Technology & Trends - Access control systems & kits

A more strategic approach to corporate security can better align departmentsin an organisation to achieve better results of shared goals The alignment of corporate security with the business strategy of an organisation is a topic that has been on the agenda of many senior security professionals. A corporate security department’s inability to demonstrate a clear thought process of how they arrived at proposing the strategic direction, or failing to make a compelling busin...

Many security manufacturers are working towards ISO 14001, an internationally-recognised standard for the environmental management of businesses How green are security industry manufacturers? As innovation (much of it driven from home video and mobile phones) continues, it’s likely that our sector’s carbon footprint will decrease since compact products use up fewer raw materials. Even casual observers will note that integrators are falling over themselves to gain e...

Sports security combines manned guarding with access control devices, HD surveillance cameras & analytics in a command centre for a comprehensive security presence Providing security for sporting events and venues has long focused on personnel. Protection came in the form of guards and other personnel who controlled access to the venue and to restricted areas. With an increasing need to provide higher levels of protection in an age of terrorism, venues have turned to tradi...

Done right, a good metric programme will help tell the story of the security department Knights of medieval times are known for impossible quests and challenging missions seeking rare religious items. The quest for the Holy Grail is perhaps the most notable. Today’s security professionals are often on their own quest, seeking what sometimes feels like the impossible – the search for perfect security metrics! What are metrics and are they really that hard to find?...

Wireless offers many opportunities for security contractors to increasethe base of installations and add subscribers Security installation contractors have many different choices when it comes to wireless signalling technologies for their customers. Radio frequency (RF) communications have become more reliable, more robust and include inherent safeguards, such as encryption, to prevent hacking or takeover of wireless devices. Wireless can also allow for remote programming, de...

Trump’s border wall proposal reflects a rising demand forgreater border security When GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed building a wall along the length of the U.S.-Mexican border, some ridiculed the idea. Yet, it also struck a nerve among Americans deeply concerned about unchecked illegal immigration. "I would build a great wall, and nobody builds walls better than me, believe me, and I'll build them very inexpensively. I will build a great, great wall o...

Biometric solutions are replacing PINs at physical ATMs and providing a more fool-proof form of identification for banking security Biometrics is seeing especially rapid adoption rates throughout the worldwide banking infrastructure, particularly at the ATM and teller counter, says Phil Scarfo, VP worldwide marketing, biometrics, HID Global. “There are also opportunities for biometrics to improve security by enabling transaction-based authentication for online and mobi...

On event days, representatives of emergency response & security agenciesare together and running sports venues as a unified group In the world of sports security, alliances are bringing together personnel and agencies that once only talked to each other during an emergency. Consider the recently announced agreement between the Security Industry Association (SIA) and the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4). This memorandum of understanding (MOU)...

Customers are looking for more than simple plug-and-play cameras. They wantgood, high-definition cameras to protect their driveways, garages & shops Surveillance and CCTV applications are poised for continued growth in 2016 and beyond as security dealers and their end-user customers turn to video technology for physical security, loss prevention and gathering data and intelligence to assist business management and operations. Overall, the CCTV industry is benefitting from...

The universe of biometric authentication applications is expanding rapidly invertical markets such as healthcare and retail Once used mostly to secure high-value government facilities, biometrics are now a basic tool used in a variety of vertical markets. This article will look at some of those opportunities. For healthcare organisations, for example, biometric authentication is being used for secure medical dispensing to streamline workflow and control drug diversion, and f...

Sports stadiums and leagues are constantly pushing for higher security standards & best practices to strengthen venues that may be perceived as "soft targets" Terrorism threats have focused the attention of sports security professionals like Paul Turner, Director of Event Operations & Security for AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on how to more effectively screen guests and ensure that fans and athletes are kept safe. It has made the sobering reality that stad...

Key control technology and guard tour systems provide a ready-made solution for healthcare organisations to enhance their security & asset management protocols Morse Watchmans, a leading provider of key management solutions explains how to provide top-notch security and manage asset with a combination of key control systems, asset lockers and guard tour systems. The shift from manpower resources to technology as a main line of defence is having a significant impact on...

Security is becoming increasingly business-like, with corporate security departments having to justify their budgets and support business operations Persistent crime — both physical and logical — and the rise of terrorism around the world have led more and more corporations to expand their focus on security. In that effort, C-suite executives have added significantly to the responsibilities of corporate security departments. Security functions have grown far b...

As we face 2016, identity management has become more critical to successful security operations. Recent acts of terrorism, border security issues, and the refugee crisis are just a few examples that remind us of the potential risks we face today. As a result, identity management is now firmly cemented into prospective security models across the public and private sectors.   In recent years, organisations and government bodies worldwide have begun to rely increasingly on biomet...

As the security industry continues to grow, recruiting must have more sophisticatedscreening and hiring processes, and a commitment to hiring quality personnel The physical security industry today is driving focus on finding the right talent. Deborah O’Mara, SourceSecurity.com's dealer/integrator correspondent, in an exclusive Q&A with Brent O’Bryan, Vice President of Training and Development for AlliedBarton Security Services, discuss the challenges that secur...

Strong electronic access control (EAC) investments by the healthcare and education verticals were a highlight of a very strong 2015 for Allegion. The company saw double-digit growth in multiple categories for its electronics as well as continued strong growth in commercial markets, with further expansion of software provider integration of Allegion-connected devices.   Mobile connectivity & system integration nurture positive trends Demand for mobile connectivity and inte...

