Security management made easy

Editor / Provider: Tevin Wang, a&s International | Updated: 1/18/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

Having physical access control integrated with video surveillance, intrusion detection and logical access systems as a complete security management platform enables a wider range of capabilities and possibilities. a&s explores how recent innovation in integrated access and security management helps better provide visible benefits to all involved.

The ability to integrate surveillance with access control is no longer considered a luxury in the market, but a necessary step to providing a comprehensive picture of security operations to an end user, said Dr. Michael Luetzeler, member of the ONVIF Steering Committee. "Using products that conform to interoperability specifications such as ONVIF, those integrations are simplified with the use of a common interface. ONVIF's pending release, for 2013, of its specification to include access control functions such as door monitoring and control will govern interoperability between access control and video surveillance systems, as well as among individual components of an access control system."

Physical access control systems integrated with network video devices would use the specification to position a PTZ dome camera for recording a person's entry after a card swipe at a particular door or activating network video recording on an invalid card swipe, Luetzeler continued. "By providing a common language, an access control standard will allow a system that enables IP-based door controllers from a variety of different manufacturers to browse devices, creating a list of types of readers and connections, and subscribe to card reader and door controller events. The same standard would also be used for device discovering and management, and controlling the outputs of the system, such as opening and locking doors, enabling or disabling access points, or switching networked field devices on and off."

Tangible Benefits
The integration should deliver complete, multilayered and versatile authentication. It should also provide broad support for authentication devices and methods. The goal is better prevention of malicious denial of service attacks, improved and more streamlined incident management when breaches occur, and more efficient risk management, said John Davies, MD of Time and Data Systems International (TDSi).

The system should use an open-standard platform that can integrate with existing computing environments, such as Windows, Linux and Mac, for desktop authentication. “When enterprises need to upgrade, they should be able to simply download firmware updates or deploy field-upgradable solutions,” said Wei Jin Lee, Sales Director for ASEAN, HID Global (Assa Abloy). “Converged access solutions help organizations enforce consistent policies, and they foster the use of consolidated audit logs throughout the enterprise. Another important consideration is for organizations to future-proof their investments on mobile platforms.”

The true benefit to the end user is the increased level of security. “By automating the integration between the physical and logical systems, identities are automatically deactivated upon termination of an employee, removing any chance of someone forgetting to remove or deprovision an identity,” said Eric Joseph, Solutions Engineering Manager, S2 Security. “Additionally, it reduces the opportunity for logical accounts to be hacked by only allowing them to be accessed by valid cardholders in the facility.”

Lowering the TCO and increasing the ROI are also highly demanded. “The end user saves time and money because they are only managing one system and using one credential for both systems,” said Kim Rahfaldt, PR Manager at Amag Technology (a G4S Technology company).

Manageability and Outlook
Network stability and bandwidth will influence system performance, especially if there is video surveillance involved. “One of the biggest network challenges we face is educating the IT department on the effect of a security management system on the network,” Joseph said. “When initial conversations are started, the IT department can be very standoffish about having additional systems and information riding on their network, and potentially slowing it down. Once we are able to explain the minimum impact access control events have on the network, this becomes alleviated. Additionally, with video recording being done at individual sites or on the edge, and streamed back to security operations centers as needed, video bandwidth can be managed in a much easier way.”

The deployment does not stop at the IT department. “The management of access control systems regularly involves several departments within an organization, such as HR, IT, building management, parking services, food services, and, of course, security management,” said Steven Lewis, Senior PM at Tyco Security Product. “It is imperative that the management teams within these departments are aligned with consistent policies and procedures to ensure the performance of the platform.”

Another challenge of traditional systems is software updates. Microsoft regularly provides service packs and other updates to the Windows operating system for maintenance purposes. “This leads to increased responsibilities for the IT department,” Joseph said. “As we are able to provide alternatives to Windows-based systems, we are easily able to avoid these challenges and reduce the strain on IT personnel.”

Access control management systems have long life spans of typically more than 10 years, meaning there is more to think about than the initial cost. With TCO considerations, four key points should be taken into account: cost of acquisition, installation, operation and maintenance.

