Lights, Camera, Energy! Energy Management is The New Trend!

As recently as a decade ago, the smart home market was largely reserved only for the high-end luxury segments. Today, smart home serveillance solutions are not as cost-prohibitive, and have become more readily available to the middle-class sectors. No longer just a luxury toy, it has also brought about a realization that energy management and energy savings are fast becoming not just a new trend, but a new way of life.

With rising electricity costs, as well as regulations and awareness of global warming, adoption of smart home systems in Europe are being realized. Although most of the market is still dominated by high-end systems in luxury homes, the barrier is fast opening up for middle-class sectors to enter the market, especially because of trending energy saving solutions, which have recently begun to spring up all around the EMEA region.

Keep the Future Bright, Turn Off Your Lights

The Europeans are especially concerned about energy savings because of their feelings of environmental responsibilities and also because of lower energy costs. When we look at the German market, Ana Cristina, CMO for BrightOn, further points out that with Germany being arguably the biggest market in Europe, especially in regards to consumer electronics, it is definitely important to take a broader look into the country. Furthermore, according to BSRIA, Germany accounts for roughly 45 percent of the European smart home market, followed by France and the U.K. at 10 percent and 8 percent, respectively. Europe's smart home market is expected to grow to about US$0.6 billion by 2014, with mid-range systems contributing much to the growth.

The German market will be up near $416 million by 2015, which is around 50 percent of Europe's smart home market. While commercial light applications are still the predominant market for smart homes, demand in the residential sector is rising, as Germany's transition to renewable energy and phasing out of nuclear power has driven up the cost of electricity, which is now the second highest in Europe. Homeowners are increasingly looking for other methods to save on electricity bills. An industry expert further explains that Europe is becoming increasingly sensitive about nuclear power, with the consensus that there needs to be a need to look at other alternative sources of energy. He further added, "there's definitely a high density of people concerned about fossil fuels. Not just with governments, but also the people are looking into renewable energy sources. Germany is the leader into this research now." The expert also cites the fact that this could have economic benefits also. "We see this as an opportunity. We have the engineering capabilities."

The UK market is projected to grow to near $70 million by 2015. With energy prices rising, and people becoming more and more acutely aware, the technology has become even more advanced. However, Philipp Schuster, Regional Director of Loxone U.K., believes that the U.K. is still lagging behind other European countries, especially in countries like Germany, Austria, and Scandinavia. However, he does mention that people are becoming more and more conscious of their energy usage, and they are looking at extra services to save on energy and heating costs. "The market is certainly expanding," Schuster says. Some of the reasons that the U.K. currently lags behind other European countries is also because of extreme temperature climates experienced in the northern parts of Europe, where places like Scandinavia experience far colder temperatures than the U.K., thereby forcing them to look into better heating efficiency, as their energy bills are higher and they feel the pinch earlier. Another factor is older housing stocks, which lack modern house construction styles.

Government Incentives Pushing For Energy Management Solutions

Governments, not just companies and the general population are taking notice of this issue. Providing incentives and passing regulations to new building codes are just some examples. In Germany, there are building regulations now with strict laws regarding electrical installations in new infrastructures that make the entire house very safe. This is also a way to manage energy usage and conservation of energy. The industry expert explained that there are "standards of technology," which is basically a gentleman's agreement but not officially law.

However, it is widely followed in Germany now, which mandates everything from renewable energy solutions to upgrading new construction and installation practices to the so-called "independence of energy," which according to the source, is an independence from Russian oil and fossil fuels. However, not all of it is working. An example of this is the Green Deal, an incentive passed in the U.K. and launched in 2012 that has largely been ignored. While ideal in theory, it is mostly nonexistent in practice. The basis of the proposal is, Green Deal products that are purchased through an accredited dealer and installed and fitted through a Green Deal-certified installer qualify for purchasing without or with highly reduced VATs. However, while great in theory, this whole structure does not really exist to the physical people that do the installations and the people that provide these products do not really exist. In the end, the lack of access to Green Deal-certified products presents a great barrier to the whole incentive, as well as the fact that in reality, no money is being saved. In short, what the deal stipulates is, users who wish to take advantage of this incentive would still need to pay back the government for the certified product, but instead of paying in regulated monthly installments, users would pay back what is saved by usage of the better and more efficient greener product. In the long run, people are not saving any money anyways, so there is no motivation to go through the trouble.

Europe and North America are the biggest adopters of smart meters, which gives utility companies the opportunity to offer more diverse and value-added services to their customers. In fact, Juan Madrid, West Europe Area Manager for Fermax, explained that smart meters have already become part of the standard on new medium and high-end construction projects going up in Spain, with retrofitting of older properties already taking part. The eventual goal, he explained, is a complete distribution of smart meters across every single residence in Spain. This, according to Madrid, is a good start towards energy management, just by simply giving everyone easy access to their details about energy consumption and usage.

Utilities and Telcos Pushing Towards Smart Home Services

Lux Research estimates that total revenue for utility companies in Europe is roughly $265 billion. Schuster added, "utility providers in the U.K. are now also offering services for energy management. Utility providers like British Gas and Southern Electric have gone beyond only offering Smart Meters, but with systems like Hive, they are also trying to offer 'smarter' heating solutions." Telecommunication companies like Deutsche Telekom are also highly interested in this space. Telcos have already invested a great deal to build their infrastructure and already have a large user base that use their subscription-based services. In an interview with IP&TV News, Jürgen Hase, VP of Deutsche Telekom's M2M Competence Center, said that he anticipates a number of changes for the German smart home market over the next few years, including the emergence of new service-based models.

"We expect four key segments in the smart home market to account for 89 percent of the market: home automation (40 percent), smart energy (20 percent), ambient assisted living and digital health care (15 percent), and self monitoring and control (10 percent)," Hase said. He also points out that cooperation will be critical in the smart home market, saying: "We expect to see a fragmented supplier structure: no single player will cover all smart home segments. Cooperation will be the key to success."

Rise Of The Middle-class Sector

Fast on the rise, the middle-class sector is taking notice of the need for energy management solutions. Because of the shrinking upper-class, which began in 2009 due to the global recession, the rest of the market sectors are rising. This has forced companies like Loxone to develop new business strategies, with the European-based company, founded in 2008, starting out by focusing completely on the middle-class sector. Schuster further elaborates that their products are being mostly marketed as more affordable, simple solutions.

Because of the attention being focused on energy savings, security solutions (such as alarm or video surveillance systems) as it pertains to home automation have become secondary. "Security is mainly a peace of mind kind of thing. 15 years ago, there was still a real drive for it. However, looking at the amount of people that have alarm systems installed but don't use it percentage wise, the U.K. is the highest," Schuster explains. "This can be attributed to generally low crime rates in the U.K., but also to the fact that alarm systems are actually too complicated to use," he added. More and more, the British people are starting to inquire about energy management solutions when it comes to home automation solutions.

Looking at things on a broader scope, the requirements between the upper-class sector and the middle-class sector still differ in many aspects. On the luxury market side, there is a much greater demand for aesthetics and customization. They also require turnkey automated and integrated solutions, with everything available on one device. For the middle-class sectors, there is still that focus on flexible solutions, with easy retrofit applications into existing homes and systems. Examples might include things like inexpensive mini-servers that can control aspects in your smart home, like lights, doors, and window blinds.

Looking into the Future

All in all, the future of the European home automation market seems to lie in energy management and finding other renewable sources of power. Look for trends in continuing development of energy management, and simpler, more affordable and more integrative solutions. Another key thing to point out is, because of the recent explosion of smartphones and tablets, it has become obvious continual development of these features will be based off of these devices. In a matter of fact, the eruption of smart home devices, systems and services in 2014 is a culmination of maturing technologies, environment-friendly regulations and the ubiquity of mobile devices.

Looking deeper into energy management, Schuster added, "With the next review of UK building regulations in 2016 and the 2020 initiative, energy awareness will continue to rise and standards are bound to emerge. Only time will tell if these standards will become widely adopted or if many proprietary solutions will compete for market dominance." An industry expert also mentioned the important need of weaning Europe off nuclear power and fossil fuels.

