Hybrid security

Keysight, the test and measurement vendor, has released the results of a survey sponsored by Ixia, on ‘The State of Cloud Monitoring’. The report highlights the security and monitoring challenges faced by enterprise IT staff responsible for managing public and private cloud deployments. Cloud environment The survey, conducted by Dimensional Research and polling 338 IT professionals at organisations from a range of sizes and industries globally, revealed that companies have low visibility into their public cloud environments, and the tools and data supplied by cloud providers are insufficient. Lack of visibility can result in a variety of problems including the inability to track or diagnose application performance issues, inability to monitor and deliver against service-level agreements, and delays in detecting and resolving security vulnerabilities and exploits. Survey findings 87% of respondents expressed fears that a lack of cloud visibility is obscuring security threats to their organisation 95% of respondents said visibility problems had led them to experience an application or network performance issue 38% cited insufficient visibility as a key factor in application outages, and 31% in network outages Application performance Those responsible for hybrid IT environments are concerned about their inability to fully see and react" “This survey makes it clear that those responsible for hybrid IT environments are concerned about their inability to fully see and react to what is happening in their networks, especially as business-critical applications migrate to a virtualised infrastructure,” said Recep Ozdag, general manager and vice president, product management in Keysight’s Ixia Solutions Group. “This lack of visibility can result in poor application performance, customer data loss, and undetected security threats, all of which can have serious consequences to an organisations’ overall business success.” Public and hybrid cloud monitoring The survey focused on challenges faced when monitoring public and private clouds, as well as on-premises data centers. Data revealed IT professionals indicated that cloud providers are not providing the level of visibility they need: Public cloud environments are difficult to monitor: Less than 20% of IT professionals reported they had complete, timely access to data packets in public clouds. In private clouds, the situation is better, with 55% reporting adequate access. In on-premises data centers, 82% have the visibility they need. Packet-level visibility is critical for monitoring: 86% of respondents stated visibility was important for network and application performance monitoring, and 93% stated it was valuable for security. Monitoring, performance management, security Nearly all respondents (99%) identified a direct link between comprehensive network visibility and business value. The top three visibility benefits cited were: Monitoring and ensuring application performance (60%) Enabling threat identification (59%) Identifying security ‘indicators of compromise’ (57%) The survey also revealed that visibility is critical for monitoring cloud performance, as well as validating application performance prior to cloud deployment. Predicting performance is a key challenge and 87 % of cloud users find it difficult to predict application performance in the cloud.

Cobalt Iron Inc., global provider of enterprise data protection SaaS, and Tech Data Corporation, a global technology distributor, have announced a distribution partnership for Cobalt Iron products, including the company's Adaptive Data Protection (ADP) SaaS enterprise backup solution, throughout the United Kingdom. Analytics-driven data protection Tech Data is globally renowned end-to-end technology distributor "As we continue to expand the Cobalt Iron footprint in the U.K. market, Tech Data will be a valuable partner in addressing customer and partner demand for next-generation automated and analytics-driven data protection," said Mark Ward, chief operating officer at Cobalt Iron. "Tech Data has both an impressive reputation and extensive reach in these markets, and we look forward to working together to drive business partners' awareness of the benefits that smart, secure, automated data protection everywhere brings to the enterprise." Tech Data is globally renowned end-to-end technology distributor, and the company offers not only a broad portfolio of products, services, and solutions, but also the specialised skills and expertise in next-generation technologies that enable channel partners to bring innovative products and solutions to market. Data security The new partnership between the two companies will make Cobalt Iron products and solutions even more visible and accessible to business partners in the U.K., enabling them to deliver increased cost savings, simpler operations, and greater flexibility in providing expansive data-protection environments to their end-user customers. Tech Data has a key role to play in enabling partners and MSPs to deliver intelligent, automated solutions" Cobalt Iron ADP enables partners to deliver a cloud-based backup-as-a-service leveraging the most intelligent analytics and automation. The solution modernises backup, delivering the features and scale of enterprise data protection along with the flexibility and economics of cloud consumption. ADP also eliminates complexity, reduces management, scales easily from terabytes to exabytes, and provides the simplicity absent in today's backup technologies and tools. Tech Data Ian Jeffs, business unit director — Data Center, at Tech Data U.K., said: "The addition of Cobalt Iron to our next-generation solutions portfolio means we can give resellers an opportunity to address the rapidly evolving backup needs of enterprise customers who are moving to hybrid and highly distributed infrastructures. As a trusted advisor to the channel, Tech Data has a key role to play in enabling partners and MSPs to deliver intelligent, automated solutions and thus increase customer satisfaction and grow their revenues and margin opportunities."

Senstar, global perimeter intrusion detection and video management solutions provider, is pleased to announce its Senstar LM100 hybrid perimeter intrusion detection and intelligent lighting system has received the Fixture Seal of Approval (FSA) from the International Dark Skies Association (IDA). IDA is the recognised authority on light pollution. Its mission is to preserve and protect the nighttime environment and the heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting. To help accomplish this, IDA developed the FSA program to provide objective, third-party certification for lighting that minimises glare, reduces light trespass and doesn’t pollute the night sky. Hybrid perimeter intrusion detection system The Senstar LM100 combines two key security functions in one cutting-edge product, acting as a powerful deterrent against intruders by detecting and illuminating them at the fence line. Its engineered lighting is environmentally friendly (its power-efficient LED technology uses 95% less power than traditional security lighting systems) and is specially-designed to minimise light pollution. “The minimised light pollution of the LM100 makes it ideal for deployment in urban and residential environments where legislation is changing, and general environmental awareness continues to grow,” said Product Manager Todd Brisebois. “Senstar takes pride in developing high quality products that take into consideration environmental impact and receiving the FSA is testament to our commitment to environmental preservation. Thank you to the IDA for this approval.”

