AgilityGrid - Experts & Thought Leaders

IDIS, the manufacturer of trusted South Korean-made video tech, and Agility Grid, a value-add distributor, have announced the new Middle East and Africa distribution agreement. The partnership will see IDIS’s full suite of video security solutions made available to Agility Grid’s wide range of customers, operating in a variety of vertical markets, including law enforcement, transportation, banking, retail, and hospitality. Systems integrators Agility Grid’s network of systems integrators will benefit from IDIS’s comprehensive line-up of end-to-end solutions, including network cameras, NVRs, VMS, and AI-powered video analytics, which are delivering robust and cost-effective video security and intelligence for organisations around the globe. The simple plug-and-play and seamless connectivity of IDIS DirectIP saves time and money during installation and maintenance. High-performance network security solutions Users will also have a choice of cost-free or modular and enterprise-class VMS suiting applications of any size Users will also have a choice of cost-free or modular and enterprise-class VMS suiting applications of any size, delivering on the IDIS promise of a low total cost of ownership. Since 2010, Agility Grid has operated in over 20 countries in the Middle East and Africa and offers high-performance network security solutions and fully integrated enterprise hardware, as well as a range of professional services including system design, training, and technical support. Network, and end-to-end video solutions Commenting on the partnership, Dennis Choi, General Manager, IDIS Middle East, and Africa said, “IDIS has enjoyed significant and continued success in the MEA region with major project wins in banking, retail, education, and government.” “We are delighted to be partnering with Agility Grid, with a customer base that will benefit from proven and trusted Korean-made technology and will provide integrators with everything they need to design and install a network, and end-to-end video solutions. This partnership is a strategic step forward and both companies are perfectly positioned to enjoy mutual growth that is key to the success of the IDIS partner programme.” Video surveillance and analytics Ahmed Mehdaoui, General Manager of Agility Grid added, “The IDIS product portfolio matches the requirements of many of our systems integrators, offering a range of easy-to-deploy video solutions, ideal for multiple vertical sectors that are increasingly looking for end-to-end, video surveillance and analytics that deliver a rapid return on investment.” “The IDIS ethos of providing trusted, reliable hardware and software also align with our own core values and we look forward to a long and successful relationship.”

AgilityGrid, a Dubai-based security solutions provider that delivers IP CCTV security solutions for businesses and government bodies across the EMEA region, along with its partner, Regal Technologies, has migrated the analogue surveillance system at Hyatt Regency Dubai to the latest Intransa IP video surveillance appliances for the hotel complex that includes 421 guestrooms and 388 residences in its apartment complex; restaurants and bars; 4000 sqm of meetings and events area; extensive recreational facilities including a fitness centre, outdoor pool, floodlit tennis courts, basketball court, jogging track and ice rink. The new IP-based system will allow the Hyatt Regency to monitor and review footage in real-time AgilityGrid and its partner installed Intransa’s 20 devices supported by Milestone VMS and 768 cameras to upgrade the Hyatt Regency’s existing analogue CCTV system to an Intransa IP system in order to comply with the current Dubai Police SIRA regulations and meet its 31-day retention period. The new IP-based system will allow the Hyatt Regency to monitor and review footage in real-time through a custom-built control room. Viakoo-assisted hotel security The solution included an upgrade of the hotel’s full system including its servers, storage and workstations. Viakoo performance monitoring software was also installed on all Intransa devices to measure and monitor the solution. Viakoo assists the IT security team and management by providing alerts and reports on the number of issues/call outs during a specified period, the number of times a system goes down (which is negligible with Intransa), how the system is performing against KPIs, and whether the required performance checks are being  carried out regularly by the operators. The new IP technology allows the devices to be more easily integrated with other hardware and software" Hyatt Regency opted for storage support of 120TB per device for its residential requirements and 70Tb per device for its hotel requirements. The hotel is now completely compliant with regulatory standards and will continue to add cameras as required. The hardware just took four days to install by a team of two engineers and a member of the hotel’s IT security team. Then a week was allowed for configuration and testing. This was followed by full training for the customer on the product. Smart video wall In addition to IP-based appliances, the hotel installed a smart video wall for its control room to enable easier monitoring and review of the footage from the system. The control room gives the security team the ability to view and manage a large number of cameras simultaneously and sequentially as required. Michael Mendoza, Director of Engineering at Hyatt Regency, said, “Our security consultant recommended the upgrade to an IP CCTV system and Intransa solution was chosen based on its track record of reliability and high-performance capabilities in terms of data writing and retrieval technologies specifically designed for video surveillance, reliability, up time and high storage capacity per device. The new IP technology allows the devices to be more easily integrated with other hardware and software being deployed as part of the overall security platform.” Transitioning from analogue to network video with Instransa systems has brought Hyatt numerous advancements" Plug-and-play security solutions Costa Boukouvalas, CEO, AgilityGrid said, “We are very pleased to be working with Regal Technologies and the team at Hyatt Regency, to help them meet the Dubai Government regulations. Our Intransa appliances are effectively a plug and play solution and made the transition quite easy. The additional features such as built-in monitoring, reporting and management tools made the move easier and more flexible to manage.” The IT team at Hyatt Regency received full training during the handover of the system and have since been finding it very easy to use. They continue to receive technical support as required, via remote access. According to Mendoza, “Transitioning from analogue to network video with Instransa systems has brought Hyatt numerous advancements, such as clearer images and a simplified distribution system to share video among its teams on a local, regional and global scale. The consistent performance and reliability of the system working 24/7, with minimal maintenance required and an extremely low failure rate, will ultimately save the business cost in both the short and long term.”

