Security Products and Technology News
sptnews.ca Serving Installers, Dealers and Integrators Across Canada SPT_SpecoCover_March.indd 1
V.21 I.2 MARCH 2017
Genetec’s latest: more2017-02-21 business intelligence, more analytics Montreal VMS firm discusses the functionality it can provide beyond security p.6
big home Go or go
How the development of home-based security equipment has affected enterprise installs (and vice-versa)
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Why isn’t 4K technology a bigger deal? A look at what’s keeping it back and what it needs in order to truly take off p.22
How to make biometric installs go smoothly An integrator’s perspective on what to look out for p.26
p. 29
Product Previews
The latest in security technology
p. 31
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■ Custom Branding ■ NAS/DAS Archiving ■ 2-Way Audio ■ Audio Streaming ■ Email Notifications on Event ■ Watermark on Export ■ Dual Stream Support (for DVRs, NVRs and Hybrid Units) ■ User Access Management ■ Batch Export Event Clips ■ Tag Sites of Interest ■ Backup, Repair & Restore Database
SecureGuard® comes full circle. We offer FREE hands-on training at Speco headquarters using our powerful SecureGuard® security console. Join us at booth 20043 at ISC West and learn from our technical savvy and experienced SecureGuard® team and become an expert yourself! Speco has released exciting new updates for our robust SecureGuard® Video Management Software that features multiple new additions that not only provide users with an extra level of security, but also makes the software more convenient and accessible than ever. Speco provides full support surrounding our robust SecureGuard® VMS. Along with our free software updates and design service, no camera licensing fees, apps for mobile devices and Apple TV, we offer custom configured servers that come preloaded with SecureGuard® VMS.
Contents March 2017
www.sptnews.ca
Departments
Cover Story 18 Home away from home
Enterprise and home security technology often share a common development path — and occasionally learn from each other along the way
By Renée Francoeur
4 Editor’s Letter 6 Line Card
• Genetec touts analytics and business intelligence • Paladin aims for national integration coverage • Digital Watchdog targets Canadian growth in 2017
34 Archive
Appsolutely essential
Features Columns 12 Camera Corner Let there be light By Colin Bodbyl
26 The not-so-scary truth about
22 The key to 4K
This slow-to-start technology is now benefitting from recent improvements in storage, compression and analytics
By Tom Cook
biometrics
When installed correctly, this technology can seriously boost a building’s security
14 CANASA Update New beginnings By Richard McMullen
16 Lessons Learned A tale of two companies By Victor Harding
By Roger Miller
visit www.sptnews.ca/video Please visit our video library for interviews, product information, thought leadership and regular updates from trade shows across North America.
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Access control software
The Access Professional Edition (APE 3.4) software solution from Bosch Security Systems enables installers and system integrators to manage access control.
Home dome camera
Designed for operation in any space, Legrand’s On-Q IP Dome Camera is triggered by motion sensors to take pictures, capture 1080p HD video and send email alerts to homeowners. @SecurityEd • March 2017
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EDITOR’S LETTER
By Neil Sutton Your Partner in Securing Canada
The ideal home of the 80s In some ways, today’s developers are still catching up to the past
Security Products & Technology News is published 8 times in 2017 by Annex Business Media. Its primary purpose is to serve as an information resource to installers, resellers and integrators working within the security and/or related industries. Editorial information is reported in a concise, accurate and unbiased manner on security products, systems and services, as well as on product areas related to the security industry.
Group Publisher, Paul Grossinger pgrossinger@annexweb.com
G
rowing up when I did, futurism was a big deal. I remember flipping through magazines in the 1980s, reading articles about “The Future Home” where everyone was magically connected by a videophone interface, a robot servant would handle the vacuuming chores and hydroponics would make exotic fruit cheap and plentiful year round. Since much of that has come to pass (except for the cheap fruit part), the challenge now is trying to make all that seem less passé. When I started working as a IT journalist a few decades later, running systems like your phone network over IP (Voiceover IP or VoIP) was revolutionary. In fact, entrusting any crucial system to a network, or running enterprise software over a browser, was ground-breaking stuff. I remember a major HR software vendor exclaiming at one of its user summits (circa the year 2000) that there was “no code on the client” for its latest release. Setting aside for a moment the potential cyber risk posed by running almost anything crucial over IP, we’ve reached a point at which these types of installs have become almost routine. For both the home and the enterprise, some of the major technology hurdles have been cleared and we’re left with the notion that there really needs to be a solid reason for today’s tech. In other words, prove not only that it works but that people want it — that it somehow improves their lives. In each of our feature articles this issue, that central premise is explored in different ways. Our cover story addresses that concept by examining the relationship
between home security and enterprise security. Does one inform the other? More importantly, are they benefitting from each other’s technical breakthroughs? Arguably, Honeywell’s J.P. Lapointe put it best when he said “users are users,” whether they’re in the home or in the office. For our article on 4K adoption, the focus shifts to the enablers that could create more of a market for a technology that may have been ahead of its time. The applications for the technology are there but the supporting infrastructure is only just catching up. And finally there is a piece on biometrics, where a professional installer takes a deeper look at a technology that is sometimes not well understood. Of all the technologies, we cover in this magazine, biometrics may have the furthest to go in terms of reaching its true potential. The magazines I read as a child hinted at a keyless future where a thumb print would open your front door or unlock your car. Some of today’s smartlocks feature integrated biometric readers, but I don’t think we’re at the tipping point of mass adoption just yet. Biometrics is one area where enterprise-grade security is still way ahead of the home, but that may change over time. We live in a world where technology is often cast in a bad light — whether it’s smartphone batteries that spontaneously catch fire or mega breaches that comprise the personal information of millions. The technology visions of the 1980s seem almost quaint today. But however misguided or naïve some may seem now, they represent a version of our present-day that we are still striving to achieve.
“There really needs to be a solid reason for today’s tech.”
@SecurityEd
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Publisher, Peter Young pyoung@annexweb.com National Account Manager, Jennifer Dyer jdyer@annexweb.com Editor, Neil Sutton nsutton@annexweb.com Assistant Editor, Renée Francoeur rfrancoeur@annexweb.com Art Director, Graham Jeffrey gjeffrey@annexweb.com Account Coordinator,Trish Ramsay tramsay@annexweb.com Circulation Manager, Barb Adelt badelt@annexbizmedia.com COO, Ted Markle tmarkle@annexweb.com President & CEO, Mike Fredericks
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Carlo Di Leo, Spotter Security Colin Doe, Veridin Systems Canada Anna Duplicki, Lanvac Travis Firth, Tyco Security Products Mike Jagger, Provident Security Carl Jorgensen, Titan Products Group Bob Moore, Axis Communications Tom Richards, Lionsafe Security Paul Swan, Tri-Ed Distribution Josh Weidman, Medeco
Head Office: 222 Edward Street Aurora, Ont. L4G 1W6 Canada T: 905-727-0077 F: 905-727-0017 PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710 Printed in Canada ISSN 1482-3217 CIRCULATION e-mail: asingh@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 416-510-5189 • Fax: 416-510-5170 Mail: 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $40.95 + HST/yr, USA: $71.95/yr and International: $82.00/yr Published 8 times a year Occasionally, SP&T News will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. Annex Privacy Officer privacy@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374
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No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2017 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All rights reserved. Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. disclaims any warranty as to the accuracy, completeness or currency of the contents of this publication and disclaims all liability in respect of the results of any action taken or not taken in reliance upon information in this publication.
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Applications...............................................8 Appointments............................................8 Calendar.................................................8 Market Watch.................................................9
Genetec touts analytics and business intelligence
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enetec has embraced a philosophy that puts security in a broader context, seeing it less as a restrictive process and more as an enabler.
“We don’t just develop things with one goal in mind.” — Andrew Elvish, Genetec The Montreal-based company, known best for its VMS capabilities, hosted a two-day press summit last month, detailing new and upcoming products, many of which are designed to achieve security goals but in many cases also deliver operational efficiency and intelligent data. “Security is more than safety,” read the first slide of a presentation to media. “From picking up your morning coffee to catching a flight on time, the moments that make up the average day are part of a much larger, interconnected ecosystem — and even a minor disruption can have a big impact. Genetec is built on the fundamental belief that the healthy flow of people, products, information and ideas is paramount to the successful function of organizations, institutions and urban environments. Because for us, security
goes far deeper than safety.” “We don’t just develop things with one goal in mind,” said Andrew Elvish, Genetec’s vice-president of marketing and product management. Now entering its 20th year in business, Genetec has grown to 10 offices globally (a refurbished office in Paris was recently opened) and a larger campus at its Montreal headquarters that now covers three buildings. Genetec curPierre Racz, Genetec rently employs approximately 850 people and is planning to cross the 1,000 mark by the end of this year. Security continues to be the company’s core, but new tools, like Retail Intelligence are designed with different objectives. “Although the video space is very important for us, we’ve moved the discussion away from pixels to the bigger picture,” said Pierre Racz, Genetec’s CEO. The retail tool includes an activity visualizer (hot-spotting and traffic flow through retail environments), queue detection in order to respond more quickly to long line-ups and address cus-
Genetec’s cyber crusade
P
ierre Racz, founder and CEO of Genetec, made it clear during a February media event at its Montreal headquarters, that cyber-security is of paramount importance to his company. “At every release, we’re cranking up the security more and more,” he said. Genetec says it builds cyber security measures into its networked products and offers cyber training to installers. Racz also recommends that end users insist their integrators carry “cyber incompetence insurance” to guard themselves against the possibility of a breach related to unprotected physical security equipment. Guest speaker, cyber security expert and certified ethical hacker Hart Brown, outlined how vulnerable most end users
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SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca
are without even knowing. Brown, who is senior-vice president, practice leader, organizational resilience, at insurance firm HUB International, showed video clips of a hacker skimming information from a coffee shop full of laptop users in a matter of seconds using a readily available proximity hacking device. He also provided a live demonstration, under controlled conditions, of what a ransomware attack looks like and how a victim would be instructed to pay a BitCoin “ransom” in order to regain access to their data which has been encrypted as a result of the attack. As part of its media event, Genetec also reconstructed a cyber-security breach using a CCTV camera, in order to demonstrate how simple it can be to hack into an unprotected network device.
