In our September issue, we present the "Most Popular Brands Among the 2018 SDM Top Systems Integrators". "Get Smart About AI in Security" and find out "What Enterprise Security Customers Want" in this month's SDM Magazing.
Ener-Tel Services, based in San Angelo, Texas, started in 1984 as an automation controls company for heating and cooling units, explains General Sales Manager Ron Pullen.
Security dealers and integrators have been securing churches for decades, but the demand has picked up in recent years, spurred largely by mass shootings in 2015 at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church (also known as Mother Emanuel) in Charleston, S.C., and in 2017 at First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas.
After becoming fairly well-established in my career, over the past several years I have become accustomed to hearing generalizations and stereotypes about generations in our workplace. Here are some of the stereotypes I commonly hear: “Millennials are selfish, entitled, demanding, and not to mention, addicted to technology.
As cameras and other video devices demand greater power and greater transmission distances, integrators face numerous critical challenges in video system design and deployment.
While cabling and transmission were at one point in time almost afterthoughts in video surveillance systems, in recent years they have come farther out of the shadows and are now fully recognized as the key foundational solutions they are. With this greater prominence has come more thoughtful consideration of the importance of getting things right through careful evaluation.
Recently, some research and anecdotal evidence have suggested a decline in the use of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras compared with fixed megapixel cameras, which seems on its face to make sense.
Which suppliers do the largest systems integrators use? This Top Systems Integrators brand-usage report lists the manufacturers and distributors that earn their business.
Security systems integrators manage a diverse set of projects with demanding requirements. Their suppliers play a chief role in helping them meet those requirements and exceed their customers’ expectations.
Ask security dealers what their core competencies are and they’re likely to talk about their expertise in securing homes and businesses and providing life safety.
It seems as though everyone’s talking about artificial intelligence, but is everyone saying the same thing? With the impact AI will have and is already having on the security industry, let’s make sure we’re all on the same page.
Last September, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated, “Whoever becomes the leader in [artificial intelligence] will become the ruler of the world.” While not everyone finds the Russians completely trustworthy with regard to foreign intelligence, there is no denying that artificial intelligence is the next great frontier in which companies are racing to stake a claim.
The question arose whether a victim can incur the economic loss of installing a security system as a direct result of the defendant’s conduct. The defendant was convicted of first degree burglary and the trial court included the cost of certain home security improvements made by the victim in the order of restitution.
As innovations such as facial recognition, wide dynamic range, and multi-megapixel images continue to be developed by our industry’s IP camera manufacturers, the issue of the maximum length of UTP Cat5e/6 that can be installed to meet the EIA/TIA standard of 100 meters (328 feet) remains unchanged.
4EverReady Home Care is a privately owned home care agency based in Dayton, Ohio. The organization is committed to providing clients with the highest quality care possible, while allowing them to maintain both freedom and independence in the comfort of their homes.
The word smart has been partnered with high-tech for many decades. I remember Inspector Gadget and his handy Swiss Army-like devices. Or what about The Jetsons and their time-saving contraptions to help them get dressed? And the old TV show, Get Smart, with a wireless phone in the bottom of a shoe? And of course, the smart home.
Most salespeople hate the weekly sales meeting. You know the one. Everyone on the sales team gathers around for an hour-long discussion about which rep got closer to making a sale, while also covering menial housekeeping issues.
As many of you know in December 2016 we sold Atrion, a $156 million integrator, and I planned to retire. However, I found out I wasn’t ready for the sunset quite yet. I continued my active engagement with organizations like PSA Security, NSCA, CompTIA and Channel Partners. I was also able to spend time consulting with some amazing leaders.
Everything you need to generate leads can be done simply from your mobile phone; heck, you can even generate leads while hanging out at Starbucks like I currently am writing this article, or while you’re lying out on the beach.
In the foreseeable future, AI’s sweet spot most likely will be narrowly focused improvements that will enhance — but not take over — our lives in very specific ways.
Thanks to decades of AI villains in the movies, and technology leaders who tend to hyperbolize the dangers of AI, some fear that artificial intelligence is a threat to humanity — but is it?
Chester County, Penn., is the latest municipality to implement Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP), a technology designed to automate communication between alarm monitoring central stations and public safety dispatch/911 centers.
FIBARO, a global manufacturer of wireless intelligent home automation and control devices, is growing its installer base in the U.S. and has built out an aggressive training program to provided skilled professionals — including residential and commercial AV installers, electricians and practitioners within the construction industry — with the practical knowledge and expertise required to specify and install Fibaro systems.
