Ask the Expert
- By Steve Morefiled
- Dec 01, 2006
THIS has been a good
year for the security industry. Growth has been solid in many areas,
and technology is moving forward at a dizzying pace. But as the end of
2006 nears, the crystal ball will reveal what may be in store for 2007.
During the past year, the convergence of physical and logical
security has been one of the hottest topics in the industry. In
reality, installers are beginning to work more often with IT
departments to run security data over the corporate network. However,
the average customer still maintains a dedicated network for its video
and access control needs. In 2007 and beyond, the IT industry will find
more ways to increase network bandwidth as the security industry
further compresses its data. At that point, convergence will become
commonplace.
ISSUE: What are some technologies that will become more commonplace in 2007?
SOLUTION: IP cameras that run over a network are hot in the
media. But in reality, the cost still keeps most users away.
Nonetheless, these units are coming fast. Five years ago, an IP camera
sold for $1,500. Prices today are between $400 to $800. When the price
gets in the $250 range, there will be a real difference in demand. That
will likely come in the next couple of years.
Two other hot areas of technology -- video analytics and biometrics
-- are beginning to make strides into mainstream security
installations. Video analytics have proven to be a very valuable tool.
However, cost issues have forced so-called smart video to only be seen
in homeland security projects. That may change somewhat in 2007, but
widespread use is still likely several years away.
Biometrics is the fascinating technology of spy movies -- and an
increasing number of real-life installations. But the industry still
has work to do on increasing the process speed of authentication and
setting standards to help end users make intelligent choices. When
those standards are in place -- probably in a couple of years -- prices
will begin to drop and demand will increase.
ISSUE: What can users expect as far as video equipment in 2007?
SOLUTION: Look for 2007 to be another banner year for video
products. There is a lot of money being spent on video, and rightly so,
as manufacturers continue to offer more features for lower prices. This
is an area where the industry is providing tremendous value to
customers.
Manufacturers have been very effective in integrating video and
access control systems. One recent trend expected to continue in the
next year is the integration of interactive voice communication
systems. While reliable voice systems have been available for more than
a decade, larger, more far-ranging camera systems have increased the
need to speak with employees, visitors or intruders in remote settings.
DVRs are one of the hottest components in the market. But as the
capabilities of DVRs increase, so too does the need for more storage.
End users want higher resolution and more frames per second from video
systems. Fortunately, the price of memory is dropping rapidly. The days
of a 64 or 128 GB hard drive are gone. Most installations now start
with hard drives with at least 512 GB of storage.
When it comes to the equipment in their systems, customers want
known brands -- no knockoffs -- but most users are not loyal to a
specific manufacturer. What customers want are systems that work and
add value and that typically involves components from multiple vendors.
This is a trend expected to continue in the next year.
Among the various markets, the education segment has been growing
rapidly. The K-12 school market is extremely competitive and relies on
low-bid contracts that depress profit margins to the system integrator.
However, colleges and universities are finding the money to pay for
some highly sophisticated security systems.
ISSUE:
I am on the staff of the security department in the Central Bank of
Malaysia. The bank implemented a new strategy which emphasized more
customer service. But at the same time, the security department is
expected to perform better with no incidents. How can our department
function better without compromising its rules and regulations to help
give the best service to our customers?
SOLUTION: This
is a common situation in a retail-type environment where the course of
business depends at least partially upon direct interaction with the
public. Management wants a more customer-friendly atmosphere, which
creates challenges in securing the physical space to an ever-increasing
level. The most important requirement is for security and management to
work together in implementing any changes. Without a unified action
plan, the solutions from security will be patched together at best.
This
requires taking a peek at the direction management wants to go with
customer contact. You can then implement the technology -- whether it
is access control, CCTV, intrusion detection, or a combination of the
technologies -- that is appropriate. You also can employ a procedure
policy that allows the implementation of a security system that will
grow in scale rather than making changes to its core structure.