Salient Systems News

If AI is the dominant buzzword in the physical security industry, it is the second letter (I for intelligence) that is having the biggest impact. Simply put, intelligence transforms computer systems, including those used for physical security, from rigid, rule-following calculators into adaptable, problem-solving partners to human operators. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the changing role of intelligence in physical security?

Adequate video surveillance coverage depends entirely on a facility's layout, square footage, and security goals. Historically, better coverage required more cameras, but technology innovations are changing those expectations and undermining previously held rules of thumb. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: Do today's video systems generally require more cameras or fewer cameras, and why?

At mid-year 2026, the broader economy tells a story of resilience under pressure. Conflict in the Middle East has triggered a shock to the energy supply, driving oil prices up and reigniting global inflation. However, a total downturn has been averted. Exceptional, historic levels of business investment and data centre construction are providing a firm floor for growth, offsetting cooler consumer spending and keeping labour markets fundamentally stable. But how are changing economics impacting t...

Traditional security models protected a perimeter like a castle moat, assuming anyone inside was safe. Zero trust removes that implicit trust entirely, recognising that threats can exist both outside and inside a facility. Zero trust is a routine and accepted concept in cybersecurity. Given the importance of information technology and the increasing convergence of physical and logical security, the tenet is becoming a dominant principle in physical security, too. We asked our Expert Panel Roundt...

Salient Systems, a provider of enterprise-class Video Management Software, today announced the appointment of Steve Bell as Executive Vice President, Sales. Bell brings more than 25 years of technology sales and leadership experience to the role, where he will lead Salient’s global sales organisation, work directly with integrators and end users, and continue to scale the company’s presence across the enterprise market. Enterprise sales organisations Bell brings a track record of...

Willis Tower, an iconic symbol in Chicago for over 50 years, has undergone significant transformations to become a modern workplace and community hub that delivers the best experiences for its tenants, area residents and visitors. Originally known as Sears Tower, it was renamed Willis Tower after a change in ownership in 2009. Major renovations took place in 2017, culminating in a complete transformation in 2022.  Currnetly, Willis Tower offers a range of amenities from short-term wor...

In alignment with the State of Mississippi’s mission of “Empowering Mississippi citizens to stay connected andengaged with their government,” Salient's CompleteView Video Management System (VMS) is being installedthroughout more than 150 state boards, commissions, and agencies in order to ensure safety for thousands ofconstituents who access state services daily. Challenge Determining the right path to success wasn’t a quick process. The elaborate undertaking of convert...

The Community Builders (TCB) is a nonprofit organisation whose mission is to build and sustain strong communities where all people can thrive. They work with businesses, institutions, and public officials to revitalise neighborhoods in ways where all people can live in healthy homes with equitable access to resources and opportunities to pursue their dreams. Their partnership with Salient Systems exemplifies the use of video technology in vulnerable neighborhoods to help achieve thes...

The healthcare organisation based in Washington state has begun a journey of unifying its video surveillance and access control under one platform, yielding better situational awareness, streamlining investigations, and providing an additional level of safety and security to staff and patients alike. Multicare Health System in Washington State employs more than 20,000 team members across 11 hospitals and more than 300 medical clinics, laboratories, medical imaging, pharmacies and specialty serv...

For more than a century, Swedish American Health System, its hospital and medical facilities, have been serving the community of Rockford, IL. As a division of the University of Wisconsin Health, the medical staff has been delivering high-quality healthcare and strategies to keep patients and families healthy. What families and patients don’t see is the world-class security systems that have been put in place at all Swedish American medical facilities and outlying satellite healthcare cli...

Baton Rouge General, a not-for-profit healthcare system in Louisiana, takes pride in providing outstanding service in a compassionate and caring environment to the communities that they serve. They are driven by excellence, service, integrity, respect, and professionalism. These core values extend from healthcare professionals and staff to patients, visitors, and anyone else who enters their campuses and facilities. With over 4600 employees and thousands of patients and visitors to safeguard 24/...

In the world of cybersecurity, ethical hacking proactively identifies security vulnerabilities before malicious actors (i.e., unethical hackers) can exploit them. By simulating real-world attacks, organisations can strengthen defences, protect sensitive data, and maintain public trust. In the physical security world, ethical hacking can transform cybersecurity of security systems from a reactive struggle into a strategic safeguard. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the role of ethica...

False alarms are the security industry's oldest and most persistent challenge. Industry estimates suggest that as many as 95% to 98% of security system activations are non-emergencies. The high rate stems from a combination of human behaviour, environmental triggers, and technical limitations. However, newer technologies are finally addressing the challenge of false alarms. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the new solutions to security's oldest challenge, reducing false alarms?

Modernising a legacy physical security system requires a transition from isolated, hardware-dependent silos to an integrated, data-driven ecosystem. This transition involves shifting toward open architecture and encrypted communication to ensure long-term scalability and resilience. Other elements to facilitate upgrading a legacy system include leveraging cloud and hybrid topologies and ultimately moving toward more predictive analytics. Our Expert Panelists offer plenty of ideas for making the...

ISC West (International Security Conference & Exposition), March 25–27, 2026, at The Venetian Expo in Las Vegas, is widely regarded as the most important event in the security industry. The yearly exhibition serves as the primary launchpad for new technology and as the central meeting point for global security professionals. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What will be the big topics of discussion at ISC West 2026?

