NVT 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 

More good news for exhibitors on the second day of the Global Security Exchange (GSX) in Las Vegas. Brisk attendance continued early in the day, and then slowed somewhat in the afternoon, but most comments from exhibitors were positive. Exhibitors such as Lenel were “thrilled” with the show, and noticed the steady, good traffic and lots of sales leads. Lenel’s position at the front of the hall probably helped. New developments in mobile credentialing are a big trend at GSX, and Lenel’s BlueDiamond mobile credentials are traveling on a new path, so to speak. The access control company is introducing the idea of “Pathways” as a way of automatically signaling intent to a Bluetooth-enabled smart phone to open a door. A recognisable “pathway” is programmed into the phone, based on signals from nearby readers and locks and also geolocation signals. The system recognises when a user travels along the pathway and automatically signals the correct door(s) to be opened along the way without the user having to touch his smart phone.A recognisable “pathway” is programmed into the phone, based on signals from nearby readers, locks and also geolocation signals Providing a lightweight alternative “When you trigger a pathway, it’s signalling intent to open the door,” says Greg Berry, Vice President Mobile Credentialing, Global Security Products, for United Technologies, parent company of Lenel. “Pathways are customised to a user’s needs and are the common places you are going all the time.” A user who walks the same path daily to the door of an office will find that door opens automatically. Previously using mobile credentials has been “slightly more work than using a badge,” says David Weinbach, Manager of Identity and Product Innovation for Lenel. “Now with Pathways, it’s less work than using a badge.” Specifically, a user no longer has to take out his phone and push a button to signal intent. “Rather than trying to emulate the badge, you create an experience that is better than the badge,” adds Berry. “We want to change the paradigm and turn the market on its ear.”New browser-based clients are being released with each new version of OnGuard software Other news from Lenel includes the release of more mobile and browser-based clients for OnGuard to be used for greater convenience alongside the Window-based clients. Providing a “lightweight” alternative enables some of the functionality of the Windows client in a format that is easy to access on the go. New browser-based clients are being released with each new version of OnGuard software. Cloud-hosted systems using Microsoft Azure are also among the plans for OnGuard, which ultimately will offer on-premises and cloud options. There’s not much comment from the Lenel folks about their parent company United Technologies’ plan to acquire S2 Security, which was announced days before the show. They would only say that the acquisition is waiting for regulatory approval, and that the expectation is that the two companies’ products will be complementary, given S2’s focus on the SMB (small and medium-sized business) market and Lenel’s strength at the enterprise level. The acquisition strategy is to grow both businesses. More details to come about the new combined company. Modern network infrastructure NVT Phybridge, a PoE connections company located near the back of the hall, also reported steady booth traffic on Day 2. “There are lots of customers and partners here,” said Steven Fair, Executive Vice President. “We are pleased with the quality of people, but not overwhelmed with the quantity.” FacePRO AI facial recognition is used for real-time searches of terror suspects or criminals throughout a location NVT Phybridge, which provides IP networking products for the telephony industry as well as security, is focused on networking concepts at GSX, in particular the changing requirements for network infrastructure in the age of IoT. We are pleased with the quality of people, but not overwhelmed with the quantity.” Fair uses the term “Modern LAN” to describe the new, changing requirements and in consideration of the specific networking needs of each edge device, whether cameras, sensors, or door access control devices. “Start with the edge device — what does it need from the network? What are its needs and have there been any innovations to enable you to connect to the network more economically?” asks Fair. There is also a green aspect to designing network infrastructure. Can existing equipment, such as coaxial or single twisted-pair cabling, be used, and thus save on disposal costs of the used cabling as well as lowering installation costs? Among NVT Phybridge’s offerings that can serve the changing networking needs in the IoT era is Smart Path PoE, which offers smart power, smart network access and secure connections. The CLEER family of products provides ethernet over existing coaxial cabling to enable easy transition from analogue to IP cameras. The PoLRE products supply ethernet and power to travel over a single unshielded twisted pair cable with reach over 400 metres. The products have been used recently to transition a series of cruise ships from analogue to IP video without having to replace cabling and spending only two days in dry dock for the installs. A new focus away from AI Panasonic is looking to apply AI-based capabilities to vehicle recognition in the near future, with the ability to identify vehicle characteristics Deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI) seem to be taking a lower profile at this show, perhaps signaling the end of the hype. Companies that mention AI point to specific products that use the technology and are currently available. For