Kuwait News

The stigma of the cannabis industry still hangs in the balance Final installment of 4-part series: The legalisation of recreational marijuana use in Colorado and Washington, along with it medical use in about 23 other states, has created an industry made up mostly of small mom-and-pop operators. “While the revenues in this industry are big, the number of people involved is pretty small,” said one security industry insider. That’s about to change as Wall Stre...

Hosted video surveillance, or cloud video, has been utilised in small markets over the past few years and is just now really being pushed as a viable alternative to traditional onsite DVR’s.  Most of the major surveillance companies are marketing cloud products.  Some of these cloud products represent true hosted video surveillance and others are a play on word with ‘cloud access’ being the marketing ploy. True cloud or hosted video streams real-time vid...

To succeed at outsourcing, the relationship between the organisation and the outsourcing company has to be an equal partnership Can you save money on security by outsourcing? Maybe, maybe not, according to William J. Powers III, CIPM II, CIPI. “Considering the way I approach outsourcing, I’m not sure if it saves money,” says Powers. As director of facilities at the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass., Powers oversees facilities,...

The systems integration industry is abuzz. Access control is super-hot, and the product category continues to grow. IP video surveillance specifications are moving along at break-neck speed. New technology categories in the security market – energy management, home automation and interactive services – are helping savvy dealers and systems integrators grow their businesses. But do these companies really know how to take full advantage of all the possibilities for...

We all like hearing about the latest and greatest technologies, but how well are we using the technologies we have? We asked our panelists to reflect on opportunities to maximise the benefits of using common technologies in the marketplace, specifically to point out ways to garner more value from existing products. Underutilising existing technology capabilities are a waste of money, aren’t they?

Good security basics enabled a security response before the shooting started  Mass shootings by emotionally disturbed individuals and terrorists have led authorities and security professionals to search for means of prevention. “Analysing an actual incident in which a potential shooter was stopped seconds before becoming active can illustrate how solid security basics can help prevent catastrophe,” says Drew Neckar, CPP, CHPA, regional director of security wi...

Schools are beefing up their security, with access control their go-to technology Schools are back in session after the winter break, but security is a 24/7 matter any time of year. K-12 and upper education are on high alert, dealing with increased incidents of violence, crime and vandalism. Access control is often the chosen technology of this vertical market, pairing well with CCTV, emergency communications and lockdown. Integrators and dealers who understand the nuances of...

Airports, metro systems and other transportation centres must deploy multiple layers of access control for restricted areas. They need solutions that can accommodate high-volume traffic. Each transportation application has unique requirements, from systems that enable the use of multiple types of credentials on one reader, to reader options designed to match specific risk levels by incorporating PIN and biometric verification for higher security. HID Global’s IP-based networ...

The security landscape continues to evolve in new, complex ways for transportation customers Dealers looking to enter – or to expand their presence in – the transportation vertical must adapt to the unique needs of each transportation agency customer. Issues such as limited budgets/resources, aging technologies, operational challenges and safety issues must all be considered when designing a system to best meet an agency’s needs. Integrators should seek to i...

NFC can strengthen security by turning smart phones into physical and logical access control credentials The trouble with access control cards is that people lose them, lend them to friends who use the cards, or lose them, or lend them to someone else. Losing a card is bad enough, but people that lose cards often make it worse: “When someone loses an access fob or card, he or she doesn’t always tell the security department right away,” says Paul Timm, pr...

A growing number of users look to add cloud-based functionality to their surveillance toolkits In today’s market, both end users and resellers seek new technologies to make security programs more effective, while also helping business and employees be more efficient. Cloud-based monitoring services are gaining a significant amount of attention as an emerging solution to meet these needs. Maria Cambria, Vice President, Technical Center of Excellence, DVTEL says that end u...

Leading Tennessee-based security firm helps TN Non-Profit Health Facility Keep Patients Safe & Secure North Central Security Services (NCSS), a leading provider of security and monitoring services, is pleased to announce that it has been selected as the security company providing access control technology for HOPE Family Health, a non-profit delivering quality and affordable medical and mental healthcare to Tennessee residents who are either uninsured or in vulnerable popu...

The survey also sought to discover which vertical markets were leading the way in taking up solutions offered by BSIA Export Council member companies New research carried out on behalf of the British Security Industry Association's Export Council in the lead-up to the recent Intersec 2015 exhibition in Dubai serves to underline the strong demand being seen in the Middle East marketplace for the latest security systems and solutions from UK businesses, despite the backdrop of i...

ObjectVideo shook the industry a few years ago by launching a series of lawsuits against the industry’s big players, claiming infringement of ObjectVideo’s patents on the basic technologies of video analytics. Some of the targeted companies fought back, but in the end most opted to make the issue go away by signing a licensing agreement with ObjectVideo. The latest twist in the story is major video supplier Avigilon’s acquisition of those patents – and of the 19 related...

Klass Software’s acquisition of incident management software company PPM 2000 is the first step in an evolution to build a broad, unified software solution to manage multiple aspects of the security function. In buying PPM, Klass sought to obtain “a very good platform business and grow it with the existing team,” says Will Anderson, CEO of Klass Software (and now CEO of PPM). He sees expansion and enhancement of PPM as a “long-term project,” maybe 10 years. Klass S...