Realizing the Value in Value-Added Energy Management

At its core, home automation is still a comparatively new market for the security industry in Europe. Because of the global economic recession, security companies have started looking elsewhere for other ways of kick-starting their businesses. One of the things trending right now in the EMEA region is energy management and energy savings. As an added-value service, it is not hard to picture that bundled with security could be a number of simple energy management devices that could easily be installed. Juan Madrid, West Europe Area Manager for Fermax, mentioned that energy savings is becoming a real trending topic. Along with various government directives being implemented, he also says, "it's more related to added-values from integrators and how fast end-users can get their returns of investments. It's growing, and we cannot expect that it will stop." Rishi Lodhia, CEO of Panasonic Cameramanager, also emphasized the importance of looking into value-added services, and how it can incorporate attractive and affordable solutions for their customers. Lodhia also explained that energy savings is very important, being much more attractive now than home security solutions.

Renewable Energy a Reality?

At first glance, renewable energy sounds like another word for expensive, inefficient energy that is still technologically unrealistic and unproven. The fact is though, we are burning through fossil fuels at an alarming rate, and are projected to run out by around the year 2100. Because this is an endlessly debatable subject, we will not delve too much into it. Coupled with the nuclear disaster in Japan a few years back, people in Europe are starting to take notice of the issues.

Currently, renewable energy makes up less than 2 percent of the world's primary energy supply, according to an article published by Forbes. Although growing very rapidly, it is not on course to fill the fossil fuel gap, at least not yet. Renewables Directive, established in 2009 and made up of roughly 27 European countries, is a directive aimed at mandating levels of renewable energy used in the European Union. The current target is 20 percent. Germany, the current leader in Europe, has risen from about a 6.3 percent share in 2000 to about 25 percent by the first half of 2012, according to an article published by Spiegal Online. In fact, Germany now invests over US$35 billion a year in its renewable energy sector. By 2020, Siemens CEO, Peter Löscher believes that Germany will be generating over 35 percent of its energy through renewable resources.

One of the most recently discussed sources of renewable energy lies in a technology that is actually one of the oldest. Wind power, with its infinite pool of resources, has made a comeback in recent times. Largely replaced in the mid-to-late 1990s by nuclear power, it has begun to be researched again, to some success already. More than 21,607 wind turbines are currently located in Germany, and the country is on track to build more. A major challenge to overcome, however, is the subject of space. Because wind turbines are not exactly small, one of the methods being utilized is offshore wind farms. Of course, this presents its own problems, predominately the issue of developing sufficient network capacities for transmitting the power generated in the North Sea to the consumers in Germany.

Other methods currently being used or looked at include hydroelectricity, the world's oldest source of renewable energy, with the prime example being the Hoover Dam in the U.S. Other methods include Photovoltaics, which means converting light to energy, a form of solar power. The largest example in the world, Moura Photovoltaic Power Station, is located in Portugal. Other EMEA countries, like the U.K., are looking into bioethonol, a form of biofuel. All said, renewable energy still has some hurdles to cross, some examples being the issues of cost-efficiency and the production efficiency of energy, especially because nuclear power is so cheap, efficient, and reliable.

Please Login For More Information!

How Much Does Cost Reduction Really Cost You?

Production cost and the sophistication of security equipment are directly related; therefore, the more the manufacturers try to lower the cost of raw materials used in circuit designs, the more performance problems arise. There are two areas where these measures are commonly observed; circuit material and designs, and peripheral equipment. This article delves into problems with material cost reduction for circuit materials and designs.

Some dishonest manufacturers simply claim that they choose different materials to optimize the interoperability of different components. However, the ugly truth is that it is done to "lower" the total production cost. Material substitutions can occur in all components, from resistors and chips to single or layered circuit boards, wiring connectors, relay designs, voltage stabilizers, and many more. Likewise, the external casing material, paint selection, fans and jacks used are also possible places to make alterations. But as mentioned above, these alterations are done to lower costs in order to boost competitiveness, despite the serious impact it has on product performance.

The Problems Coming From Material Selection

Some problems surface quickly, while others only emerge due to the influences of certain environmental or operational factors.

Nevertheless, any problem is a headache for users and integrators. Below are some common problems resulting from production cost reductions.

Lenses
For lenses, cost reductions usually happen with the replacement of the metal molding components with plastic materials. As a result, two problems arise:

A. The lens may or may not be tightly sealed with the rest of the camera due to its elasticity. Plastic molds may lose elasticity, shrink, curve in, or curl up with time, or even worse, change shape as temperatures change. This is almost impossible to avoid with plastic, which affects the accuracy of focal alignment.

B. In addition, without a piece of metal that serves as adequate grounding, external electromagnetic signals can easily interfere with the auto-iris lens and damage the signal output, leaving interference lines on images.

Cameras
The makeup of a camera involves complex circuit and structural designs, including optics, electric wirings, mechanical structures, network modules, and many more. Hence, cost reduction measures to substitute these components may create the following problems:

A. Traditionally, security cameras use a sophisticated locking screw ring to adjust the back focus through rotation. To cut down costs, some manufacturers use a metal strip or loosen/tighten the screws to stabilize the back focus. These substitutions do save on production costs, but over time cause cameras to easily become "out of focus" due to vibrations, requiring further manual adjustment by the installer.

B. To save on costs related to circuit boards, some manufacturers combine the imaging sensor and the DSP/ISP into a single double-layered and double-sided board. Because two individual boards have been shrunk down into one, three problems may occur:
1. Crowded soldering on a circuit board could result in solder skipping or false soldering and could even lead to a short circuit.
2. The simplified board design allows network cameras to become smaller as a whole; however, as the size gets smaller, the heat dissipation mechanism can be compromised.
3. The overcrowding of the pieces of components on the circuit board makes it difficult to maintain or repair. Therefore, instead of repairing a broken circuit board, the manufacturer would just replace it with a new one. It is a faster solution, but it can take a great toll on installers' maintenance service.

C. Unless the camera uses power over Ethernet (PoE), to lower the production cost, some manufacturers may simply change its AC/DC power supply to switching mode power supply (SMPS) and simplify the interior power module and voltage stabilizer at the same time. Three problems could surface as a result:
1. Voltage and current flow could be very unstable and fluctuate wildly, thus overheating and damaging the camera.
2. When the external power supply becomes too heavy, the surge protection device (SPD) can be easily penetrated; cameras designed with the substitution or elimination of SPDs or lightning arresters are at greater risk of such damage.
3. In case of lightning strikes, the SMPS could become so sensitive that it would pick up the lightning-induced current and cause damage to the circuit board, which may be too vulnerable to handle strong currents.

D. When downgrading electronic components, electrical connections and transmissions in the interior of a camera can be problematic, leading to impedance mismatching to 75Ω. As a consequence, the images shown can be overlapping, too bright, and full of jittery OSD or noise lines.

E. Some manufacturers may eliminate the output of video (CVBS) signals or switch the BNC connector to the cheaper RCA jack, even in some network cameras without automatic focus. It may cause a short circuit or loose connection of the BNC connector. Because there is no CVBS output in the camera, installers may spend extra time adjusting the camera focus.

F. To substitute the coding component in network cameras, there are two kinds of common selections: application- specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and field programmable gate array (FPGA). ASIC is advantageous in terms of achieving low power consumption, but it still has some shortcomings. Therefore, the cheaper FPGA chip is also favorable as it can contribute to a shorter product development period. But FPGA can take up high power consumption, as much as a 30mA current - that's almost 1 or 2 scales higher than the common power consumption level.

G. For Network PTZ cameras, it is common to see the gear wheel replaced with cheaper chains. As a result, both the horizontal and vertical tilting becomes less smooth and the chains may easily break or fall out of place. Furthermore, when the cradle head stops moving, the chains can exert a kickback force that could shift the camera's pre-determined angles.

H. An other component on an IP PTZ camera that is easily substituted is the capacitor. A lower-grade capacitor can cause inaccurate cradle head movements and can burn up due to inadequate rotations.

Motherboards OF DVRS/NVRS

A. DVR/NVR manufacturers usually utilize development boards and kits already on the market to save development and design costs of DVR motherboards. However, this could easily jeopardize a DVR/NVR's stability and product longevity because of defective firmware and the materials used in the development boards, giving rise to potential risks and faulty performances.