Aqua Security, global platform provider for securing container-based and cloud native applications, has announced version 3.5 of its cloud native security platform, which now protects a wide range of cloud native technologies, including applications using serverless functions. Customers can deploy end-to-end security to establish a consistent policy enforcement layer spanning container, serverless containers (such as AWS Fargate) and serverless functions (such as AWS Lambda). Aqua CSP v3.5 In addition, driven by continued enterprise adoption of the Aqua platform in some of the largest global enterprises, Aqua CSP v3.5 raises the bar in terms of ease of management of complex, multi-application and multi-team enterprise environments by enabling flexible policy scopes and highly granular user role definitions, and adds container encryption for protection of intellectual property. Moving to a serverless model allows developers to prioritise simplicity and agility by abstracting infrastructure concerns to provide a straightforward execution environment for applications and microservices. However, serverless architectures also introduce new security risks. Attackers may leverage a weakness or vulnerability in the serverless function code itself or outsourced libraries; or attempt to take advantage of the complexity of cloud infrastructure permissions to reach services or networks that contain sensitive information. Building on Aqua’s experience in securing containers, Aqua CSP v3.5 addresses these serverless threat vectors and minimises their potential impact. Security for hybrid cloud deployments There is a growing need for scalable security that is easy-to-manage across multi-cloud and hybrid cloud deployments, covering both containers and serverless functions" “As the adoption of containers and serverless continues to expand within a greater number of enterprises, and to greater numbers of applications within those enterprises, there is a growing need for scalable security that is easy-to-manage across multi-cloud and hybrid cloud deployments, covering both containers and serverless functions,” said Amir Jerbi, CTO and co-founder of Aqua Security. “Our customers now run multiple cloud native applications and require a unified platform to manage security across teams, while providing security and DevOps teams segregation of duties coupled with the control they require.” Features and capabilities Risk Assessment for Serverless functions: Checks functions for known vulnerabilities, embedded secrets (keys and tokens), and cloud permissions, to ensure that function privileges are secure and minimised. Serverless support is fully integrated with Aqua’s extensive controls for container runtime deployments and is managed via the same console. Container Encryption: Aqua now makes it possible to encrypt the entire contents of a container image, decrypting it with a key when it is instantiated as a container. This feature enables companies with sensitive intellectual property embedded in their container images to protect them against unauthorised use and prevents unauthorised access to code in case of a registry breach or when code is given under license to partners and customers. Greater Visibility through Workload Explorer: With a tabular and visual view of running workloads on Kubernetes and Docker environments, Workload Explorer provides visibility into large, distributed runtime environments, highlighting vulnerable or risky components (i.e., namespaces, deployments, pods, containers). Operations and security staff can easily filter the data and drill down to view detailed information quickly to ensure compliance. Contextual Runtime Policies: Based on feedback from some of Aqua’s largest customer implementations, Aqua runtime security policy models now allow the definition of a highly specific scope for each policy, to be applied to an application context. The scope can be defined according to dozens of parameters, including Kubernetes deployment and namespace, image registry prefix, environment variables, and many more. This flexibility allows customers to easily differentiate between multiple applications, for example by applying stricter policy to applications with higher trust requirements, such as mission critical applications, even if they use the same images as other applications. Fine-Grained Administrative Access Control: An enhanced RBAC engine enables fine-grained permissions for DevOps, security and compliance teams on the Aqua platform, enabling true segregation of duties between teams and roles. For example, different teams may be granted access to different sets of images or registries, while their ability to view or change Aqua policies for images, serverless functions, runtime, secrets, and compliance will vary according to their specific role.

Pivot3, global provider of security, Internet of Things (IoT) and hybrid cloud infrastructure solutions, has announced the introduction of the Pivot3 Architect and Engineer (A&E) Program. This initiative will provide architects, engineers and consultants with the resources and support needed to make intelligent decisions when specifying infrastructure platforms at the core of enterprise-class IoT, video surveillance and security solutions for their clients. Pivot3 A&E Program The Pivot3 A&E Program is intended to help specifiers and their clients address the complexities of planning, designing, deploying and managing compute and storage infrastructure for today’s sophisticated security applications including video surveillance, analytics, access control, building management and all other integrated systems. Pivot3 understands the specific needs of both the security and IT markets" A&E firms will gain access to a wide variety of resources that can be used to facilitate projects based on Pivot3's high-performance, ultra-dense, highly resilient solutions that reduce risk, eliminate downtime and data loss, and simplify scale and management. With Pivot3, A&E firms can specify one common infrastructure to consolidate multiple applications and solutions — all manageable through a single pane of glass. Advanced tools and support “Pivot3’s A&E program seeks to provide the advanced tools and enhanced support necessary to specify infrastructure solutions that serve as the backbone of intelligent environments,” said Ray Bernard, president and principal consultant, Ray Bernard Consulting Services. “Pivot3 understands the specific needs of both the security and IT markets, as well as the design and deployment challenges in each domain." "The company has the in-depth deployment experience needed in both to effectively support system designers and specifiers in all stages of design and deployment work. The team also understands the client perspectives and issues, and the IT-physical security collaboration dynamics. This new program demonstrates Pivot3’s commitment to helping system designers access the expertise and tools needed to design enterprise-class, IT-proven solutions.” Pivot3 A&E Program members will have access to:  Document development and review assistance with specifications, proposals, and commissioning and acceptance plans. A&E resources including CSI MasterFormat 2018 specification documents, 3D BIM Modules for AutoDesk Revit, MS Visio stencils and templates, and CAD drawings. Solution development and design support including review of system architecture, sizing and workload/throughput calculations, and application validation. Dedicated A&E support contact and local support from Pivot3’s Solution Architects and Regional Sales Directors. Design guides, best practices and white papers. Training, webinars and newsletters. Mission-critical infrastructure solutions “The availability of dedicated Pivot3 contacts and resources will help the A&E community consider, design and ultimately, deliver infrastructure solutions that ensure the performance resiliency, and scalability that their customers’ mission-critical environments demand,” said Mike Maddox, director of A&E programs, Pivot3. “The Pivot3 A&E Program will provide the tools, insight and support necessary to achieve the successful design of enterprise-grade, IT-ready infrastructure solutions for a variety of applications and markets.”