Family-owned Kenton Brothers Systems for Security relocated from the Crossroads District to a building 10 times the size in the Truman Road Corridor at 3401 E. Truman Road. Expansion was necessary due to several consecutive years of growth, 40 percent in just the past year alone, the company stated in a press release.
B Safe Inc., a regional provider of security and fire alarms to Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, has acquired substantially all the assets of DCD Fire & Security Inc.
Inovonics’ new EN1245 Wireless CO detector addresses a market need by meeting the UL 2075 (gas and vapor detectors and sensors) and California State Fire Marshall regulatory approvals.
Speco’s Mass Alert Notification is ideal for schools, workplaces, venues and events where people gather. With their cellphones, every person can opt-in to receive emergency alerts in the form of text messages by texting a pre-defined keyword to a short code provided by the facility.
Bird Home Automation Group’s IP converter DoorBird D301 enables the user to communicate with anyone standing at their front door via smartphone or tablet and converts conventional door intercom systems into IP door intercoms.
Morse Watchmans’ RFID-powered asset management system, AssetWatcher, is an RFID-enabled locker system that enables businesses to secure and track valuable assets.
GJD, along with its strategic partner LILIN Americas, released its Clarius PLUS IP range of infrared and white-light LED illuminators, specially designed for the professional CCTV market.
Genetec’s Clearance digital evidence management system is designed to make it easy for the general public and private businesses to contribute to crime-solving efforts by sharing relevant video and photos from their cellphones and surveillance systems with law enforcement agencies.
The E-60-IP Series are compact, vandal-resistant VoIP entry phones designed to provide quick and reliable hands-free communication for SIP VoIP phone systems with PoE.
Vanderbilt’s VR mullion card readers are easy to install, use and maintain. The reader, with keypad, maximizes the user interaction with arming, access, and messaging, which results in enhanced user interaction at the door.
Pivot3 is streamlining large-scale video, security management and storage environments by hosting video management software, security applications and storage on a modular, scalable appliance.
IntelliVision Technologies Corp.’s latest version of its facial recognition technology now runs as a cloud-based service as well as on edge devices and on-premise servers.
ProWire Unified Power System from LifeSafety Power is a pre-wired, UL/ULC certified power solution that is ready to install, simplifying and standardizing access control installations across an enterprise.
The D-TECT IP range provides flexible volumetric field-of-view sensing, making the range suitable for intruder monitoring, CCTV surveillance and other alarm warning requirements.
BCDVideo’s new line of access control servers and workstations is built to suit a wide range of projects from small to large, to fit any size project specification.
ASSA ABLOY Electronic Security Hardware’s Securitron AQ Series power supplies are available in 1 to 16 Amp variants to support the smallest single-door systems to the largest enterprise access control systems.
Arecont Vision’s new Contera offering is composed of megapixel cameras (Arecont Vision Mega and Contera IP families), video management system software (ConteraVMS), video recorders and NVRs (ConteraCMR), and cloud-based Web management services (ConteraWS) tying it all together.
LILIN’s outdoor-ready PTZ IP camera delivers HD 1080p video at a maximum of 60 fps, complete with true day/night recording and up to 150 meters of infrared night vision.
Vicon Industries Inc. released VAX Access Control, version 2.9.60. This latest VAX version includes powerful feature enhancements to software as well as new hardware options that offer cost savings and programming flexibility.
AXIS Guardian’s centralized device management allows providers to maintain and manage their clients’ systems remotely while delivering stable and reliable monitoring to their end customers, without the overhead of maintenance or installation.
Chase perforated guards are used in federal prisons, HUD projects, rehabilitation centers, hotels, hospitals, universities, factories, and other places to prevent false alarms and malfunctions due to vandalism.
Bosch further enhanced the convenience and ease of operation of its access control software Access Professional Edition (APE) in the just released version 3.7.
Vector Security Inc., ranked No. 4 on the SDM 100, recently debuted its new storefront concept in Canfield, Ohio. The location is home to the company’s largest installed customer base in that state.
Josh Hauser Ink LLC and IP NetConnect announced a development deal in which Josh Hauser, creative director of MaxOut Technology, has also accepted the role of vice president of sales for IP NetConnect.