tomer wait times before they become unreasonable, and people counting. Francis Lachance, director, video and appliances product group, for Genetec acknowledged that analytics gleaned from video data is not a new concept, but is now beginning to realize its potential. “We feel at this point, analytics deserves to be unified… into our platform,” he said, “making it as easy to deploy as possible and as easy to maintain.” Genetec is also able to deliver demographic data to a retail client, based on images from a cross-section of its customers. (As analytics improve, this data will be represented as gender and approximate age rather than a collage of images.) The company also provided some insight on Clearance — a tool also designed with information-sharing in mind but more in line with security goals. The product, aimed at police departments, is a collaborative case management system that houses video generated by body-worn cameras but will also accept any camera feed (including smart phone video from witnesses) storing clips as MPEG4 files. The software allows relevant video from law enforcement, investigators or security departments to be uploaded as evidence for a criminal case. The company offers tiered pricing that will be billed on a per-case basis rather than ballooning file volume to avoid what it calls “billing surprises.” Genetec’s Clearance, Retail Intelligence and newest version of Security Center will be showcased during the upcoming ISC West conference in Las Vegas, April 5-7. — Neil Sutton
Paladin aims for national integration coverage
P
aladin Security Systems announced it has merged with two regional integrators as of Feb. 1: Ottawa-based Marcomm Systems Group Inc. (MSGI) and Contava, based in Edmonton. Both will be rolled into Paladin’s existing integration business, according to division president and CFO Ted Reid, and will be rebranded as Paladin businesses before the end of the year. Founded in 1991, MSGI’s main office is in Ottawa, along with additional facilities in the GTA and Quebec. Contava has three facilities in Alberta (Edmonton, Calgary and Fort McMurray), one in British Columbia and one in Ontario. Post-merger, combined annual revenues are expected to top $100M.
al player on national contracts and do the whole thing,” says Reid. “We want to be working with all the big general contractors. With the GCs, there’s lots of opportunities there. We see great opportunities in the P3 (public-private partnerships) projects that are coming up.” Reid adds that Paladin is eager
“We see great opportunities in the P3 projects that are coming up.”
to take advantage of the new companies’ relative strengths. “No doubt with MSGI, they’re very strong in the corrections vertical market, which is something that we wanted to break in to. That’s going to be a big focus of that deal. Contava has a very strong technical team at the enterprise level for Western Canada. Great things
can come when you have collaboration amongst all the teams,” he explained. Individually, Paladin, MSGI and Contava are all winners of SP&T News’ annual Integrator of the Year award. Contava in 2011 for a Calgary Transit project; MSGI in 2013; and Paladin in 2015. — Neil Sutton
Access and power integration
— Ted Reid, Paladin Security Systems MSGI’s president David Trudel will take on a senior business development role within Paladin whereas Contava founder Curtis Nikel will transition over to another business, Vunetrix, as its president. Vunetrix, an Edmonton firm with corporate headquarters in Seattle, was founded in 2011 as a developer of network monitoring software for the security industry. Nikel has a pre-existing relationship with Vunetrix as a shareholder. Reid says that Paladin will be able to offer its integration customers access to Vunetrix software as well as MSGI’s own software solution Dynatrol, a GUI interface application for correctional institutions. The growth will help to position Paladin as a national integrator, says Reid. (Paladin also acquired B.C.-based Action BMS in late 2015.) “Historically, we’ve just been a regional player on national contracts. Now we want to be a nation-
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LINE CARD Applications Beach club goes biometric for membership
The Bel-Air Bay Club, a private beach club in Pacific Palisades, Calif., has integrated an FST Biometrics’ In Motion Identification (IMID) Access solution with its membership management system. Registered users are identified almost instantaneously, according to FST and are greeted by name by staff. Registration enrolment in the system takes less than one minute. “Our members expect the very best service, and creating a smooth entry process sets the tone for the rest of the club,” said Bill Howard, General Manager of Bel-Air Bay Club. “This helps our members feel safe and ‘at home’ as soon as they enter the club.” The solution has also been implemented in other venues including residential complexes, office environments, health centres and educational institutions.
Calendar New surveillance lighting for Romanian bank The National Bank of Romania is using a Raytec LED lighting solution as part of an improvement plan for its surveillance system. Infrared and white light solutions were deployed in order to create a safer environment. Facilities at the bank’s headquarters are monitored 24/7 but were deemed more vulnerable after daylight hours. The previous analogue system did not use professional lighting. Surveillance images were dull and grainy as a result and alarms could not be confirmed. Working with distributor Lantec and systems integrator Rasirom, Raytec’s RAYMAX illuminators were installed, along with Mobotix MP IP cameras. Much improved images are also helping to utilize the cameras’ analytics tools to detect incidents with greater accuracy, thus resulting in fewer false alarms.
Wireless play for Super Bowl lead-in
April 5-7, 2017 ISC West Las Vegas, Nev. www.iscwest.com April 12,2017 Focus On Cyber Security Toronto, Ont. www.focusonseries.ca
The City of Houston deployed a wireless infrastructure for a video surveillance system used during Super Bowl LIVE festivities in the lead-up to the big game. Siklu’s EH-600TX radios were used to transmit video surveillance for the east side of downtown Houston, the Super Bowl host city as well as host for the pre-game events that ran from Jan. 28 to Feb. 5. The outdoor event included music and games over an area spanning several city blocks. Siklu’s radios were part of a 36 megapixel camera deployment provided by Axis Communications, a PSIM system from VidSys, and a video management system from Genetec deployed by the Houston Police Department. “It was extremely important that we deployed a reliable security network,” said Jack Hanagriff from the City of Houston’s Office of Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Appointments
April 26, 2017 Security Canada East Laval, Que. www.securitycanadaexpo.com May 10, 2017 Security Canada Alberta Edmonton, Alta. www.securitycanadaexpo.com May 23-25, 2017 Connections San Francisco, Calif. www.parksassociates.com May 31, 2017 Security Canada Ottawa Ottawa, Ont. www.securitycanadaexpo.com June 13-16, 2017 Electronic Security Expo Nashville, Tenn. www.esxweb.com June 14-15, 2017 Security Summit Canada Toronto, Ont. www.securitysummitcanada.com June 21, 2017 Security Canada West Richmond, B.C. www.securitycanadaexpo.com September 13, 2017 Security Canada Atlantic Halifax, Nova Scotia www.securitycanadaexpo.com
Katie Petre
Peter Sandin
• Code Blue has hired Katie Petre as the director of experience. • Vingtor-Stentofon by Zenitel Group has appointed Peter Sandin as vice-president of sales, North America. Sandin was previously regional sales leader. • Ottawa-based Feenics has appointed Paul Cohn as
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SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca
Paul Cohn
Kurt Takahashi
western regional business development manager. He will cover Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. • AMAG Technology, a G4S company, has announced Kurt Takahashi, senior vice-president of sales, has been promoted to president.
Grant Aitken
Mitsuhiro Omura
Takahashi originally began at AMAG in February 2015. • Grant Aitken joins Pivot3 as the country manager for Canada. Ian Clarke has also joined the company as regional sales director. • TOA Canada has appointed Mitsuhiro Omura president and CEO. Omura comes to North America from Japan.
September 25-28, 2017 ASIS International Seminar and Exhibits Dallas, Tex. www.asisonline.org October 4, 2017 Focus On Drones Toronto, Ont. www.focusonseries.ca
market watch
Digital Watchdog targets Canadian growth in 2017
D
igital Watchdog is aiming to make a bigger impact in Canada this year by hiring new staff and representation. Late last year, the Californiabased company hired John Voyatzis as Canadian national sales manager and is now working with Winnipegbased Genesis Agency for representation across Canada. “I can’t stress how important the Canadian market has always been for us,” says Wade Thomas, COO, Digital Watchdog. “Adding John to the mix is very important to us.” The company recently launched a new series of 4MP and 5MP camera lines and has enhanced its NVR and DVR offerings. Digital Watchdog also produces a series of panoramic surveillance tools (offer-
Company (ticker)
ing 32MP at 30fps). A continuing area of development for the company is analogue HD, says Mark Espenschied, the company’s marketing manager, where end users are continuing to leverage their existing coaxial infrastructure. “For the mature market in Canada, this is an important story for us to tell: you can get totally new ROI regardless of whether you’re a school a government installation… If you want to talk about IP, we have a great story to tell but if you want to talk about adding new ROI to coax infrastructure, we have a great story to tell you there too.” Digital Watchdog is also marking a milestone in 2017, celebrating 30 years in business. — Neil Sutton
Price (Feb. 13) 52-week low 52-week high
AlarmForce Ind. (AF.TO)
$10.76
$9.40
$11.59
AlarmCom Hldg (ALRM)
$28.49
$15.12
$34.43
Allegion (ALLE)
$71.45
$56.88
$73.49
Anixter International (AXE)
$84.15
$40.29
$88.00
$0.29
$0.20
$0.35
Avante Logixx (XX) Avigilon Corp. (AVO.TO)
$15.11
$7.76
$17.00
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO)
$31.97
$25.19
$32.31
Canon (CAJ)
$29.07
$27.18
$30.93
Diebold (DBD)
$27.20
$21.05
$29.75
Flir (FLIR)
$36.40
$28.26
$37.22
Gentex (GNTX)
$20.57
$13.99
$21.89
$123.62
$100.71
$123.96
Johnson Controls (JCI)
$41.75
$34.57
$48.97
Mace Security (MACE)
$0.38
$0.30
$0.47
Napco (NSSC)
$8.95
$5.38
$9.75
$43.45
$29.05
$44.95
Stanley (SWK)
$126.41
$91.57
$128.77
United Technologies Corp. (UTX)
$112.02
$85.56
$112.83
$38.00
$29.80
$39.68
Vicon Industries (VII)
$0.45
$0.36
$1.80
Viscount Systems (VSYS)
$0.00
$0.00
$0.01
Honeywell (HON)
ScanSource Inc. (SCSC)
Verint Systems Inc. (VRNT)
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2017-02-21 11:01 AM
SPECIAL FOCUS
Mission 500
Second Annual Security Industry Hockey Classic brings the heat
T
he 2nd Annual Security Industry Hockey Classic for Mission 500 brought the heat on Feb. 16 in Toronto with more than 60 security professionals hitting the ice to raise money for children in need. The event was supported and sponsored by SP&T News, Axis Communications, Hikvision, LANVAC, Mircom Group, Automatic Systems, Pelco by Schneider Electric, TSOC, Moni Smart Security, Camden Door Controls, G4S, AlarmForce, Stanley Security, Securitas, Graybar Canada, Anixter and Middle Atlantic Products — a Legrand Group brand. Overall, more
than $19,000 was raised. Six teams laced up for a series of 20-minute games at York University’s Canlan Ice Sports Complex. One semi-final game and the final ended up overtime and with a shootout. Congratulations to Team Graybar who emerged victorious. Following the games, players met for dinner and an awards ceremony where one-of-a-kind raffle prizes—such as a signed Tyler Seguin of the Dallas Stars jersey—were handed out. The Mission 500 Hockey Classic is an initiative of the charity’s Canadian Committee. Members of committee include: Paul Grossinger (chair), Shawn Gore, Frank Pietrobono, Neil Parekh, Sean Sportun, Jennifer Aboukhalil, and Clark Northcott. Special thanks to Neil Parekh and everyone at Mission 500 as well as all the players and sponsors for making the 2nd Annual Security Industry Hockey Classic such an energy-packed, feel-good event! — Renée Francoeur
G4S Canada Team “Grey”
Graybar Team “White”
Team “Green”
Team “Red”
Team “Mixed”
Mircom Team “Black”
10 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca
CAMERA CORNER
By Colin Bodbyl
Let there be light There is no perfect solution for under-lit surveillance, but the technology is constantly improving
L
“Many buildings were wired for large and small CCTV systems long before IP cameras or the benefits of Cat5e had been discovered.”