Pulse Secure, global provider of Secure Access solutions to both enterprises and service providers, has announced the launch of new packaging of its award-winning Pulse Access Suite for Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs). The solution offers service providers an accelerated, cost-effective means to differentiate and build out their service portfolio to meet the massive demand for protected connectivity to cloud applications and hybrid IT resources. Pulse Secure Pulse Secure offers a comprehensive, integrated and highly interoperable set of Secure Access solutions spanning remote, mobile and cloud access security; network visibility and access control; and application delivery. The suite allows service providers to extend lucrative access protection, endpoint compliance, threat response and availability services for the data center, hosted in the cloud or running as SaaS. The service provider packaging optimises capital expenditure through an on-demand, pay-per-use model. MSSPs can spin up or spin down virtual Secure Access instances and licenses at a cost based on the number of concurrent monthly users. On-demand provisioning and tiered, user-based pricing gives service providers needed flexibility for customer onboarding, growth spurts and business downturns. Managed Security Services (MSS) The Managed Security Services (MSS) market 'constitutes approximately 60 percent of the overall security outsourcing market' According to a recent Gartner report1, the Managed Security Services (MSS) market 'constitutes approximately 60 percent of the overall security outsourcing market , generating $18.7 billion in revenue in 2017 and growing at a CAGR of 11 percent through 2021. It is important to view MSS in the context of broader security outsourcing, because large enterprises are increasingly looking for hybrid engagements that include a mix of shared and dedicated service delivery components.' Key market trends in that report include: Moving beyond monitoring of only network-based security technologies, particularly the network perimeter, with increasing focus on the endpoint (e.g. managed EDR services) Increasing movement toward more customised outcomes for buyers Buyer demand for capabilities to monitor popular SaaS applications, and public cloud service providers and IaaS Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM) and Network Access Control (NAC) As enterprises are seeking more complete offerings from fewer managed security service providers, MSSPs in turn are seeking to expand service scope while reducing business risk and operational complexity. In comparison to working with point solutions that are limited due to custom integration, disparate management and licensing constraints, Pulse Secure uniquely offers MSSPs integrated Virtual Private Network (VPN), Enterprise Mobile Management (EMM), Network Access Control (NAC) and virtual Application Delivery Controller (ADC) solutions within a unified management framework for data center and hybrid IT implementation. Pulse Secure Access Suite for MSSPs MSSP packaging, including user-based licensing, will be available to authorised channel partners at the end of November through Pulse Secure’s global distributors MSSP packaging, including user-based licensing, will be available to authorised channel partners at the end of November through Pulse Secure’s global distributors. The Pulse Secure Access Suite for MSSPs’ list price starts at $6 USD MSRP per concurrent user per month for the first 500 users with higher discounts available for larger user counts. The solution includes a multi-tenant, centralised management system and licensing server that gives MSSPs operational oversight while also providing clients with dashboard visibility. The solution includes virtual appliance form factors for VMware, KVM and Hyper-V, and supports deployment in hosted cloud environments such as Microsoft Azure and Amazon AWS.  “Ensuring secure access is more challenging than ever given the dynamics of cyber threats, IT consumerisation and software-defined data centers. Enterprises of all sizes are overwhelmed and increasingly looking to MSSPs for expertise and capacity,” said Scott Gordon, chief marketing officer at Pulse Secure. “Pulse Secure gives MSSP leaders an easy, proven and no-risk path to extend services and increase revenues for hybrid IT secure access. More importantly, our new MSSP packaging enables our service provider partners and their customers to deliver ubiquitous access productivity while ensuring compliance.” Managed Access Services “Pulse Secure has been a key vendor for our managed access services. In my team’s experience, Pulse is the only one that has reliably delivered as-advertised stability, performance and manageability, as well as new feature sets that satisfy our highly demanding clients,” said Nicholas Klein, SOC supervisor at GTT Managed Secure Access Group. “With Pulse Secure, our services are backed by a rock-solid, flexible platform paired with a responsive support team, allowing us to focus on the value-add aspects of our managed service for our customers.” “As business, government and educational institutions are building out their cloud-enabled infrastructure, enterprises must consider how to enforce appropriate resource and data access while delivering high usability for their users. indevis offers enterprises the benefit of expertise, resources, and experience to design and implement an integrated data center and cloud access strategy,” said Wolfgang Kurz, founder and CTO at indevis. “We believe Pulse Secure offers a breadth of Secure Access capabilities and interoperability that give our customers greater freedom to optimize and defend their mobile and cloud computing initiatives. We appreciate the operational and licensing advantages that the Pulse Secure packaging provides our customers and us.” Internet of Enterprises Orange Business Services is a leader in the Internet of Enterprises, the emerging digital business ecosystem powered by data" “Orange Business Services is a leader in the Internet of Enterprises, the emerging digital business ecosystem powered by data. We are at the core of our customers’ data journey,” said Nicolas Drogou, head of Orange Cyberdefense APAC. “Ensuring the security of the data and its journey end to end is paramount to us being the trusted partner for their Digital Transformation. Pulse Secure is a cornerstone solution within our managed security services suite. The features and scalability of its Secure Access suite enable us to tackle the complex Secure Access challenges that organizations face in an increasingly volatile threat landscape.” “RKON’s customers are building out significant mobile and cloud investments where potential exposure to cyberattacks, compliance and visibility gaps are top of mind,” said Jeff Mullarkey, CEO of RKON, a leading-edge MSSP based in Chicago. He further added, “Ensuring always-on and protected access to resources is foundational to their businesses. We support enterprises across all verticals with a specific emphasis in the mergers and acquisitions space. Our Managed Secure Access practice leverages the Pulse Secure platform's reliability and broad capabilities.”

Last year, Genetec predicted that cybersecurity would be taken much more seriously as the Internet of Things (IoT) opened more doors for hacking and network take overs. We also predicted that that there would be an increase in the adoption of Software as a Service (SaaS), expanding choice and convenience from new ownership models via hybrid (on-premises and Cloud) and Cloud-only models. Cyber Accountability awareness 2017 was also a year of awareness about ‘Cyber Accountability’. Rising cyber-crime and the increasing threats saw organisations taking direct action to mitigate their risks. There was a greater demand for cybersecurity/cyber-incompetence malpractice insurance in the physical security space. The physical security industry is continuing to grow at a rate that most other industries would envy. However, the “race to the bottom” and the rise of ultra-low-cost surveillance sensor equipment is negatively affecting the industry as a whole on several levels: Not only are profit margins being eroded, but these ultra-low-cost devices are being fielded and subsidised by state-owned organisations which raises troubling questions around privacy, data sovereignty and cyber security. More focus on privacy protection In 2018, we will see a lot more focus on privacy protection and compliance. People want to feel safe, but not watched. This is where privacy protection and encryption technology play a role in ensuring that security professionals have enough information to be able to do their job while protecting the privacy of the public. In addition to privacy and data protection, there is a greater demand for organisations and institutions to not only make sense of an increasing array of data from sensors and connected devices, but to take meaningful and smart action on these data. Software that help organisations build and activate this type of operational resiliency and security intelligence will lead the way in 2018. Genetec celebrated its 20th anniversary and welcomed its 1,000th employee in 2017. We are still proudly privately owned and will continue to grow and march to our own drummer while delivering our usual brisk pace of software innovation.

