IDIS CCTV Switchers & Switches

In 2017, DITEK saw how power surges from the many natural disasters that took place damaged many businesses. In a natural disaster, or even everyday business operations, a facility’s entire investment in security, life safety and surveillance systems technology can be disabled or rendered useless in a few seconds. Surge protection solutions can mitigate those risks and protect security investments. Proactive approach to risk mitigation Throughout 2017, we also witnessed a change in how enterprises view surge protection, which included how investments are being made in surge protection to protect valuable security, life safety and surveillance systems, while also reducing downtime, manpower costs, liability vulnerabilities, and possibly compliance issues that can force businesses to actually cease operations. Effective security management is about mitigating risks. But risks cannot be mitigated without a proactive approach. Enterprises and integrators, who take the time to assess risk and to develop a strategy to incorporate effective detection, deter and response criteria to protect physical assets will be successful in 2018. 2018 and beyond That strategy includes designing surge protection into new security systems, while also adding surge protection to existing systems. Enterprises and security integrators who implement a surge protection strategy during security planning processes – or after – will be exercising prevention and mitigation, and they will be successful in 2018 and beyond.  Surge protection devices have an untapped potential for enterprise surveillance and security systems In 2017, Ditek continued to offer security end users a solid surge protection solution. We also successfully educated system integrators, who are seeking value-added products or services to incorporate into their portfolios, on the importance of surge protection devices. Educating security integrators We believe that surge protection devices have an untapped potential for enterprise video surveillance and security systems, because they can and do meet safety and security challenges that have been rarely identified in the past. We are looking forward to 2018, when we will continue to develop new surge protection products – including a new product engineered to protect up to twelve individual fuel dispensers, which is critical to the financial operation of convenience stores. We will also continue to educate security integrators about the importance of including surge protection in the design/build RFP, to not only secure an enterprise’s valuable security equipment, but also to help integrators to differentiate their capabilities and knowledge from the competition.

Technology is changing the look and function of today’s security control rooms. Old-school CRT (cathode-ray tube) monitors are giving way to the thinner, flat screen monitors in the control room environment, but the transition is gradual. Randy Smith of Winsted still sees many control rooms that need to make the conversion, which is a boon to his company’s business. Furniture today is designed differently to accommodate the thinner monitors, often with larger screens. Need for integrated rack systems With the increase of IP-based systems comes the need for integrated rack systems that include advanced functionality such as cable management, adds Jim Coleman, National Sales Manager, AFC Industries. Server rooms are environmentally controlled by cooling systems and power systems monitored on the IP network. Low-profile flat screens allow centres to utilise space vertically, thus creating a smaller footprint for the consoles. Additionally, with IP-based systems, workstations will have a smaller footprint because there is less cumbersome equipment. In most cases the servers are stored in a secured, climate controlled environment to eliminate overheating of the servers and maintain their security, says Coleman. This environment also helps with cable and power management. AFC builds technical furniture racks that adhere to the precise needs of computer network server room operators. The company designs and fabricates LAN workbenches with versatile functionalities, and server room workstation racks that are scalable. There is a complete line of IT workbenches, IT computer racks and computer server rack mounts with flexible mounting options. In most cases the servers are stored in a secured, climate controlled environment to eliminate overheating of the servers and maintain their security Flexible control room designs Matko Papic, Chief Technology Officer of Evans Consoles, says the transition from bulky CRT equipment to flat-screen (lower profile) monitors was a major disruption in control room design; it changed the whole dynamic. Another evolution is the use of IP video streaming, which allows more flexibility in manipulation of audio-video content, and requires more flexible control room designs. Another shift, driven by larger, higher-definition monitors, is a shift to fewer monitors that display more information. Instead of a smaller monitor for each information stream, larger monitors now consolidate that information into “dashboard” displays. Looking ahead, control rooms will need to be more flexible, both in the initial design and the ability to adapt to changing technology, says Papic. Legacy customers who are currently using PCs may be moving to more remote applications. Sit-stand equipment will continue to be increasingly prevalent. “There will be more emphasis on flexibility, technology integration, and the ability to change over the life of the system,” says Papic. Consolidation of multiple operations into a single system A trend in security is consolidation of multiple physical operations into a single system, says Papic. As a result, more customers are taking more interest in alarm management and situational awareness. How is the technology being used in terms of alarm triggers? How can the systems react rapidly and provide information to a larger audience in the control room? These questions impact how control rooms are designed, and Evans Consoles can adapt lessons learned from other markets to these trends in the security arena. Greater use of technology is inevitable, says Coleman of AFC Industries. “It is virtually impossible for humans to monitor all security data at the street level in our cities,” he says. “As computers become more powerful and their programs more all-encompassing, we will see a greater shift to robotic and technology uses that will provide enhanced monitoring capabilities and safety Read our Control Rooms series here

