Integration Wrap-Up

Convergence continues to be the hottest topic in security circles

• By Karina Sanchez
• Nov 29, 2007

As another year draws to a close, one thing remains constant in the security industry, and that’s the issue of convergence. It’s evident that there’s more and more attention being shone on the topic, its benefits and its downfalls. There are now more educational sessions, more traveling trade shows, more news stories and more awareness of integration than ever before.

Today, the industry is in an era of implementation and understanding. Systems are now employing the best of both physical and IT worlds, but there are more security professionals out there still in the process of understanding the evolving technologies. In helping promote such an effort, the IPUserGroup recently made a stop in Dallas with its IP-in-Action Live show. The show is dedicated to providing understanding and avenues of reference for security professionals.

Learning From the Best
“Education is key,” said Kyle Candler, network video product manager for ScanSource Security. “Our job is to educate on how to move forward in this world of convergence.” Candler, one of four IP-in-Action panelists discussing “security and IP convergence,” believes that as infrastructures expand in this converged world, opportunities will expand. There’s no doubt that converged systems are the future of the security industry, and with that being said, companies big and small are getting into the integration game.

“This is a multi-billion-dollar industry,” said Bob Beliles, senior manager, Physical Security Technology Group, Cisco Systems. “And this is an industry that can fuel that growth.”

Whether you’re part of a small company or a large player in the security industry, your interest in convergence is different. And different views should be embraced because convergence creates more opportunities for everyone— not just the big players.

“Develop the right partnerships, and that equals a big win for everybody,” said Jason Schimpf, eastern U.S. sales manager for Arecont Vision.

All In
Mergers and acquisitions are becoming the best ways for enterprises to bring IT and physical security expertise all under one roof. Along with education comes the ability to take on the challenges of expanded systems.

“The more you’re able to cross over, you’ll be that much further ahead,” Beliles said.

Now, the race is on. Find the right partners, educate your infrastructure and develop the technologies that are fueling the industry. It’s no longer a waiting game. State-of-the-art implementations around the world are now setting examples, and end users are catching up to speed. Consumers are what’s driving the security industry to evolve so rapidly. With the advance in technological innovations, security professionals are seeing that consumers are well aware of what’s going on around them.

What Consumers Want
“Consumers are smarter, more articulate, and their expectations are higher,” said Rob Morello, senior products marketing manager of digital products for Pelco. “As the market matures, customers are demanding a higher level of expertise.”

So it’s no longer sufficient to know just enough to get by. An enterprise’s workforce should have the knowledge and skill set needed to stay ahead in this highly competitive industry.

The security industry went through so much action this year. While some businesses grew and saw successes, others crumbled under the pressure and fell apart. In this industry, with its growing economy and continued success, it’s not only about staying one step ahead of the bad guys anymore, but staying one step ahead of your competition, as well.

This article originally appeared in the issue of .