LifeSafety Power CCTV Power supplies & batteries

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.

The security market in 2016 saw an uptick in the economy, the introduction of new technologies, increased compliance requirements in key verticals, and rising concerns over the need for greater security. Users interested in upgrading or deploying new systems consistently chose networked system platforms. This trend further drove the demand for adaptive transmission solutions as a means of repurposing existing analogue infrastructure to accommodate IP devices on a networked platform. As this migration accelerated, product feature sets continued to evolve with the inclusion of advanced communications that let you monitor, control and report power/diagnostics from anywhere. These new products have also helped to stimulate new business opportunities for integrators by expanding their service offerings to include remote monitoring of these devices as a new source of recurring monthly revenue (RMR). PoE and adaptive transmission solutions In last year’s 2016 forecast, we discussed the integration trend and how PoE and adaptive transmission solutions with network communications were rapidly gaining traction and market share. As the year progressed, the trend increased with customers migrating towards systems that provided more data, faster transmission rates and more versatility, and accessibility anytime from anywhere. Altronix responded with more advanced product solutions. This growing trend makes it more critical than ever for the core power and transmission infrastructure that make up the foundation of these systems to include network communications for true integration. As effective and efficient as integrated IP systems have become, the cost to upgrade or install new networked systems can be prohibitive. In 2017, security professionals will require expanded options to capitalise on existing infrastructure while accommodating IP devices with new levels of performance. These new products will greatly reduce installation and maintenance costswhen deploying orupgrading systems We will see the introduction of new products that offer greater levels of integration with bundled capabilities such as PoE, network switches, versatile adaptive transmission capabilities to accommodate different types of cabling, greater bandwidth and speed, and management capabilities. These new products will greatly reduce installation and maintenance costs when deploying or upgrading systems. Altronix 2016 business overview Altronix’s evolution as a designer and manufacturer of versatile power supplies and accessories – and the addition of innovative PoE and adaptive transmission solutions with network communications – was significant in 2016. We have continued to deliver new products incorporating advances in power and communication technologies that solve real-world installation issues with the highest levels of performance and cost-efficiency. One of the most significant technologies contributing to our extensive portfolio of power and adaptive transmission products is our innovative LINQ™ Technology, which provides remote control of power, along with monitoring and reporting of diagnostics from anywhere you have internet access. LINQ completes the network communication cycle for networked systems by providing true integration for power supply and adaptive transmission products that are the foundation of every system. Altronix will continue to design, manufacture and introduce new power and adaptive transmission solutions in 2017 that live up to our longstanding reputation for outstanding quality, performance and reliability. See the full coverage of 2016/2017 Review and Forecast articles hereSave Save

IP/PoE systems eliminate the need for local power, thus saving installation costs Cost considerations are an important reason to use existing installed cable as part of a new system infrastructure. Extenders in the form of media converters can help. For almost three decades, video surveillance systems existed in the form of analogue systems. Video coaxial cable was the primary method of transmission with a limited distance of about 750 feet. Analogue systems required separate power supply located at each security camera site. Today, new technology often solves one problem and creates another. Internet Protocol/Power over Ethernet (IP/PoE) systems eliminate the need for local power supply, thus saving installation costs. The drawback is the restriction to only 328 feet and the required use of Cat 5e or above cable. Extended transmission distance So tens of thousands of video surveillance cameras are waiting to be converted to IP, and have been transmitting over coax at distances two-and-a-quarter-times greater than the Ethernet limit. The advent of extenders helps to solve this problem. In addition, the use of extenders for Cat cable and even single-pair alarm wire helps to add to the types of IP/PoE conversions while extending distance as far as three thousand feet. Tens of thousands of camerasare waiting to be converted to IP,and have been transmitting overcoax at distances two-and-a-quarter-times greater than theEthernet limit Considerations while using extenders Use of extenders requires taking several considerations into account. First and most important is a careful reading of specifications. A statement can be true while not applying to your applications. Let’s take IP/PoE transmission over coax as an example. A manufacturer’s product can state it has this feature and will meet your transmission requirement of X number of thousand feet. However, a careful reading reveals that achieving this requires RG 6 cable while you have RG 59 installed. You need to maintain a 100Mbps bandwidth and provide your cable with 12.95 watts of power. But as both bandwidth and power decrease with distances obtainable from many types of extensions, you realise that both are much less at the extended distance you require. In short, just depending on a product to make a simple specification statement is not enough when it comes to infrastructure considerations and especially with regards to extenders. Save Save