The security industry will continue to see consolidation through acquisition in 2017. At the advent of IP camera adoption, we saw a great decline in large vertically integrated companies, which spurred a new era of innovation within smaller IP camera manufacturers, VMS providers and other hardware companies for storage and managed switches.   We are now living in a new era of consolidation that is taking us full-circle back to vertical integration. Ultimately, the industry as a whole suffers because this consolidation will stifle innovation until the next big technology disruption takes shape. Interoperability across different verticals  This time last year, we noted that the marketplace was moving toward converged technologies and the need for alarm management across multiple platforms into a common interface, turned out to be a popular request. If anything, we are only seeing just the beginning phases of this transition. The biggest surprise is that interoperability is not only confined to security technology, but also extends to parallel systems such as building automation, safety and environmental controls, and even Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software. Using Video Event Management Software (VEMS) alongside these intelligent platforms proves to be a valuable verification process for many new and exciting vertical markets. Arteco plans to continue the revenue growth and brand awareness achieved in 2016 Event-based video security software At Arteco, our highest growth sectors tend to be slightly insulated from economic fluctuation in the sense that we focus on securing critical infrastructure (electrical utilities and communications) as well as corporate and education campuses. Unfortunately, the continued growth in active shooter incidents have made physical security concerns top of mind for many organisations regardless of economic impact. The unexpected repercussions are that many new security technologies are emerging that cater to real-time event notification on both the macro and micro level. The exciting part of this trend is that users are leveraging a layered approach with multiple autonomous applications working together toward a common goal to improve security, which will hopefully ensure a high level of protection.  Business growth and challenges Business has continued to grow year-over-year, and 2016 was a huge step forward for Arteco not only in terms of revenue growth, but also increased brand awareness in the United States and abroad. Our biggest challenge continues to be the crowded VMS market, which is filled with lower cost or even free substitute products. We are making great strides in overcoming this challenge by having a wonderful team of people, both on the technical and sales side of the organisation, who are focused on finding new and innovative ways to advance intuitive, open and affordable event-based and intelligent video security software into 2017. See the full coverage of 2016/2017 Review and Forecast articles here 

IDIS’s latest tech-explainer eBook – The Benefits of Deep Learning Driven Intelligent Video Analytics – explores how a new generation of AI video solutions is delivering better security, safety, operational efficiency, and business intelligence. The eBook, which can be downloaded now from the IDIS website, reflects the company’s commitment to supporting its systems integrator partners as they focus on delivering advanced video solutions into growth sectors. Modern network cameras In recent years, the terms ‘intelligent’ and ‘artificial intelligence (AI)’ have been applied to many different types of security system, but without agreement on what AI means, says IDIS, so it’s important to understand that not all solutions are designed to the same standard or deliver equal value. The new eBook explains some of the differences between conventional ‘blob’ analytics - found in most modern network cameras and relatively prone to false-alarm triggers caused by environmental factors - and more powerful deep learning technologies. This newest generation AI solutions leverage neural networks made up of multiple layers of algorithms and advanced processing and can be more accurately called ‘intelligent’ video analytics. Deep learning video solutions Metadata search functions also allow users to benefit from advanced interrogation of single and multiple cameras Deep learning’s real value comes from its ability to detect events of interest and distinguish these from video data input which is just ‘noise’. But some caution is still needed, warns IDIS: deep learning video solutions can still disappoint if the engines and algorithms that drive them are not fully trained and able to recognise objects reliably and accurately. By contrast, effective deep learning video analytics can deliver multiple benefits, from preventing ‘alarm overload’ in busy security control rooms, to freeing up personnel resources and enabling security provision to be better focused. Metadata search functions also allow users to benefit from advanced interrogation of single and multiple cameras, speeding up investigations and automatically locating objects or people of interest. Face mask detection The eBook also outlines how AI video can support efficient return-to-work strategies and ensure COVID-secure facilities and workplaces using highly accurate analytics for face mask detection, social distancing adherence, people counting, and occupancy monitoring. Guidance is also provided for systems integrators, demonstrating how the same functionality will deliver value beyond the pandemic, with benefits such as facilities and workspace optimisation, and actionable insights, particularly for the retail and hospitality sectors. “The best AI offerings today add value for customers by rapidly increasing productivity and efficiency, and providing useful business intelligence,” says James Min, Managing Director, IDIS Europe. “This new eBook explains how systems integrators can get past the jargon to support end-users, building a compelling business case that both addresses immediate priorities and demonstrates long term return on investment.”