ighting is arguably the greatest challenge for any surveillance camera.
The extreme differences outdoor cameras face from day to night means cameras have to be able to adapt to lighting changes that vary from complete sun to total darkness. While camera resolution, frame rates and analytics have experienced drastic improvements over the last decade, low light technology has struggled to keep up. IR (Infrared) lighting is the primary method for dealing with low-light conditions. IR is simple, inexpensive and easy to integrate
into any camera. It is the oldest method for improving low light performance and has evolved over the years, but still faces many challenges. IR lights, like any light, have a finite lifespan. Some last longer than others but eventually they all fail. Since IR LEDs are not a health-monitored system component, they usually fail without any notice to the
LEADING PROVIDER OF DEALER FINANCING MAJOR BANK AND SECUREX FINANCIAL ESTABLISH MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR FUND FOR ALARM COMPANY FINANCING March 1, 2017 – Calgary, Alberta – Securex Financial Corp (Securex), has established a fund for the purpose of providing capital to alarm dealers. “Securex was instrumental in providing the financing to allow me to buyout my partner. Their program allowed me to retain my independence and grow my business without having to sell accounts into a national competitor’s dealer program.”
“I required capital to grow my account base and fund some of our larger video installations. Securex’s funding program allowed me to do this. Securex has also assisted me with financing for the acquisition of a local dealer.”
Ray Abbas, Owner Supreme Security, Calgary, AB
Garry Posthumus, Owner Hometech Security, Edmonton, AB
“Securex allowed me and my partner to monetize the value of our business in order to establish our retirement fund while retaining the business and the ongoing customer relationships.” Doug Henderson, Owner, Henderson Security, Ottawa, ON
Contact: Leonard Sudermann, President and CEO,
Securex Financial Corp.
Office: 403 299-2299 • Email: len@securex.ca
12 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca
user. The first time users discover their IR lighting has burnt out is usually when they need to review recorded video and discover the recording is too dark. Even if IR lights had an infinite lifespan, there are still several other trade-offs. IR requires the camera to be in monochrome or night mode, removing all colour from the scene and often making important details difficult to capture. IR also attracts insects, especially spiders who often find IR a warm place to make their home. The benefits of using IR, however, still outweigh the downsides. As long as integrators pay attention to the IR range of the camera and stay within it, IR will provide satisfactory results. More recently, manufacturers have been releasing super low light cameras which combine low light image sensors with special processing techniques to provide colour images in low light applications. These cameras solve issues for a lot of scenarios where there is light but where that light is minimal, such as bars, nightclubs and partially lit outdoor areas. Super low light cameras allow users to capture colour evidence in scenes that would otherwise require a monochrome camera. The benefits are obvious, but even these cameras will switch to monochrome and rely on IR illumination when no artificial white light is available. Thermal cameras are the ultimate low light technology for the right applications. While thermal cameras historically have
been very expensive, prices are coming down with several manufacturers now selling thermal cameras for under a thousand dollars. These cameras do not rely on light at all as they measure temperature patterns instead. Since these cameras are not impacted by lighting changes they are extremely effective when running image analysis software like video analytics. Part of the challenge for video analytics to work effectively is contrast, which usually varies depending on lighting conditions, but with thermal cameras the image contrast is constant. Of course the trade-offs when using thermal cameras are the complete lack of detail and low image quality due to their low resolution sensors and the fact that they are not able to capture colour. No single camera can handle every lighting condition while simultaneously providing detailed colour images. IR technology still dominates the low light market but a lot of R&D effort is going into improving colour images in low light scenes so we become less reliant on IR. Thermal imaging is the ultimate technology for detection purposes and as costs come down these cameras will become more common for mid-market security applications. Low light performance may be one of the most challenging aspects of video surveillance with the slowest rate of advancements. Unfortunately, with current technology there are always tradeoffs anytime light is minimal. The key to success in any low light scenario is to understand what is important and select the correct technology based on what the customer needs to achieve. Colin Bodbyl is the director of technology for UCIT Online (www. ucitonline.com).
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CANASA UPDATE
By Richard McMullen
New beginnings The Canadian Security Association welcomes a new executive director
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ing a new slate of National Board members and his year we proudly welcome a new Regional Council members in April at CANAExecutive Director, association exSA’s Annual General Meeting and the first Secuecutive and publishing veteran J. rity Canada trade show of 2017 David Ritter. in Laval, Que. David comes to us with more According to David, “CAthan 30 years’ experience in NASA and the Canadian securibusiness-to-business and busity industry represent a tradition ness-to-consumer professional of dedication, quality, and creservices. He has most recently ativity. As your new Executive served as president and CEO Director, I look forward to being of the Canadian Jewellers Assoin contact with all facets of our ciation, vice-president of Canindustry so that we can better ada Law Book Inc., executive meet our members’ needs and vice-president of CLB Media concerns. I am confident with Inc. (former publisher of SP&T the guidance of the board and News), and president of Gadikin Richard McMullen the assistance of CANASA staff, International. we can enhance our position in David has attended CANAboth Canadian and international markets. I look SA events over the years and knows our industry forward to working and meeting with all of you very well. He looks forward to meeting with our and welcome the opportunity to be part of the National Board of Directors to discuss strategy Canadian security industry.” and the future of the association before welcom-
David is also looking forward to joining us to help celebrate advancements in the industry and our association at events across the country. As we do every year, we will bestow awards to acknowledge volunteers who have dedicated their time and energy to advancing the industry and bursaries to recipients of our National Scholarship Program. After almost half a century of tremendous achievements, we come together to look back on the last 40 years to appreciate where we came from. Now we look forward to a bright future of engaging with members of the Canadian Security Association! We hope that you will join us at special commemorations, particularly during Security Canada East and Security Canada Central, where we will remember the good times and successes we have shared over the years. Richard McMullen (@Richard_FCi) is the national president of CANASA (www.canasa.org).
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LESSONS LEARNED
By Victor Harding
A tale of two companies Success has so many variables, it is worth checking some key metrics to identify areas of improvement
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ver the last three years, I have had the opportunity to examine two sets of two companies, each set of which is located in the same geographical area of the country and offers the same security services. Anyone looking at these four companies (two sets of two) would be struck by what also hit me: how much more financially successful one was than the other despite being in a similar market and offering the same services. The question is, how did this happen and what lessons can we draw? Note that: • All four companies offered the same general security services to the public • It is true that the two companies operating in each part of the country did not operate in the exact same city — just in the same general area. • All four companies have been in business a fairly long time — certainly long enough to get themselves established. • There were no other constraints on any of the four companies as to what they could or could not do. Here is what strikes you when you look at the financials of the two pairs of companies: • One company in each location had significantly better looking financials than the other and this was consistent over the last three years (i.e. not just a one-off event). • Better financials means: - Better working capital and working capital ratios - Greater retained earnings - Significantly better Net Income and Net Income to sales ratios -Significantly better EBITDA and EBITDA to sales ratios It is more difficult to compare these small companies on items like gross margins and expense ratios because different companies include different items in their calculations of each. Also each company’s owners paid themselves using different methods (salary versus dividends) and different amounts. However it is important to note that the four items that we singled out above of Working Capital, Retained Earnings, Net Income and EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Tax, Depreciation
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and Amortization) are all very important — if not the most important — measures that others will value your company by. It is also interesting that in both cases all these four items showed much better in one company than the other, not just one or two of the items. Allow me to provide some suggested targets for each:
Working Capital The ratio of total current assets to total current liabilities should be at least 1.5 to one. Two to one is even better. It is many times the case that a company that has a good working capital ratio has good financials elsewhere as well.
Retained Earnings There is no one ratio here to measure yourself by because different owners keep various amounts of money in the company. . Suffice to say that buyers like to see companies with significant retained earnings left in the company. This usually indicates that the owner is trying to build the company.