example, Panasonic is featuring its FacePRO AI-based facial recognition system. The system uses face images captured from video — grabbing up to 30 to 35 faces a second as video is recorded. The system saves the best of those face images, eliminating extensive duplication, as thumbnails, which are linked to the video footage where the faces appear. To find video in which a face appears, the operator merely drags-and-drops the thumbnail image and commands the system to “go fetch” video that contains that face. The system then produces a timeline showing where the face appears in the feed from each video camera on the premises, so an operator can track the movements of a suspect throughout a facility. The tool helps to simplify and shorten the workflow of locating a suspect in real-time and is affordable for a wider range of uses beyond the traditional airports or high-end applications.  The FacePRO software is offered on any Panasonic camera, and works with a separate FacePRO server that is integrated with the video recorder. The system can be added easily to existing systems and is useful for such applications as real-time searches for terror suspects or other criminals throughout a location. Panasonic is also looking to apply AI-based capabilities to vehicle recognition, too, in the near future, with the ability to identify vehicle characteristics such as color, type of vehicle and direction of travel. On the VMS side, Panasonic is transitioning its Video Insight software to a modular approach, tailoring solutions for a growing range of vertical markets, such as transportation and retail, all using “plug-ins” that enhance operation of Video Insight software. No additional license fees are involved That’s just a sampling of what I saw on Day 2 of the show. I have more to share in a final show report, including what I see tomorrow on the final (shortened) day.

In early 2017, the Colombian government made its state-of-the-art Army Aviation Logistics Center (Spanish acronym, CLAVE), fully operational. Designed and built by the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, CLAVE is an over 9,000 square meter facility designed to provide support for the transportation, storage, distribution, and security of the Colombian Army’s aeronautical equipment. To comply with international standards for aeronautical logistical activities, the implementation of a high-level security system was required, and this included deploying a complete IP CCTV surveillance system of over 100 cameras to monitor the entire centre and its surroundings. Requirement was for implementing an IP CCTV system that utilises the coaxial wiring in their new facility. However, barriers posed by long reach requirements between the cameras and surveillance control centre, and the financial costs associated with installing IDF closets to support the cameras at distances greater than those supported by standard Ethernet switches (328ft, 100m) – caused CLAVE to seek out a solution based on the principles of the Modern LAN, allowing them to deploy the new IP CCTV system quickly, efficiently, and affordably.Not only did the NVTP solution take the signal and transmit it through the wiring, but it also provided power to the camera" NVT Phybridge CLEER24 The Colombian Army was introduced to the NVT Phybridge CLEER24 (Coax Leveraged Ethernet Extended Reach) managed switch solution, by Colombian distributor SAC. The award-winning CLEER24 solution provides Ethernet and PoE+ over Coax with up to 2,000ft (610m) reach. In just 3 quick and easy setup steps, the plug-and-play switches transformed the cabling into the power-packed IP platform needed to support the new IP cameras for distances up to 2,000ft (610m) – 6Xs farther than standard Ethernet, with no need for costly IDF closets. “In our case where distance limitations were a critical issue, NVT Phybridge made all the difference when other solutions on the market could not,” said Paula Rosana Murillo, Business Development Coordinator at SAC. “Not only did the NVTP solution take the signal and transmit it through the wiring, but it also provided power to the camera.” Cost-saving security solution CLAVE was able to smoothly and flawlessly deploy 109 cameras across the entire facility, with virtually no disruption to operations and saving tens of thousands of dollars while doing so. For the integrator, this was a professionally enriching experience, “NVT Phybridge, through its Colombian distributor SAC, facilitated access to technical training and support – ensuring the proper usage of these products and allowing the integrator to have greater confidence in the implementation of NVTP technology,” commented Oscar Triviño, Project Manager in charge of the CLAVE facility construction. “The implementation of the NVTP solutions generated savings in wiring, electrical infrastructure, and manpower that were estimated at $56,000USD – with the connection of all cameras to the power source being achieved in the most effective way possible.”NVT Phybridge technology ensured the quality of all the video content, fully taking advantage of the quality, state-of-the-art cameras used in the project" IP surveillance and remote monitoring With CLEER24 technology, the customer was able to take full advantage of Modern LAN principles, fast-track their IP camera deployment, while eliminating risk and creating a robust platform that can be managed remotely: no Coax replacements, no service outages, no security risks, no network complexity, and no wasted budgets. “NVT Phybridge technology ensured the quality of all the video content, fully taking advantage of the quality, state-of-the-art cameras used in the project and providing an immensely satisfying result for the Colombian Army.”