Growing concern about deep-fake videos will make it increasingly important to be able to demonstrate the integrity of video evidence, warns South Korea’s largest in-country video tech manufacturer IDIS. Rapid advances in digital video manipulation techniques, and a rise in alleged deep-fake celebrity videos being reported in the news, will put pressure on both video tech users and on prosecutors to demonstrate the integrity of any footage they use. Internal disciplinary proceedings “As we look ahead, wherever video is presented for use as legal evidence, or as part of internal disciplinary proceedings, we will see more attempts to assert that footage is not genuine. Courts will dismiss evidence where tampering cannot be ruled out,” says Dr. Peter Kim, Global Technical Consultant, IDIS. It will be vital that users can demonstrate beyond doubt that their footage has not been tampered" “Any challenge to the integrity of video evidence, if not countered, risks undermining the value of the entire video solution. This is particularly true in applications where investigating and prosecuting wrongdoing is a key function of the camera system. So, it will be vital that users can demonstrate beyond doubt that their footage has not been tampered with in any way.” IDIS, which supplies complete, end-to-end video solutions for applications ranging from high-risk critical infrastructure to commercial settings, has created protection of video footage integrity through its patented Chained Fingerprint™ algorithm. Exported video data IDIS recorders use Chained Fingerprint to ensure the integrity of the recorded and exported video data. Each frame is assigned a unique numerical ‘fingerprint’, calculated by relating its own pixel value to the fingerprint of the previous frame. This means that every single image frame of the video is linked by an encryption ‘chain’ with its neighbouring image frames. The encrypted chain is stored as part of the video data when the video is recorded or exported as a video clip using the IDIS ClipPlayer. Before playback, the ClipPlayer scans video and recalculates the fingerprint chains of the video data. If any part of the image frame is tampered with, the fingerprint chain will be broken and will not match the chain value calculated at the time of video export, prompting a flag. “As organisations look to upgrade or invest in new video solutions, protecting themselves against claims of video evidence tampering should be high on their priority list,” Kim adds.

IDIS features twice in the 2021 OSPA security awards, with shortlisting in two key categories: Outstanding Security Equipment Manufacturer and Outstanding In House M anager. Following a highly competitive selection round, the finalists have been praised by the organisers for making a significant impact at the highest level within the industry. “The OSPAs are growing year on year and really have become the ultimate accolade for everyone working in security, whether a buyer or supplier,” says founder of the OSPAs, Professor Martin Gill, describing the 2021 awards as a bumper year. “With such stiff competition, I can honestly say that every finalist is a winner.” High performance surveillance IDIS’s shortlisting as manufacturer of the year recognises the company’s commitment to delivering affordable, end-to-end video solutions that give end-users and systems integrators everything they need for trouble-free, high performance surveillance. Judges noted that IDIS continues to innovate, developing advanced deep learning analytics, powerful mobile tools, and practical solutions to help customers face emerging challenges, including operating during pandemic conditions, and preparing for the future beyond. And pioneering use of IDIS video tech is recognised in a second award category, with Tracey Edwards of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust being shortlisted as manager of the year. Her work, and her use of IDIS video tech, has helped improve care outcomes for children and young people with complex mental health needs. Improve clinical standards IDIS has been partnering with several leading systems integrators to deliver these projects An ambitious programme of video infrastructure upgrades across the Trust’s facilities, using end-to-end solutions from IDIS, began in 2018. The series of projects included both new builds and refurbishments. By ensuring that a complete, high-definition video record of events could be reliably stored and easily searchable, incident investigations were made easier, and that has helped to improve clinical standards. IDIS has been partnering with several leading systems integrators to deliver these projects, companies including Galeco, ISD Tech, and Triple Star Fire & Security. The completed end-to-end solutions have included 12MP fisheye cameras, full HD IR domes, and failover-protected, cyber secure storage. As a result, comprehensive area recording has transformed surveillance - with no events missed and no blind-spots - without the cost of 24/7 live monitoring. Best surveillance solutions Tracey Edwards’ OSPA nomination comes hot on the heels of her being named as Security Manager of the Year in the Security & Fire Excellence Awards. Both accolades also recognise her voluntary contributions to the wider field of mental healthcare security, and her efforts to improve understanding of mental healthcare issues with various police forces. Jamie Barnfield, Sales Director, IDIS Europe, welcomed the latest OSPAs recognition: “IDIS and our integration partners are working hard to deliver the most effective and best value surveillance solutions to our customers. And we are committed to the long-term success of all our projects and to providing the highest standards of ongoing support.”