B. To reduce cost, some circuit boards would eliminate the CPU cooling fan, which causes the CPU to perform at a compromised level when the server is overheating. Images yielded would not be clear due to mosaic blurriness.

C. Transmission wires can be minimized by simplifying the material of jumper wires. However, this can cause impedance mismatching and the interference of thousands of vertical lines on the monitors.

D. DVR/NVR transmission connectors, which have adopted substitute materials, could cause interference, too. The communications between the box, decoders, or control boards could be compromised.

E. If the backend server of a DVR/NVR is not equipped with signal blocking materials, interference signals may show up on the display, including diagonal lines, jitters, power supply fluctuations, etc. The interference may not pose a big problem, but badly distorted images resulting from the interference would not be useful to anyone.

F. If the DSP components were minimized, then the signals may not be magnified to the desired degree, rendering low-resolution images that may compromise details such as color, saturation, etc. These typically happen when signals greater than 3MHZ are lost.

G. The casing of the DVR/NVR may be downgraded with the elimination of a fan. Once again, the overheating issue would cause the machine to breakdown.

Conclusion

The above scenarios may be the result of common cost reduction measures by manufacturers for their own benefits or because they have no other choice but to. It is not an easy task for integrators and users to distinguish the interior design of equipment. Therefore, what can be and should be done when selecting a product is to evaluate the reactive measures that can solve the abovementioned problems.

Please Login For More Information!

Product Exploration - Access Control-based Management Software/Systems

QUANTUM SAFE PHYSICAL IDENTITY AND ACCESS MANAGER VERSION 4.8

The new SAFE Version 4.8 increases functionality with email-based approval and denial of physical access requests, minimizing delay for remote or traveling reviewers. Users can now build spatial hierarchy for accurate, nested access provisioning. Version 4.8 also provides support for location-based NDAs, escort sign-in/-out with visitor check-in/-out and multiple self-service improvements including user-reported card loss, picture upload and bulk submission request. SAFE Attestation & Audit enables regulation-mandated compliance with periodic audit requirements relating to physical identities and access. Users can configure scheduled or on-demand reviews and audits of identities and their physical access through a self-service portal. SAFE Visitor Manager automates the entire visitor identity management lifecycle, mitigating high risk factors and extending ROI by utilizing one solution to manage all physical identities.

LOCKER MANAGEMENT IN AEOS 3.1.1

Nedap integrated locker management into the 3.1.1 release of its AEOS security management platform. Nedap added locker management into its user-friendly identity and authorization application. It gives customers all relevant authorization information in one application. Using the advanced AEOS user role model allows users to define what they can allocate and withdraw and to open or block lockers. Nedap makes access control at micro level accessible to everyone. Employees, visitors, and contractors can use their cards to access lockers, filing cabinets, laptop lockers, or postboxes.



PACOM UNISON SECURITY MANAGEMENT PLATFORM

Unison is an open, product-agnostic security management platform designed for campus organizations. It integrates access control, intrusion detection, video, fire, and intercom into a single intuitive user interface, making it suitable for prisons, universities, hospitals, and other market segments which demand rich system integration within a single large facility. With a focus on simplicity and user friendliness, Unison is also characterized by a deep integration with various subsystems, making the commissioning process easier and leading to more cost-effective installations. The open architecture enables simple and rapid driver development for third party applications and can be customized to the clients’ specific requirements.



SOYAL 701 VISUALPROX SOFTWARE

In the convenience for access control and time attendance management, Soyal provides 701 Server & 701 Client, which enhances efficiency with an user-friendly graphical interface while operating. In addition, for advanced management and integration purposes, Soyal developed the database software, VisualProx, which supports built-in Unicode SQL and available access for operation through multi-computer and multi-com-port.



FINGERTEC INGRESS SOFTWARE

FingerTec’s Ingress is an integrated access control management application that runs on the familiar MS Windows operating environment. The software is a complete solution for centralizing, managing, and monitoring door activity in FingerTec access control devices. It can be paired with the Ingressus controller or any of Fingertec’s access control models. Ingress is an easy–to-use and IT-friendly software that provides access control features such as real-time monitoring, database administration, and report management, all in a single unified system. Suited for self-managed organizations of below 100-door environments, Ingress is also capable of seamlessly integrating its access control functions with alarm monitoring and other intrusion detection devices.



HAMS ACCESS CONTROL-BASED MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

HAMS software is developed by Hundure, a dedicated access control and time attendance solutions provider. HAMS stands for Hundure Access Management System that supports different controllers’ integration in a single project. It supports access controllers, elevator floor controllers, parking controllers, time attendance recorders, and biometric devices.



LINEAR ENTERPRISE ACCESS/SECURITY MANAGEMENT PLATFORM

Linear’s solid-state design lowers TCO by removing many of the license fees, simplifying installation, lowering hardware costs, and providing a flexible and secure Linux system at the core. To simplify the integration of cameras, badging, visitor management, asset tracking, lighting/ HVAC control, alarms, and more, Linear created License-to-Go. The new licensing system expedites access control expansion and upgrades while providing easy up-sell opportunities for Linear Enterprise dealers and offering a valuable supply chain proposition by levering multi-function license keys. Scalability of up to four to 360 door/720 readers future-proofs the system for multiple sites and high transaction volumes as clients grow. Elevator control, anti-passback, threat level status, partitioning, custom reports, administrative audit trails, and an array of video, viewing and other features can be managed through Enterprise’s dashboard. Multiple status indicators, graphic floor plans, an event log, a video verification window, and more can all be monitored simultaneously. Users can also control the Enterprise system right out of the box with a mobile device.



FRONTIER ENTERPRISE SECURITY SYSTEM

Frontier is an enterprise access control and video solution that provides access control, alarm monitoring, hybrid surveillance, credential, and identity management. Frontier works directly with customers of all sizes and types to provide a flexible and scalable security management solution that is easily tailored to meet customer-specific requirements. Frontier integrated system can be configured for virtually any size installation, with support for an unlimited number of client workstations, card holders, and users. Frontier also supports all types of access readers and card technologies.



More Security Articals.

Access Control Management Empowers Verticals

Access control management software has opened up new possibilities for end users to perform a variety of tasks, whether they are related to security or not. Yet the types of subsystems intergrated into access control vary access vertical markets, depending on what the focuses of management are. This article examines what end users from different verticals look for in their security operations, and how access control management software addresses their needs.

Regardless of the vertical, end users can benefit from access control management software, which not only helps keep companies/organizations safe but also contributes to more efficient operations and workflow. Determining what end users' primary focuses of management are and what they look for in their access control solutions is the first step towards successful deployment.

Education

Education, whether at a primary, secondary, or higher level, is often cited as one of the vertical markets that needs cutting-edge access control solutions the most, especially after campus violence has become more rampant in the U.S. A NAPCO Security Technologies white paper on school security points out that since 1980, there have been 137 fatal school shootings that killed 297 victims in America.

However, safety aside, schools are also looking for ways to extract the potential of their students' ID credentials by integrating them with more functions. This is especially the case in colleges, where students are faced with the need to enter or exit school buildings or dorms as well as borrow books, make cashless payments, and reserve equipment. "They want to integrate all the above mentioned features together into their campus card," said Tom Su, Sales Manager at Hundure Technology.

To achieve those objectives, schools are looking to integrate a variety of subsystems into their access control management software. "For higher education institutes, integrated subsystems include meal plans, vending, video, distress systems, and mass notification. For K-12, cost-effective lock-down capabilities and visitor management are also required," said Richard White, VP and GM of Electronics at Allegion.

Integrating these systems into a seamless whole can result in many benefits, said Harm Radstaak, MD of Identity & Access Management for EMEA, HID Global. "They significantly improve safety and security for students, staff, faculty, and visitors. They also deliver cost savings and an easy migration path to future capabilities when needed," said Radstaak, whose company was responsible for helping the Academy of Art University in San Francisco transition from a lock-and-key environment to an integrated access control system, which enables students to use their ID cards to not only open doors but also make secure purchases and gain access to Urban Knights athletic events.

"The university has realized a number of important benefits from its new access control system, including documented reductions in theft even as enrollment has increased, and an improved campus experience," Radstaak said.