Other considerations include openness to other vendors' hardware, zero downtime, reliability and robustness, Holger Maier, PM for Security Systems, Bosch Security Systems cautioned. “It's been challenging to find and certify good sales partners or systems integrators in all parts of the world to handle the combination of many different domains, from access control over surveillance to fire and building management, plus IT and network knowledge.”

For now, proprietary systems make true integration difficult, as access control is not as tightly regulated as the intrusion and fire industries are. “In Europe, the existing EN50133 standard has been around for a while, but isn't used by everyone because the technology has moved on so rapidly,” Davies said. “There is, however, a new IEC standard which started development about 18 months ago and is currently out for parallel voting. As is usual with a lot of standards when in development, there are some good points and some contentious points. It is refreshing, though, to see a new standard being developed at the global level, and what is encouraging is the speed at which this standard has evolved.”

Stay tuned for more development!

Verticalization of ALPR technology

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 1/17/2013 | Article type: Tech Corner

While concerns of economic difficulties and budgetary constraints linger, more and more ALPR solution providers are looking to deliver better services and business models with higher ROI. a&s explores how this change of focus is helping them enter new markets and scale new revenue heights.

There have been a couple of suppliers who have essentially had to close their businesses, as a result of customers' budget cuts, Jim Kennedy, President of Inex/Zamir, observed. Many solution providers have, thus, diversified their offerings to cater to different needs. Previously, ALPR was thought of as a security measure, but now, this technology can be utilized to generate more income and simplify management tasks. "Whether for gate control, inventory control or parking management, ALPR represents a key investment with quantifiable returns," said Charles Cousins, MD of APAC at Genetec.

Traffic Monitoring
Despite austerity measures in certain parts of the world, many burgeoning megacities are not slowing down with infrastructural development. "Traffic safety systems are fairly common, and if anything, demand at the government level is growing, not shrinking," said Durairaj Gireraj, Director for APAC at Axxonsoft. Though suppliers have explored other vertical segments, demand in the government sector remains steady.

In government applications, "traffic management and safety programs are really picking up steam," Gireraj continued. In some cases, ALPR can pay for itself and generate additional income in the long term, especially with projects where the technology allows for cost reductions, flow improvement and automatic fare/violation payment collection.

Traffic monitoring checkpoints in Austria, the Netherlands and Spain, for example, use ALPR for speed enforcement. No radar is required because the cameras in use capture every license plate and calculate the travel time between two set points. If the calculated speed is 10 percent or more above the speed limit, the system automatically issues a ticket. By deploying similar systems, not only can authorities cut personnel and fuel costs in issuing traffic violation tickets, but they can also increase revenue by increasing coverage points and distances.

Law Enforcement
Although government budget in general may not be what it was years ago, "we still see that market continuing to consume as ALPR becomes a valuable crime-fighting tool," Cousins said. Reading up to 3,000 plates per minute, ALPR can check against a database for vehicles of interest, such as drivers with expired registration tags, revoked licenses or warrants for violent crimes, and then notifies nearby officers. Police departments have noticed a huge spike in tickets, arrests and revenues as a result.

Parking Management
Due to its strong ROI, parking-time management is currently one of the fastest growing markets, outperforming many other applications. The ALPR market in EMEA showed a slight decline in 2011, but the parking segment increased by 4.1 percent. This technology helps parking lots drive revenue by identifying and charging vehicles that stayed overtime. Simultaneously, it frees up parking spaces for new customers, thus driving retail sales as well.

In 2012, Genetec integrated ALPR, video surveillance and access control systems into one platform. The platform not only allows end users to view live video streams, but also lets them control the cameras, configure aspects of their access control and ALPR system, and run reports from Web browsers. "The needs of this market are more than just reading a plate. Parking management is a world of its own, with its own nuances," Cousins reminded.

Ticketless parking is another possibility. "The result is a clean management system that delivers a completely seamless and pleasant experience for customers," said Nick Parker, MD of Sensor Dynamic. Ticketless parking obsoletes printed tickets, thus removing problems such as lost tickets, swapped tickets or traffic congestion from exit lanes.

An evolving business model now involves solution providers approaching large retailers to provide the systems free of charge, in exchange for a percentage of their revenues. This commission-based model has been well-perceived by those who might have originally been doubtful of the technology or who are limited in funding for initial installation.