Organisations are moving to align their physical and digital security initiatives, especially in today’s more connected world Organisations must address growing security threats using fewer resources in an increasingly challenging regulatory environment. They are looking to ensure data security while also protecting their facilities’ physical security. At the same time, their users are demanding more choices of smart cards, smartphones, wearables, and other mobile devices that can do much more than simply open doors in an increasingly connected world. Cobbling together disparate solutions creates vulnerability gaps and can be expensive and difficult to manage. For these and other reasons, many organisations are moving to align their physical and digital security initiatives, especially in today’s more connected world tied to the Internet of Things (IoT). They are adopting new ways of thinking about trust in smart environments and evolving how they use trusted identities across their operations. In the process, they are discovering better ways to establish, create, use and manage secure credentials using hybrid on-premises and cloud solutions both for access control and to tie people, assets and processes to the Internet of Trusted Things (IoTT). Simpler and more efficient approaches Cloud-based solutions such as Microsoft Azure are already widely used for IT access management and there is now growing interest in harnessing the cloud to manage trusted identities used for physical access management as well. Today’s solutions span the full identity lifecycle, from badge printing or mobile credential issuance all the way through to the management and application of access rights. These solutions tie everything together and automate other manual workflows to provide an end-to-end physical identity and access management solution These integrated solutions will be joined by new cloud models for delivering network-based, service-focused badge printing and encoding that eliminates the need for stand-alone card printers attached to dedicated PC workstations and delivers the security of end-to-end encryption. Such solutions will transform the operational management of ID badge printing, reduce costs, eliminate capex outlay, simplify system maintenance and improve security as compared to on-premises solutions. Reducing vulnerabilities and simplifying compliance In parallel with the move to the cloud, there is also a growing awareness of the interdependencies of technologies and platforms that are used to optimise business agility, manage costs and improve the user experience in today’s increasingly mobile environment, or to extend the reach, flexibility and security of digital commerce and relationship management. These interdependent technologies require an organisation-wide approach to identity management that connects multiple platforms, systems and devices for multi-factor authentication. This approach increases security, reduces vulnerabilities and simplifies compliance. To achieve this vision, unified identity cloud-based physical and IT access management solutions can create a far more seamless experience for users while simplifying procurement, deployment and maintenance. These solutions tie everything together and automate other manual workflows to provide an end-to-end physical identity and access management solution that integrates with access control systems, logical identity and other applications so organisations can manage all types of physical identities and their details. Encompassing identity management lifecycle This approach incorporates trusted credential and other advanced security technologies and encompasses the entire identity management lifecycle. The result: organisations achieve a single, comprehensive security view and more coordinated way to protect privacy, while also lowering total cost of ownership, extending strong authentication from the desktop to the door and supporting a multitude of advanced use cases. This unified approach is especially effective for government agencies and other regulated industries such as banking, healthcare, and transportation. It improves the organisation’s overall security posture while consolidating physical and IT security into a single solution. The user experience is improved by having a single credential for opening doors and accessing IT systems, networks and data and the organisation can more easily comply with federal security requirements while extending public key infrastructure (PKI) strong authentication throughout their operations. Unified identity cloud-based physical and IT access management solutions can create a far more seamless experience for users This unified approach also enables using strong cryptographic credentials in a range of additional applications, including digitally signing emails or documents, decrypting emails or files, full disk encryption and boot protection to secure laptops, among others. This approach also makes it easier to monitor and manage users’ access rights as their roles change within an organisation, ensuring they only have access to what they need in a current role. Incorporation of biometrics In banking, unified platforms provide a holistic, mobile-relevant, multi-channel solution for managing customer identities across all channels, improving the user experience without increasing cost or complexity. The incorporation of biometrics further improves the user experience with higher levels of trust and makes it easier to combat fraud while complying with “know your customer” and other regulatory mandates. Unified platforms for healthcare enable administrators to consolidate identity and access management across the continuum from hospital to home, simplifying operations ranging from opening hospital doors and accessing healthcare records to e-prescribing while simplifying compliance and improving how healthcare professionals interact with patients and log their activities. Institutions can leverage e-prescribing architectures for other valuable capabilities such as authenticating to VPNs and enabling remote access using credentials, key fobs, mobile smartphones and other smart devices and one-time password (OTP) tokens. Path to converged solutions The move to unified platforms offers new ways to establish, create, manage and use trusted identities and combine on-premises systems and the cloud to simplify identity and access management using common, flexible and adaptable platforms. Organisations that adopt these platforms can more easily secure access to everything from the facility’s doors to its computers, data, applications, and cloud-based services and can also tie their smart buildings to the IoT. As they deploy these unified platforms, they will be embarking on a path to truly converged solutions that will ultimately consist of a single security policy, one credential and one audit log, delivered through a fully interoperable, multi-layered security infrastructure. Between now and then, they will be able to preserve their investments while continuing to grow, evolve and continually improve their security capabilities in the face of ever-changing threats.