Net Income and Net Income to sales To get to these ratios properly, you have to “normalize” your earnings for “Owners Take” and any other extraordinary revenue or expense items. To normalize for Owners Take, adjust your earnings to what you would have to pay a General Manager to run your company. Having done both of these steps, that if you can consistently generate 10 per cent of sales in Net Income before Taxes, you are doing well.
EBITDA With most security companies, EBITDA and
Net Income numbers are not that far off each other because there are not usually significant fixed assets producing yearly depreciation nor is interest expense likely to be a big item. When I talk to buyers about EBITDA ratios, I hear numbers like 15 per cent as being attractive. Check your EBITDA calculation and see how you are doing. EBITDA ratio of 15 per cent would be more applicable to an integrator than to an alarm company where the value is determined more by the recurring monthly revenue of the alarm accounts. The bigger question is why two companies functioning in the same market offering the same services can end up with such different financial results? I have some plausible answers: • One company just functioned much more efficiently than the other. Sales per employee were greater for one than the other. This is a very important measure and a measure we all should pay attention to. • One company paid its employees considerably more than the other in the same market. • One company’s margins were greater than the other: 40% and above compared to 30% when fully comparing “apples to apples.” I know most security dealers cannot obtain comparative numbers but it is worth checking your key numbers and seeing what you can do to improve them. Victor Harding is the principal of Harding Security Services (victor@hardingsecurity.ca).
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Home away from home Enterprise and residential security products and applications usually address very different audiences, but there are a surprising number of commonalities and overlapping development cycles between two of the industry’s major markets By Renée Francoeur
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hen it comes to examining the relationship between homeand enterprise-based security systems, you should remember one thing, according to J.P. Lapointe, Canada leader/general manager at Honeywell Security and Fire: “users are users.” “Whether it’s at home or at the office, users expect a similar, if not identical, experience,” he says. That means the enterprise side of things has had to get a move on when it comes to adapting to the increasingly smarter smart home trend. But it also means the residential market has taken some pointers from enterprise. We explore both, looking at how they’ve been scratching each other’s backs, or sometimes just missing that itch.
Smart buildings Traditionally, security systems were a necessity for enterprises. For homes, they came as an add-on or afterthought, and usually only for an elite group. While this may be true in some cas-
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es, today, we see the “experience” of automated, integrated security systems making home-based ones that much more attractive and reachable. The home-based market in Canada is still hovering around 20-25 per cent in terms of penetration, whereas enterprise is practically 100 per cent, Lapointe reminds us. “Enterprise is driven by different factors, such as regulations, insurance, liability, protection of critical infrastructure or sometimes productivity. Those are different needs an enterprise customer is looking to fill whereas in home, in the past, it was all about a security product. I think that’s why the market penetration was what it was, because the majority of the population didn’t feel like it was a need for their lifestyle,” he says. As more homes become more connected, this could start to change. “Maybe not everyone is interested in an alarm system but maybe they’re interested in viewing in real time what’s going on around their pool through a smart device,” Lapointe suggests. A report, authored by IHS Markit’s smart
home and security technology principal analyst Blake Kozak, says in 2023, professionally monitored smart homes will exceed non-connected, traditionally monitored security systems. His report also expects the penetration of smart home systems to double by 2025. That means more touchscreens, self-contained intruder alarm panels (which contain several radios such as Wi-Fi, Z-Wave and ZigBee), remote monitoring and a heightened amount of automation, Kozak says, for video surveillance, thermostats, water leak detection and garage door control, as a few examples. As such, a desire for similar connectivity is now creeping into the enterprise side of things.
Apps & interfaces “Combining security systems with building automation features so the operator only has one interface is popular,” says Paul Garms, director of regional marketing at Bosch Security, North America. “It may have started on the residential side, but we’re seeing it more and more on the enterprise side.” It helps, he adds, that wireless standard formats like ZigBee and Z-Wave, allow for the control of multiple devices and are something everyone can use — home or enterprise. This drive for integration and remote monitoring is one big similarity between enterprise and home systems, and as an example, Garms points to Bosch’s B series family of intrusion
The marketing glitz According to Lapointe, it’s all about observing how people use the product in both markets and looking at how to make “that experience smoother so the end user can see the value, too”—infusing a “lifestyle” perspective into the marketing and remembering “home is an emotional experience.” Living up to its ease-of-use preaching, it was time to take Bosch onto YouTube, Garms says. “We’ve put up videos showing people how to install systems and products and this was something the residential space had been doing for a while.” Another marketing takeaway from the residential market, according to Garms, was the message to hone in on the end user. “As a manufacturer we sell to installers and dealers, so we focus on what makes it easy for them to install but more and more we’re taking it a step further and looking to provide marketing and sales tools, brochures, etc. to those in our Bosch Authorized Security Dealer program for them to give to their clients and help the end user.” Bosch has historically only gone to market through a direct dealer network, Garms says, but with the aforementioned B series panels, the company decided to “open that up in distribution through Tri-Ed/Anixter and a distributor called ScanSource, and made it available to essentially, all dealers.” For Cropley, a principal market analyst at IHS, the appealing factors in DIY changes the
Photo courtesy Bosch Security
game between enterprise and home systems marketing. “A significant portion of the homebased systems can be sold as DIY products through in-store or online versions of common electronics or big box retailers such as Costco, Wal-Mart or Best Buy,” he says. “This is not a common approach for the professional-grade market where equipment typically reaches end users via their integrator or installer, who have either purchased it through distribution channels or direct from the manufacturer.” It is no secret that the DIY market has taken revenue from professional channels because of the innovation and design flexibility of DIY versus the often vertically integrated and proprietary nature of professional offerings, Kozak adds. “As a result, service providers with vertically integrated ecosystems need to be quick to market with in-house innovation as well as necessary third-party integrations, such as voice control with Alexa Skills or Google Home.” Moreover, he continues, integrations with “automotive, well-being (independent living and digital/telehealth) and multi-room audio will ensure differentiation, future proofing and additional revenue streams.” Overall, innovation is critical for service providers in the smart home, Kozak says, highlighting that the future of the smart home will have less focus on safety and security devices and more focus on automation, user experience and ecosystems.
argues, adding they have also learned to consider alternative payment models, “like paying monthly for video surveillance as a service rather than buying equipment outright.” Similarly, consumers are beginning to expect alternatives to long-term contracts in the form of on-demand billing, professional installation with self-monitoring or DIY installation with professional monitoring, according to Kozak. “For security providers, these alternative models can be an additional source of recurring monthly revenue (RMR) for dealers seeking quick installations with minimal effort required,” he says.
Analytics & payments Also, video analytics, which were traditionally associated with enterprise systems, have filtered down into home DIY video surveillance systems. “Many inexpensive DIY cameras feature forms of analytics from basic trip wires to ‘zones of interest’ to even face detection,” Cropley notes, all of which were once considered enterprise territory. However, enterprises have learned how the Cloud can better be used for video surveillance systems from home-based initiatives, Cropley
Thermal not just for enterprise
Photo courtesy Honeywell
panels, which cater to the small commercial market as well as high-end residential. “It has integrated capability where you can directly integrate flash IP cameras to the panel, access control to control doors, but it also has the smart home interface for residential or business,” he notes. The panel family also supports both IPv4 and IPv6 and remote command with free apps. Controlling your systems through an app was a residential undertaking to begin with, Garms notes, and it has impacted enterprise systems due to its ease and Millennial appeal. “Bosch is primarily what you term an enterprise or commercial focused company,” he says, “but we do offer apps for commercial grade systems — it’s commonplace, because everyone is so comfortable with them now.” “Home based systems have to be easy to use and intuitive with touchscreens,” Garms adds. “That ease-of-use is something we’ve learned from the resi. In the past, one guy at the company learned all the commands to arm the system. Now, there’s higher turnover and people don’t want to read manuals, which is affecting how we market and sell the product.” Additionally, for enterprise access control, where biometrics is gaining traction, according to Kozak, the remote monitoring capabilities via a smart device are also very attractive to end users.
DragonFly is a hybrid residential DIY solution from Honeywell, featuring a hub, indoor camera and outdoor camera, all of which integrate through the use of a phone.
More thermal cameras are also making their way into high-end residential, as prices come down, says Wayne Hurd, vice-president of distribution sales for FLIR Systems, Security & Surveillance, but it’s “still in its infancy.” “In the future, I see even more coming to upper-middle class homes,” Hurd says, “because they do things that are quite interesting, like putting up a thermal fence, and there’s different variations of camera lens, so you can set up a wide angle for the backyard, for example.” For FLIR, advances on the enterprise side — like Cloud-based analytics — are what drives down to the residential, Hurd says, and both are marketed similarly. “We do something on the enterprise side first, then make adjustments for the residential.” He notes FLIR’s fairly new FC line for perimeter protection suits both commercial and residential needs, as the series has analytics built in to identify humans or animals.
@SecurityEd • March 2017 19
Wireless vs. wired
“Personally, I feel enterprise is adopting wireless quicker now, because it’s proven its credibility on the home front,” Lapointe asserts. Additionally, DIY home security cameras are often Wi-Fi cameras, Cropley notes. “This is not the case in many professional grade installations— whether an enterprise system or not. Often cameras that are required to be more distributed and might require extensive cabling, such as in parking lot, may be connected to a wireless radio node but the rest of the system may be on nearby buildings and be wired.
Building out a stable, wireless network for modern, high-resolution video surveillance cameras remains technically difficult and can be expensive,” he says. “But wireless still may be the most cost effective option where wired cabling would not be suitable or too disruptive, like in a city centre or for isolated cameras.” Meanwhile, in the wireless electronic locks department, enterprise is “certainly on par” with the home-based security, according to Kozak. “Despite the slow moving nature of access control, wireless electronic locks have been a true success story,” he says. “Wireless locks for enterprise has changed the game because it allows installers and integrators to put access control where it may not have been financially feasible 10 years ago.