Video surveillance, or CCTV, is becoming increasingly common in cities and other public places all over the world. The benefits of video surveillance cameras to prevent crime and aid police investigations have been well documented, and there have been several high-profile cases in which video was instrumental in solving a crime. Still, whenever video surveillance is proposed in a public place, there can be opposition, based on privacy concerns, from various interest groups and the general public...

More attention needs to be placed on the development of readers that can accommodate Wireless and Wi-Fi technology Many of the changes in the access control market are happening at the “edge” – at the reader level. Access control advances that continue to become more widespread include wireless and PoE-enabled access control hardware such as wireless locks and PoE door controllers, which both reduce installation costs. Other trends are related to mobility; on...

HID's annual assessment is intended to help organisations understand the latest security advances HID Global®, a worldwide leader in secure identity solutions, recently issued its outlook on technology trends for 2015, as well as other anticipated developments across key vertical industries in the secure identity marketplace. The annual assessment is intended to help organisations understand and take advantage of the latest advances to improve security, convenience and the...

Third instalment of 4-part series: One question that comes up when talking about security for the cannabis industry is “why aren’t there more companies getting into the business?” While a number of small operators and larger companies have begun offering their services to marijuana retailers, some very big players have largely passed on the opportunity. According to a report by CNNMoney, security giant ADT won't "sell security services to businesses engaged...

The collaboration brings together SVN with eFusion to deliver an integrated platform for managing access points SALTO Systems, world leaders in wire-free and wireless access control technology, and Maxxess, a U.S.-based, global corporation recognised for its award-winning security software, recently announced a strategic partnership. The collaboration brings together SALTO’s Virtual Network (SVN) with Maxxess’ universal security management software, eFusion to deli...

What lessons, if any, are there to be learned from the recent attacks in Paris? Recent events in Paris highlight the deadly and changing face of terrorism in 2015. Two gunmen armed with Kalashnikov assault rifles attacked the Paris offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on 7 January, killing 12 people in all, including eight Charlie Hebdo employees and two national police officers. Two days later, the terrorism continued with a hostage crisis at a printing firm at Dammartin-en-G...

Suffice it to say 2014 was a pivotal year for the majority of alarm dealers and installers. Many have had to change their way of thinking and their method of doing business, while adapting to ever-changing technology. But those who continue to reinvent their go-to-market model prove that the integration business is the place to be – and there’s money to be made, albeit it not in simply installing boxes and hardware. In fact, that mind-set changed several years ago, and...

Security cameras can earn a return on investment (ROI) that goes beyond security Today’s security camera technology can help speed entrance screening and provide video under very low light conditions. In each case, security cameras can earn a return on investment (ROI) that goes beyond security. One difference between today’s security cameras and older generations of camera technology is something called wide dynamic range or WDR. It is a feature that enables a ca...

By 2018, worldwide revenue will reach a projected $23.6 billion The global market for video surveillance equipment was worth an estimated $15.0 billion by the end of 2014, up from $13.5 billion in 2013. By 2018, worldwide revenue will reach a projected $23.6 billion, as shown in the attached figure, equivalent to a five-year compound annual growth rate of 12 percent. “The year 2014 has been one of the most interesting—and disruptive—in recent memory for both...

Access control and alarm worlds are going digital and plugging into the network Open tech standards are integrating diverse security technology systems — and security people — into the corporate mainstream The digital technology revolution has begun to course through the public and private worlds of government and commerce, replacing old analogue technology. Chief among the many benefits of digital over analogue is the ability to integrate diverse technologies...

The recent terrorist acts in Paris defy any understanding or explanation. The events represent a level of mayhem that defies easy answers, emblematic of a global security threat that demands a unified, worldwide response way beyond what is achievable by any combination of technology gadgets. Simply put, the problem is not our industry’s to solve. It’s bigger than we are. Still, such events haunt the people in our market – dedicated as we are to protecting people, facilities and...

There have been a number of developments in the last year which have impacted the security industry in one way or another.  As we begin a new year, we thought we'd ask our panellists to reflect back on 2014 and tell us what changes they think have made the largest impact in their areas of expertise within the security industry.

Video cameras are great tools for security at airports, but increasingly cameras are offering operational benefits, too. Anthony Incorvati, business development manager, critical infrastructure and transportation, Axis Communications, says cameras at airports today are often used for operations rather than (or in addition to) security. For example, cameras mounted at departure gates are not installed for security but rather for operations and maintenance, as a tool to help airlines...

Security technologies are used in a wide variety of locations and environments in the transportation vertical Transportation is among the more diverse markets within the security industry, consisting of multiple non-homogeneous segments and some varied sub-segments, too. Transportation means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. Typically, the transportation vertical includes any entities responsible for moving people and goods – that would encompass pu...

The growing market for legal marijuana (now available in some form in 24 states) has also generated a demand for security products and service to protect the industry from illegal activities. “For the most part, companies are looking for what we call the traditional surveillance systems whereby you have visible deterrence,” says Monty Henry, president of DPL-Surveillance-Equipment.com LLC in Ventura, Calif. Many companies are seeking more sophisticated systems t...