Healthcare

Another vertical that highly demands cutting-edge access control management software is healthcare, which is also faced with the need to secure a diverse group of people including patients, doctors/nurses, administrators, and volunteers, against a variety of emergency situations such as fires, earthquakes, or fights that break out from time to time at hospitals. Other focuses of management include granting emergency personnel expedited access to patients' wards or intensive care units, and protecting patients' data from theft or leakage to other parties.

Subsystems integrated into access control management software vary based on end users' specific needs and requirements. For example, access control integrated with visitor management makes sure that those without access rights stay away from critical areas such as radiology, pharmacy, and pediatric wards. Elevator controls, meanwhile, are valuable in allowing medical staff to reach certain floors in the quickest manner.

"Saving lives has absolute priority and requires unhindered access, and the access control management system must therefore be prepared for this eventuality," said Nancy Wanders, Sales Manager of Global Clients at Nedap Security Management, adding her company's solution is built around the purpose of rescuing people.

"The ER team often has its own special cards. Held in front of any card reader they initiate elevator priority control. The elevator that is especially reserved for the emergency team is ordered to the appropriate floor. Only when this card is used, the elevator will go to the selected floor with priority," she said.

At the same time, the access control management system must converge with logical access control to make sure there is no theft or leakage of patients' data, which has become mostly digitized in an increasingly digital world. "With the right infrastructure in place, healthcare institutions can meet today's security and compliance needs while continually improving security and convenience, protecting patient privacy, and increasing the ongoing value of their investment," Radstaak said.

Government

For government agencies, the focus of access control management is high-assurance and multi-factor authentication. "This would include technologies such as biometrics and encryption," said Jason Ouellette, Product Line Director for Access Control at Tyco Security Products. "The need is to be highly secure and highly protected by nature of what is physically being protected."

Among subsystems typically integrated with government access control management software are HR, visitor management, video, alarms, and encryption devices for communications that need to comply with FIPS standards.

According to Ouellette, government users look for software that can handle high-assurance government credentials such as PIV, CAC, and TWIC, along with intrusion zone support. "The ability to handle high-assurance credentials allows highly important facilities, such as government buildings and embassies, to put into place an extra layer of security to keep the wrong people out while allowing the proper people access," he said.

Users also want their management software to be able to change authentication levels based on the imminence of danger faced by government personnel. "Buildings such as government and municipalities require a high-assurance badge, but when the threat level is moved up, there is opportunity to increase the level of authentication as required to include a second factor such as a PIN or a biometric. Access control authentication changes as the need/threat changes," Ouellette said.

All this contributes to a safer and more secure environment for government personnel, said Daniel McVeagh, Senior Product Manager for Access at Gallagher. "The benefit is ensuring government facility security cannot be easily compromised. We support a wide range of security and interoperability standards, ensuring government sites are well protected and can leverage their security system investment with integrations into others," he said.

Corporate

In today's corporate world, companies are increasingly setting up offices and branches in multiple regions or even countries around the world. The need for multi-site management therefore arises. "They are looking for the ability to have local access control but with a global view. Typically they are set up so a central security station can see what is happening anywhere in the world," said Tyco's Ouellette.

According to him, this type of installation gives users the flexibility to either own the security operation or outsource the monitoring through a managed access control offering. "Customers can determine what works best for them and determine what level of capital investment vs. operational cost is appropriate for them. Some customers may want to spend the money upfront, while others may find more flexibility with spending the money over a period of time," he said.

A critical element for success in the corporate arena is the ability to tie access control management software with multiple subsystems including elevators, video management, RFID, key management and more, he added.

"With so many disparate offerings in the field today, the more options that can be supported, the better value the access control platform can provide to the end user," Ouellette said. "A unified customer experience by offering a unified security platform from which to manage all of the security applications is quickly becoming a requirement for many customers looking for an easy way to manage their holistic security infrastructure. Toggling between multiple applications like video, access control, and visitor management is quickly becoming a thing of the past."

Industry

Access control is vital in ensuring staff safety in an industrial setting, for example a factory or plant. "Securing critical areas is not just a security issue but also a life safety issue," said Jeremy Krinitt, GM of Frontier Security.

For critical infrastructure such as power generation plants that may be the target of terrorist attacks, integrated access control and video systems are key. Other technologies that may be integrated with the access control management software include time and attendance, public address systems, perimeter protection systems, payroll systems, visitor management systems, wireless locking systems, and parking controls.

In an industrial setting, users often look for technologies and solutions that can withstand harsh environments, Krinitt said. Another user demand is access control management software with viable anti-passback technology to prevent misusage that is prevalent in this sector.

"They want a solution that does not allow any buddy clocking," said Hundure's Su. "Our finger vein device has a high security feature that makes ID theft and buddy clocking impossible. After all, no one can copy finger vein patterns."

Users are also looking for software that can help enforce health and safety compliance, record employees' time of entry of exit, track their locations, and gather them in the event of emergency.

"If a machine explodes during maintenance work, our solution enables you to instantly activate the predefined settings and procedures you've defined for this type of situation," Nedap's Wanders said. "You can easily control who's allowed access to the incident area. And you can get a quick overview of where your health and safety officers are and direct them to where they're needed. The solution also immediately blocks any zones that people shouldn't enter so everyone's led to the right assembly area, and you can quickly identify if anyone's missing and take appropriate action."

Please Login For More Security Industry News!

Beyond Opening Doors: Access Control Management Rules

Access control remains a major segment of the physical security market and is set to enjoy continued growth. In a recently study, IHS Technology predicted that the global market size for electronic access control will top US$3.5 billion this year, driven by returning growth in the Americas, the Middle East, and Africa. High demand for access control has created opportunities for new products and technologies. One of them is access control management software, which can be useful to users from different verticals. "These may include education, healthcare, retail, transportation, manufacturing and Industrial, sports and leisure, museums, data centers, corporate, airport authorities, and ports," said Steve Barton, CTO of Software & Controls at Pacom. With strong demand and business from different vertical markets, access control management software's popularity and growth are set to endure.

Integration Drives Efficiency
Access control management software has evolved over the years from being a simple software application with basic functions to being a cutting-edge technology that allows users to access and retrieve information about an access-related event more easily and quickly. On top of that, the increase in integration and interoperability has continued to grow. Today's access control management software can integrate not only with other security systems, such as video and intrusion detection, but also with non-security systems such as HR, room booking, cashless payments, elevator controls, and visitor management.

The resulting optimization in efficiency can help the end-user organization in many ways. "If an employee gets a new role, the authorizations on his access card will change automatically as soon as his new position is activated in his HR system," said Nancy Wanders, Sales Manager of Global Clients at Nedap Security Management. "This level of automation means a big reduction in administrative tasks for security managers, so they can focus on other tasks and stay in control."

While the initial cost of investing in an access control system may be high, increased efficiency can ultimately cut cost down the road. "Efficiency and cost reduction can be provided in a variety of ways through access control solutions. Some of these include: elimination of cost of re-keying doors when a key is lost, and the ability to pre-register visitors, which is a more efficient process for visitor management," said Jeremy Krinitt, GM of Frontier Security. "An access control system can streamline the processes and enable operators to wrap up investigations quickly. It can save operating costs for years to come through the efficiency it provides. Access control does that."

Integration With Video a Must
Pairing access control management software with video surveillance has become a must for running security operations at end-user organizations. With video and access control both becoming more IP-based, integrating the two has become easier. Players from across the supplier chain - vendors, distributors, and systems integrators - are closely watching how video-access control integration may further play out.

Together, access control and video form a comprehensive and efficient security solution for users who can make the right decision in the event of an emergency. During an access control event, the security personnel can quickly pull the video from an integrated system instead of running to a separate video system to figure out who is trying to enter. A faster and more efficient way to investigate an event means quicker response and better situational awareness, which cannot be achieved by just video alone.

"By using only video management, a security operator is only able to gain evidence of a breach, without being able to automatically act upon it," said Mike Sussman, Engineering and Operations Director at TDSi. "Using an integrated access control system means that the security team can put in place measures or act directly to counter any threats, so there is also a preventative element dealing with any potentially unauthorized intrusions."