Photo courtesy Bosch Security
The use of wireless video surveillance in enterprise remains less common compared to home security, according to Garms. Equipment cost is always a concern for enterprise customers, Garms continues, and retrofitting existing buildings with new security systems is typically more cost efficient with wired selections. He says he’s seeing more wireless solutions in smaller enterprise applications and that it’s been a big offering for a number of years. The larger ones do still favour wired, he says, “simply because
there are fewer batteries to replace and, if you go too large, you need repeaters and that sort of thing with wireless. Maintenance was a concern.” That being said, enterprise is learning the benefits of wireless, Lapointe notes. “Maybe there’s a little higher cost on hardware, but if there’s a value proposition that equates to one technician spending maybe 50 per cent less time because of a wireless solution, that enables a retrofit to be much more easier to do. And those are types of solutions that enterprise customers are looking for.”
The Bosch B series intrusion control panel family, expanded last year, offers Bosch IP camera and smart home device integration as well as remote command and control with free apps.
This means remote locations such as a utility substation or network tower or interior doors of a building. Wireless locks have helped expand the access control market.”
Intelligent & integrated As both enterprise- and homebased security systems evolve to become increasingly integrated and intelligent, the markets have much they can share and take away from one another. “I think that quickness to market, looking at what the end user wants and adapting to meet those needs is positioning this industry for a fun ride for the next 10-20 years,” Lapointe concludes. “We have to be thinking of how can we come to market with new solutions, software that’s easier to install and use, and easy to maintain overall over a long period of time so the end user, whether at home or in the office, can see the value of what they’re investing in.”
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THE KEY TO 4K
While the technology has been slow to start, a potent combination of compression, storage management and advanced analytics is likely to improve adoption By Tom Cook
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espite the superior image quality it offers, 4K has lagged in adoption for surveillance applications for a number of reasons, mainly cost concerns. The more detailed, higher-frame rate images 4K delivers can provide incredibly useful information for improving identification and post-event analysis capabilities, as well as improved situational awareness. In fact, most verticals can benefit from the advancements in resolution and faster frame rates of 4K. However, widespread adoption of the technology has so far been slow, mostly as a result of the corresponding challenges associated with 4K and the increased video data volume that must be transmitted from a camera to a headend for viewing, monitoring and storage — and the increased costs associated with transmission and storage. Every new technology brings its own set of challenges and a higher price tag when it is first introduced. We see this in the consumer and security markets, and 4K is no exception. But as 4K matures, manufacturers and others will continue to seek ways to address many of the concerns and make it more accessible to a larger audience. It’s a universal truth that as adoption rates increase, overall cost decreases. We are already seeing this with 4K, and the shift will inevitably continue until overall cost settles at a price point
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that is more palatable and helps potential users see the inherent business benefits 4K has to offer.
Bandwidth and Storage Not surprisingly, the main technology concern related to 4K is the increased bandwidth and storage requirement. When added to the cost of cameras themselves, the necessary investment in these “helper” technologies only pushes 4K farther and farther out of reach for most end users. Thankfully, the market began addressing these concerns long before 4K made its way into security. The cost of servers and other storage-related hardware has consistently fallen over the last few years and this trend should continue into the foreseeable future. H.264, which has become the de facto standard for video compression in the security industry, can help make 4K video more bandwidth- and storage-friendly but video file sizes will still impact both. The recently introduced H.265 compression algorithm, however, delivers up to 50 per cent greater compression than H.264 without affecting image quality. This allows H.265 to deliver the smallest possible video file sizes to lower bandwidth and storage requirements, while providing more details with less blocking of artifacts and noticeable distortion in the image, making it ideal for use with 4K cameras. The result is lower overall video system costs, which makes 4K even more accessible to more end users. To see the greatest benefit from H.265 takes cameras and other solutions that go beyond simply being H.265 compliant to provide a useful
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solution. The standard has been in the works for some time and has only recently been ready for implementation. H.265 is more than a simple algorithm; it defines a set of standards that relate to features, all of which must be implemented in order to get the greatest compression benefits. Therefore, cameras and other solutions must incorporate higher-power chips that enable the accelerated compression, which have recently become available. In addition to cameras, NVRs must also support H.265 to provide an end-to-end solution that extends to end users viewing live video or reviewing recordings remotely. VMS providers have developed or are working on additional drivers that can support and compress both H.264 and H.265 simultaneously. The processing power needed for this creates a significant load on the server, and until recently, server technology has lacked the needed processing capability. However, servers are now catching up with H.265. This underscores the importance of verifying that all 4K cameras that are deployed can be integrated with end users’ VMS, which can be as simple as updating software or installing a new driver. The combination of rapidly dropping storage costs and H.265 compression technology is certainly reducing challenges and costs associated with these two main concerns. Eventually both factors will become non-issues, allowing more users to take advantage of the higher level of security 4K provides.
Lighting While the larger size of 4K video files may be the greatest reason for bandwidth and storage concerns, there is another factor that has long been a quandary when working with high-resolution video: lighting. This boils down to simple physics. There is only so much physical space available on a camera’s imager, and higher resolution relies on using more pixels, which must then be smaller to fit within the imager. And the smaller the pixel, the less light it is capable of capturing. As a result, light sensitivity is somewhat lower for high-resolution cameras than on lower-resolution models, resulting in larger file sizes that further add to bandwidth and storage costs. Most high-resolution cameras incorporate Wide Dynamic Range (WDR), which allows the camera to capture images of people or objects in situations where there is low light, changing light, backlighting or other challenging condition. Typically, 4K and other high-resolution camera simply cannot perform without this essential component. However, many manufacturers have not yet included WDR into the 4K cam-
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eras they have released in the market. This does a disservice to end users by compromising image quality in challenging lighting conditions. End users should always verify their high megapixel cameras incorporate 120dB of true WDR to deliver high-quality images, especially for outdoor use.
“The shift will inevitably continue until overall cost settles at a price point that is more palatable and helps potential users see the inherent business benefits.” Video Analytics Another method camera manufacturers are introducing to combat limitations in, and added costs of, bandwidth and storage is intelligent video analytics. Previously, the increased CPU processing power required for 4K imaging made it difficult to add analytic capabilities to the cameras themselves. Recent advances in processors and analytics technologies are reducing and even eliminating this particular challenge. End users should look for cameras that support licence-free video analytics. These include appear and disappear, virtual line, entering and exiting, tampering detection, motion detection, de-focus protection and more. These technologies allow cameras to record at lower resolution when there is nothing of interest in the scene but increase to 4K when analytics detect a potential situation. For example, areas where the scene doesn’t change can be recorded in lower resolution, allowing specific areas such as a doorway to be captured in full 4K for identification and investigation when motion is detected. Other compression technologies are available on H.264 to improve performance such as ZipStream, Smart Codec, H.264+ and Wisestream — but scientifically H.265 was developed to decrease bandwidth approximately by 50 per cent on all data. Hanwha Techwin incorporates WiseStream, an intelligent codec that works in conjunction with both H.264 and H.265 to further reduce bandwidth requirements.
Use Cases Despite the limiting factors that have inhibited adoption of 4K, there are several viable applica-
tions for the technology. So while 4K resolution may still not be right for every end user or application, the base of potential adopters continues to grow thanks in large part to technologies and other factors that have mitigated many concerns about 4K. Moving forward, the many benefits 4K cameras have to offer will help offset concerns about price for many potential end users. One good use for 4K is situations where security professionals need to monitor and record large areas and wider views to deliver the appropriate pixels on target while also providing the ability to maintain quality images when zooming digitally without losing the wider field of view. This makes 4K cameras ideal for large campuses, city surveillance, stadiums and government sectors, to name a few. However, applications for 4K are not limited to only these larger-scale deployments. There is also a level of demand for more focused applications that cover smaller areas, such as casinos, jewelry stores, pharmacies and more. The casino vertical is a prime example of an early adopter of 4K imaging technology, primarily for high-stakes gaming and other areas where large amounts of cash and/or chips are exchanged. Essentially, 4K is an excellent solution for any vertical market that requires both high resolution and high frame rates at the same time.
Potential Cost Savings with 4K Without question, the higher-megapixel capabilities of 4K will eventually see adoption across most markets — a trend that will be accelerated as H.265 cameras become more available. While today’s price tags may cause users to hesitate, 4K cameras can deliver cost savings, particularly for wide-area applications. For instance, a potential selling point for 4K cameras is the ability for a single camera to replace multiple cameras, reducing up-front equipment, installation and maintenance costs without sacrificing coverage, such as for large parking lot applications. Significant improvements in video analytic capabilities and more effective and efficient forensic investigations are other possibilities that can contribute to overall savings. These benefits will only become more relevant as prices for bandwidth, storage and 4K camera continue to drop, placing them solidly within the price range of the average end user. The challenges associated with 4K may seem daunting today, but each can be addressed and mitigated with a full solutions provider. Tom Cook is the vice-president of sales, North America, for Hanwha Techwin America (www. hanwha-security.com).