Logistics
As many industry sources noted, the logistics industry also has huge demand for ALPR. Integrating ALPR into the monitoring systems of logistics companies ensures that vehicles do not disappear and certain rules are followed on site. "Vehicles have to go through several stations in the correct order; you have to monitor this process to avoid spoilage and product loss," Gireraj said.

A pivotal year for home security

Editor / Provider: Memoori Business Intelligence | Updated: 1/17/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

This is the first in an ongoing series of features by Memoori Business Intelligence, covering innovation and disruptive technologies in physical security and building management.

2012 would be remembered as the pivotal year for home security. A perfect storm of technology, investment and new entrants has now changed the market landscape forever. SaaS models, ubiquitous broadband and smartphones have finally colluded to make home video surveillance a cheap and viable solution.

Vivint was sold to The Blackstone Group for more than US$2 billion, and ADT in North America was spun off from Tyco International to form the ADT Corporation. Of course, everyone now recognizes that the big play here is not just security but home automation; offering numerous services with little extra “cost per user” required, by virtue of SaaS and cloud computing.

This is the opportunity that has got markets and investors excited. ADT is currently trading on the New York Stock Exchange, 25 percent up on its October 1 debut (as of December 19, 2012). But for all the hyperbole and talk of doubling residential penetration, have the “big boys” really embraced the revolution? Or, have they left the door open for smaller and more innovative companies to gain a foothold?

Mark Richards of Hive Labs certainly thinks so; “our vision is that everyone should have home security and not at $30, $40 or $50 per month. The alarm business models are still exactly the same as they ever were, and it won't last forever. Long-term contracts, not being open and honest with pricing, and salespeople knocking on doors are from another era.”

Richards puts forward a persuasive argument; almost all the smaller companies entering the market have a background in software. They understand it. Web services, cloud, agile programming techniques and third-party APIs, for example, enable companies like Hive to offer video surveillance services for $5 per month with no contract. “It's services like Hive that have a shot at growing the US market to 40-percent penetration, not the incumbents,” said Richards.

It is perhaps worth taking a step back and considering the example of the current king of consumer electronics, Apple — beautiful industrial design combined with intuitive software; hardware and software together in one ecosystem; an ecosystem that offers a completely end-to-end experience for the user, but at the same time is tightly controlled for third-party developers. Have major players in home security followed the Apple example?

According to ADT's own figures, it has in the region of 6.7 million customers delivering $240 million per month of recurring revenue. So why chose to rebadge iControl for the ADT Pulse service? Why not invest in its own hardware and software ecosystem? The camera offered by Hive is straight out of the Apple and Nest playbook. A small sphere of brushed metal and white plastic, which sits comfortably in a magnetic housing, can be mounted anywhere in seconds, with a patented ultra-low power Wi-Fi chip which can provide more than 1,000 triggered events (7,000 seconds of video) from just 2 AA batteries.

In 2013, the home automation market is up for grabs. Winners will be the ones that can offer the same seamless experience that consumers have come to expect from the likes of Apple.

VCA revisited

Editor / Provider: Wavestore | Updated: 1/16/2013 | Article type: Hot Topics

So, the ObjectVideo “patent agreement seeking” rampage seems to have come to an end for now, with Panasonic System Networks being the latest to be added to the global, portfolio-wide patent license wish list (others include Tyco Security Products, Sony, Vivotek, Pelco by Schneider and Bosch Security Systems, for anyone who is keeping score). More solution providers are revisiting the technology side of things this year, with more concrete deployment scenarios and ROI agreement, such as this one from Axis Communications, a similar one from AMG Systems, and the one below from Wavestore.

Recent advances have helped overcome many of the problems previously associated with VCA tools, and 2013 will therefore see more powerful and tangible performance in real-life action, predicted Phil Ewers, Business Development Manager at Wavestore. His extensive experience includes playing a key role in a successful bid to deliver and supply Westfield London Shopping Centre with Europe's largest people-counting solution. Ewers is confident that VCA will be requested more in the list of features when video management systems are being designed.