Arcules, provider of video cloud internet of things (IoT) as a service technology, announced the launch of the Arcules platform at Google Cloud Next. The Arcules Intelligent Video Cloud platform aggregates and analyzes previously untapped video surveillance and IoT sensor data, identifies trends in that data and applies predictive analytics to help businesses optimize operations and improve safety. Using the Arcules solution, businesses can access these insights anywhere and from any device in a streamlined, centralized platform, and quickly scale the solution without the burden of additional maintenance or hardware.
Honeywell announced Resideo will be the corporate name of the Honeywell Homes product portfolio and ADI global distribution businesses when they become a stand-alone, publicly traded company following completion of a spin that is expected by the end of 2018. Honeywell will license its brand to Resideo under a long-term agreement for use in its home comfort and security hardware, and software solutions for all channels.
Convergint Technologies, ranked No. 1 on SDM’s Top Systems Integrators Report, acquired New Jersey-based Access Control Technologies (ACT), bringing further electronic security systems experience to Convergint’s deep breadth of service capabilities.
On August 13, President Trump signed the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, which authorizes FY2019 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities. The bill does include language that would prohibit the U.S. government from using cameras from certain Chinese manufacturers, including Dahua and Hikvision.
Senstar Symphony (formerly Aimetis Symphony) has received Lenel factory certification and joined the Lenel OpenAccess Alliance Program (OAAP). Senstar Symphony interfaces with the OnGuard access control system, providing customers with an enhanced platform for security monitoring.
A seamless integration between Bosch B and G Series Control Panels and Connect ONE by Connected Technologies LLC makes it simple for dealers to add intrusion detection and access control services from a single panel while using one interface to manage every customer.
NSCA, a not-for-profit association representing the commercial low-voltage electronic systems industry, released updated Labor Installation Standard guidelines for 2018, providing information that systems integrators can use to accurately estimate labor units — the biggest factor impacting project profitability.
Workforce shortages within the security industry have been a concern for the past few years. As the number of technical job postings increase, ESA’s National Training School (NTS) is tackling the issue head on, aiming to expose the industry to high school CTE (career and technical education) programs by providing its very first high school partnership program in Pennsylvania, with hopes to expand the initiative throughout the U.S.
Apollo Security Access Control has introduced the new ASP Series Controllers that add a new layer of flexibility by allowing ‘post-factory’ customization in addition to many other feature upgrades. This will put more control in the hands of integrators and even end users so they are not locked into hardware solutions that are ‘off the shelf’ and don’t provide any ability to adapt to customer specific needs for the present or the future, the company described.
Mark C. Popkowski, CEO of PnewSoft LLC, Houston, Texas, has been in the security integration business for around 30 years, starting his own company, Modern System Concepts Inc., (MSC) about 20 years ago. Four years ago, Popkowski was searching for software to help him with inspections out in the field, particularly fire inspections.
Bosch Building Technologies has developed a smart software solution designed to assist systems integrators and installers: the Project Assistant app. Until now, the planning, configuration, installation and reporting of a video security project involved many different tools and extensive man hours to complete and document the process, making it difficult for systems integrators to manage and keep track of various projects during each phase through to the final reporting. With the Project Assistant app, control, transparency and efficiency can be applied to every part of a video security project.
Mercury Security’s next-generation LP intelligent controller platform built on the Linux operating system offers advanced security and performance, plus extensive support for third-party applications and integrations.
Red Hawk Fire & Security LLC., a provider of fire, life safety and security services, opened a new office in Spokane, Wash., to serve commercial customers in the growing areas of eastern Washington state and Idaho.
The Monitoring Association (TMA) announced that Blue Ridge Monitoring – Anderson, SC has obtained the prestigious “TMA Five Diamond Monitoring Center” designation. This designation is granted annually to monitoring centers that satisfy all of the requirements of TMA’s five points of excellence.
In today’s world, cyber threats are on everyone’s minds. That’s because it’s slowly becoming the number one business risk for organizations of all sizes. From system hacks and DDoS attacks to the increased prevalence of ransomwares, news of cyberattacks seems constant. While there have fewer reports of major attacks comparable to the Yahoo breach of 2017, where the personal information of 3 billion users was exposed, that’s no reason to be complacent. Governments are stepping in to update policies and standards, which hold more organizations accountable.
NSCA, a not-for-profit association representing the commercial low-voltage electronic systems industry, announced the election of a new president to its executive committee, as well as many other leadership changes and the addition of two new officers to its board of directors for 2018-2019.