THERE’S increasing IT maturity taking place in
the electronic and networked security industry and it’s extremely good
to see. We need to see more of this maturity and I don’t think it
matters how installers come to embrace IT ecosystem, as long as they
embrace it.
I think we’d all agree that for a long time there’s been a divide
between most security integrators and the IT function. It would be a
mistake to suggest this division has been industry-wide because the best
security integrators are eating IT for breakfast but for many
installers handling stuff like IP addresses and port forwards is still a
bit much.
The
response to this resistance has come from all directions. We’ve seen
some distributors supplying systems that are entirely pre-commissioned
(think Pacom and Lan1), and we’ve seen manufacturers and distributors
simplifying IP solutions significantly.
This
increasing closeness between manufacturers/distributors and integrators
is telling, in my opinion. It extends from training to commissioning,
to alliances on installations and new product development. I think it’s
in great part an evolutionary response to the nature of our live market,
which has less money to spend but which requires greater technical
support.
In
the U.S. there’s also evidence of consolidation at both vendor level
and integrator level. This reflects pressure and a willingness to take
real risks to win future opportunity. I do see some evidence of that
going on in Australia, though to a far lesser extent than the U.S. In my
opinion there are only a handful of organisations here with the fiscal
muscle to make worthwhile acquisitions and almost none brave enough to
spend big in this slow market. I think when buys do come, we’ll see them
take place between IT companies and physical security suppliers and
integrators.
At
all times and all levels we are seeing more and more product that
depends on network support. Major trends of simplification include
network sniffers that find devices and propagate them into management
solutions. And supporting these devices are increasingly stripped down
VMS solutions running on tablets and smartphones.
This
last is a major trend with recent releases of Mobotix App, the pivotal
release of Milestone’s new multi-platform Arcus VMS to third party
camera manufacturers and Bosch’s new dynamic transcoding technology. But
Milestone Arcus is an interesting move from one of the industry’s
leading VMS makers. Taking cutting edge technology to the mass market in
this way is another sign of a maturing market.
You
could be forgiven for thinking it’s all about video surveillance again
but it’s not. I was really pleased to read about the new Optex Redwall
PoE detector during the month. This sensor is designed to slot into PSIM
or VMS applications. I’m looking forward to the release of PoE sensors
for business and domestic applications in the mid-term future. Whether
these will be hardwired or WiFi, time will tell.
While
some may suggest I’m going a bit far with all-IP alarm systems, I’d
argue not. With PSIA releasing its new standards for intrusion alarms
and access control during the month, it’s impossible to deny that there
will come a time when alarm systems are going to conform to network
standards.
You
only have to look at the success of ONVIF to see that once a couple of
key companies head in the direction of some gleaming new niche, the rest
of the herd form up close behind them. It only takes one bright spark
to create a basic IP-alarm system using readily available technology and
the rest will be history. A 50-dollar HD camera-quad PIR with a SIM
card? It’s not the Ness Security Guard but it could be.
When
it comes to larger solutions, will an all-IP alarm system be a network
device? Probably yes and partly no. An alarm panel needs to retain the
ability to stand alone though there’s no reason a PoE device could not
manage this just as well as a majority analogue system.
You
have to put yourself into the headspace of the people building the
systems of the future for the people who will use them. The signs start
with market leaders. To my mind, the best new alarm panels are
undeniably network-capable platforms upgradeable by firmware. With IP
ports, flash drives and USB connectivity onboard they’re only a couple
of pieces of functionality away from our fully networked future.
source: http://www.securityelectronicsandnetworks.com/NewsDetail/13-04-11/security_market_growing_up.aspx
