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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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

Having the right back-office software is like having a super-star employee on your team. From accounting/billing, to scheduling, to proposals and contracts — your entire operation just runs more smoothly and efficiently.

An awards program from the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security, sponsored by SDM, recognizes excellence in system integration at sporting venues. Here are the 2015 entries.

Emergency call boxes, smartphones and intercoms are playing new roles in emergency communications.

Lower costs and improved functionality combine to make hybrid solutions an increasingly critical part of analog-to-IP migration.