In short, access control management software prevents intrusion by denying access to those who are unauthorized to enter a certain area. Videos, meanwhile, provide visibility and evidence to an event. When combined, access control management software and video management software (VMS) offer a more comprehensive and all-around way to run security.

Multi-site Management
Access control management software plays a critical role in multi-site management, which has become essential as a rising number of companies now have operations in different parts of the world. Effective management software should offer a global view of what's going on at each branch office, while giving the local branches authority
to make changes or adjustments as needed.

"In many companies, you have multiple locations, but there is a corporate human resources department that's responsible for the initial enrollment," said Jerry Cordasco, CTO at AMAG. "So what they would want to do is to enroll a new employee in the system with basic access rights to the employee entrance of the facility, and then push that record down to a localized database."

Access control management software and VMS are both important technologies for managing multiple sites. Choosing which one as the primary component, again, relies on the user's specific needs. "Both have their place as the primary engine, and the choice is dependent upon the business and risk," said Sussman. "Video can only report on something that has occurred or is happening, whereas access control can prevent an event from taking place, backed up with evidential information."

"Access control and video management each provide benefits, but access control provides many of the necessary pieces of managing a multi-site environment," said Krinitt. "These key elements include audit of employee location, alarm monitoring, alarm response and processing, guard tour, visitor management and many more."

Visitor Management: Efficiency and Safety
In today's security management, more end users are tying access control with visitor management, which is an effective way to grant, deny, and control access by visitors and contractors who are not regular employees of a company. In a non-integrated system, visitors are given a badge or temporary ID card after they write on a paper log their names and other information, which can be illegible at best and at worse, fake. Some visitors are also known to walk away with their ID cards, which can then be reused to enter buildings, creating security concerns. Combining visitor management with access control management software, on the other hand, can help improve security and efficiency by registering, badging, and checking out visitors all at the same time, and their ID cards expire at a certain time after which entry will be denied.

An integrated system can even have more advanced features. "It can be used to screen each visitor on states' registered sex offender databases and other watch lists, and flag those visitors at the time of check in," said Harm Radstaak, MD of Identity & Access Management for EMEA, HID Global. "And it can be used to identify guests who haven't checked out by the end of visiting hours, and flag visitors who, for instance, may have repeatedly violated check-in procedures or stayed too long, and issue alerts upon their arrival."

Integrating access control management software with visitor management systems offers an ideal solution for end-user organizations, especially those that deal with large amounts of visitors such as corporates and hospitals. They can enjoy stepped up security and efficiency made possible by the integration.

Integration: New Hopes for Verticals
When the access control management software is bundled with other subsystems, it can help optimize efficiency and create extra business opportunities for users in different vertical markets. Primary and secondary schools, for example, may bundle lockdown systems and video surveillance with their access control software to better ensure the safety of students and faculty. Colleges and universities, on the other hand, may integrate their access control management software with non-security systems such as meal vending and room booking to maximize the value of students' ID cards. Healthcare facilities may combine access control with elevators, granting access privileges to emergency personnel who can reach critical areas in the quickest time. In other words, if access control management software is deployed at the right time at the right place, it truly works wonders to end users in different verticals.

Choosing The Right Solution
When deciding what type of access control management software to purchase, the user should consider many factors - the size of deployment, the overall objectives that need to be achieved, and whether the software is suitable for the vertical it is to be deployed in.

"Any solution needs to be fit for the purpose and will demonstrate increased security levels along with improved efficiency and savings to the bottom line. For example, it may seem favorable to replace a whole security system with all the latest components. However if the security needs are low and the budget is tight, it may not make sense to do so," Sussman said. "Conversely, if a number of security systems are aging and ready for renewal, buying fully integral systems could make very sound business sense, both in the short term and also for long term investment."

Meanwhile, the user also needs to consider the level of ownership that it wants. "When buying an access control system, you need to start by determining whether you want to own and maintain the system or opt for a managed/hosted platform where everything is outsourced," said Jason Ouellette, Product Line Director for Access Control at Tyco Security Products. "Do you want to handle the maintenance or pay a service to do it? Once you determine the level of ownership, then you can look at the options that allow you to balance capital expense vs. operational expense."

It All Boils Down to Efficiency
With its highly integrative capability, today's access control management software can combine with different technologies to help end users take care of security and non-security tasks with greater efficiency. An integrated access control management system makes life easier for users when they investigate events, manage multiple sites, and control access for visitors, not to mention the convenience of performing different tasks with just one ID card. The benefits of integrated access control management software are felt across different vertical markets, and systems integrators should maintain good and open relations with customers to deliver solutions that they truly need.

More Details:

Intelligent Video Solution - Counting on Intelligence: Retail Wises Up

For a long time the true value of intelligent solutions山as clouded bg earlg letdoums in accuracy and performance. Hoiueuer, technology has improved, and users in all verticals are noun seeing the benefits. Retailers are among those employing various intelligent solutions, not only benefiting from their security functions, but more so from their business intelligence data.

In 2012 the aggregate retail revenue of the world's top 250 retailers amounted to approximately US$4.3 trillion, a composite year-over-year revenue growth rate of 4.9 percent, according to the Global Powers of Retailing 2014 report by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Although economic conditions that year were a bit rough, leading retailers across the globe continued to grow. However, with growth comes the desire to not just sustain it, but capitalize on it. The benefits of intelligent solutions in the retail sphere are helping global retailers do just that. As more and more retailers are starting to realize the benefits not only for security, but for marketing, efficiency, and management as well, the number of retailers adopting intelligent solutions such as "Smart IP Camera" is growing. In fact, the global intelligent video surveillance market in the retail industry is forecast to grow at a CAGR of 27.1 percent over the period of 2012 to 2016, according to an October 2013 report by Infiniti Research. This increase in retail adoption of analytics is also obvious in the number of security providers coming out with retail-targeted analytics solutions.

Sales and return on investment (ROI) have become increasingly important for brick-and-mortar retailers who are now competing with the convenience of online shopping thanks to the Internet. In an age where the click of a button can deliver anything ranging from clothing to furniture to groceries on one's doorstep, brick-and-mortar retailers are even more conscious of the importance of good marketing, loss prevention, and operational efficiency to name a few. According to the Global Retail Theft Barometer published in October 2013, shrinkage due to shoplifting, employee fraud/theft, etc., cost the global retail market $112 billion in 2012. That is where intelligent solutions come in. Where old security systems failed to prevent shrinkage and optimize marketing strategies, intelligent solutions are picking up the slack and proving their worth.

Benefiting From Intelligence

The retail market is not known to have a lot of extra money laying around to throw at fancy technology; however, as the price for intelligent solutions come down, some retailers are realizing the investment is worth the price tag. While retailers in the more high-end luxury market are more likely to be able to afford such intelligent solutions, those in the middle market looking to boost sales are also starting to look towards intelligence. Furthermore, not every intelligent system is created equal. Different stores need different functions, and since the price often depends on the features needed, it is possibly for mid-end retailers to find intelligent solutions that fit their budgetary scope. Retailers in the middle range not needing as many or as advanced functions may opt for a more cost-effective solution comprised of a NVR and camera with only basic intelligent features. This solution gives the retailers some of the benefits of intelligence without breaking the bank.

Regardless of the degree of intelligence a retailer chooses to deploy, the ability to improve space optimization, stock monitoring, shop floor tracking, shopper behavior, bottlenecks, queue lengths, staffing levels, etc., are just some of the benefits retailers can expect from an intelligent video solution. With a wide range of features, video content analysis (VCA) software, also known as video analytics, has much to offer retailers in terms of business intelligence (BI). Whether on the edge or integrated into a video management system (VMS), the BI data gathered from VCA features such as face recognition, heat mapping, people counting, and dwell time provide businesses with immediate ROI. But how does it do this? The Beginner's Guide to Video Business Intelligence by 3xLOGIC puts it this way, "Technologies that aggregate the vast amount of disparate data - video data, transactional data, structured and unstructured data - that is generated today, and distils that data into relevant business intelligence that can be easily understood and acted upon; that's video business intelligence." The idea of actionable intelligence, turning video data into more than just images on a screen, giving that data value, that is how analytics transforms a retailer's security camera system into more than just video surveillance.