Many exhibitors at GSX 2019 saw the show as a success, despite slower booth traffic on the second and third days. According to show sponsor ASIS International, there were more than 20,000 registrants from 125 countries around the world, including those who attended the conference as well as the exhibition. Exhibitors definitely put their best feet forward, enthusiastically promoting their technology breakthroughs, but how convincing were they? The comments from at least one attendee – a large corporate end user who represents a key demographic for show organisers – bluntly suggest that healthy scepticism was on display side-by-side with the promotional energy in play.On this floor, there are some lies being given out. Ask the tough questions, make the exhibitors show you" “On this floor, there are some lies being given out,” said Rudy A. Wolter, CTO, Security and Investigative Services for Citigroup, a financial services corporation. He advised fellow attendees to “listen for them, ferret them out, ask the tough questions. Make [the exhibitors] show you.” “Don’t be afraid to ask these men and women questions,” added Wolter. “Don’t be afraid to challenge them. If you don’t challenge them, they’re not getting any better which means we aren’t getting any better. At the end of the day, they’re the leaders; they’re the ones making change; they’re the ones touching systems; they’re the ones helping integration.” Banking security with Verint At Citigroup, Wolter oversees 1,300 bank branches in North America that use Verint systems, including 23,000 cameras tied into a single command centre. Skepticism aside, Wolter also provided evidence that even tough customers can be brought around. Specifically, he is sold on Verint: “When you have a problem, this company listens,” he told attendees at a Verint gathering on the show floor. New at GSX 2019 is the Verint Video Investigator, which is software that empowers investigators to quickly find the data they need to identify security threats in near real-time. In all, Verint serves in excess of 2,300 individual financial institutions, with tens of thousands of branches. Wolter was one of several end users willing to sing their praises publicly. Other GSX exhibitors were also proud to have their own real-world success stories. Placing the emphasis on outcomes At GSX, I heard more than once that outcomes are more important than technologies. Customers don’t want to hear about technologies, but rather about what those technologies can do for them. Avigilon, now a subsidiary of Motorola Solutions, is another company that is focused on outcomes rather than technology per se. “Instead of focusing on megapixels and terabytes, the end user is focused on perimeter security, loss prevention and risk management,” says John Kedzierski, Sr. VP of Video Solutions at Motorola Solutions. “We are working to provide that outcome." The end user is focused on perimeter security, loss prevention and risk management" How operators work to ensure outcomes is another aspect that is changing, says Kedzierski. “Watching video is obsolete,” he says. Using Avigilon’s new system, the operator instead is looking at colour-coded hexagons; one color means motion, another means an analytic event. Operators click on various hexagons to view video. Also at GSX 2019, Avigilon featured its new H5A camera line, with expanded object classification analytics, detailed object detection, and tracking in crowded scenes; and focused on the Avigilon Blue cloud system. They are working to make every camera capable of detecting faces, which can be matched to a watch list. How technology addresses marketplace changes Addressing the changing marketplace was another GSX theme. As the workplace changes, ASSA ABLOY Americas is adapting its technology to address new employment practices such as "hot-desking", and remote and mobile workers, says Peter Boriskin, Chief Technology Officer. Systems have to be able both to protect assets and also to provide flexibility to accommodate the changing workforce, he said. Corporate acquisitions are directly expanding the capabilities that ASSA ABLOY brings to the market. For example, they recently acquired Luxer One, a locker company that enables secure delivery of packages without customers needing to stand in line or wait for service. Deliveries can be made in seconds. Peter Boriskin of ASSA ABLOY Americas led a booth tour, including new power capabilities gained in the acquisition of LifeSafety Power Another recent ASSA ABLOY acquisition is LifeSafety Power, which is expanding the company’s capability to provide proactive data on wired systems by tracking power usage. For example, a spike in current might mean a problem with a component. Compiling “intelligent triggers” enables creation of a dashboard to provide analytics of wired systems. ASSA ABLOY has also been devising predictive analytics of wireless locks to predict battery life, for instance, and to address other maintenance challenges. “We want to know what’s going on at a door without visiting it,” says Boriskin. New exhibitors make their mark New exhibitors were part of the GSX mix. One new exhibitor was Vaion. It’s their first trade show after launching at IFSEC in London in June. Vaion combines a small camera portfolio with on-premise servers and software managed through the cloud for an end-to-end solution. Tormod Ree, co-founder and CEO, calls it a “hybrid cloud delivery model”. Vaion is also a “more proactive security model”, said Ree. Video is analysed for anomalies, and the server “learns” what is normal and not normal. The system provides alerts and notifications, occupancy counting and traffic control, among other features. And “overlays” are employed to present information on a map. Vaion can highlight video that is more likely to be relevant and prioritise feeds that have more activity. Vaion designs the hardware, which is manufactured in Taiwan. Vaion was a first-time exhibitor at GSX 2019 with their end-to-end video system; Tomod Ree is co-founder and CEO Gunshot detection technology EAGL Technology displayed their “Firefly” gunshot detection technology at GSX 2019. Based on technology originally developed for use in the military for sniper detection, the U.S. Department of Energy adapted it to civilian uses after the Sandy Hook School shooting. Boaz Raz, CEO, said the technology is the “most advanced and affordable, wireless for use indoors or outdoors, and it can control doors and cameras”. It doesn’t “listen” for gunshots like some competitors; rather it measures energy for “6 sigma” accuracy (almost 100%). Defining, and redefining, end-to-end solutions End-to-end solutions were all the rage at GSX 2019, but Allied Universal was one exhibitor that pondered what, exactly, is an end-to-end solution? It means different things to different people. For example, a video company’s end-to-end solution would not include access control. When Allied Universal claims to offer an end-to-end solution, they mean it in the broadest definition of the term, including all security systems deployed for a customer as well as the important human element (i.e., manguarding). “The industry’s emphasis on ‘end-to-end’ doesn’t encompass a full solution,” says Mike Mullison, Allied Universal’s Chief Information Officer. “When somebody uses the term end-to-end, you have to ask: What’s at both ends?” The lines between cyber and physical threats are blurring. Clients want full-service solutions" “The lines between cyber and physical threats are blurring,” adds Mullison. “Clients want full-service solutions.” Allied Universal is adding new technology elements to its offering, and Mullison says “the next phase of growth will be fueled by technology.” Allied Universal recently introduced the Heliaus product, a smart phone app that accesses an analytics engine to predict outcomes and prescribe optimum responses. It literally puts technology in a security guard’s hand. One customer has found that use of the technology resulted in a 20% reduction in safety and security incidents. The latest in access control among exhibitors In addition to video, access control had a big profile at GSX 2019, as evidenced by ASSA ABLOY America and many other companies. Another example is SALTO Systems, featuring its new NEO cylinder for wireless access control and the SALTO Virtual Network (SVN); the SVN-Flex extends and increases the number of updating points directly to the door. The SVN-Flex extends and increases the number of updating points directly to the door The compact SALTO NEO Cylinder is designed for doors where fitting an electronic escutcheon is not possible or required and can be installed on standard doors, server racks, gates, cabinets, electric switches, or sliding doors. Low energy consumption results in 110,000 cycles with just one set of batteries. Other SALTO products are SALTO KS (Keys as a Service); SALTO BLUEnet Wireless for Bluetooth RF-driven real-time control of doors; the XS4 One Deadlatch stand-alone electronic lock; and JustIN Mobile, which replaces the need for an access card by securely sending a mobile key Over the Air (OTA) to an iOS or Android device from SALTO’s ProAccess SPACE management software. The next step in integration A new company reflecting the GSX emphasis on integration is Security and Safety Things (SAST), which is still in launch mode but expects to have its first pilot customers in the Q4. The first camera vendors embracing the SAST platform will have cameras for sale at ISC West in the spring. SAST is creating an Internet of Things (IoT) platform for the next generation of security cameras. The SAST App Store will allow developers to build and market new applications, similar to today’s app stores for smartphones.SAST is creating an IoT platform for the next generation of security cameras “SAST is a technology platform, but it is also a business platform and a relationship platform,” said Emmanuel Ventadour, VP Sales and Marketing. For app developers, SAST also provides non-technical commercial services (i.e., easing their route to market.) Hartmut Schaper, CEO, emphasises the “openness” of the company. Even though they are a spinoff of Bosch, they are treating every camera manufacturer equally, he says. For integrators, the use of apps can expand their field of play. Apps will empower integrators to use video for more business processes – not just security – and expand their reach with customers, says Schaper. From scepticism to sales There were plenty of product claims at GSX to feed the skepticism of even the toughest of potential customers. Fortunately, product claims were only the beginning of conversations with attendees at this year’s show. No doubt manufacturers were put through their paces more than once, and a few of them even came out on the other side with potential new business to show for their efforts. That’s the true measure of success at GSX 2019, or any trade show.  Click here to read our reviews from Day One and Day Two of the show.