As the whirlwind of 2016 quickly winds down, it is a good opportunity to look back at the significant trends from this year. As predicted, the industry experienced accelerated data growth, the continued convergence of security and IT, and the ever-expanding impact of the Internet of Things (IoT).Overall, 2016 was a good year. IT investments were strong and organisations rapidly adopted new data centre advancements such as hyper converged infrastructure (HCI) to help manage the huge influx of critical data without incurring new major costs.What was most unexpected about the last year was the significant impact of cybersecurity on the IoT. The security of connected devices has been a continued concern, but many were taken by surprise at the extent of the outlying vulnerabilities and how easily hackers can take over the control of devices and gain access to stored data. Luckily, minimal permanent damage was done, but edge device manufacturers and integrators must take significant precautions to prevent this type of event from reoccurring.Cyber and physical security Looking toward 2017, one can expect to see increased scrutiny over very low-cost, private-label or white-box products that may not meet modern data security requirements. Organisations will continue to align internal security departments and processes with IT to address evolving cyber and physical security threats. New technologies, such as deep learning and GPU acceleration, will enable the rise of more reliable, accurate analytics and broader market adoption of these types of technologies. Additionally, one also expects to see the emergence of cloud and hybrid-cloud platforms as viable enterprise video storage alternatives.On the business-front, 2016 was a phenomenal year for Pivot3. They continued to experience record growth and momentum, and most recently increased revenue growth by 105 percent over the same period in Q3 2015, with 67 percent of revenue coming from new customers. They focused on expanding their customer base, and added seasoned executives to help lead the organisation and fuel major growth efforts in 2017. Overall, it is exciting to see the enthusiasm for Pivot3 HCI solutions across multiple use cases and markets, and they’re well primed for further success in 2017. See the full coverage of 2016/2017 Review and Forecast articles here

Security is always one of the top concerns for any stores, especially for multinational hypermarkets, and IP surveillance is becoming the norm in the retail sector. The multinational hypermarket in South America has adopted 70 Surveon NVR7816, which was designed as a recording server with an archiving function that offers cost advantages and easy maintenance. Besides, NVR7816 ensures high video image quality with high throughput capability, providing a safe environment for people and goods in their 66 stores. Price and performance are always the key elements to help SI win projects. Surveon NVR7800 Series was designed as a recording server with an archiving function that offers cost advantages compared to traditional system structures composed of recording server plus a separate storage device, making it the top choice for the multinational hypermarket. Better image quality The NVR7800 Series is 100% compatible with major 3rd party VMS, including Milestone and Genetec VMSEach hypermarket installs 80 to 100 cameras with improved image quality. The multinational hypermarket needed a reliable system which supports recording with hundred channels and is able to transmit high resolution images smoothly. The NVR7800 Series delivers a high level of recording throughput of nearly 2000 Mbps, supporting recording with more channels, allowing system to receive better video image quality by higher bitrates, and ensuring smooth transmission even with high frame rate. The multinational hypermarket bought 6,000 channels Genetec VMS license before deciding the supplier of server and storage, making the system most composed by brands. The multinational hypermarket needed a solution which is fully compatible with Genetec VMS. The NVR7800 Series is 100% compatible with major 3rd party VMS, including Milestone and Genetec VMS. Hybrid server-storage design The hybrid server-storage design of NVR7800 Series gives us a big hand with its high throughput and easy maintenance" With Genetec VMS, NVR7800 Series can serve up to 300CH 1.3MP cameras with continuous recording or 190CH 1.3MP cameras with motion detection recording. Based on Milestone test findings, NVR7800 Series supports up to 150 cameras, more than twice Milestone’s benchmark level in a non-stop recording scenario. The system is even capable of supporting more than four times the number of cameras estimated by benchmark under the testing scenario where motion detection is enabled, giving medium to large projects the best price-performance solution. "The hybrid server-storage design of NVR7800 Series gives us a big hand with its high throughput and easy maintenance. And it also gives us a better performance with affordable budget in every perspective. We are very satisfied with the result and look forward to working with Surveon in the future." said the administration manager of the multinational hypermarket.