Case Study: Analytics Optimize Scroatian Retailer's Marketing

While the benefits of analytics is easy to talk about, actually seeing it might be harder; however, Croatian retailer Pevec not only saw the benefits, they utilized and made the most of it.

As a retail chain store, Pevec has always taken security seriously, installing video surveillance cameras in each of their 13 stores since their opening. Having heard of the benefits analytics could add to their marketing, Pevec installed a number of RIVA cameras with onboard analytics. The intelligent ip cameras would not only extend the retailer's existing security system, the onboard people-counting filter would count customers, which would help the marketing department optimize marketing activities and plan sales space. The built-in people-counting filter provided the retailer with important and invaluable data. By counting the number of customers, the marketing department was able to determine the number of visitors during a promotion period and whether the number of customers increased, which if it did was considered short-term success. This success could then be measured in long-term success by seeing if after the promotion ended, whether those acquired customers continued to return to the store.

People-counting data also helped the retailer determine how many of the customers entering were actually making purchases, which was done by comparing the data with the cash desk data. With the data, the marketing department as able to deduce the effectiveness of their marketing strategy. If the majority of customers do not turn into buyers, this indicates that the product range, product presentation, and/or product placement needs to be changed. If the number of customers drops but the majority are buyers, this indicates that the company should pursue more marketing activities. Also, comparing the people-counting data of the different stores within the chain gave the retailer better insight into the strengths and weaknesses of each of its branches.

In addition to marketing optimization, people-counting data also helped the retailer increase operational efficiency. By analyzing data for customer traffic during specific times - daytime, weekends, holidays, seasonal periods, etc. - Pevec was able to better utilize their manpower by adjusting the number of employees on staff according to customer traffic. The use of real-time data also helped the stores manage queue lengths and diffuse bottlenecks during peak hours.

Graduating to Smarter Operations

Although price remains a deciding factor for many retailers regarding the feasibility of deploying an intelligent solution, the price of such solutions is going down, meaning soon enough price will no longer be a viable excuse. Combine declining prices with the obvious ROI provided by analytics in terms of business intelligence and it seems that intelligence should be able to find a comfortable home in the retail area sometime in the future.

Please Login For More Details: http://www.gwsecu.com

How Big Data and "Internet of Things" Revolutionize the Security Industry

"Big data" and the "Internet of Things" (IoT) now are not only discussed in the IT and communications industries, but they are also ready to influence and even upturn the security industry. While we anticipate a connected society, the world is also vulnerable to malicious physical and cyber security attacks. Fortunately, security technologies have evolved and developed to prevent any disasters from happening.

Big data is a buzz word. Many industries have tried to reply by analyzing big data to make good predictions on everything ranging from weather forecasts to decision making in different forms and subjects. However, why has the security industry also become so fascinated by "big data?" The reason could be traced back to the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing investigation. The United States successfully crowdsourced information from social media, like @Twitter and @Facebook, and multiple video surveillance cameras to quickly identify and locate the criminals. This lesson opened the eyes of the whole world to learn the power of using mass data provided by the public, and more importantly, the different resources from security systems.

However, many experts also pointed out current security systems do not provide much information before an event even though they are connected to an IP network. Therefore, the industry has been trying to figure out how to make security equipment get involved in pre-event management and also play an active role in preventing crimes or disasters, instead of merely acting as a tool for post-event investigation. Of course, first of all, networkability is definitely a must in security devices, then, each device must be connected, like multiple sensors, to provide data. Then, there is intelligent video (or VCA), which is getting more important since it helps to make security information meaningful. By using intelligent video, security systems can produce loss prevention data or heat maps for retailers. Whenever the video security systems are connected with "external" WiFi-enabled tracking devices, the shop can better prevent perspective shoplifters and plan their marketing campaigns. Secondarily, it needs a proactive situational awareness tool, something like physical security information management software (PSIM), to seamlessly integrate different security and non-security equipment and further provide an immediate response to events.

In addition, through cloud computing, all the data is processed in the cloud; therefore, people are starting to wonder who is able to access this data and how to protect the integrity of the data. In the physical security world, we may also care about who is in my space and where these visitors are going and what they are doing. Therefore, identity management may play a vital role in the trend of big data.

To sum up, when the world starts to look into "big data" and how IoT can benefit everyone, the trend forces the security industry to gradually switch their attention to data and content beyond product specifications to better fit the needs of a connected world. Major technologies providers have started to add more value to security information/content with their unique approaches.

Ultra-high 4K Resolutpon and Wide-angle Cameras Provide More Details

Although the improvement to 4K resolution seems very natural in consumer electronics and security technologies, 4K-resolution, ultra-high HD security cameras still captured the limelight at major security shows this year. Whenever 4K starts to become the mainstream in the industry, security cameras can be expected to provide more detailed and clearer video images of the environment, events, and subjects than the past. More importantly, 4K resolution cameras can largely reduce the total cost of ownership of a project by doing more with less, compared to low resolution cameras. Companies such as Axis Communications, Arecont Vision, Bosch Security Systems, Hikvison Digital Technology, IQinVision, and Sony Electronics all pre-announced 4K cameras last month. Performing at 30 frames per second makes 4K cameras stand out. "Arecont Vision 4K camera produces high-quality image at 30 frames per second and delivers about 8.3 megapixels. Arecont Vision's 1.0-megapixel camera delivers 7 frames per second. When it was released in 2010, it was the first dual mode 1.0-megapixel and 1080p camera in the industry," said Scott Schafer, Executive VP of Sales, Marketing, and Service at Arecont Vision. It can be predicted that all these companies should have their 4K cameras ready for the market later this year. However, some experts still warn that 4K camera users need to pay extra attention to selecting compatible 4K NVRs and monitors. Without using a 4K monitor, the video quality might be compromised.

Pelco is focusing on a different approach to provide more details to situational awareness video with their latest 360-degree camera, which is a joint venture combining OnCamGrandeye's technology and Pelco's video managment applications. Coupled with Pelco's customer support and service, this adds an important tool to the market, said Craig Dahlman, Director-Analog Video Products of Video Line of Business at Pelco by Schneider Electric. Similar products can also be seen at other major network video surveillance vendors, like Panasonic System Communications. Panasonic's 360-degree PTZ cameras enable several different viewing options. For example, diverse image distribution modes, including four independent video streams for maximum flexibility.

Intelligent Video Helps Deliver Meaningful Messages

It is not enough to have a high-resolution video only for generating data. In order to acquire meaningful information, rather than just raw data, and even provide timely diagnosis/response to an event, intelligent video is the best candidate, when talking about big data. What it influences in the security field now is how to use the accumulated data from intelligent video for different purposes. "The focuses of video surveillance innovations have evolved from video functionality, to video integration, and now to video enabling. By enabling processes with video, the open platform fosters many innovations to optimize business operations in different verticals," according to Karl Erik Traberg, Head of Corporate Communications and Business Development at Milestone Systems.

For example, "A retail store uses multiple cameras enabling real-time analytics such as traffic counting, queue management, heat maps and demographics. The system accumulates all the information by date and time, and if associated with the POS information, can deliver key information, such as average sale and conversion metrics. Ultimately, and depending on the information, retailers can leverage these insights to adjust their marketing strategies and even staffing for different time periods," said Masa Karahashi, Senior VP, Engineering at 3VR.

Hank Monaco, VP of Marketing at Tyco Integrated Security also further explained in a big picture, "For many retailers, we are also seeing a big move now toward leveraging multiple technologies working together to help drive higher store performance. For instance, retailers are finding that leveraging video services to gain visibility into POS activity helps to drive improved customer experiences and manage more accurately what is on the shelf which also can lead to higher sales. We see technologies working together, such as EAS used byond loss protection, and tied into POS register, RFID for inventory tracking, and also analytic video to understand customers' behaviors, such as dwell time — how much time a customer stands in front of the stock display without making a purchase or how fast a customer picks up a product(s) from a shelf and then makes a purchase. Essentially, retailers are seeing that technology that does more can also help them make decisions in the store on a more predictive basis and allows them to see farther ahead. This drives the store performance which helps them gain competitive advantage and improved bottom line results."

We can imagine that, if the information is also shared with or connected to other non-security, external systems, it could be something really valuable even to city surveillance or other researches.