ASSA ABLOY has acquired LifeSafety Power, a US supplier of smart integrated access control power solutions for OEMs, integrators and end-users. "I am very pleased to welcome LifeSafety Power into the ASSA ABLOY Group. LifeSafety Power constitutes a strategic addition to the Group and reinforces our position in access control solutions,” says Nico Delvaux, President and CEO of ASSA ABLOY. Access control portfolio "LifeSafety Power is a great complement to our access control portfolio – we are looking forward to incorporating their knowledge of power supply as well as power consumption throughout our access control portfolio," says Lucas Boselli, Executive Vice President of ASSA ABLOY and Head of the Americas Division. LifeSafety Power was established in 2009 and has some 65 employees. The main office is located in Libertyville, Illinois. Sales for 2019 are expected to reach about USD 30 million (approx. SEK 290 million) with a good EBIT margin and the acquisition will be accretive to EPS from start.

LifeSafety Power Inc., Libertyville, Ill., announces deeper E4 and E8 enclosures are now ‘live’ across the product line, giving systems integrators and dealers more flexibility for their security and access control specifications. Growing connected system With this change, the interior depth of E4 and E8 enclosures increase from 4.5 to 6.5 inches—part of the company’s ongoing commitment to meeting installation needs in the field. With more interior space for batteries, wiring and equipment, security installers can comfortably keep pace with their growing connected system specifications. While the enclosures gain two inches of depth, width and length remain unchanged. The change applies to all E4 and E8 enclosures, including FlexPower® Unified Power and ProWire® Unified Power.