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The notso-scary truth about biometrics Installed correctly, this technology can significantly boost a location’s security profile By Roger Miller
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he subject of installing biometric devices scares many security integrators — therefore the technology has often been avoided in favour of more traditional security hardware. Historically, biometric technology has been troublesome, difficult to work with and generally a pain for installers as well as the end user. Working on large-scale integration projects over the past few years, we have learned some valuable lessons about working with biometrics successfully. We recognized very early on that the integration of biometrics with traditional access control would enable us to meet regulatory requirements while at the same time reducing the number of uniformed security personnel on site. The targeted reduction in security guards defined an ROI that would be achievable only through the use of biometric security hardware, full height turnstiles, vehicle gates with leading access control and video technology. This all sounds very expensive — but when compared to the cost of 24/7 security guards, the cost was recouped in about 36 months. Beyond the 36 months, our client has achieved significant savings annually, with a greater degree of security. Now to choose the right technology. Fingerprint, fingervein, retina scan, palm, and others are options available to you. The first lesson learned is that there is no single device that will
26 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca
work in all environments with the same rate of success. You must determine if you will be working with one or more types of biometric devices, and then further determine which device will suit the majority of your authorized personnel. After trial and error, we opted to use two different devices, fingerprint and fingervein. This decision was based on the different environments indoors (fingervein) versus the harsh weather of being out in the cold unprotected weather (fingerprint). For this article it makes little difference why one performs better that the other, but the success rate is noticeable if both technologies are applied properly. You need to determine if your biometric selection will integrate with your usual access control platform, and test them together. Product supply for warranty, new installations or repair and service should be closely investigated. The higher quality technology is not usually sitting on shelves at your local distributor. Once the technology was selected, the next step was the installation. This step is very important for many reasons. Placement of the devices has proven to be almost as significant as selecting the proper device. How the device is physically approached may determine if the employee is granted or denied access. You want an ergonomically smooth approach so the biometric scan is not compromised by the person manoeuvring their body into an uncomfortable position that results in inconsistent readings. If the device is too high, too low or beside a door that requires the person move unnaturally, it will affect the success rate. At one point we discussed
painting lines on the floor to mark where the person should stand for maximum performance. The training and enrolment process has to be completed carefully and consistently. Little steps, like remembering which finger they used for enrolment, are important. We have seen users of biometric systems become agitated when they can’t access their workplace, only to find out that they were trying to scan the wrong finger. Even with the best technology there will be a higher rejection rate of biometric scans than traditionally experienced with card access alone. This rate will be low if you’ve done your homework, but if you have several hundred entries per day, even one or two per cent has an impact on your operation. The integration of biometric devices with your access control system must be supported by redundant technology that will allow system users who encounter a problem to communicate to a guard station for support. We supported all biometric access points with video intercom to a central guard post. This allows the guard on duty to see what is happening, in real time, at entry points using biometrics. In situations where access is denied due to biometric or card read issues they can be managed remotely, while the entire event is recorded on video servers. The end result is a very effective access control system that integrates the right mix of people and technology to provide a secure workplace. Roger Miller is the president of Northeastern Protection Service Inc. (www.protectionpartner.ca), a security services company based in Halifax.
Built on the foundation and legacy of the highly regarded Wisenet line of network cameras, Hanwha makes across the board enhancements to deliver its most robust line to date. Based on Hanwha’s new proprietary Wisenet 5 chipset, Wisenet X series cameras feature WiseStream II advanced compression, industry leading 150dB WDR, USB for easy installation, dual SD card slot for high capacity on-board recording, and new intelligent video analytics and audio classification. Explore the innovation in Wisenet X and see how we can go further, together.
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QA &
Jeffrey He, president, Hikvision U.S.A. and Hikvision Canada
By Neil Sutton
S
P&T News recently connected with Hikvision’s North American president Jeffrey He for an email interview and asked for an update on its current market strategy and plans for Canada. The company opened an office in Montreal in 2015 and recently announced plans to open a global R&D centre there. He provided additional details about Hikvision’s web presence and serving Canadians in both official languages. SP&T also asked He to clarify the global company’s ownership structure and relationship with the government of China — a subject that has come under some scrutiny. An edited version of that email exchange follows. SP&T News: What is your breakdown of SMB and Enterprise clients and how are you developing the Canadian market? Jeffrey He: In 2016, we continued to excel in the SMB market with tremendous growth. We also made significant inroads in the enterprise market segment. In 2017 we’re working to solidify our leadership position in SMB and to continue investing in the enterprise market. Canada is a very important part of our strategy. Our Canadian headquarters in Montreal serves as the centre of operations for Hikvision Canada. Hikvision Canada has expanded its sales team to increase the abilities to service the SMB and enterprise market; increased the number of technical support staff (they also handle calls from the U.S.); plus we have created a new marketing team in Canada to further enhance our marketing communication to the diverse Canadian population. The company launched a Canadian website last summer and we re-
28 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca
Hikvision Canada opened its first Montreal location in 2015
cently launched a French-language website to better serve the growing French-speaking customer base. Hikvision Canada has outgrown its first office space in less than two years and now has plans to move into a new larger facility. We’ve found an excellent talent pool in Canada, and there’s a very business-friendly environment for companies like Hikvision that want to invest in the community. The provincial government of Quebec and the municipality of Montreal provide excellent support for Hikvision, and we have decided to open our very first global R&D Centre in Montreal. Also, Canada has a very strong and positive relationship with China. China is Canada’s third-largest trade partner, behind the U.S. and the E.U. Economic activity between the two countries grew at a year-over-year increase of more than 10 per cent in 2015, reaching $85.8 billion in two-way merchandise trade. The positive relationship encourages Hikvision to invest in the community for future growth. SP&T: There has been some speculation about Hikvision’s Chinese government ownership. Can you clarify the situation? JH: I’m happy to discuss Hikvision ownership. Your readers should know that this is public information, readily available on our website for anyone to see since our IPO and debut on the stock market in 2010. Hikvision is a global, pub-
licly-traded company. There are four major shareholder groups in Hikvision: state-owned enterprise shareholders (SOEs); an individual investor; company founders and executives; and, common-share/international institutional investors. So, while Hikvision has shareholders who are SOEs or “government controlled” entities, Hikvision itself is not an SOE. As of 2016, two SOEs jointly own about 42 per cent of Hikvision shares. A Hong Kong businessman, Kung Hung Ka, owns about 18 per cent of company shares. Company founders and executives hold about eight per cent of shares. Common-shares investors, including international institutional investors such as UBS AG and JP Morgan, own about 31 per cent of shares. UBS AG and JP Morgan are among Hikvision’s top 10 shareholders. SP&T: Given all the recent focus on security equipment becoming compromised or hacked, what steps are you taking to ensure the cybersecurity of Hikvision products? JH: Cybersecurity is an issue of concern for all security manufacturers, including Hikvision. And, it’s been a top priority for us for the past few years. We have a number of industry-leading initiatives and resources that have been in place for a couple of years including our Network and Information Security Lab; The Hikvision Security Response Center; ISO/IEC 27001 certification;
and the Hikvision Security Center. A new initiative in the past year is a Penetration Test Team. We hired seasoned cybersecurity professionals based both at our HQ in China and in North America. The team ensures application-level security and works to guarantee product safety throughout the product safety development cycle. We also regularly invite well-known third-party companies to do penetration testing. SP&T: Do you have plans to bring any Hikvision equipment that is currently only available in China/Asia to North America? JH: Yes. We expect to have drones available in North America at the end of 2017. We will also bring other exciting products into new market segments. SP&T: Given the increasing commoditization of surveillance equipment, how does Hikvision distinguish itself in the market? Are you competing mainly on price? What value-add or feature sets can you bring yo market? JH: Innovation is the answer to commoditization. Let’s look at the history of the cameras: Analogue, IP, TVI, each phase brought price changes and market shifts. We believe all manufacturers, including Hikvision, are trying to work on the next “big thing.” In terms of pricing, any “expert” who says that Hikvision products are the lowest priced products on the market is no expert. I must point out that lower price points for cameras and other security products enable our integrator partners to provide more cameras for end users, which in turn means more and better security for our society. The industry should join forces to promote the benefit of enhanced security, thus making the market bigger.
Product Previews
ACCESS CONTROL
Doorbell camera Iveda
Access control software
Bosch Security Systems The Access Professional Edition (APE 3.4) software solution enables installers and system integrators to manage access control. It goes beyond locking and unlocking of doors and allows a large number of functionalities from reception registration, badge registration to entrance monitoring, alarm management and video verification. APE can be integrated with other building management and security functions like elevator management and intrusion protection.
The IvedaHome doorbell security camera is a standalone product that can also be bundled with Iveda’s IvedaHome automation and security system. Iveda’s doorbell camera is a DIY product that can be installed to replace the existing doorbell in most homes or offices. Iveda’s doorbell camera serves as a surveillance camera, equipped with a PIR (passive infrared) motion detector sensor. When motion is detected, an alert will be sent to the same devices and each can use the app to verify what is going on outside the door.
www.iveda.com
Self-powered lock Dormakaba
The Kaba PowerPlex 2000 self-powered electronic lock generates its own power through PowerStar technology, making it an efficient and versatile electronic lockset available with virtually no maintenance costs. Every time the lever is activated, the lock is energized to provide PIN code access. The lock can be simply programmed with as many as 100 different user-codes and five different authority levels with audit trail accountability of the past 1,000 events.
www.boschsecurity.us
www.dormakaba.com
Access control as a service Feenics
Keep by Feenics Access Control as a Service (ACaaS) Security Management System (SMS) gives users the choice of on-site servers or offsite Cloud hosting. In a hosted environment, Keep eliminates the need for servers or appliances, while providing full redundancy and disaster recovery. The platform features two-factor authentication, TLS encryption and a native User Interface (UI) that allows users to configure and monitor access control via an Internet connection.
www.feenics.com
Digital door lock Adams Rite
Smart lock conversion
Spectrum brands Kwikset Convert is the company’s new Z-Wave Smart Lock Conversion Kit. The kit will turn mechanical locks — even non-Kwikset locks — into smart, electronic locks, bringing keyless entry and home automation to new consumer audiences. Kwikset Convert is designed to appeal to homeowners who want a smart lock but also want to maintain the style of the front door or match an existing handleset, and don’t want to change out their existing deadbolt.
www.kwikset.com
The RITE Touch digital door lock with the new ADA compliant accessibility lever offers compliance while providing a security solution for design professionals and building owners. Intended for indoor single or double all-glass door applications, the surface mounted RITE Touch requires no modification to the glass. It is battery-operated, programmable via touch-screen, and supports up to 40 credential cards. The digital lock features two options for credential actuation on the secure side of the door, a user code using the touch-screen or using the Mifare credential cards provided. With choice of thumbturn or ADA compliant accessibility lever, the RITE Touch provides aesthetics with the latest touch screen technology.
www.adamsrite.com
Laser-engraved credentials Farpointe Data
Proximity and smart card credentials are now available with tactile laser engraving. Whether clamshell, printable, printable with magnetic stripe card or key ring or disc tag, Farpointe will permanently laser engrave logos and text, URLs, signature blocks, messaging, other graphics or whatever the customer wants. Images and text can be individualized for each organization’s needs while meeting security standards.