On his 2018 two-day visit to Ireland for the World Meeting of Families, Pope Francis’s scheduled activity was protected by high-performance Predator and Invictus cameras from UK CCTV design and manufacturing company, 360 Vision Technology. Specialists in a wide range of leading-edge CCTV, Access Control, PA, AV and radio communications, County Kildare-based Mongey Communications was chosen to provide the additional security surveillance protection measures necessary to secure the Pope’s visit to Dublin. With the massive crowds expected to see the pontiff, the temporary surveillance installation needed to be minimally disruptive and use mobile radio to provide the multi-scene coverage required during the two-day visit. Multi-site CCTV surveillance The camera images were to be used for co-ordination and management by multiple agencies To support an existing small-scale CCTV installation at the Pope’s final venue of Phoenix Park (the largest enclosed city park in Europe), there was a need for further camera coverage along the park’s approach routes, entrance/exit gates, search areas and general areas of crowd movement and congregation. A similar solution was also required for the Pope’s visit to the Knock Shrine pilgrimage site and the Capuchin Day Centre, where public space CCTV was again already in place but of limited overall coverage. Full integration with the existing CCTV system at the 82,300 capacity Croke Park stadium for a papal address to the Festival of Families extravaganza was also required, with communications and CCTV feeds from all locations required to be transmitted back to local on-site control rooms at each location, and additionally to a central Command and Control room at Dublin Castle. At the main Command and Control Centre, the camera images were to be used for co-ordination and management by multiple agencies, including the Office of Public works (OPW), Garda Síochána, Defence Forces Ireland, Dublin Fire Brigade, HSE / Ambulance Services and Civil Defence. High-definition video security to secure Phoenix Park  “With 300,000 people expected to attend a papal mass at Phoenix Park to close the World Meeting of Families, we were briefed to provide the very best possible reliability and imaging performance from the additional cameras we employed,” explains Kevin McGrath of Mongey Communications. We needed to be confident of camera reliability straight out of the box, along with simple and fast set-up" He further added, “With this in mind, we needed to be confident of camera reliability straight out of the box, along with simple and fast set-up, and quality high-definition video for forward transmission to the various control rooms. Our very positive experience of employing 360 Vision Technology cameras on many high-security installations in the past led us to be confident about the image and build quality of the manufacturer’s cameras, and product support.”  “So, to fulfil the challenges we faced for this high-profile project, we specified the latest version of 360 Vision’s Predator camera, and also their new cost-effective and ruggedised Invictus Hybrid HD PTZ camera.” 360 Vision Invictus Hybrid HD PTZ camera The new 360 Vision Invictus cameras specified for the project employ the latest compact camera modules with a choice of 20:1 or 30:1 zoom and are available with 1/2.8” Sony StarVis or 1/1.9” Sony Exmor (Ultra) sensor packages. Bridging the divide between analogue and IP technology, all Invictus cameras are equipped with Hybrid functionality enabling installation in existing analogue systems and also in full 1080P HD IP video streaming networks. Alongside ONVIF 2.4 Profile S compatibility, this means the Invictus range is not only economical, but simple to install, providing Mongey Communications engineers with a reliable, flexible and high- performance solution with which to enhance the existing electronic surveillance measures for the Pope’s 2018 visit. HD IP video streaming networks An upright camera mount design allows full 360-degree continuous pan and unobstructed field of view Further enhancing camera reliability for this important event, the new Invictus camera range design draws cost-effectively on features usually associated with very high-end cameras, including construction from high grade, hardened aluminium and stainless steel, to ensure a rugged, durable and compact camera. An upright camera mount design allows full 360-degree continuous pan and unobstructed field of view, plus the ability to tilt above the horizon – enabling operators to view targets above camera installation height (i.e. up hills) – an invaluable asset where cameras were being installed in the difficult installation and operational conditions of Phoenix Park. Technical relationship with 360 Vision Technology “Our decision to once again entrust the provision of the best technology available for the project to 360 Vision Technology was proven correct, and we had no issues of consequence with the installation, commissioning and performance of all the cameras - straight out of the box,” explains Kevin. “Because of the condensed set-up period available and challenging terrain of some of the installation areas, we had to act fast to ensure the successful inclusion and full control of the cameras for the multi-agency command and control room,” adds Kevin. “Here our technical relationship with 360 Vision Technology really paid dividends throughout this time-critical project, affording easy integration of all the additional cameras into the control room’s Cathexis VMS. Cathexis VMS Images from the cameras were relayed back to the various event control centres In all, over 60 additional 360 Vision Technology cameras were employed over the various sites throughout the Pope’s visit. With extensive digging and cabling not a practical option, images from the cameras were relayed back to the various event control centres via a network of reliable and secure microwave transmission links, powered by temporary generators and back-up batteries. “The new Invictus cameras were perfect for the role thanks to their low power consumption compared to other similar specification PTZ cameras,” explains Kevin. “Low power consumption really helps when adding multiple cameras to a network with a temporary power system - and meant we could add more cameras for the benefit of maximum scene coverage.” High-speed fibre-optic connectivity High-speed fibre-optic connectivity between the various remote sites and Dublin Castle was installed, together with video walls at the various control rooms. “The Pope’s visit was a great success with no security issues reported,” says Kevin. “Images relayed to the control room from the additional 360 Vision Technology cameras were vital in the smooth running of the visit and allowed all of the state agencies involved to keep a constant update on the movements of the vast crowds drawn over the pontiff’s two-day visit.” “Our long-term technical partnership with 360 Vision Technology and our direct input in to the development of their new products really pays off with high-profile projects like this,” concludes Kevin. “We have many new and exciting installation challenges on the horizon and I’m confident that 360 Vision Technology camera products will continue to be an integral part of those future projects.”

Pulse Secure, a provider of Secure Access solutions to both enterprises and service providers, has announced that Entegrus has successfully deployed Pulse Policy Secure advanced network access control (NAC), to strengthen overall visibility and access security across their hybrid IT infrastructure. Entegrus, a Canadian energy company, leveraged their existing Pulse Secure virtual private network (VPN) implementation to expedite NAC deployment and fortify their infrastructure in accordance with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) guidelines. As a result, their security organisation extended visibility for remote and on-premise users and devices, as well as enhanced endpoint compliance and Internet of Things (IoT) risk mitigation. We have increased our security posture, and for the most part, there has been zero impact on our end users" Pulse Secure-Entegrus collaboration Entegrus serves over 58,000 customers throughout Ontario. They bring electricity, renewable energy and water across three large regions, with a workforce spread out over 2,300 square miles. Entegrus’ objective is to provide safe, reliable and cost-effective provision of energy and related billing services, while providing high levels of service to its customers, partners and the communities it serves. IT security plays a critical role in protecting their delivery of energy and data services.  “The threat landscape is constantly evolving, forcing us to always consider how we can go one step further. With a widely distributed IT infrastructure, we considered NAC as an effective way to improve our security posture without dramatically altering how we operate,” said Dave Cullen, manager of information systems for Entegrus. “We have a long-standing relationship with Pulse Secure. The level of integration between Pulse Secure secure sockets layer (SSL) and NAC, as well as the extended feature set, made it a straightforward choice for us. Perhaps, the two most important things are that we have increased our security posture, and for the most part, there has been zero impact on our end users.”  Active control with seamless network access Ensuring always active control while maintaining flexible, seamless access to network and application resources is an essential requirement for utility providers. Within such highly regulated industries, best practices dictate a constant cycle of security readiness review and improvement to meet an increasingly potent threat posed by cyber threat actors. NAC provides foundational endpoint intelligence, resource access enforcement and IoT defences that support industry and regulatory compliance guidelines. These compliance requisites apply to both regional and large national critical infrastructure providers.  For stretched IT departments, Pulse Secure’s Secure Access solutions are designed to streamline deployment and on-going administration using an easy, integrated, policy-driven platform that works with a customer’s existing installed base and network infrastructure. In addition, Pulse Secure’s VPN solution utilises the same endpoint client, policy engine and appliance management as the NAC solution. Entegrus took advantage of this platform capability to rapidly implement NAC. As a result, they gained dynamic intelligence, unified policy management, automated enforcement and threat response through a single management console. We needed to make sure our secure access technologies could adapt to new regulatory requirements and new business needs" Secure access solutions Cullen highlights numerous benefits, including a simplified method of managing complex policies and user access rights, as well as an enforceable method of checking end-point devices to ensure that only properly patched operating systems can connect to the network. Another advantage of Pulse Policy Secure was evident after Entegrus recently merged with London, Ontario-based St. Thomas Energy. “We needed to make sure our secure access technologies could adapt to new regulatory requirements and new business needs, as the recent merger added new, unqualified infrastructure and grew our customer base by around a third, which also led to the hiring of 28 new staff members,” Cullen added.