A transportation agency needed to modernise its analogue CCTV systems and cameras to improve surveillance capabilities. But planning the coax infrastructure replacement raised many concerns and barriers, causing delays to the project. NVT Phybridge was trusted to rapidly enable the established cabling to support the new Axis IP devices exactly when and where the agency wanted them. “The NVT Phybridge technology allowed this customer to improve investigations and safety much faster and more cost-effectively than planned.” Steven Fair, EVP, NVT Phybridge. The agency wanted to upgrade its analogue CCTV systems and devices to newer, IP-enabled surveillance technology across multiple transit facilities spread throughout a vast metropolitan area. The driving requirement for the upgrade was twofold: to improve safety and security monitoring of riders 24/7, and to capture much higher-resolution video recordings for investigation of events. Ethernet over coax system The agency wanted to upgrade its analogue CCTV systems and devices to newer, IP-enabled surveillance technology  The main challenge was physically replacing the existing coax with a new Ethernet infrastructure needed to support IP. The process would be lengthy, complex, costly, and disruptive to transit operations and rider services across hundreds of sites. Additionally, physical construction to replace the cabling and address IDF closet and reach requirements would impact transit customers’ access to services, and posed safety hazards to thousands of public transportation users each day. The transportation agency learned about NVT Phybridge Long Reach Ethernet over Coax IP-enabling solutions from their savvy Axis partner. A no-obligation proof of concept was arranged at one of transit stations, and in 3 simple setup steps the award-winning, plug-and-play NVTP EoC switch transformed the existing coax into a power-packed PoE/IP platform able to connect the new CCTV and IP cameras 6Xs farther than Ethernet—up to 2,000ft (610m)—with no IDF closets required along the way. NVTP completely eliminated the complexities and frustrations that had delayed the infrastructure upgrade for too long. Because NVTP innovations use the same repeatable, predictable, and scalable deployment methodology across every location, upgrading each of the many transit facilities would be simple and fast. The NVTP EoC switches fast-tracked the infrastructure upgrade, saving significant project time and costs by avoiding coax replacement Effective IP surveillance and security The agency’s decision to trust NVTP and Axis with the extensive security upgrade was right. The NVTP EoC switches fast-tracked the infrastructure upgrade, saving significant project time and costs by avoiding coax replacement. The partner was also able to accelerate the endpoints deployments with a simple swap-out of the existing analogue cameras for the Axis IP cameras. The agency’s new, powerful IP-based surveillance capabilities were up and running in record time at each location. The combined power of NVTP and Axis innovations rapidly enabled this agency to improve investigations and safety much faster than originally planned—without disrupting transit operations, impacting riders’ services, or wasting coveted budgets. Pleased with the result of the first several facilities upgrades, the transportation agency has decided to move forward with the remaining upgrades across their entire area using NVTP switches and Axis IP devices to get the job done right.