Supply and Demand

Like it or not, interoperability and open architecture are the waves of the future

• By Michael Regelski
• Jul 01, 2008

There are two opposing forces at work in the security industry today. One is the growing sophistication of the customer base, and the other is wide-scale fragmentation, which has caused many systemic issues.

Repeatedly, I hear that components don’t easily integrate with one another, that the majority of today’s operating systems are still proprietary and that products are often designed without a deep understanding of underlying customer needs, or without knowledge of the value that an enterprise-wide system can provide.

Getting the Big Picture
In light of this, product providers need to think more deeply about how they can make customers’ lives easier. Manufacturers need to move beyond the initial product design and conceptualize how their product fits into a larger, enterprise- wide solution.

Today, customers are demanding security systems that don’t solely provide protection against a single threat, but intelligently respond to risks across an enterprise and add value to the business, both now and in the future.

Upgradability and scalability aren’t just buzzwords; customers want to know that the investments they make today will yield dividends tomorrow.

To achieve this, customers need interoperable solutions.

Customers need hassle-free security solutions that integrate the most advanced products available and 24/7 technical and product support to ensure continuous system uptime. Interoperability means being able to purchase a product from any manufacturer and have it work seamlessly with any other product. This should be the goal.

To achieve this, a continued emphasis must be placed on open architecture.

Embracing Open Architecture
Companies like Lenel have always embraced open architecture. In the past 16 years, Lenel was repeatedly broken with convention to develop scalable solutions using open architecture. Industrywide endorsement of this concept is the only way to solve customer concerns of upgradability, ease of integration and better technical support.

One example of Lenel’s commitment to open architecture is its newest DVR platform called goVision. As the company’s first stand-alone video product, goVision provides an upgrade path from the stand-alone solution to OnGuard. It also can seamlessly interface with any number of cameras or monitors, or any other product for that matter. goVision also comes with its own client software, so a customer can be up and running that day with minimal configuration.

Interoperability—it’s about listening closely to customers and responding quickly and efficiently, without requiring additional investments in hardware or software. It’s also about tailored solutions; the one-size-fits-all approach no longer works. The market, not the manufacturer, is now dictating what type of products are developed—a huge paradigm shift for this industry.

Lenel’s OpenAccess Alliance Program is another example of commitment to open architecture. OAAP was introduced in 1999, and to date, Lenel has enrolled more than 100 companies and certified the interfaces developed by more than 40 of those companies. The program was driven by the belief in providing customers with the best solution to their security problems. OAAP includes a diverse range of products including DVRs, central station receivers, fire detection systems, time and attendance, workforce management, and governance and compliance systems.

Another way Lenel has embraced open architecture is through its OnGuard Software Development Kit, which enables third parties to seamlessly integrate with OnGuard. To keep pace with evolving customer needs, Lenel is looking for more efficient integration methods and will soon offer the ability to integrate with OnGuard through Web services. This will allow more partners to develop more deeply integrated applications, all in the spirit of helping customers customize global security solutions.

What the Customer Wants
Customers around the world are demanding more flexible, interoperable solutions to their security problems. Customers are making more informed decisions about the technology they incorporate into their systems, and proprietary penalties are becoming less tolerated.

Thirteen years ago, Lenel introduced concepts like IT convergence, seamless integration and open architecture. Despite this, many systems remain proprietary today. In an industry as rapidly developing as ours, there is no room for silos. In order to keep pace with evolving customer needs, product manufacturers must embrace interoperability.