A security camera provided by Hikvision USA Inc., the North American supplier of innovative, award-winning video surveillance products and solutions, was installed by Holmes Security to help Spinner’s Pizza in Fayetteville, NC to improve efficiency. Established in 1999, Spinner’s Pizza is a popular restaurant with a dedicated following and a very busy lunch crowd. Owner Spero Poulos thought of using a “Pizza Cam” to streamline operations during their busiest times. “Holmes Security had installed Hikvision cameras for security in and around the restaurant. We decided, why not use it for the service efficiency and accuracy?” said Poulos. Innovative camera-kitchen monitor system  The restaurant owner needed to improve efficiency. The combination of a camera with a kitchen monitor “keeps the staff from running to the buffet just to check what needs to be cooked." Poulos noted that when staff members leave the kitchen they’re “invariably stopped by customers and friends that want to chat. That can slow down the replenishment process." Spinner’s analog and IP hybrid system includes mini domes, bullets and turret cameras. Holmes Security recommended and installed the Hikvision DS-2CE56D5T 1080p Turbo HD-TVI Turret camera for the buffet to deliver HD quality over the existing coax cabling. The turret camera is positioned to capture the entire line of pizzas on the buffet. “We’re able to keep the buffet full at all times. When someone is on a tight lunch break, the last thing you want them to do is wait for their food. With the Hikvision camera in place, they no longer have to wait,” said Poulos. The Pizza Cam enables the operation to be run from the kitchen monitor with no downtime. Monitoring the Hikvision Turbo HD-TVI Turret camera from the kitchen improved efficiency since staff can check the status easily and quickly Ruggedised camera for heat tolerance “Heat tolerance was a big consideration based on the camera’s position in relation to the buffet itself. The specs showed that the Hikvision camera’s operating temperature range was 22 below to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, so we knew it could withstand the heat,” Dave Foster, sales and marketing manager for Holmes Security, told Hikvision.    Holmes Security is a 109-year old, family-owned company based in Fayetteville, NC. They use Hikvision cameras because “we have found over time that Hikvision provides higher quality, is easier to install, program and maintain. Tech support is great, and the software is consistent as well. Plus, we have great reps and a great rapport with Hikvision personnel,” said Foster.  Holmes Security positioned the camera to the upper right of the buffet to capture the entire line of pizzas. Spinner’s kitchen staff can now see the entire buffet from a monitor in the kitchen, allowing the chefs to stay ahead of customer demand.  Poulos adds that he gets “comments all the time about what a great idea it is. The customers especially like the fact that they don’t have to wait for new pizzas to be placed on the buffet.” Greater efficiency and improved operations  Spinner’s Pizza is delivering a better experience to its customers by keeping its buffet stocked with fresh pizza. Monitoring the Hikvision Turbo HD-TVI Turret camera from the kitchen improved efficiency since staff do not have to run out to the food line to check the status. The system allows servers to concentrate on serving. The Hikvision Pizza Cam delivers ease of operations for the restaurant staff, owner, and patrons. “Our strength in the field is the partnership among Hikvision, our integrators and their customers, collaborating together to find innovative ways to solve real-world problems,” said Alex Asnovich, director of marketing for Hikvision. “Spinner’s Pizza is a great example of applying our technology to achieve business results in a retail restaurant environment.”

