In this article:

• Panasonic’s Organizational Changes

• Wide-Area Mass Notification System Approved Worldwide

• BCDVideo Adds Marathon Everrun MX Fault Tolerance to Its Video Servers

• TECH BRIEFS

Panasonic’s Organizational Changes

How One Company Is Re-Aligning  to Transform ‘Information’ into ‘Innovation’

Panasonic System Communications Company of North America recently outlined key elements and organizational changes, related to its expanded operation, focused on helping its customers to transform information into innovation. The combined B2B solutions organization, initially announced in January, is part of an extensive corporate transformation in this region.

“The new company is built on the foundation of Panasonic’s celebrated engineering capabilities and the core principles of our founder, Konosuke Matsushita, who believed that customers should be at the center of all activities,” said Rance Poehler, president, Panasonic System Communications Company of North America. “Based on these core principles, we are focused on delivering reliable and trusted solutions that help our customers convert information into the insights that drive true innovation. With an expanded breadth of products and customer-inspired solutions, we are now able to offer our channel partners and customers a streamlined way to work with us.

“With one strategy and one organization, we are unified in our purpose to help our customers make the connections that improve business processes and drive better outcomes,” Poehler emphasized.

The company said it is expanding upon the vertical market and partner-centric approach it pioneered within its video production, audio/visual, mobile computing and other businesses. Panasonic solutions for business are structured to align with multiple vertical market and practice areas and a range of commercial enterprises, from automotive, utilities and insurance to small- to medium-size businesses.

As part of the company’s transformation, Jan Ruderman, vice president, government solutions, will assume responsibility for the development and growth of the Toughbook and Toughpad™ mobile computing division. Panasonic said Toughbook® brand mobile computers have become a mainstay in mission-critical environments.

To better address customers’ needs, product management and business development functions are embedded within each of the company’s vertical market groups. Panasonic said it also will create new opportunities for the company’s network of more than 9,000 dealers, resellers, systems integrators, wireless carriers, hardware and software providers. These relationships enable Panasonic to tackle complex technology challenges and provide a single, streamlined experience for its customers.

Sheila O’Neil, vice president, distribution, will lead Panasonic’s relationships with key distribution partners, and Bill Brennan, senior director, reseller channel, will be tasked with managing Panasonic’s channel relationships. In another appointment, Craig Greenwood was named vice president, business development.

Driving Intelligence  from a Sea of Data

Panasonic said it has been at the forefront of enterprise and government connectivity, as it has grown from a linear, one-to-one exchange of information to a complex web of interrelated technologies and processes. Panasonic’s expanded business solutions mission is focused on helping customers create and manage the data core to their operations.

For example, the company announced plans to enable broadcast video cameras to wirelessly upload content via LTE networks, which will drive significant savings and time-to-market advantage for broadcast outlets and other content creators. Panasonic also has partnered with Intel to embed computers in digital display technologies for signage applications. “Intelligent systems will help us gain data and information from all things in our environments. Whether at work, at home, in cars or in hospitals, we will soon be connected everywhere we go,” said CJ Bruno, vice president and general manager of Intel Americas.

Customers Embrace  Increased Offerings

The broad portfolio of solutions offered by Panasonic allows new and existing customers to benefit from having a single vendor to address a wide spectrum of business challenges, the company stated.

“Panasonic is more than a technology vendor; it is a partner with Hendrick Motorsports and a huge asset to our organization,” said Chris Newsome, director of infrastructure, Hendrick Motorsports. “We have an array of Panasonic products throughout our complex, including security cameras, commercial displays, HD projectors and approximately 60 Panasonic Toughbook computers that travel with us to the race track. Panasonic’s reliable equipment, along with their excellent service and support, allows us to focus on our goal of winning the championship.”

Panasonic solutions for business are delivered by Panasonic System Communications Company of North America, which is a Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, the principal North American subsidiary of Panasonic Corporation.

Learn more at www.panasonic.com.