Stratus Technologies is a provider of “always-on” technology, which helps to ensurethe running of mission-critical access control and video surveillance applications Building security – especially high-security installations – requires technology that is reliable and minimises downtime. In some physical security installations, access control and video surveillance solutions are required to function uninterruptedly to ensure business continuity and maint...

The role of today’s security leader continues to evolve as they are faced with an ever-expanding risk environment that includes active shooters, crime, natural disasters, liabilities and cyber threats. Most recently, the terrorist attacks in Paris and the active shooter violence in California once again served as reminders of the threats organisations face on a daily basis.   Intelligent technologies for proactive security management Over the past year, the increased fo...

In April of 1775, Paul Revere rode fearlessly through the streets of New England warning the town of Lexington that “The Red Coats are Coming!” It was both a warning and an announcement that a powerful force was upon them. If Paul Revere were alive today and in the security and access control world, he would probably be tweeting, posting, and blogging that “IP access control is coming, and it’s coming faster than you’d expect!” Just as in 1775, it is both a...

From my vantage point, it would appear that the acquisition of goods and services related to security controls and measures remains healthy at the end of 2015. Although the time associated with evaluations and overall procurement processes, I am told, has become a bit lengthier.   Mergers and acquisitions of both security industry providers and the merger of national and international companies are the biggest unexpected things to have an impact this year. Forbes reported that...

2015 was one of the more stable of the last five years. We’re seeing a fundamental increase in confidence that is freeing up capital spend. There’s a good bit of pent-up demand, and larger projects are being funded. We’re seeing more M&A deals, not an explosive change, but a marked increase and more quality deals. These deals reflect an interest and demand for services and solutions. The commoditisation of cameras and NVR/DVRs is putting pressure on long-term players as we...

Deadly terrorist attacks on buildings have highlighted the need of a well-designedand well implemented physical security programme What constitutes a well-designed physical security programme? Deadly terrorist attacks on buildings such as the San Bernardino Administrative Centre, Riverside Countyin California., have highlight the need of a well-designed and well implemented physical security programme. S.Steven Oplinger, Chair of the ASIS Physical Security Council, outlines 5...

Overall, 2015 has yielded positive results across the professional security industry due to the global demand for enhanced and expanded security in response to greater risks and threats. Over the past year, Altronix has participated in the industry’s growth with new technology offerings and an expanded reseller channel. The need to effectively respond to system trouble and remotely manage devices has become increasingly important to maintain security around the clock. More large technolo...

In the past year, ONVIF prepared the release of two new profiles, Profiles Q and A, which are currently in Release Candidate status, being fine-tuned by developers from member organisations. They are ONVIF’s fourth and fifth profiles, with Profile Q addressing easy set-up and advanced security features and Profile A encompassing daily tasks for access control. ONVIF also hit major milestones in 2015, reaching the 5,000-conformant product mark and maintaining a membership of more than 500 m...

The KISI system has been installed in hundreds of tech startups in New York City and is currently targeting other areas of the US Based in Brooklyn, New York., KISI Inc. is a relative newcomer to the access control industry, targeting tech companies and co-working spaces for it cloud-based system. With its first round of funding secured in March 2015, the company partnered with Cushman & Wakefield to roll out its mobile access control solution at the real estate firm&rsquo...

Command centres allow physical and IT security to collaborate for greatersituational awareness and responsiveness Conventional command centres focus on video and access control system monitoring. When something happens at a door, the video system reports the event to one monitor in the command centre, while the access control system reports to another monitor. It is up to the operator to imagine the possibilities, draw the right conclusions, decide on a response and, if necess...

The ESA Summit is offering registration for “Rising Leaders” to gain valuableleadership skills and business tactics Leadership Summit presented by the Electronic Security Association (ESA), Irving, Texas, has penned the slogan: “Link. Learn. Lead.” for its 2016 event. Scheduled for January 31 through February 3 at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino in Chandler, Arizona, the ESA Leadership Summit is a testament to a quickly changing security landscap...

Many of the most well-trafficked articles posted at SourceSecurity.com in 2015 were those that addressed timely and important issues in the security marketplace. In the world of digital publishing, it’s easy to know what content resonates with the market: Our readers tell us with their actions; i.e., where they click.   Let’s look back at the Top 10 articles we posted in 2015 that generated the most page views. They are listed in order here with the author’s...

2015 has been an eventful year for the physical security industry. As 2016 looms, the pace of industry change shows no sign of decreasing.   Seeking insights into the state of the physical security market at year-end, SourceSecurity.com this month is publishing dozens of 2015 Review and 2016 Forecast articles submitted by manufacturers, integrators and other industry leaders. Taken together, the articles portray a mostly optimistic view of the industry’s present, and an...

For the second year in a row, Canon made the biggest M&A move in the security marketplace in 2015. How could Canon top the industry shockwaves it created in 2014 when the Japanese giant acquired VMS company Milestone Systems? That’s easy: They bought Axis Communications for $2.8 billion in 2015.   Although the Canon-Axis deal grabbed the most headlines and was easily the most shocking M&A announcement of 2015, it was certainly not the only big news on the mergers...