Monthly column by Editor Karyn Hodgson. https://www.sdmmag.com/rss/2655 en-us wilsonbm@bnpmedia.com (Brianna Wilson) I had the pleasure of putting together both of this year’s Video Monitoring Today features, in which SDM explores the “nuanced” and “fragmented” video monitoring market with over a dozen experts who are in the field every single day. I had the pleasure of putting together both of this year’s Video Monitoring Today features, in which SDM explores the “nuanced” and “fragmented” video monitoring market with over a dozen experts who are in the field every single day.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105544 Mon, 22 Jun 2026 05:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105544-the-full-scope-of-modern-video-monitoring hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen the movie by now, you likely know that the “twist” in the 1999 movie “The Sixth Sense” was that the psychologist played by Bruce Willis has been dead the whole time. He just didn’t know it. Spoiler alert: If you haven’t seen the movie by now, you likely know that the “twist” in the 1999 movie “The Sixth Sense” was that the psychologist played by Bruce Willis has been dead the whole time. He just didn’t know it.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105486 Tue, 02 Jun 2026 10:55:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105486-securitys-sixth-sense-are-silos-already-dead hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) This year’s top 100 security dealers shared how they had to be strategic to overcome outside challenges and pressures. This year’s top 100 security dealers shared how they had to be strategic to overcome outside challenges and pressures.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105366 Mon, 04 May 2026 08:30:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105366-the-strategists hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Where is AI really headed in the security and life safety industry? Where is AI really headed in the security and life safety industry?

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105386 Mon, 06 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105386-musings-on-ai hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) For security integrators, the opportunities around autonomous security solutions are only just starting to emerge, but the time to start thinking about it is now. For security integrators, the opportunities around autonomous security solutions are only just starting to emerge, but the time to start thinking about it is now.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105145 Mon, 02 Mar 2026 09:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105145-the-robots-are-coming-look-busy hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Being an integrator in the security industry is a bit like the saying “Keeping up with the Joneses.” Being an integrator in the security industry is a bit like the saying “Keeping up with the Joneses.”

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105060 Mon, 02 Feb 2026 09:30:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/105060-keeping-up-with-the-joneses hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that the top three issues that will continue to impact 2026 will likely be these three things: talent acquisition/retention, the economy and technology advancements, particularly AI. It doesn’t take a crystal ball to see that the top three issues that will continue to impact 2026 will likely be these three things: talent acquisition/retention, the economy and technology advancements, particularly AI.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104967 Mon, 05 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104967-time-to-bring-out-the-crystal-ball hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Alarm New England faced a tough choice in 2024: either take the path of growing the enterprise side with the Sonitrol division, or focus exclusively on the residential and small commercial business. They chose the latter. Alarm New England faced a tough choice in 2024: either take the path of growing the enterprise side with the Sonitrol division, or focus exclusively on the residential and small commercial business. They chose the latter.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104893 Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104893-bucking-the-trend hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Cybersecurity convergence is here and a critical issue to understand for security integrators. Cybersecurity convergence is here and a critical issue to understand for security integrators.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104816 Thu, 06 Nov 2025 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104816-time-to-ditch-the-silos hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) The 2025 SDM Systems Integrator of the Year. The 2025 SDM Systems Integrator of the Year.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104692 Thu, 02 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104692-modern-minutemen hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Learning new sales skills, systems and training approaches are challenging but necessary when it comes to implementing active shooter solutions. Learning new sales skills, systems and training approaches are challenging but necessary when it comes to implementing active shooter solutions.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104591 Thu, 04 Sep 2025 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104591-change-is-hard hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Pro Edge Technology wins the 2025 SDM Project of the Year award. Pro Edge Technology wins the 2025 SDM Project of the Year award.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104489 Thu, 07 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104489-on-excellence hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) It remains to be seen where AI will take both the security industry and the world at large, but there is no doubt … that it will play a major role. It remains to be seen where AI will take both the security industry and the world at large, but there is no doubt … that it will play a major role.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104416 Thu, 03 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104416-through-lines In the wake of the most recent wave of AI advancement, I’m hopeful that the expert insight inside this supplement can help dealers and integrators navigate this rapidly changing security landscape. In the wake of the most recent wave of AI advancement, I’m hopeful that the expert insight inside this supplement can help dealers and integrators navigate this rapidly changing security landscape.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104419 Tue, 01 Jul 2025 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104419-ai-everywhere-and-all-at-once hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) The 2025 SDM 100 companies displayed resilience in overcoming external downward pressures. The 2025 SDM 100 companies displayed resilience in overcoming external downward pressures.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104246 Thu, 01 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104246-lessons-in-resilience hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) What impact might some of the biggest technology trends have on the direction of the security industry? What impact might some of the biggest technology trends have on the direction of the security industry?