Wide-Area Mass Notification System Approved Worldwide

Cooper Notification received CE Mark approval and TÜV certification for its WAVES High Power Speaker Array (HPSA) 7100-R Series. Designed to meet the most stringent life safety requirements, the HPSA-7100-R Series provides highly intelligible voice and tone announcements for wide-area mass notification, according to the company. Cooper Notification is a solution platform of Cooper Industries plc, a global provider of electrical solutions.

Providing a simple upgrade path to expand emergency communications coverage to outdoor areas, the HPSA-7100-R can be integrated and controlled by an organization’s existing audio source, including voice-capable fire alarm control panels, as well as Cooper Notification’s SAFEPATH®4 (SP40S) voice evacuation systems and SAFEPATH mass notification systems.

“Achieving the CE Mark approval and TÜV certification signifies that Cooper Notification has met the rigorous life safety, quality, and performance requirements of these internationally recognized regulatory agencies,” said Scott Hearn, president, Cooper Notification.

The HPSA-7100-R Series has been evaluated and declared compliant to CE, including the low voltage directive, electromagnetic compatibility, and the stringent EN50130-4 standard for alarm systems. In addition, the Wide-Area MNS was approved by TÜV to the CUE certification requirements, which covers U.S., Canadian and European approvals to UL/CSA/EN 60950-1.

For information, visit www.coopernotification.com.

BCDVideo Adds Marathon Everrun MX Fault Tolerance to Its Video Servers

BCDVideo partnered with Marathon Technologies to provide Marathon’s everRun MX Enterprise and everRun MX Express Always-On application software. The Marathon software will come pre-configured on selected Hewlett Packard Servers. BCDVideo is a global OEM partner for HP and focuses exclusively on the IP video and access control markets. The solution will be distributed globally by Anixter.

“EverRun was a natural evolution for us,” said Tom Larson, director of Global Accounts for BCDVideo. “We have so much fault tolerance and redundancy within our video servers — from the various RAID sets, to the cache within the RAID controller, to the power supplies. Now we can essentially do a RAID 1 set on an entire server. We work hand-in-hand with a good number of the SDM 100 and their projects tend to run on the mission-critical side of the spectrum. Contracting with Marathon was just our way of telling them that we were listening.”

EverRun MX provides full fault tolerance to multi-processor applications that require 100 percent uptime. Marathon’s everRun MX is the world’s first software-based, fault-tolerance solution that supports single and Symmetric multi-processor and multi-core Microsoft applications, according to BCDVideo.

For information, visit www.bcdvideo.com.

TECH BRIEFS

System Sensor’s (www.systemsensor.com) FAAST Fire Alarm Aspiration Sensing Technology® is now listed to the European EN 54-20 standard for aspirating smoke detectors. This listing confirms that the FAAST detector has been independently tested by VdS in Germany to meet the standard. Compliance with the EN 54-20 standard is required for aspirating products to include the CE marking.

“One key benefit of EN 54-20 to designers and end users of aspiration systems is it eliminates any confusion about the settings required for listed detectors to achieve required sensitivity levels and alarm appropriately in fire conditions,” said Jeff Klein, vice president of Marketing for System Sensor U.S. “This levels the playing field, as different detectors require different settings to achieve Class A, B, or C sensitivities. The FAAST detector has been confirmed by VdS in independent testing to meet requirements for all three sensitivity classifications using the published settings.”

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CNL Software (www.cnlsoftware.com) joined the Lenel (www.lenel.com) OpenAccess Alliance Program (OAAP) and received Lenel factory certification for its IPSecurityCenterTM PSIM software, which now integrates with the Lenel OnGuard® access control security system. The IPSecurityCenter PSIM solution allows command-and-control centers to connect security technologies, including OnGuard Access and systems, such as video surveillance and geospatial information systems mapping, to provide operators with real-time situational awareness through a common operating picture. The integration of IPSecurityCenter and OnGuard supports the receiving of alarms and sending of events, including acknowledgement, the control of doors and outputs, and supports both the on-boarding and off-boarding processes within OnGuard.