Derek Rice

Opening Doors

New technologies and integration with other systems are bringing entry controls and intercoms into the 21st century.

November 5, 2012

While access control likely trails only video on the excitement and energy scale when it comes to products within the security industry, two components of that segment — entry controls and intercoms — most likely rank very low, if at all.

Technology Helps OSS Boost Speed, Accuracy & Efficiency

Derek Rice

October 16, 2012

As many systems integrators may have noticed, the number of large-scale government and enterprise implementations isn’t what it used to be, which can make it difficult to compete in a market that’s growing more competitive all the time.

Securadyne Acquisition Only the Beginning of Its Presence in Northeast

Derek Rice

September 18, 2012

With its second acquisition since its founding in February, Carrollton, Texas-based Securadyne Systems instantly gained a strong foothold in the Northeast, which was an area where Securadyne had no real presence.

Where’s the Gain in Security Cloud Computing?

As cloud services gain traction and can exchange data freely, security professionals predict the industry will have access to better products, lower costs and greater margins.

Derek Rice

September 6, 2012

Like the vast majority of people, you’ve no doubt heard a lot of talk about “The Cloud” in the last year or two. The concept is by no means a new one. If you use an online email provider such as Google or Yahoo, you’re using the cloud. In fact, many people have been using the cloud for well over a decade (Google’s empire was built on the cloud); it just didn’t have a catchy name until recently.

ASIS 2012: Information, Education, Celebration

Derek Rice

September 4, 2012

At next week’s ASIS International 58th Annual Seminar and Exhibits, attendees will once again have a wide variety of educational, networking and information-gathering opportunities, including the Integrator Series, as well as a reason to celebrate.

GSA Contract Opens New Avenues for Integrator’s Growth

Derek Rice

August 21, 2012

As Norwell, Mass.-based SIGNET Electronic Systems Inc. approaches its 40th anniversary, a recent contract award could take business in a new direction – and increase the company’s profitability.

From There to Here

Understanding the speed, distance, and bandwidth requirements of today’s sophisticated security networks requires a leap in understanding of complex integration of hardware, firmware and software.

Derek Rice

August 16, 2012

As video surveillance continues its shift away from legacy analog systems to IP, there is a corresponding shift in the types of transmission equipment and technologies that are necessary. In other words, there are several different roads video can travel to get from “there” (the camera) to “here” (the head-end).

Mobile Video Viewing: Why It’s Becoming Indispensible

There has been an explosion in the number of manufacturers and others who offer smartphone apps specifically for viewing video systems.

Derek Rice

July 23, 2012

If you have a smartphone, congratulations. You’re now in the majority. So says a Nielsen survey conducted in March, which found that 50.4 percent of U.S. mobile subscribers owned a smartphone.

Monitored Video: The Central Station Perspective On Business Practices

As video monitoring and hosting become more desirable as a business offering, central stations share ideas for the operational details that can make it successful and profitable.

Derek Rice

June 18, 2012

Video monitoring represents a major growth center for central stations, the vast majority of which are currently offering the service in one form or another. As adoption and service offerings continue to grow, monitoring companies are going to have questions. Central stations that currently offer monitored/hosted video services share what has been successful for them in the areas of selecting and training operators, managing bandwidth and storage, and setting pricing, which should be helpful for navigating the waters of video monitoring.

Security Industry’s ‘Green Day’ Is Coming

As larger security projects evolve into integrated systems, the pressure to deliver green solutions will increase, experts say.

Derek Rice

April 25, 2012

Fact: the popularity of — and end user demand for — HD and megapixel video are increasing every day. Fact: the detail HD and megapixel video provide drive up the file sizes of that video. Fact: larger file sizes create greater storage needs. Fact: regardless of application, from small to large to gigantic systems, video needs to be stored somewhere for some period of time.