First, there are a number of manufacturers who have increased the processing power of the DSP chipsets incorporated into their video surveillance cameras, highlighted Ewers. “These cameras, therefore, have the potential to be able to perform all their standard functions, while at the same time being able to efficiently handle analytics software.” Second, a tough economic environment is inevitably encouraging end users to demand a higher ROI in a video system solution. Last but not least is the fact that forward thinking video solution providers, such as Wavestore, have incorporated into their VMS the facility for leading technologies, such as video analytics in all its various forms, to work in harmony and interact with each other using a metadata engine. “This enables to offer customers an effective single-source solution.”

VCA is proving to be extremely valuable to the retail sector, but there are many opportunities in environments such as sports stadiums, airports, train stations and so on — any area where there is people movement.

People-counting capability deserves to be near or at the top of the list, as it can provide highly valuable data to allow a business to become more efficient, increase sales or just simply make their premises a safe place to visit or work in, Ewers said. “A hot spot identified by the use of analytics could perhaps generate an alert that there is an escalating risk of people being crushed.”

ALPR has obvious benefits to those involved in traffic management and parking enforcement, as well as verifying that a driver/vehicle is authorized to enter a restricted area. Biometrics in the form of facial recognition deserves a mention as well, as it can be a very powerful tool to identify specific individuals. “When analyzing what may have been thousands of hours of prerecorded video, facial recognition offers the possibility of matching against what could be a large database of undesirable visitors,” Ewers shared. New developments are seeing facial recognition providing invaluable statistics for retailers as to who is checking out a particular product stand, visiting a store or a defined area within a store or shopping complex.

Mobotix signs Ingram Micro as N. American distributor

Editor / Provider: Mobotix | Updated: 1/16/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Mobotix, a provider of high-resolution, network-based surveillance systems, announced a North American distribution agreement with Ingram Micro, the world's largest technology distributor. Under the agreement, the complete line of Mobotix high-resolution IP technologies is available through Ingram Micro throughout the United States and Canada.

Ingram Micro delivers a broad array of solutions and services to more than 170,000 resellers through the distribution and marketing of IT and security solutions worldwide. By distributing its IP surveillance technologies through Ingram Micro, Mobotix can serve a broader range of value-added resellers (VARs) and systems integrators throughout North America.

Unlike traditional security systems, Mobotix develops a decentralized approach to video surveillance. The intelligent Mobotix cameras incorporate a high-speed computer and internal flash memory card (MicroSD card) to enable all recording and storage to occur within the camera, reducing the need for a separate PC or DVR. Furthermore, all data is processed within the camera to lower network bandwidth, which maximizes the use of robust features, including virtual PTZ, video analytics and 360-degree hemispheric technology with panoramic view.

"Ingram Micro's broad market reach and dedicated focus on physical security and emerging technologies makes us well positioned to assist Mobotix in raising awareness for its decentralized and hemispheric approaches to video surveillance," said Tom Burns, GM, Ingram Micro Physical Security Business Unit, North America. "This new relationship will enable our channel partners to build and enhance the physical security segments within their businesses by providing them access to Mobotix products and working together to drive greater opportunity for growth."

The entire Mobotix product suite, including the Q24 hemispheric camera, the D14 dualdome camera, the S14 double hemispheric camera and the T24 IP video door station, is now available through Ingram Micro. Over the past year, demand for the company's decentralized and hemispheric surveillance solutions increased as VARs sought out edge-based security solutions to control costs and deliver long-term ROI for end users.

"Our new agreement with Ingram Micro marks an important milestone for Mobotix as its investment in IP security demonstrates that the value it delivers to VARs is second to none," said Steve Gorski, GM, Americas, Mobotix. "Today's IT resellers are eager to tap into the benefits of providing networked security technologies and Mobotix is well positioned to help these VARs expand into this segment with reliable, innovative and trusted technologies."

Axis reveals loss prevention research results

Editor / Provider: Axis Communications | Updated: 1/15/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Axis Communications, the global supplier in network video, announced the results of the Loss Prevention Research Council's (LPRC) "CCTV in Retail 2012" report at the National Retail Federation's (NRF) BIG Show in New York City. The survey, commissioned by Axis in October 2012, shows the increased adoption of IP-based video surveillance technology by retail organizations and their growing interest in cross-functional uses of digital video systems, such as video analytics and point of sales (POS) integration for improved sales, marketing and operations.