www.farpointedata.com
Unified security management S2 Security
S2 Magic Monitor Version 4 provides a unified security management user experience for access control, video surveillance, forensics, digital signage and live Internet feeds. Version 4 introduces new features including third-party video management system support, audio support and advanced Internet widgets. Version 4 of Magic Monitor includes audio support for cameras, video clips and online digital content. Real-time media from Twitter and Everbridge and enhanced weather radar maps bring tailored situational awareness into a variety of environments.
www.s2sys.com @SecurityEd • March 2017 29
Product Previews
The latest in security technology
Security control panel Nortek Security & Control
Incident reporting software iView Systems
The iTrak Incident Reporting & Risk Management System Version 6.0 release includes updates such as the collaborative Case Management and automated iDispatch Security Kiosk Modules. The Case Management module provides a secure environment to create, manage and complete the investigation life-cycle; the iDispatch Security Kiosk Module streamlines dispatch resources in real-time. The iTrak Platform centralizes information from disparate sources into an integrated framework.
www.iviewsystems.com
The 2GIG Vario Hybrid Security System consists of a security control panel with on-board hardwire inputs and outputs, which can add wireless capabilities to take advantage of 2GIG’s existing wireless solutions. Vario has multiple keypad styles, a variety of zone and output expanders, two options for power supply expansion, two-way voice compatibility, two distinct receiver options, and a wide variety of tamper-protected enclosures. The Vario system supports the entire 2GIG wireless sensor line.
www.2gig.com
Miniature joystick APEM
The NV series switch based miniature joystick offers four directional outputs plus a fifth centre pushbutton option providing a positive, tactile feedback in all directions for precise and secure fingertip control. The compact 16mm NV series is available with either a castle or conical shaped actuator and numerous colour options. With a chrome-plated metal case and IP69K sealing, the durable NV series is designed to withstand all types of adverse conditions.
PTZ cameras Avigilon
Avigilon announced the expansion of its H4 camera platform with the addition of the H4 PTZ (Pan-Tilt-Zoom) camera line. The new H4 PTZ combines high performance with self-learning video analytics providing users the functionality and intelligence to proactively respond to events as they occur. The new H4 PTZ camera line is available in 1 and 2 megapixel (MP) camera resolutions both featuring continuous 360-degree rotation, allowing operators to track activity in any direction and collect detailed video evidence.
www.avigilon.com
www.apem.com
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30 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca SPT_Camden_March.indd 1
2017-02-21 2:22 PM
Industrial label maker K-Sun
Smart home system Interlogix
The UltraSync SmartHome system provides home automation and professional-grade, UL-listed security features. Its built-in Z-Wave radio allows control of a growing number of devices, including compatible lights, thermostats, locks and other appliances. The system can also view live video and replay captured alarm or action-triggered video. Select devices and controllers from Aeon Labs, an in-home automation products company, are now compatible with UltraSync.
www.interlogix.com
The Epson LABELWORKS PX LW-PX700 industrial label maker creates durable, custom and compliant labels, wire markers and more up to 1-inch wide. Auto Tape Rewind reduces lead margins to 4 mm by retracting material into the cartridge before the first label prints. The Mixed-Length hot key lets users create multiple uniform and variable-length labels on the same strip with a half-cut between each label for easy removal and application, eliminating multiple lead margins to significantly save tape.
www.ksun.com
DVR lockbox
Video Mount Products The DVR-MB1 Mobile/Rackmount DVR Lockbox is an alternative to the company’s DVR-LB1 and DVR-LB3 DVR lockboxes. The DVR-MB1 has been designed specifically for those who require the flexibility of DVRs being either portable or rack mounted in settings that may be prone to theft or vandalism. The lockbox’s interior dimensions are 17” W x 13.8” D x 3” H.
www.videomount.com
Automated LPR Genetec
The AutoVu SharpV is a new fixed ALPR (automated licence plate recognition) camera with onboard processing. AutoVu SharpV is designed for fixed ALPR installations. It can be tied into citywide video surveillance systems to improve forensic investigations, reporting, monitoring, and is suited for controlling access to corporate facilities, as well as managing off-street parking facilities. With high-definition ALPR and context cameras and onboard processing, the SharpV can detect and read any type of licence plate on the edge.
www.genetec.com/sharpv
We pride ourselves in the effort put forth, the lessons learned, and successes achieved along the way to becoming the LEADER of one of the fastest growing markets in the world.
Connect with us:
www.hikvision.com
CredWords-Ad__Leader.indd 11 SPT_Hikvision_March.indd 1
2/13/17 9:16 AM
@SecurityEd • March 2017 31
2017-02-21 10:54 AM
Product Previews PoE dome network camera D-Link
With Full HD and 3 megapixel video quality, the Vigilance Full HD PoE Dome Network Camera (DCS-4603) provides surveillance in a variety of lighting conditions. Suitable for installations in hotels, retail locations, restaurants, offices, and schools, the D-Link DCS-4603 can be mounted indoor on walls or ceilings, with a 3-axis gimbal to precisely position the lens. The D-Link DCS-4603 offers precise positioning of the lens and supports non-motorized 340-degree pan and rotation, along with 60 degree tilt, for comprehensive surveillance. The camera includes a built-in 802.3af compliant PoE module.
www.dlink.com
Horn/Strobe/Speaker guards
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The Horn/Strobe/Speaker Damage Stoppers are UL/cUL Listed guards designed to protect System Sensor SpectrAlert Advanced series of notification appliances. Constructed of a tough, 9-gauge steel wire coated with corrosion resistant red or white polyester, they are available in flush or surface mount. Guards are recommended for areas where abuse is severe or it is imperative horn/strobe/speakers continue to operate. Installation is accomplished with the screws and anchors provided. STI guarantees the guards for three years against breakage in normal use.
www.sti-usa.com
Home dome camera Legrand
Designed for operation in any space, the On-Q IP Dome Camera is triggered by motion sensors to take pictures, capture 1080p HD video and send e-mail alerts to homeowners. Once alerted, or at any other time, users can log into the camera via the On-Q IP Camera App to observe what’s occurring on their property via live video feeds. The camera features professional-grade night vision that enables users to see up to 50 feet in total darkness without loss of resolution. Its varifocal lens allows for motorized remote camera zooming for close-ups.
www.legrand.com
Network video recorder Tyco Security Products
The exacqVision M-Series expands the All-in-One Recorder category with the LC-Series PoE+ recorder. Similar to the higher-capacity, higher PoE power LC-Series, the M-Series includes integrated PoE camera ports and exacqVision START video management software, which can be upgraded to the Professional or Enterprise software. Users can connect up to eight IP cameras per recorder and can view and administer live and recorded video directly from the recorder using the included exacqVision client or remotely using a web browser or exacqVision client.
www.exacq.com 32 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca
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ADT........................................................................... 25 www.securemorebusiness.com
Digital Watchdog...................................................... 17 www.digital-watchdog.com
Securex..................................................................... 12 len@securex.ca
Altronix....................................................................... 7 www.altronix.com
dorma-kaba EAD...................................................... 21 kaba-adsamericas.com
SecurTek................................................................... 33 www.securtek.com
API............................................................................ 13 www.apidealers.com
Hanwha.................................................................... 27 hanwhasecurity.com
Security Summit Canada.......................................... 32 www.securitysummitcanada.com
Axis Communications............................................... 15 www.axis.com
Harding Security Services......................................... 33 victor@hardingsecurity.ca
Smart Eyes Direct..................................................... 11 www.smartvisiondirect.com
Bosch...................................................................... 1, 9 www.boschsecurity.us
Hikvision................................................................... 31 www.hikvision.com
Speco Technologies................................................ 1, 2 www.specotech.com
Camden Door Controls............................................. 30 www.camdencontrols.com
J.C. Gury Company.................................................... 33 www.jcgury.com
Tri-Ed........................................................................ 23 www.tri-ed.com
CANASA.................................................................... 14 www.securitycanadaexpo.com
Lanvac...................................................................... 35 www.lanvac.com
Weiser....................................................................... 36 www.weiserlock.com
CML Security............................................................. 33 www.cmlsecurity.com
Regelle Partners....................................................... 33 www.regelle.com
Dahua......................................................................... 5 www.dahuasecurity.com/en/us
Resolution Products................................................. 20 www.resolutionproducts.com
@SecurityEd • March 2017 33
Archive
Historical Headlines
Security Products and Technology News
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A.P.I. Monitoring in Concord, Ont., is just one of the Canadian companies that has continually made improvements to operations.