Fifth Third Bancorp, one of the top 15 banks in the U.S., is well on its way toward completing a major upgrade of its March Networks video surveillance system. A customer since 2004, Fifth Third has deployed 12,000 March Networks cameras and approximately 1,400 March Networks 8000 Series Hybrid NVRs over a period of 36 months. Identification and apprehension of suspects “By the end of 2016, we’ll have a total of 1,600 new 8000 Series recorders,” said Mike Neugebauer, Fifth Third’s Vice-President and Director of Corporate Security, who oversees security for 1,300 full-service retail branches, as well as data centres, corporate offices and cash handling facilities across 12 states. The combination of March Networks MegaPX WDR MiniDome Z IP cameras, Analog WDR Indoor Domes and the 8000 Series Hybrid NVRs with advanced video compression allows Fifth Third to provide law enforcement authorities with high-quality video for the identification and apprehension of suspects. Video verification improves urgency “Bank robberies and break-ins appear to be trending higher nationally,” said Neugebauer. “Much of it is a consequence of the heroin epidemic. Typically, they’ll go through a window in the middle of the night to see what there is to steal.Security staff in our 24-hour monitoring centre can verify an alarm and tell responding law enforcement officers what we see" “We constantly get compliments from law enforcement about the quality of our video. Even if the bad guys show up with hoodies or masks, we can zoom in on clothing patterns and brand logos, partial facial features, tattoos or other distinguishing marks.” “Security staff in our 24-hour monitoring centre can verify an alarm and tell responding law enforcement officers what we see,” said Neugebauer. “Video verification is huge. It changes law enforcement’s urgency to respond.” Crystal-clear images In minutes, Fifth Third security staff can email crystal clear images of a suspect to police, dramatically improving the chances of apprehension. The March Networks MegaPX WDR MiniDome Z IP camera’s wide dynamic range and progressive scan in high resolution delivers excellent image quality even in bright backlit situations, while its H.264 compression technology reduces bandwidth and storage costs. The MiniDome Z also features Power-over-Ethernet and is ONVIF-compliant, allowing it to be used with a variety of third-party video surveillance systems. Linking video with teller and ATM transaction data allows fraud investigators to quickly establish the identity of an individual associated with a transaction The Analog WDR Indoor Dome also features wide dynamic range, progressive scan in high resolution and low light sensitivity, making it ideal for capturing quality images in a variety of lighting conditions. Mix of analogue and IP The 8000 Series Hybrid recorder is a perfect fit for Fifth Third, accommodating a mix of analogue and IP cameras and offering up to 16 TB of onboard storage across four hard drive slots. “Typically, we’ll have two IP MiniDomes and 14 analogue cameras per branch, but we’re starting to use more exterior-mounted IP cameras in our elevated risk branches, so storage is important to us,” said Neugebauer. “The other thing we like about the 8000 Series is how it gives us sharper images from our analogue cameras.” The availability of the 8000 Series Hybrid NVR in 4, 8, 16 and 32-channel configurations is also a plus because it allows Fifth Third to acquire a fit-for-purpose unit for every application. Compatibility issues The decision to standardise on March Networks cameras frees Fifth Third from having to worry about any compatibility issues. “When we weren’t buying March Networks cameras, it made management of the cameras a lot harder for us,” said Neugebauer. “That was especially the case for IP megapixel cameras and managing the software patches that have to go on them. The fact that our March Networks cameras work in concert with our NVRs means we don’t have to do any software loads like we had to do when we were buying another camera brand. We were managing many pieces of software instead of just one platform.” Transitioning to Command Enterprise and Searchlight Next on the agenda for Fifth Third is a transition to March Networks Command Enterprise video management software and the acquisition of March Networks’ Searchlight for Banking software. Fifth Third security staff can email crystal clear images of a suspect to police, dramatically improving the chances of apprehension Command Enterprise features a user-friendly, browser-based interface that provides support for up to 10,000 recorders and 128,000 video channels, while Searchlight for Banking is a suite of tools to speed fraud investigations and capture business intelligence such as tracking customer behaviour. Linking video with teller and ATM transaction data, for example, allows fraud investigators to quickly establish the identity of an individual associated with a transaction. Searchlight advantages “On the retail side, we also hope to take advantage of Searchlight to help us make better business decisions,” said Neugebauer. Using Searchlight’s queue length monitoring analytics, Fifth Third will be able to gather and compare metrics on branch traffic and speed of service. It can also be used to track self-serve kiosk usage and gather data on how long customers linger in front of marketing displays. Concurrent with the introduction of Searchlight, Fifth Third is also planning to acquire March Networks’ new MegaPX Indoor Analytics Dome camera with built-in intelligence.  “We’ve just done some testing and we’re very pleased with it,” said Neugebauer. While security remains the primary application for video surveillance at Fifth Third, other “lines of business” are taking advantage of it. Weather damage and alarms “In the past, security directors were always hesitant to share their video surveillance system, but we share our system with our facilities and retail groups”, said Neugebauer. “They use it to see if the sidewalk has been shovelled or if the parking lot has been plowed in our northern branches. In Florida, where we’ve had some severe storms, they use it to see if the windows have been blown out or if we have water damage. “Our facilities group has really embraced it. We’ll put cameras in mechanical rooms, for example, so they can see the indicator light configurations on the control panels. It often saves them from making a trip to the site. If a technician gets an alarm from an HVAC system or a generator, for example, he can diagnose the problem remotely and take the necessary steps to resolve it.When we weren’t buying March Networks cameras, it made management of the cameras a lot harder for us" “Retail uses the system to look at compliance with opening and closing procedures. Or, they may have a teller who’s great at selling and go in to look at best practices for training purposes.Sharing their March Networks video surveillance system with other departments “makes funding easier for us,” said Neugebauer. Longer lifecycle However, underlying Fifth Third’s choice of a video surveillance supplier is March Networks’ track record for product durability. Fifth Third began retiring the 4000 C Series recorders it acquired in 2004 two years ago and will only complete the transition to new 8000 Series units in 2016. “Some of my peers in the industry are buying new recorders every three years,” said Neugebauer. “Everything has a lifecycle and we feel the lifecycle for March Networks products is significantly longer than most of the other systems out there.”

Intrusion can be very invasive, damaging and expensive for any industrial or commercial business. The damage of machinery or the theft of goods can be potentially devastating. Not only that, but each commercial and industrial property can vary dramatically in terms of the level of security required, along with the conditions of the installation. Aisles, machinery and varying environmental conditions are all considerations, as is the required function of the security system and the ability to monitor it safely and remotely. Pyronix hybrid solution So, which security system can deliver the right solution? Look no further than the PCX46 APP. This is the professional high-security hybrid solution that delivers maximum security, convenience, flexibility and potential. Tailor the security system to meet the individual needs of the property, with the full range of Pyronix devices. Whether wired for Grade 3 requirements (large casing PCX46 APP) or utilising the multi-award-winning two-way wireless technology for any Grade 2 requirements, you can deliver the ideal system for the property and provide the user with full assurance that they are paying for the best possible security solution. Protecting external areas So, for any environments such as show rooms, factories, garages, banks, entrances or exits, there is the Pyronix range of KX detectors, which utilise Dual Technology (DT) which offer resolute detection in areas with changing conditions. If there are any drafts or fluctuating temperatures, there is the perfect KX. There is also the XD range of external detectors that utilise Tri-Technology (TT), as well as Anti-Masking and Anti-Blocking options. These can offer any external areas the protection they need, as well as be utilised to set off lights. Whether the installation requires sensors, detectors, sirens and much more, this is all possible and easily accomplished with the PCX46 APP. PyronixCloud and HomeControl+ App Utilise this security system and you can also benefit from the PyronixCloud and HomeControl+ App infrastructure. The user gets remote control of their system from anywhere in the world, while you benefit from remote diagnostics and programming, as well as easy set up. The HomeControl+ App delivers unrivalled control over the property for the user, with the ability to: arm and disarm, control any automation outputs, check the status of every individual device on the system, see their event history and much much more, all in real-time. So, whether the user is at work, on holiday or in bed, they are always informed and always in control. This is particularly useful for any business owner or manager, where it may be advantageous to monitor the access to the building, as well as any automation outputs added to the system. With remote programming and diagnostics of the system using InSite UDL software via the PyronixCloud, there are fewer call-outs and therefore reduced costs. This makes the PCX46 APP a more profitable solution for businesses, as systems can be fully managed remotely and even when a call-out is necessary, the engineer will know what the issue is before getting to site. Furthermore, users can also generate recurring revenue streams by offering PyronixCloud management services.

Will 2016 see faster adoption of video analytics? Will cyber-security have more impact on physical security? Is the market likely to see greater use of cloud-based products and services? Will technology help to drive greater involvement by everyday citizens in public safety initiatives? Could the market focus shift from selling products to selling solutions?  We asked this week’s SourceSecurity.com Expert Panel to look ahead to 2016, and these were some of the surprises they see in our industry’s near future. Specifically, we asked this week’s panel: What will be the biggest surprise in 2016 for the security market?