For the "CCTV in Retail 2012" report, loss prevention (LP) executives from 47 national and regional retailers completed an online survey about their company's use of video surveillance, perceptions about the effects of video surveillance and the additional uses of IP-based digital systems beyond security and LP. All companies surveyed currently use video surveillance in their stores, with nearly 64 percent of stores having some form of IP-connected system.

This survey followed a similar LPRC study from 2010, which reported that only 31.3 percent of respondents had IP cameras or a combination of IP/analog in their stores. Additionally, the use and awareness of intelligent applications for purposes beyond security and LP has grown. The high-level results of the "CCTV in Retail 2012" report include:

Migration to IP Video:
● In 2010, two-thirds of respondents said they use analog-only systems, as compared to about one-third who have analog-only today;
● Of those who use analog-only systems, 43 percent say they have an IP migration strategy in place, while 21.4 percent would like to create a plan in the future;
● The main drivers for the adoption of IP video solutions were better image quality/HDTV and integration with other business systems and intelligent video;
● Only 38.5 percent of respondents with IP-connected digital systems have access to live surveillance footage via a mobile device, yet 87.5 percent would find it beneficial;
● "Cost of technology refresh" remained the biggest obstacle for the adoption of IP video, yet the rise of cross-functional uses of digital video for improved sales, operational efficiencies and new revenue opportunities could lead to budget contributions by other departments.

Intelligent Video for Sales, Marketing and Operational Efficiency:
● Of the retailers who use IP-based video systems for cross-functional benefits outside of security and LP, 93 percent have seen a positive impact on operations, while 40 percent have seen a positive impact on merchandising;
● Nearly one-quarter named "integration with business intelligent video, such as analytics and POS integration" as a main driver for adopting a network/IP system;
● People Counting was by far the most used non-LP analytic application, with 46.3 percent of respondents deploying this feature, up from 27 percent in 2010;
● Dwell Time Analysis (20 percent) and Heat Map or Hot/Cold Zone (18.2 percent) usage increased in 2012, while 38.3 percent of respondents use video analytics to detect POS fraud;
● Queue Counters are used by less than 10 percent of companies surveyed, yet 50 percent say they may use this application in future. Similarly, while no respondents said they utilize Out of Stock Alerts today, more than 56 percent say they may use them in the future;
● Nearly 32 percent of respondents utilize surveillance to help analyze "shopping & buying behavior," with 20 percent using video to measure shelf and product placement effectiveness;
● More than 60 percent of respondents said that having no one to monitor or analyze video data was the biggest drawback of a video surveillance system, suggesting the need for improved intelligence and proactive alerts.

Another interesting stat that emerged from the findings was that nearly three-quarters of executives use covert cameras for LP.

"Our most recent survey of leading retail Asset Protection decision-makers indicates the wants are driving the needs for retail video surveillance, as intelligent applications and additional uses of video are opening new doors for the shift to IP solutions," said Dr. Read Hayes, director, LPRC, and a Research Scientist at the University of Florida. " Retail executives are telling us IP video gives them greater resolution, flexibility and a much better future upgrade path."

"The need for cameras in stores for LP and security is a given. It's the cross-functional uses of digital IP video that will propel the industry into the next phase of retail surveillance," said Jackie Andersen, business development manager for retail, Axis Communications. "There are many greenfield opportunities ranging from IP migration strategies [video encoder solutions, hosted video, edge storage, etc.] to looping in POS and video analytics data that are taking IP video mainstream for retailers with a quantifiable impact on sales and operations."

Dahua Technology names flash memory provider best supplier of the year

Editor / Provider: Dahua Technology | Updated: 1/14/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Spansion, a innovator in flash memory solutions for embedded markets, announced that Dahua Technology, a manufacturer and supplier of video surveillance products headquartered in Hangzhou, China, has awarded the 'Best Supplier of 2012' Award to Spansion. Spansion is the only flash memory provider to earn the 'Best Supplier of 2012' award from Dahua. This award demonstrates Spansion's consistent commitment to delivering innovative products and service to its customers.

Spansion and Dahua have been working closely to deliver the reliability and security needed for surveillance products, a market in which demand is growing rapidly across China. Spansion has been a flash memory supplier to Dahua for over five years, delivering the company's complete family of parallel NOR Flash products.

