Articles by Larry Anderson

Video surveillance systems are extensively used in the casino market, but ironically casinos are more often than not behind the curve when it comes to installing newer security systems. Video technology adoption in the casino market has recently slowed down because of the economy. Analogue to IP migration The economic downturn slowed the analogue-to-IP transition process of video surveillance technology used in the gaming market, says Laurie Smock, vice president of sales,...

Frank De Fina’s death this week came as a shock to everyone in the security industry. The industry has lost both a giant presence and a good friend. He made his mark as a talented executive at some of the biggest companies in the security industry. The “Dark Restaurant Society” I saw Frank De Fina a lot in dark restaurants. I was honoured to be among the security industry journalists invited to his twice-yearly press dinners, held at nicely accoutred (if dimly lit) restaurant...

Where do traditional security dealer/integrators fit in the new era defined by the Internet of Things (IoT)? According to Robert C. Martens, Allegion's Futurist and Director of Connectivity Platforms, there is no need to worry. In fact, there is potentially a huge role for traditional security integrators to play in the IoT age. His explanation suggests a successful future for security integrators, but there are caveats. Networking IoT devices may seem like an information technology (IT) funct...

Check out our recent interview with Scott Schafer at IFSEC 2015 hereScott Schafer of Arecont Vision is outspoken about the limitations of standard resolution/VGA video cameras. The megapixel camera company’s Executive Vice President says standard resolution and analogue video cameras are the “most toxic asset” at end user companies because they produce the least value for the money. Megapixel video cameras, like those made by Arecont Vision, are much more cost-effective, says S...

My first impression on visiting HID Global’s headquarters in Austin, Texas, was a profusion of light. Plenty of Texas sunshine beams through the abundant windows to provide brightness throughout the building. Mike Klein, HID Global’s manager of corporate communications and global public relations, led a tour of the headquarters facility on my recent trip to Austin. Including 250,000 square feet of manufacturing space, the building consolidates several previous North American manufac...

As my trip to London for IFSEC International ends, I can look back on three days jam-packed with new approaches, new technologies, and the best the global security market has to offer. I met people from all over the world who share an interest in physical security technology -- and how it can be used to make the world a safer place. I heard several exhibitors mention that business was slow in Europe in the early part of 2015. However, the show highlighted that R&D investment has continued t...

You couldn’t miss IDIS America at ISC West this year – they had a 2,800-square-foot booth. But who are they? That was a question many attendees asked. The big booth presence, and flood of industry advertising before the show, both reflect that IDIS is not an upstart. The name may be unfamiliar to some in the U.S. market, but IDIS has been making a similar splash all over the world. The high profile reflects the global player’s commitment to being a “game-changer” i...

Axis has a new camera that “shakes like a dog” when it rains -- to get rid of the extra moisture. KiwiSecurity, an Austrian company and IFSEC newcomer, uses video analytics to scramble images of faces in live video to ensure privacy.These were two of the surprising things I saw on Day Two of IFSEC. Attendance picked up nicely in the halls of London’s ExCeL -- and the show floor seemed to get bigger as the day wore on (at least according to my weary feet!). There definitely were...

Many of the new products being promoted at IFSEC International this year at ExCeL London were previously unveiled at the big ISC West show in the United States in April. Now the IFSEC audience of Europeans and other international visitors are seeing them for the first time. Traffic seemed a little slow the first day, and you heard some exhibitors grumbling about it, but IFSEC exhibitors are finding a lot of new things to talk about with attendees. The cool London weather is perfect for a trade s...

Time flies, and I’m sure it’s been 10 or 15 years since the term PSIM (meaning physical security information management) came into favour in our market. It was a variation on the term SIM (security information management), which in the realm of information security refers to a collection of data into a central repository for trend analysis. The idea was to apply the same concept to physical security equipment in the form of an over-arching software system that takes information from...

Security vigilance can be sporadic at many companies and institutions. Facilities tend to tighten security in the days after a scary event happens or makes headlines, and people are generally tolerant of the associated inconvenience – for a time. But as memory fades, so too does tolerance for being inconvenienced. We want to be safe, but we also don’t want to be bothered. We want a security system that both provides safety and is unobtrusive. Security doesn’t have to be inconv...

We’re seeing a market trend toward manufacturers seeking to provide “total solutions” rather than components. The trend is reflected clearly in recent industry consolidation, for example. When companies that manufacture various components become part of a single corporate owner, it’s not a stretch to expect the new owners to combine those components into a single end-to-end solution – sooner or later. Manufacturers are also leveraging OEM agreements and other partne...

The fundamental value of data is widely apparent in modern society, and its loss may have significant consequences Video data is critical to today’s enterprise. The latest video storage systems must offer dependable operation that doesn’t risk loss of that critical data. DDN - When performance matters “Not only is bandwidth very important, but functionality cannot be lost when a storage system is having a bad day,” says Jeff Adams, director of sales,...

Most of us think of shrinkage in the context of the retail environment, where a host of video cameras, tamper-proof packaging, sensors and other technologies help control theft by customers and employees. However, the term shrinkage also applies to goods before they get to a retail store. Goods can be stolen at any stage of their manufacture and distribution, usually by employees, and there are fewer technology solutions geared toward theft along the supply chain. In fact, some distribution cen...

Recently there has been great interest in long range reading (433 MHz technology) For the last two decades, the primary contactless technology used in access control systems has been the proximity card (125 kHz technology). In the last decade, proximity cards have been augmented by the smart card (13.56 MHz technology). And that's the way it has been until just recently. All of a sudden, there has been great interest in long range reading (433 MHz technology). Merging traditi...