However, how to reduce false alarms in intelligent video is always the focus for security. The latest motion sensor detection sensors by Mobotix are able to filter the objects according to directions of movement. Therefore, it only records video or triggers an alarm if an important event actually occurs. Interference caused, for instance, by trees moving in the wind, shadows, passing clouds, or snowfall is consistently ignored.

Thermal Comes To Intelligent Video for 24/7 Detection

In some particular scenarios, intelligent video might meet certain limitations and challenges. "The main drawback of standard CCTV systems arises from their reliance on reflected light — inability to operate at night, adverse effects due to shadows and lighting changes," according to the research paper titled "Thermo-Visual Feature Fusion for Object Tracking Using Multiple Spatiogram Trackers," by Ciarán Ó Conaire et al. For a critical environment, the combination of thermal cameras and intelligent video is a good match for 24/7 detection. After the partnership of FLIR Systems and VideoIQ in 2010, FLIR also recently partnered with PureTech Systems for wide area surveillance solution.

Another piece of good news for the industry is that the falling price in thermal technology will allow more security cameras to enjoy the benefits of thermal. FLIR announced the release of three new lines of its thermal security cameras starting at economical prices, which further demonstrates how the combination of thermal cameras and intrusion video analytics can actually be an affordable and also effective solution, said Andy Teich, President and CEO of FLIR Systems. At the same time, DVTel also announced its thermal cameras at an affordable price, also featuring intelligent video analytics.

FLIR also launched its cloud-based platform for users to remotely access their security cameras. In the future, thermal with intelligent video cameras will also start to provide more meaningful data to make our environment safer.

Open Platforms Drive Total Integration

Integration has been an unstoppable trend in all industries, especially when it comes to IoT. Eventually, in a connected world, every system will be connected in a single network. The security industry will also continue to evolve. To build up a future-proof solution, integrating different systems through proprietary SDKs and APIs no longer seems like enough. Companies now concentrate on how to construct a more open platform in order to seamlessly manage and utilize different resources in different security equipment. According to Genetec's white paper, it suggests that a truly unified platform in video surveillance can optimize resources by sharing common servers and databases for authentication and permission, licensing, configuration settings, alarms and evens, audit and activity log, video recording, and access logs.

Looking at the access control market only, it has been actively developing with the introduction of different new technologies. The market's high growth still mainly comes from the migration from mechanical locks to electronic locks. However, what is really driving the growth of the market is the need for open platforms. Access control systems, in the past, were very closed, simply for restricting entrance to a building, room, and property. Until recently, users have started to realize the benefits whenever it links with other systems. "What really differentiates us from other companies is, in our hardware and firmware. We develop to an open platform and protocol, which is very critical for the credentials and access control systems for future expansion or integration of other future technologies. That is why we are chosen for replacement projects and also big projects, like One World Trade Center," said April Daltron-Noblitt, Director of Vertical Marketing at Allegion.

Both the access control and video surveillance markets are developing their solutions very fast in open platforms, which also is closely tying both sides together. Companies, like Axis, Avigilon, and Genetec have developed their own integrated systems. The partnership of video and access control companies has become basic to form an integrated system. "Genetec offers its end users a unified security platform, which seamlessly integrates video, access control, and license plate recognition. The open platform supports a vast ecosystem of cameras, access control edge devices and third party software tools, including analytics, biometrics and perimeter detection hardware. Genetec's IP access control system is also increasing its compatibility with other access control hardware products. The most recent ones are our partnerships with ASSA ABLOY and Salto, who produce quality WiFi, PoE wireless locks," said Andrew Elvish, VP of Marketing and Communication at Genetec.

On the other hand, PSIM is not only able to supervise multiple distinct systems and further manage information coming from these systems, but also presents all the information in a single user interface, which plays a vital role in big data and IoT. "Verint recently launched a new situation management platform that allows users to integrate a variety of systems providing real-time intelligence to respond to events," said Courtney Mamuscia, Global Communications Director of Verint Video & Situation Intelligence Solutions at Verint Systems. "This new solution expands our current PSIM application that has experienced significant growth in the critical infrastructure sectors and city-wide surveillance."

However, some experts also warn that some PSIM products might have problems in lacking a built-in video, access control, and event integrated solution, which should be the key for selecting a "real" PSIM.

Social and Business Identity Takes Shape

While IoT gradually takes shape in the access control industry, end users have become more comfortable with making online payment via cards, PCs, tablets, mobile phones, and other wearable devices. Paym, a UK-based company, announced in April that consumers can use their mobile to make bank payments in the country. This trend is also going toward granting physical access control remotely via mobile devices, making access control as a service (ACaaS) gain more adoption. Furthermore, Brivo Labs claimed itself an IoT company, which launched its and also the industry's first social access management solution this year. Its main objective is to use social identities to "develop innovative applications that connect virtual communities with physical spaces," said on Brivo Labs' website. According to Lee Odess, VP of Marketing at Brivo Systems and GM of Brivo Labs, by using Brivo Labs' API platform, physical access authorization now can be granted by using your profile on social networks, like Facebook and LinkedIn, on mobile devices and wearable computing devices, such as Google Glass. It is truly a revolution in the physical access control field. Next, Brivo will develop their solution to adopt Bluetooth devices to provide end users more convenience to remotely access and manage doors.

Identity Management Spurs Growth of Biometrics

When we, as end users, start to enjoy the freedom of multiple ways of payment and easy access to a space, worries about the security mechanism in these solutions arise. What makes things worse is when we lose our credit cards, with tap-and-pay-on-the-go feature, or mobile phones or devices, it also means we lose our credentials and even precious money. On the other hand, for enterprise users, especially multinational companies, how to well secure their physical and intellectual property, help workers make mobile offices work more efficiently, and get easy access in these spaces without spending extra time and paper work becomes their top priority in access control. A robust identity management solution becomes prerequisite for users ranging from public to enterprise users. For enterprise users, multi-factor identities for both physical and logical security could be the best choice; biometrics is an important factor binding all these together.

"HID acquired IdenTrust to expand our identity management and secure authentication solutions offering, and enable us to provide banking customers with a trust network for issuing, authenticating, and using digital identities based on open standards," said Jeremy Hyatt, Director of Global Public Relations of HID Global. "Our Lumidigm acquisition extends our multi-factor authentication portfolio with biometrics for high-security environments, while positioning us to deliver a variety of new secure identity solutions." Besides, biometrics also becomes a unique selling point for different fields because of its unique identification feature, according to Bill Spence, VP of Sales of North America, Europe and Australia at Lumidigm. In amusement parks, biometrics has attracted many return customers. Lumidigm's solution was adopted by amusement parks, where parents' fingerprints had to match their child's RFID wristband when collecting them from the park grounds. On top of that, the system can also ensure that only one person uses each ticket. To prevent ticket fraud, parks today can link each ticket to a specific customer with the touch of a finger.

The demand for identity management provides new startups with pretty big business opportunities too. Bionym developed the first wearable authentication device that utilizes a user's electrocardiogram (ECG) to validate a person's identity, according to their company website. Zwipe, a new, next-generation biometric card, a contactless smart card credential with on-card fingerprint reading, eliminates the problems of solely deploying PINs and standard cards. The contactless Zwipe biometric card lets users authenticate themselves directly on the card through something they are, a fingerprint, using their already installed card reader. Only then will the card system activate the lock. This is much more secure than simply using a standard card, which verifies only something they carry, the card. Also many companies, which develop NFC rings and bracelets, intend to provide more flexible and innovative solutions to secure our access to either the virtual or non-virtual world.

A Connected World Makes a Safer Environment?

Thanks to IoT, we can expect a connected world in the future. Although new technologies bring us more convenience in terms of mass information and life comfort, do these also help us construct a safer environment? Without making security the priority, I am afraid that all these new and innovative technologies would be in vain. If the aforementioned developments in the security industry can cause everyone to be more aware of security, I would say the future of this connected world will be bright.

Please Login For More Information: www.gwsecu.com

Integrated Access Control & Video Systems Come to Town

Editor's Note: To construct a comprehensive security system, it is not enough to rely on video surveillance solely. Users right now have started to understand how important access control information is and enjoy the overall benefits and convenience when access control and video are seamlessly integrated. The latest development of access control systems is now also heading toward an "open platform," depending on the partnership among companies and their R&D capability.