"Dahua gives its 'Best Supplier' award to companies that maintain an exceptional level of service, high-quality technology and superior cost efficiencies," said Raymond Yan, Supply Chain General Manager for Dahua Technology. "The dedicated support we receive from Spansion has been instrumental to our success in providing world-class security and surveillance products and services."

"There is an enormous growth potential in China and globally for surveillance products and services," said Jay Legenhausen , senior VP of worldwide sales at Spansion. "We are honored to receive this award from Dahua. We are committed to providing high reliability and quality NOR products as well as dedicated engineering support and on-time delivery."

Solution provider of tomorrow

Editor / Provider: By Hayden Hsu, asmag.com | Updated: 12/27/2012 | Article type: Hot Topics

What do you call a business entity that is a technology and software developer, hardware manufacturer, value-added distributor but also works with other dealers, resellers and manufacturers representatives, all at the same time? Observint Technologies is probably one of few companies, if not the only, in the world that fits the bill. asmag looks into the company's history, development path and future directions, in hopes of setting an example and best practice for others to reference from, especially in times of uncertainty and austerity.

The physical, electronic security industry has grown, evolved and reshuffled over the last decade, thanks to rapid technological advances, ever-changing market dynamics and global financial troubles. Having the “right” technology and R&D team alone is no longer sufficient. A successful company in security also has to have the best possible talent and partners in sales and marketing, business and channel development, and technical support and services — not to mention a management team that has the vision and chutzpah to take calculated risks in uncertain times. Observint Technologies seems to be one that has struck the perfect balance, within the organization itself and among its subsidiaries.

In August 2006, The Carlyle Group, a global alternative asset manager with more than US$157 billion in assets, formed an investment group, now known as Observint Technologies, to pursue the acquisition and development of security-focused entities. Observint then acquired Supercircuits (SC), a direct provider of video and audio surveillance gear. SC was — and continues to be — a dominant player in the direct marketing and sales of surveillance equipment. The company's most valuable asset was its extensive customer database, with more than 300,000 customers accumulated over the past 23 years.

SC's business model is unique and advantageous in offering a platform for collecting real-time feedback from customers, allowing the company and its technology partners to more quickly respond to customer needs and rapidly changing technology. This extensive customer base enables SC to quickly introduce new technology to a broad market, including US law enforcement, government agencies and a very large, loyal dealer network. Last but not least was the experienced management team, led by Brian Wood, who now serves as Chairman of the Board, CEO and President of Observint Technologies.

Prior to joining Observint, Wood was VP/GM of US Public Sector and Large Enterprise businesses at Dell. “Along with other members of our leadership team who share a Dell background, I saw the opportunity to approach the security market in an innovative way,” Wood said. “Leveraging our collective learnings from Dell and past experiences, we saw the opportunity to deliver a better experience for both security technology providers and customers through differentiation.”

Continued Expansion
In 2009, right after the financial crisis, Observint acquired a second direct distribution company, Security Cameras Direct (SCD), to quickly scale the business and reduce overhead costs by leveraging Observint's core functional strengths, namely marketing, operations/IT, order fulfillment and finance/accounting. SCD had also been very successful in serving a very different and distinct customer set, ranging from retail to education segments. The SCD customer base provided Observint with direct access to a much larger set of customers and dealer partners. The company left intact SCD's customer-facing resources, namely sales and support, to build on valuable customer relationships, maintain continued high levels of customer experience, and preserve the distinct SCD cultures and unique value propositions. This shift toward a “shared services” model started paving the way for future strategic acquisitions (Digiop and Infinias) and strategic partnerships (LG and 3S).

With the emergence and accelerating adoption of IP-based video technology, Observint realized the importance of investing in and partnering with like-minded companies, allowing its diverse portfolio to deliver both cutting-edge and differentiated security solutions. Observint partnered with Digiop in 2010 and started selling the Digiop-branded solution through its direct distribution companies. “Leveraging our business model, we were able to quickly deploy the Digiop solution across a broad range of applications, and received immediate feedback from our customers. This very positive feedback provided us with confidence in our ability to sell to and support entry- to enterprise-level IP installations, and led to the consideration and pursuit of Digiop as a potential acquisition opportunity,” Wood said. In March 2011, the acquisition was finalized. “We left the customer-facing sales and support functions intact, leveraging Observint's ‘shared services' to immediately accelerate Digiop's go-to-market activities, consolidate and scale supply chain management efforts, stabilize fulfillment and improve logistics.”