It has been seven months or so since Tyco Integrated Security entered the small business security sector, and the company’s focused approach is paying off well in the five initial markets of Chicago; South Florida; Dallas-Fort Worth; Orange County, Calif.; and Burbank, Calif. It’s no wonder they hit the ground running. TycoIS had plenty of time to prepare for its September 2014 launch into the small business market. Expiration of a two-year non-compete agreement after the company sp...

Buying security services can be a tricky business, and success requires a strategic approach involving multiple stakeholders and careful evaluation of proposals, including a scoring system that targets the most important criteria. “Buying security services is a special beast,” says George Councils, AlliedBarton’s vice president of strategic sourcing and acquisition integration. “Evaluation requires special considerations.” I listened in on a recent AlliedBarton web...

When you need to view video of an incident or information about an access point, you expect your security system will provide that information. But what happens if a camera or card reader isn’t working for some reason? It’s the security director’s worst nightmare. Sadly, the moment when a system fails is often the first indication an end user has that there is a problem. A useful trend I saw at ISC West this year is growth in various types of diagnostic, monitoring and control...

Maricopa County installed a fully integrated security controls system, featuring a VMS Larger IP video systems require plenty of storage, and several high-profile applications help to demonstrate the value of storage in today’s networked video environment. Maricopa county security project One example is the Maricopa County (Ariz.) Sheriff’s Office, which is nationally recognised for its zero tolerance toward crime and unwavering focus on innovation in law enforce...

Timm typically walks through school buildings to assess vulnerabilities, and recommends systems and products As an independent school security consultant, Paul Timm of RETA Security conducts security assessments and provides technical assistance for numerous school districts throughout the United States and Canada. Timm typically walks through school buildings to assess vulnerabilities, and recommends systems and products, practices and policies, and other strategies to optimi...

Since acquiring SeeTec AG, On-Net Surveillance Systems, Inc. (OnSSI) is bringing production of its entire software platform in house. The SeeTec recorder will replace OnSSI’s legacy recorder, previously OEM’d by Milestone, beginning with the introduction of Ocularis 5.x. Familiar in Europe, SeeTec is a privately held German-based company providing VMS solutions and was among the first providers of network-based video management applications. With SeeTec now part of OnSSI, the combin...

Honeywell recently helped the Penns Valley Area School district in Pennsylvania design and implement a custom security system Security systems are just part of the solution to protecting primary/secondary schools. Technology can contribute to a broader, holistic approach to security that is customised to meet the needs of each educational institution. Honeywell has helped many schools customise security systems to meet each school’s unique needs, says Bruce Montgomery,...

One key misconception is that solid-state drives (SSDs) are going to replace hard disk drives (HDDs) Like many areas of the security market, the field of digital video storage systems has its share of misconceptions and missed opportunities. We called on manufacturers of these systems to set the record straight. Hard disk drives (HDDs) will continue to rule One key misconception is that solid-state drives (SSDs) are going to replace hard disk drives (HDDs), says Henk Van Den...

Anyone thinking the Canon acquisition of Axis is a done deal should reconsider. Not so fast. A wrinkle has emerged as the Japanese imaging giant has been buying up shares of Axis in anticipation of acquiring the Swedish camera manufacturer. The wrinkle comes in the form of a hedge fund company called Elliott Management, which has reportedly bought 10.91 percent of Axis stock. Incomplete sale The number is significant because Canon needs to acquire 90 percent of Axis stock in order to force th...

Beyond the need to install new systems, often overlooked is how schools are going to pay for security upgrades Limited financial resources are a common pain point for primary/secondary schools looking to implement cutting-edge security technology. But security needs persist despite scarce resources. All school administrators want to do everything in their power to secure their facilities against threats. More schools are recognising the benefits and, in some cases, requiremen...

Phybridge is an unfamiliar name in the physical security market. That’s because the Canadian company first made its mark in the telecommunications market, serving customers transitioning from analogue to digital telephone systems using “voice-over-IP.” The telecommunications transition came six to 10 years before a similar transition happening now in the physical security market, and the infrastructure solutions that succeeded in the former market are also applicable to the la...

End users in the video surveillance market are looking for higher quality images and to retain those images for longer periods. Also, small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are turning to networked video surveillance in larger numbers. And video is now finding many uses outside the security market, including business intelligence and customer service applications, among others. These familiar trends are directly impacting the choice of video storage solutions being used i...

Integrators must understand that the primary/secondary education market has a unique and urgent need for access control, but with limited budgets Systems integrators play a key role delivering effective security solutions to the kindergarten through 12th grade (primary/secondary) education market. Schools certainly depend on an integrator’s expertise regarding which electronic products to choose. However, schools also rely the benefit of an integrator’s experience...

Readily available security technology can help officials take control of their campuses Two top priorities for school security are the ability to communicate within a facility, and the ability to control access of who comes and goes. Paul Timm, president of RETA Security, an independent school security consulting firm, acknowledges the value (and popularity) of video cameras for school security, but that value is almost completely realised in terms of forensics – reactin...

The latest in video surveillance equipment at ISC West this week is reflected by the numbers you hear repeatedly on the show floor, numbers like 4K and H.265. Big players like Panasonic have joined the 4K bandwagon in a big way. Sony introduced a 4K camera with a larger sensor size (1-inch) to increase light sensitivity, displaying the better view alongside a “Brand X” competitor in the Sony booth. “Sharper and smarter” Promoting a theme of “sharper and smarter,...