AMAG Symmetry Omnicast Plug-in (Integrated with Genetec VMS)

AMAG Technology's Symmetry 7.0.1 access control system integrates with Genetec Omnicast 4.8 IP Video Management System (VMS). The Symmetry Omnicast Plug-in enables video rendering on Symmetry SMS clients for live and archive sources, PTZ control of live cameras, event handling, video tagging for VMS alarms and events, and video search and playback control. End users can receive alarms and events generated by the Omnicast 4.8 IP VMS for use within Symmetry via event mapping.

Paxton Net2 Access Control System (Integrated with NUUO VMS)

Net2 now integrates with Crystal 2.0 and Mainsconsole 5.0 to offer a complete user experience with a range of sophisticated features. Integration with the NUUO VMS allows users to link Paxton events directly with surveillance video, define instant actions for each trigger and receive notifications of alarm events as they occur, as well as perform keyword searches across servers. This integration will provide users with a complete operating experience, reaping the benefits of both access control and VMS under a single interface.

Axis A1001 Network Door Controller (Integrated with Genetec, Imron,OnSSI)

Axis A1001 Network Door Controller comes with built-in software for basic access management. It is open for third-party software, allowing the unit to be integrated with solutions provided by Axis partners including Genetec Synergis, Imron IS2000, and OnSSI Ocularis.

The controller is an independent device that is installed by each door and data is automatically synchronized between the controllers in the system. It will continue its normal operation and buffer events locally if there is a network failure. Axis A1001 supports Power over Ethernet, which eliminates the need for separate power cables to door accessories and other proprietary data cables.The controller's color-coded connectors and the configuration wizard enable fail-safe and effective installations. The controller supports most reader types and is fitted with configurable input/output ports and controllable power outputs for external equipment such as door locks and positioning sensors.

Salto Plug-in Integration Software (Integrated with Milestone VMS)

The plug-in integrates Salto Systems directly into XProtect Smart Client and allows the user to control access and monitor video surveillance from one unified interface, eliminating the need to run two separate applications. The Salto plug-in integration enables the user to open doors while simultaneously viewing video footage of the doors. The Salto plug-in captures critical events from the Salto software and registers them as alarms in XProtect Smart Client. These alarms are automatically linked to relevant video footage from corresponding cameras.

IndigoVision Software house C•Cure 9000 Integration Module

The IndigoVision Software House C•CURE 9000 integration module allows events and alarms from C•CURE 9000 systems to be forwarded into IndigoVision's complete suite of management software. In addition, events and alarms from IndigoVision systems can be fed back into Software House systems. With the IndigoVision integration module, any C•CURE 9000 events can trigger a wide range of actions within the IndigoVision system. This includes starting recordings on an IndigoVision network video recorder, displaying live video from cameras on monitors and IndigoVision control center viewing panes, moving PTZ cameras to specific locations or sending notification emails.

TOP 8 Latest IT Security News, Enterprise Security and Expert Insights from Information Security Professionals

1) Johnson Controls Connects Stadium Technologies for World Soccer Championship in Brazil

Johnson Controls is creating safe stadiums for fans and players who will compete at the upcoming World Cup in Brazil.

Johnson Controls designed, installed, and integrated dozens of systems, including surveillance cameras, fire alarms, access control, telecommunications, and sound and building management controls. The security and fire systems activate surveillance cameras, crowd notifications, airflow shutdown, and gate access if an emergency situation occurs. These systems also work together to improve fans' experience. The sound and telecommunications systems are connected to a new 100-square meter LED screen to help fans see and hear the action on the field. Johnson Controls joined individual systems into a single networking solution. This single solution helps stadium owners save critical resources by eliminating the need to manage multiple, duplicate, or discrete systems under various vendors, contracts, and proprietary protocols in the constantly-evolving technology marketplace.

More than 600,000 tourists and 3 million Brazilians are expected to attend the matches in Brazil. The games will be broadcast to more than 200 countries on nearly 250 television channels.

2) IndigoVision Provides Solution to Photovoltaic Power Station in Ningxia

One of the world's largest photovoltaic power stations, Ningxia Zhongwei Tianjingshan, has chosen to deploy four of IndigoVision's Network Video Recorders and a total of 80 encoders as part of their new security system.

IndigoVision's solution was chosen for its advanced H.264 compression technology, which allows the power station to transmit footage to a remote control room at ultra-low bandwidth.

Another important factor was the solution's scalability. The site has already set the record for the fastest construction of a photovoltaic power station; therefore, having a system that could expand to keep up with the rapid growth was vital.

3) KBC and SA Consulting Announce New Partnership

KBC Networks and Sweden-based security solutions provider SA Consulting have announced a new partnership. In addition to supplying KBC's IP, wireless, fiber, and HD video ranges, SA Consulting will provide sales, design, and technical support to customers within the Nordic countries.

MD of SA Consulting Tomas Styrbjörn commented, “When customers come to us, they expect to be provided with secure solutions that have considered each media and transmission type. Our partnership allows us to work more closely with KBC and pass the benefits of doing so on to our customers."

Sarah Moss, Commercial Director of KBC Networks, added, “Our customers need to know that as well as support from us, they have access to in-region support from a team that has technical expertise, extensive market knowledge, and a collaborative relationship with us."

4) CEM Systems Secures Power Plant in Oman

CEM Systems, part of the security products business unit of Tyco, announced that their industry security management system has been installed in the Sur Independent Power Plant (IPP), Oman. The system was installed by CEM-approved reseller Majees Technical Services.
The gas and oil-fired IPP will be the largest power plant in Oman, representing approximately 30 percent of Oman's installed power capacity when it is completed in 2014. The US$1.6 billion project owned by Phoenix Power Company will provide much needed power to meet the growing demand for electricity by employing state-of-the-art technology and introducing high efficiency conversion technology.
The system provides the IPP with a suite of client- and browser-based applications including central alarm monitoring, integrated command and control, sophisticated ID badging, visitor management, time and attendance, and much more.

5) ADT Acquires Protectron to Expand in Canadian Market

The ADT Corporation announced it has executed a definitive agreement to acquire Reliance Protectron, a subsidiary of Reliance Comfort Limited Partnership, a portfolio company of investment funds managed by Alinda Capital Partners, for a total cash consideration of approximately US$500 million. The acquisition of Protectron will strengthen ADT's Canadian operations and create a combined security industry leader in Canada, differentiated by its ability to reach consumers and provide them with better services and more choices across a variety of traditional security and automation technologies.

Protectron is a provider of monitored security services in Canada. The acquisition brings ADT 400,000 residential and commercial customers including 31,000 contract monitoring accounts, and approximately $11million in associated recurring monthly revenue. Protectron will continue to be headquartered in Montreal under ADT's ownership. It enjoys strong brand awareness, and ADT will continue using the Protectron name. As ADT strengthens its Canadian focus, the Company will relocate certain administrative functions that are now being run out of the U.S. to Canada.

6) Magal Awarded US$6.4M Contract to Secure International Airport in Kenya

Magal Security Systems announced that it entered into a US$6.4 million turnkey contract with the Kenyan Airport Authority (KAA) to secure critical areas in Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, Kenya. The project includes multiple surveillance and access control technologies, integrated by Fortis4G — an advanced physical security information management (PSIM) system. The project is expected to be completed in the first half of 2015.


8) Aimetis Strengthens Moroccan Casino Surveillance System

Current analog cameras could not perform to the standard that a Moroccan casino was required to achieve. The need to cover all 17 of the Atlantic Palace gaming tables in Morocco at high frame rates throughout operational hours would produce enormous RAID demands. The casino required dome units that could optimize storage requirements by utilizing H.264 dual stream real-time compression, as well as a platform that could support multi-screen preview and playback, as a high-definition preview is crucial in gaming environments. An IP network which could function with minimal transmission delay using IP keyboards was high on the client's requirements together with smooth pan, tilt, and zoom functionality that was also free of time lag. With all these challenges, Aimetis succssfully delivered a surveillance solution that satisfied the casino's needs. The system was implemented by a Moroccan integrator. The speed domes being used are feature-rich, and their compact dimensions contribute to covert surveillance for minimal visitor distraction.