Given Wood's plans to continue to expand his business to support a broader range of technologies and/or technology partners, it was the right time to start to build public awareness of Observint, its unique business model and differentiated capabilities. “Similar to our direct distribution companies, other distribution partners rely on operational, marketing, sales and technical support from the technology companies they represent — a requirement for long-term success. Many technology companies do not have the resources, or the experience, to provide a high level of support, even for a single distribution partner. We continued down a path to building scalable capabilities to support the addition of future technologies to the Observint portfolio, through acquisition or partnership.”

Differentiate to Win
Regardless of the strength of the global economy, the security space will continue to be a relatively large industry, and Wood feels that the companies that are able to differentiate and add the most value for their customers (from distributors to end users) will thrive. “Our plans are to continue to deliver innovative, differentiated technology, to deliver world-class, differentiated support for our portfolio technologies, and to deliver these differentiated technologies and capabilities through a broader network of distribution channels and partners.”

Most of all, Observint's unique business approach provides multiple benefits to end users. The most significant is that it offers a single point of contact and delivery for fully integrated video surveillance and security solutions. As Observint continues to evolve, its business model, technology portfolio and value-added services will undoubtedly grow, providing security professionals with more efficient and effective turnkey solutions that meet their specific needs and help resolve challenges.

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Bosch Advantage cameras now compatible with EMC/Iomega storage

Editor / Provider: Bosch Security Systems | Updated: 1/10/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Following a period of intensive collaboration with Iomega, Bosch Security Systems announces that its Advantage Line cameras are now fully compatible with the manufacturer's StorCenter range. Iomega, owned by EMC, is a supplier of storage solutions.

The Advantage Line IP Camera 200 Series from Bosch is a range of stand-alone solutions that represent cost-effective, easy-to-operate systems. Ready for use straight out of the box and requiring no special training, the cameras offer professional video surveillance for small to medium applications, such as retail or offices. Now these cameras are fully supported by Iomega recording solutions.

Iomega's StorCenter network storage family is a series of video surveillance storage and management solutions designed to meet the needs of small to medium business and distributed enterprises. They make use of IP cameras and popular VMS for high-capacity, reliable network storage at an affordable price.

“Previously, those customers who only required a few cameras to secure their business, such as convenience stores, gas stations, and boutiques, had to use analog devices as the most cost-effective solution. By working with Iomega, we can deliver attractively priced IP-based surveillance systems that provide more flexibility, better images, and are easy to install and operate,” comments David Lenot, Business Development Manager EMEA at Bosch Security Systems.

As with all the IP products supplied by Bosch, the Advantage Line IP Camera 200 Series is fully compatible with the ONVIF specification for seamless interoperability. This standard was first introduced by a consortium of companies, including founding member Bosch, in 2008 and allows the simple and efficient integration of VMS or storage devices, such as Iomega's StorCenter.

The Advantage Line IP 200 cameras from Bosch are available for indoor and outdoor surveillance with compact housings or discrete domes. The range of options allows customers to choose between standard and HD resolution, wireless, and integrated IR models for day/night use. Both manufacturers, Bosch and Iomega, provide a three-year warranty on their products, which are supplied by numerous distributors worldwide, making this combined solution easy to source for system integrators and installers.

Asian manufacturers re-evaluate and regroup

Editor / Provider: Alyssa Fann, a&s International | Updated: 1/9/2013 | Article type: Security 50

Growing awareness of the importance of security amongst the general population over the past decade has hastened the development of the industry. The need for new applications, quality products and reliable manufacturers spurred the development of Asian security industry during the same time period. In recent years, Asian security players reevaluated their market strategies and positions in face of changing market conditions. a&s speaks to top industry players for the inside scoop.

Revenue Growth Stagnates
The majority of the products exported to the global market most likely originated from Asia, and it is no different in the security industry. Korean and Taiwanese companies flourished in the industry during the past decade, but many have found recent years challenging. While some companies are reviving themselves and have embarked on a survival path, most are still lost. In short, Asian security industry players need to adapt to remain on course.