Serving Installers, Dealers and Integrators Across Canada
V.17 i.4 May 2013
NPS winners from ISC West 2013
ISD takes home top honours p.8
S PAC E STATION By Linda Johnson
D
an Small admits he was glad when Armstrong’s Communication’s last upgrade project was finished. By the end of the project, which took months of in-house planning and collaboration with telecoms and software manufacturers, they had completely re-done the electronics in their two monitoring stations. “Every computer, every server, completely changed our network. We did everything — live,” says Small, general manager at the Dartmouth, N.S.-based monitoring company. “My heart was racing for a while, but everything went really well.” Central stations are putting a lot of effort and money these days into improving their operations. These upgrades — whether they involve software, equipment or training — are helping them increase efficiency, reduce false alarms and, of course, meet their main challenge: keeping up with
the ever-expanding range of technologies and services that they and their dealers want to offer customers. “You have to constantly reinvest and reinvest, or you become irrelevant,” says Small, adding they expect their recent project, which cost about $350,000, will allow them to handle whatever new technologies come onto the market in the next several years. “Our job is to stay current with technology, so the dealers can go buy whatever products they want. They can buy the latest technology and not worry, is this compatible with my station?” One of the big drivers of the upgrades, too, he adds, is the move by security manufacturers to IP technology. “For example, IPDatatel, a cellular unit, uses an Internet port, and it goes directly into our software,” he says. “The days of buying lots and lots of boxes of receivers in racks are slowly diminishing. A lot of this stuff is becoming direct to IP.” With the upgraded infrastructure,
“You have to constantly reinvest and reinvest, or you become irrelevant.” — Dan Small, Armstrong’s Communication
including the installation of a new network by Stratus Avance Network Solutions, Small says, they are able to provide more services. They have just introduced an enhanced app that allows technicians to connect into the station with a smart phone and perform all the functions that previously had to be done by phone, such as place accounts on test/off test, check signals and check call lists. The feature is available to end users, too, providing them access to their monitoring station information on demand, either on a PC or smart phone. They have also just rolled out a lone worker app, he adds. The worker enters into their smart phone the time they plan to begin their shift and how often they will call in. The information is sent to the monitoring station, along with the worker’s GPS location. “If you fail to check in when it alerts you to, or before it alerts you to, we’ll get an alarm at the station and begin tracking your GPS location via your phone. And we’ll call and make sure you’re okay,” he says. In addition to apps, Armstrong’s is working on mobile PERS products, Small says. They have just launched a GPS watch system, in conjunction with iLoc Technologies. Once the watch is locked onto the person’s wrist, the monitoring station can track the person’s location. Concord, Ont.-based A.P.I. Monitoring has also made big changes through their network of monitoring
stations, says Aaron Garr, director of operations. They recently installed a new Avaya phone system, integrating it with both their receivers and voice lines. “It gives us hot redundancy, so we have backup for all of our voice lines and receiver lines. We wanted to ensure that the core of our business was fully protected. It was a huge project. We’ve been working on it for a couple of years,” he says, adding they are also upgrading their station’s software to SIMS 3. At the same time, their in-house training team and training program have been expanded, Garr says. Four full-time trainers and quality control staff work with operators to review quality control and performance. And all new operators must go through an in-house training program. “We want to ensure we are meeting the expectations of our dealers. We’ve always prided ourselves on “Monitoring your way,” which is our slogan. We want to be able to provide the level of service and be able to do anything the dealers want us to do,” he says. Over the past year, A.P.I. has also been working on a change in their operations that will allow them to handle video monitoring and managed services more effectively, Garr says. They created a new managed services division that focuses on video monitoring and card access. Located in a separate section of the station, the division has a new setup, and opera-
Learn how to manage traffic to ensure your bandwidth stretches further p.24
Q&A: Dave Underwood Exacq’s president on offering customers more choice p.42
Definitely no fad, apps that provide support to installers and additional security benefits to end users are here to stay. As such, most major manufacturers are taking the time to augment products and services with downloadable content that can be used on the go.
Apps all around As security vendors become more in tune with consumer trends, they are providing all kinds of support on tablets and smartphone devices
p.30
Product Previews
The latest in security technology By Linda Johnson
W
PM# 40065710
How monitoring operations are keeping pace with technology to meet dealer and customer demands
Network homework
hen they entered the security market a few years ago, mobile apps had already proven themselves irresistible to consumers everywhere. In the security industry, too, they quickly became a must-have product. Despite their growing prevalence in security, however, the impact of apps is not yet clear. While some experts believe apps are still little more than a novelty, others argue they L_3G4GA_D_STP_Layout 1 2/15/13 10:59 AM Page 1
have already changed the way professionals work and have provided customers with better systems — and ones more suited to their current lifestyle. Net Payne, chief marketing officer at Ottawa-based March Networks, says response to the company’s Guru smartphone application has been great. The app allows the technician to get information more effectively than by calling a tech-support line. With the troubleshooting component, they can see the problem — literally. Continued on p.20
p.32
PM40065710 Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses To Circulation Department P.O. Box 530, Simcoe ON N3Y 4N5
the need for 4G speed
Today’s major wireless carriers are keeping pace with the explosion in demand for 4G. Are you? With more mobile devices demanding the speed of 4G, carriers continue to appropriate more bandwidth to meet consumer needs. The result can already be felt in existing 2G networks, and we believe it can happen again over time with 3G. Honeywell’s advanced GSM communications platform provides seamless, reliable coverage by ensuring it can speak to the broadest and fastest standards-based 4G technology: the HSPA+ network. Save up to $35 every time you upgrade from any 2G radio to our new 4G radios. Logon to www.honeywell.com/security/canada/4Gupgrade for all the details. When it comes to account longevity, you’re in the driver’s seat with Honeywell.
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Smart phones for credentials and access control The under-30 crowd is ready to replace smart cards with smart phones By Raj Venkat
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f you look at the history of credential usage, new credentials — whether proximity, smart card or biometric — were always more convenient and more secure than their predecessors. For instance getting close to an RFID reader is easier than swiping a magnetic stripe card, plus it is more secure. Smart cards provide more applications, such as cashless vending in addition to increased access control security. It is easier and more secure to use biometrics than smart cards. However, while each new credential creates some initial resistance among old-timers who are comfortable with what they are using, there is another group of people who look forward to harnessing new technologies. The under-30 crowd is tech savvy. They prefer the smart card (One Card) solution that they used at college; smart cards are nothing new to them. This younger generation has only one question when it comes to using smart cards and biometrics in the commercial world: Why aren’t smart cards and biometrics used beyond the campus? Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies recently undertook a major research project concerning North American students and their use of credentials. Nearly half of all students identify their cell phones as their favourite personal electronic device. Indeed, 91 per cent of all mobile users keep their phone within arm’s length day and night. Nearly half of students are using cell phone apps to perform their daily tasks. Campus apps include managing class work, checking grades, communicating with professors, and receiving notifications and alerts. They are also using apps for the bookstore, bus schedule, maps and discounts. When it comes to credentials, two-thirds are interested in using their phone in place of an ID card. Why? They feel that they are less likely to lose their phone than an ID card, plus they know that ID cards are shared; phones aren’t. In fact, people will almost always notice that their phone is lost faster than noting a card is missing. A quick call to the phone service provider and the phone is shut off, whereas a missing card could be used by another person for some time. Those not interested in using a cell phone as their credential are students that either don’t have a smart phone or are concerned about a malfunction, such as the battery dying or the Internet dropping. There are a great number of early adopters in the user population that are already sold on cell phones being a credential, just as they were sold on the use of smart cards and biometrics.
Near field communication NFC (near field communication) will inevitably end up on cell phones. No credit card necessary … only your cell phone will be needed for cashless payments or to show your identity. Could putting a smart phone antenna and chip in a phone replace a smart card? Yes and no. The smart card would be in the cell phone. For those who worry about batteries running out or the Internet dropping, the smart card technology eliminates such fears. A contactless smart card does not need power or the Internet. As long as the cell phone providers let the technology work as it can, the two biggest concerns could already be alleviated. Using cell phones as credentials is not a far-fetched idea at all. After all, on the
consumer side, we’re already using the cell phone beyond simply having conversations. When you’re not at home, you can monitor your house through your webenabled device or smartphone. You can check the status of your door locks, grant entry to your home and turn your lights off and on. That’s only the beginning. You can receive text or email notifications when family members access the lock and see what’s happening in and around your house, even when you’re not there. You can conserve energy and save money when you’re away from home by controlling your lights and thermostat. Contractors are already creating the infrastructure for such services in much new home construction. Near field communication provides simplified transactions, data exchange and wireless connections between two devices that are in close proximity to each other, usually by no more than a few centimetres. It is expected to become a widely used system for making payments by smartphone in North America. Many smartphones currently on the market already contain embedded NFC chips that can send encrypted data a short distance (“near field”) to a reader located, for instance, next to a retail cash register. Shoppers who have their credit card information stored in their NFC smartphones can pay for purchases by waving their smartphones near or tapping them on the reader, rather than bothering with their actual credit card. Co-invented by NXP Semiconductors and Sony in 2002, NFC technology is being added to a growing number of mobile handsets to enable mobile payments as well as many other applications. A smartphone or tablet with an NFC chip could also serve as keycard or ID card. NFC devices can read NFC tags on a museum or retail display to get more information or an audio or video presentation. NFC can also share a contact, photo, song, application, or video or pair Bluetooth devices. Emerging technology demonstrations of such Mobile Keys at the ASIS Continued on p.24
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and tablets as point-of-sale devices, as well as installer/technician tools. All of those have come to pass and more. Tablets and smart phones (Apple, Android and others) have forever changed the industry as security vendors and service providers utilize devices as their own selling tools and also to provide a more feature-rich experience to the end user. In a 2011 article penned by Raj Venkat of what was then Ingersoll Rand’s security business (now Allegion), the use-case for devices as access control was spelled out, promising mobile credentials for student
2013 Growing appetite: Increased interest in applications for tablets and smart phones is changing the way vendors do business and integrators install equipment 2011 Smart phones for credentials and access control: The under-30 crowd is ready to replace smart cards with smart phones 2011 Monitoring firms woo customers with mobile apps
Appsolutely essential he Apple iPad was initially released in April 2010. Early adopter and former CANASA executive director J.F. Champagne took his first iPad to CANASA’s Security Canada Alberta in May 2010. “I probably spent more time talking about the device than anything else,” he wrote in SP&T News, “but it did validate my belief that the iPad will be a game-changer.” Champagne listed some of the possible advantages of the device, including a better experience between consultant and customer (a less clunky interface than a laptop),
2015 Health care around the clock: Monitoring technology is changing perceptions of patient care and offering new options for security dealers
2010 Mobile game changer will further enable business on the fly: Interactive nature of devices like the iPad brings you closer to customers
populations across college and university campuses. The article asserted that (even six years ago) smart phones were never more than an arm’s length away for 91 per cent of users. In 2012, columnist Steve Bocking, then of Genetec, exhorted integrators to remember five things when considering mobile apps: browser and device independence; multi-system support; the ability to stream video; user access (secure connectivity); and multi-tenant support. Our May 2013 cover story focused on how mobile apps had changed the industry to date: March
Networks had just launched its Guru app, allowing integrators to scan video recorders marked with QR codes. Tyco Security Products’ Scott McNulty said the company’s recently introduced EntraPass app “helps close deals. You can sell the end user on a system and then, on top of it, they have all the power to manage everything from the mobile application.” In the same article Avigilon’s Rick Ramsay hit upon what may be the smart device’s ultimate killer app — it’s size. “It’s more convenient to have a phone at the top of your ladder than a laptop,” he said.
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