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104129 Tue, 01 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104129-where-are-we-going hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Don't Throw Out the Baby Don't Throw Out the Baby

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104065 Mon, 03 Mar 2025 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/104065-should-the-security-industry-throw-out-dei hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) The use of video beyond security. The use of video beyond security.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103943 Fri, 07 Feb 2025 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103943-making-the-business-case-for-video-surveillance hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) This year’s Monitoring Today Supplement takes on the issue of false alarms. This year’s Monitoring Today Supplement takes on the issue of false alarms.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103898 Mon, 13 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103898-getting-out-front-of-the-false-alarm-issue hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) There is something about the changing from one year to another that always makes me think of new beginnings. There is something about the changing from one year to another that always makes me think of new beginnings.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103877 Mon, 06 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103877-the-security-industry-looks-forward-to-a-happy-and-hopeful-new-year hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) We live in an era of data — some might even say data overload. We live in an era of data — some might even say data overload.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103757 Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103757-metrics-matter hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and security integrators are seeing real benefits for themselves and their customers. Artificial intelligence is here to stay, and security integrators are seeing real benefits for themselves and their customers.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103689 Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103689-the-impact-of-ai hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) It was just a few years ago when I first heard the word “proptech,” and for a while it looked like it would become a common buzzword in the industry. It was just a few years ago when I first heard the word “proptech,” and for a while it looked like it would become a common buzzword in the industry.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103480 Thu, 05 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103480-reimagining-proptech hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) The “dog days” of summer. Did you know — I didn’t until I looked it up — that the term dog days refers to astrology, specifically the time period during which a bright star rises and sets with the sun? The “dog days” of summer. Did you know — I didn’t until I looked it up — that the term dog days refers to astrology, specifically the time period during which a bright star rises and sets with the sun?

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103398 Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103398-from-dog-days-to-smart-days-embracing-home-tech hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) We have only just begun to see the impact that AI and Generative AI will have on the security industry. We have only just begun to see the impact that AI and Generative AI will have on the security industry.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103311 Wed, 03 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103311-the-ai-generation hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) I don't know about anyone else, but it seems to me the world is moving faster than ever before — especially when it comes to technology. I don't know about anyone else, but it seems to me the world is moving faster than ever before — especially when it comes to technology.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103197 Mon, 03 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103197-transformative-shifts hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Anyone who attended last month’s ISC West show in Las Vegas probably noticed a few key trends. Anyone who attended last month’s ISC West show in Las Vegas probably noticed a few key trends. 

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103134 Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/103134-dialed-in-on-technology hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) This year’s winner of SDM’s Project of the Year Award is Minuteman Security This year’s winner of SDM’s Project of the Year Award is Minuteman Security

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/102981 Thu, 04 Apr 2024 13:00:00 -0400 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/102981-the-3rd-annual-project-of-the-year-winner-is hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Diversity, equity and inclusion is a key initiative that can help the security industry with its talent shortage. Diversity, equity and inclusion is a key initiative that can help the security industry with its talent shortage.

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/102897 Mon, 04 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/102897-the-importance-of-diversity-in-the-security-industry hodgsonk@bnpmedia.com (Karyn Hodgson) Security Industry Trends Security Industry Trends

]]> http://www.sdmmag.com/articles/102771 Mon, 05 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500 https://www.sdmmag.com/articles/102771-reach-for-the-clouds