, Chair-Elect, SIA Board of Directors, and Convergint’s Mike Mathes, a member of the SIA Board of Directors.
Dunn characterized the current state of the industry as “extremely healthy,” crediting a holistic approach to cyber and physical security as propelling the industry forward. Mathes concurred, saying the industry is in quest of new advanced technologies to respond to today’s emerging threats. “There is no lack of opportunity,” he said.
In SIA’s ranking of the 2024 Security Megatrends, AI-related trends hold the top four positions. Despite the undeniable promise of AI-enabled products and solutions, Dunn cautioned the current reality is much of what gets billed as artificial intelligence in actuality is machine learning and deep learning. Industry stakeholders need to better “manage expectations” and be wary of end customers succumbing to “the CSI effect,” he said.
Mathes, describing AI as a “transformational technology still hunting for good use cases,” said the technology is currently challenged by a lack of data, which is required to improve performance and accuracy. There is also a necessity for a wider user base to evolve to use AI, he added.
Also on my itinerary of goings-on off the exhibition floor, systems integration firm Northland Controls hosted an outdoor reception to announce the next evolution of the company. An invite teased with, “We’ve been working quietly in the background on something, and we’re ready to share our secrets with you.”
Enter BlackBear Labs, an independent division of Northland Controls. The short of it: a dedicated team of developers has fashioned a cutting-edge library of drivers, which the company says is “poised to seamlessly connect diverse security technologies, and dismantle the barriers posed by siloed, proprietary and legacy systems.” The company envisions redefining the landscape of physical security integration and deliver true interoperability across the entire physical security ecosystem.
This will be made possible with BlackBear.io, an integration hub that links corporate databases, visitor management systems, video surveillance, threat intelligence, mass notification and risk management programs. The library of drivers will allow end users to select which best of breed security technologies are best suited for them.
“We are pushing the industry forward and filling a gap between manufacturers and end users who have been limited by legacy and proprietary systems and unable to provide an integrated defense against the rapidly changing threat landscape,” stated Northland Controls CEO Pierre Trapanese. — Rodney Bosch, SDM Senior Editor
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