Historically, physical security systems have protected retail companies’ assets, people, and profits. Security prevents theft (shrinkage), while maintaining order and ensuring a safe environment for customers and staff. Today’s retail business is changing by leaps and bounds, driven in large part by technology advances. Newer physical security systems are finding new ways to deter crime and provide operational data, in the process preserving brand reputation and ensuring the business...

Next-generation (Next-Gen) technologies are products, services, or infrastructures that represent a significant leap forward rather than a small, incremental update. In the physical security industry, NextGen products are those that enable disruptive change, breakthrough performance, and a fundamental change that renders previous products obsolete. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the next generation of physical security solutions, and how will they change the industry?

Transportation systems need robust physical security to protect human life, to ensure economic stability, and to maintain national security. Because transportation involves moving large numbers of people and critical goods across vast, often interconnected infrastructure, it presents a highly attractive target for various threats. More threats equate to a greater need for security. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What are the emerging applications of physical security in the transportation...

Data overload is real. Sometimes it seems we are bombarded by the sheer volume, velocity, and variety of data available in our personal lives, and in our work lives. The solution is to figure out how to make sense of the data and transform it into real information we can use. In the case of physical security systems, new opportunities are emerging every day to utilise data to make our businesses safer and better managed. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: What is the expanding role of...

Students deserve a safe and positive environment where they can learn and thrive. Teachers and administrators should be able to focus on their primary role of educating students because they feel supported and protected by a comprehensive security plan. Staff require a clear protocol for responding to emergencies. And parents deserve peace of mind that their children are safe during the school day. One of the tools for safer schools is physical security technology. We asked our Expert Panel Roun...

Physical security technologies are a prominent tool used by correctional facilities to provide a safe, secure, and controlled environment for staff, inmates, and the wider community. Among several functions, security technologies are used to prevent unauthorised access, to detect contraband, to monitor inmate movements and activities, and to protect staff. For security technology manufacturers, integrators and consultants, the corrections market presents distinctive challenges. We asked our Expe...

2024 was a year of significant challenges and remarkable progress in a world that is more interconnected than ever. Global collaboration continues to point the way toward continuing progress in multiple industries, including physical security. In 2024, technology continued to transform the way we connect and cooperate, driven by new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain. We asked our Expert Panel Roundtable: How did the security marketplace “change for the better...

New technology advancements significantly increase efficiency and productivity in any industry, including physical security. Enhanced innovation both creates new products and services and improves existing products, all for the benefit of security manufacturers, integrators, and end users. Companies that embrace new technology stay ahead of the curve and gain a significant competitive advantage. In addition, they can differentiate themselves in the marketplace. We asked this week's Expert Panel...

Trust is the foundation of successful relationships between buyers and sellers in the security marketplace. Trust facilitates collaboration, reduces risk, improves decision-making, and ultimately drives business growth and profitability. Transactions often involve significant investments, and trust minimises the perceived risk for buyers, making them more likely to commit to a purchase. Our Expert Panellists weigh in on the subject of trust in response to this week’s Roundtable: A security...

By all accounts, technology development is moving at a rapid pace in today's markets, including the physical security industry. However, market uptake of the newest technologies may lag, whether because of a lack of clear communication or not enough education of potential customers. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: How can the industry do a better job of promoting emerging technologies in physical security environments?

AMAG Technology is pleased to announce the appointment of Chris Meiter as AMAG Technology's Vice President of Global Business Development for Video Solutions. This new role underscores the organisation’s continued expansion support to its entire technology suite. Chris Meiter comes from Salient Systems, which is a decade-long strategic video partner of AMAG Technology. The appointment of Chris to this new position is a strategic win for both AMAG Technology and Salient Systems, offering e...

Port forwarding is a networking technique that allows incoming traffic on a specific port number to be redirected to a particular device or application on a local network. Open ports on the network expose an IP video system to the internet. This makes it a potential target for malicious cyberattacks. In the physical security industry, the elimination of port forwarding is seen as a basic and manageable precaution to shore up cybersecurity. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: What are t...

The hospitality industry drives economic growth and development by creating jobs, generating revenue, and initiating a ripple effect to improve profitability throughout the supply chain. The hospitality industry includes a vast number of small businesses, including hotels and restaurants. But what are the security challenges of these businesses, and how is the security marketplace serving those needs? We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: How can technology address the security challenge...

AMAG Technology hosted the Security Engineering Symposium (SES) Europe conference on October 17 – 18, 2024 in Tewkesbury, UK. Over 70 end users, integrators, and consultants from EMEA attended the event held at the Tewkesbury Park Hotel. While this event has been held in the US many times, it is the first time it has been held in the United Kingdom.  New vision AMAG Technology President, David Sullivan and Director of Sales-EMEA & APAC, James Clark opened the symposium by welco...

The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionised many industries, including physical security. By connecting physical devices to the internet, IoT technology offers significant enhancements to security systems. Benefits include real-time monitoring, remote access, and the utility of new devices such as temperature and humidity sensors. At the same time, IoT devices come with challenges, including greater cybersecurity vulnerability. We asked this week's Expert Panel Roundtable: How is the Interne...