Internal and External Factors
The difficult situation faced by many Asian companies can be attributed to several factors. Internally, many of them are struggling because the ship for IP has sailed and they have missed it. When the IP market took off in the 2000s, many of the traditional security companies continued to focus on their analog product lines. Now that the migration to IP is well underway, these security companies find themselves struggling in vain to enter a market that is already occupied by early adopters.

These internal factors are compounded by external factors that came into the picture around the same time. Global financial uncertainty and the rise of Chinese manufacturing have hit Korean and Taiwanese manufacturers alike. First, financial turmoil cooled global demand and second, the rise of Chinese manufacturing is a force that Asian manufacturers simply cannot dismiss. With its vast resources and low labor costs, China is quickly carving out its own reputation as an OEM partner and manufacturer. OEM competition in Asia is no longer between Korea and Taiwan, as Chinese products are rapidly dominating the market with their lower priced products. For example, IMS Research (an IHS company) ranked Hikvision as the No.1 worldwide supplier of DVR products and video surveillance equipment categories in 2011. While some argue that Chinese products tend to be standardized and of lower quality, Chinese companies are maturing and some are producing higher quality products with attractive prices. The situation is clear — the past three years have been tough for Asian manufacturers.

Product Strategy
Many of the Asian companies have charted out to new territories in their road of transformation. There appears to be two directions in the product development strategies of Asian companies. Taiwanese manufacturers prefer to play it safe and develop several technologies at the same time, such as IP alongside HD-SDI and 960H. On the other hand, Korean manufacturers are more ambitious and tend to place all their bets on developing a single technology, such as HD-SDI. “In the aftermath of the 2008 recession, Taiwanese manufacturers repositioned themselves and focused on either IP or HD-SDI, while most Korean manufacturers tend to focus on HD-SDI,” observed Garrett Li, Manager of Product Marketing at DynaColor.

Placing bets on several technologies as Taiwanese manufacturers do may be playing it safe in the short run, but it may be harder to expand in the long run. In contrast, focusing on a single technology may seem risky in the short run, but placing the right bet could raise the company up to market leader status and reap in vast rewards in terms of profits and market share.

Differentiation is another strategy. In the DVR market, which is currently dominated by China's Hikvision, Asian companies differentiate themselves with non-standardized DVR products. For example, Taiwanese c ompany EverFocus Electronics is offering something new to the maturing DVR market. “EverFocus sees tremendous potentials in the high-performance 960H DVR solutions and that it is indeed trending. This means that EverFocus will not be dropping DVRs in the product portfolio any time soon within the foreseeable future. We see potentials for growth in the HD-SDI market. EverFocus is one of the pioneers to penetrate and invest in this market,” said Tony Lin, Manager of Strategic Planning at EverFocus Electronics. In doing so, EverFocus is betting on both HD-SDI and IP. “At the same time, our R&D continues to strengthen our IP product roadmap, with a series of high-quality and cutting-edge IP solutions, perfect for specific vertical markets,” added Lin.

For other Asian companies, their product strategy involves M&A, so that they can expand and increase their product lines within a short period. Win4NET, for example, merged with Indigo Security to bring standalone DVRs to its product offerings.

Branding
For companies such as Win4NET and AVTECH, transformation involves branding. They have introduced their own brands alongside their traditional OEM businesses, as China is quickly replacing Korean and Taiwanese manufacturers in OEM partnership deals. Andy Lee, Marketing Manager of AVTECH noted that the company plans to reduce the percentage of OEM projects from the current less than 20 percent of its portfolio to focus on branding instead. “In the past years, we devoted ourselves to manufacturing quality security products to our distributors, dealers and loyal customers around the world, and put less emphasis on marketing and advertising. With IP-based products being the future, AVTECH is going to focus on end-user market and cooperate with our business partners to build a global brand.”

Future Direction
Overall, the 2011-12 figures suggest that Asian companies are in a tough environment. Faced with both internal and external challenges, some Asian companies have embarked on a new path. As the market is still debating over HD-SDI or IP, Asian companies have each placed their bets on the winning technology, whether in OEM or branding. Some are playing it safe, while others are going all out. The verdict will come when the market decides.