Intersec 2017 focusses on IP-based video surveillance for retail sector offering The rise of IoT (Internet of Things), and its convergence with video analytics is set to have a profound impact on the Middle East video surveillance industry, as the regional security sector’s traditional boundaries continue to blur. Global security solutions providers at the upcoming Intersec 2017 trade show in Dubai said the retail sector is one of many industry verticals where video surveillance can offer bottom-line benefits far beyond loss prevention and control. Intelligent IP video analytics Swedish company Axis Communications is one of more than 1,200 exhibitors at Intersec, and will offer up a range of intelligent solutions based on IP (Internet Protocol) video analytics that have multiple applications across a range of sectors, including retail. Johan Åkesson, Director of Business Development for Retail at Axis Communications, said retailers who think of video surveillance as a loss prevention tool are missing a huge opportunity to leverage some truly powerful in-store intelligence. Real-time in-store surveillance “When retailers think of video surveillance, it’s usually in the context of loss prevention and security, but there’s a whole other arena where surveillance video provides enormous value: gathering real-time in-store intelligence to help improve margins,” said Åkesson. “With embedded analytics in network video cameras, retailers can not only observe customer behaviour in-store, but garner real-time statistics to improve store layout, product and display placements, and even identify bottlenecks and dead areas on the shop floor.” Axis Communications will display its entire range of intelligent security solutions at Intersec 2017, which runs from 22-24 January at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. It’s among the world’s top ten security solutions providers that will all be out in force at the world’s largest trade fair for security, safety, and fire protection. Retailers who think of video surveillance as a lossprevention tool are missinga huge opportunity to leverage some truly powerful in-store intelligence Video analytics solutions The 19th edition of the three-day event arrives as the global appetite for video analytics is expected to grow annually by 20 per cent, from US$1.69 billion in 2016 to US$4.23 billion by 2021, according to news portal Security.World. Dubai-based AgilityGrid is another Intersec 2017 exhibitor that will showcase its video surveillance hardware and software solutions, having already worked on a major project in a Qatar mall where it installed thousands of cameras and over 10 PB (petabyte) of storage. Security surveillance solutions Costa Boukouvalas, the CEO of Agility Grid, said there’s a strong demand in the retail sector for large-scale surveillance solutions, with Big Data playing a key role. “The trend for Big Data analytics and understanding more about customers and people’s behaviour in general is going to increasingly be applied to video analytics – from use of facial recognition and biometric software to recognising VIP customers when they enter a retail outlet,” said Boukouvalas. “Our large-scale solutions have ranged up to 10PB, 3,000 cameras and over 100 recording servers. At Intersec, we’ll also be showcasing a new hardware line that better caters to customers who have medium-sized solution requirements with virtualisation.” Exceptional performance security system Elsewhere, Korean-based surveillance solutions provider IDIS will return to Intersec 2017, and is looking to emulate the successful partnership it established with Sedar – a home furnishing manufacturer and retailer – at one of the show’s previous editions. Harry Kwon, General Manager of IDIS Middle East & North Africa, explained, “IDIS first exhibited at the Intersec in 2014, and at the time Sedar needed a state-of-the-art security surveillance system that offered exceptional performance without placing a heavy burden on company resources.” Central monitoring “By the time the Sedar team visited IDIS at Intersec 2014, the company had already reviewed and dismissed systems from around 40 other manufacturers. At our stand, Sedar finally found what it was looking for, and by 2015, it rolled out over 400 IDIS full-HD cameras and 40 network video recorders, all operated through IDIS Solution Suite to provide both local and centralised monitoring from its headquarters in Dubai. The solution has secured Sedar’s manufacturing facility, a 50,000sqm distribution centre in Riyadh, the company headquarters, eight major warehouse and 20-plus showrooms across the Middle East.” "IP-based surveillance systems have surpassed the boundary between passive monitoringand interpretative systemsthat can analyse and provide real-time intelligence" Added Kwon, “The IDIS solution enabled Sedar to benefit from rapid plug-and-play installation, minimal maintenance, outstanding resilience, storage and retrieval of footage. Additionally, the company has seen a 10% increase in staff productivity, experienced fewer reports of unauthorised access and potential concerns around employee behaviour and also has the ultimate scalability in order to support future growth.” IP solution for remote monitoring Other leading Intersec exhibitors showcasing IP-based video surveillance solutions for retail and other enterprise sectors include Hikvision, Honeywell, Bosch Security Systems, Dahua, Tyco, Flir Systems, iOmniscient, NIT, Nedap, March Networks, and LENSEC. Ahmed Pauwels, CEO of Messe Frankfurt Middle East, the organiser of Intersec, said, “IP-based surveillance systems have surpassed the boundary between passive monitoring of premises and establishments into interactive and interpretative systems that can analyse and provide real-time intelligence to remote control rooms for further action.” “Breakthrough technology and interactive systems will transform the way surveillance and monitoring is done across the world, and as the leading international security and safety trade platform, Intersec 2017 will be the launch venue of choice for the industry.” Intersec 2017 show sections Intersec 2017 will feature more than 1,200 exhibitors from 52 countries, while over 31,000 visitors from 128 countries are expected to attend as they seek the latest solutions across seven show sections of Commercial Security, Fire & Rescue, Safety & Health, Homeland Security & Policing, Perimeter & Physical Security, Information Security, and Smart Home & Building Automation. The annual showcase is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and officially supported by Dubai Police, the Dubai Civil Defence, and Dubai Police Academy. Save