2M Solutions Security Group

Security Technology: How Much Do You Need? And, Why?

Todd — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 14:19:05 +0000

Article first published as Security Technology; How Much Do I Need, and Why? on Blogcritics.

About 25 years ago, I was showing off my new red 1987 Camaro to a good friend of mine who was an entrepreneur. He was fascinated more with my enthusiasm than he was with my new “dream car”, but he withheld his sarcasm while I showed him all the cool gadgets.

It was the first time I had owned a car that had a push-button device to lock the doors and arm the security system. This was my favorite toy.

My friend, the entrepreneur, was already ahead of me, thinking about how we could cash in on this kind of technology. He asked, “Do you think people would buy a system to allow them to control their home lighting and door access from the same keychain they use for their car keys?” I said something like, “Sure they would, but good luck with that!” This was a comment right out of 1987 by someone who had no vision of the future.

I haven’t kept up with that friend over the years, but I imagine him to be sitting in some island paradise in the Caribbean, sipping on umbrella drinks, spending the money he earned from being much smarter than I.

Now that I find myself in the business of offering security solutions for schools and businesses, I have thought many times about the motivating factors which drive the security market.

These factors range from personal safety to the buyer’s desire for a more convenient lifestyle. Sometimes, security and technology blend with vanity, and it makes for a very powerful motivational factor. After all, it’s a fact in the home entertainment world that the Super Bowl can be watched on an old black and white television with “rabbit ears” for an antenna, and it can also be watched on a 65” LED television in the comfort of one’s own living room. The line between necessity and convenience is sometimes hard to identify.

Here’s a checklist of questions to ask yourself when considering the purchase of security solutions:

What are the potential threats I want to prepare for?
How likely are the undesirable events to occur?
What are the potential costs, financial and personal, associated with these threats?
How much money do I have to invest in the solutions?
How much will the solution improve other factors such as convenience, time management, and “lean management” of human resources?
Is the solution one which is scalable and open to future developments in technology?
Can the solution be integrated with existing systems? If not, how important is integration, and what are the costs and benefits of replacing what you already have?

Above all, do some research in the fields of interest to you, and look to consultants and manufacturers reps to supply the best solution for your needs and “wants”, the more independent the better. If the solution to your concerns does not currently exist, be patient, but ask the experts, who make more things possible in the security industry every day. Or, better yet, become an entrepreneur and reserve your place at a beach resort in the Caribbean!

Galaxy Integrated Access Control

admin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:18:06 +0000

2M Solutions is a certified partner for Galaxy Access Control systems.

Galaxy has excellent capabilities to integrate with a vast number of security systems.

An enterprise level system, Galaxy provides integration for Access Control, Alarm Monitoring, Integrated CCTV, Badging/Video Verification, Elevator Control, Building/Facility Management, Reports, and Graphics.

Galaxy is particularly suited for retrofit jobs because of the compatibility they have with existing industry standard cards and readers.

Security Industry Growth Projected

Todd — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 22:28:18 +0000

Security Product Sales To Hit $17B by 2014

Security Sales and Integration magazine cites a report in its September issue by the Fredonia Group that predicts the U.S. demand for security products and systems will increase 9.3% per year to $17B in 2014.

Apparently, this forecast is based on the anticipation of a cyclical rebound in construction and capital investment coming off a low 2009 base.

What This Means for the Design Team

What we are seeing with the stimulus spending in construction, while slow to gain a foothold on the political front, is a revival of sorts for design and construction companies.

The specifications I read on a daily basis, even from some of the best architectural firms in the U.S., do not reflect the full capabilities of the security industry.

Architects want to give their customers what they want…and a little more. But, they must use professionals in industries such as ours to gain product knowledge and to offer end-user support.

Putting Ourselves in the Discussion…With a Smile!

Positioning ourselves to take advantage of this swell of capital spending requires smart problem-solvers.

It also means that technology companies must adapt to the culture of the “hard” design industry. We can’t be like the “know-it-all” techie and get hung up in our egos while we watch the customer drift away because of technology intimidation.

Simple solutions are those which are elegant in technology but which are operated by least geek among us.

Retail Sales Up in Third Quarter

Todd — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 22:22:09 +0000

Commercial Construction Magazine cites ShopperTrak report:

Report: Retail sales year-over-year up 2%
Sign, sign, everywhere a sign. As retailers head into the final quarter of 2010, a recent report ShopperTrak shows that year-over-year GAFO retail sales increased 0.2 percent for the week ending Oct. 2, while sales jumped 2.3 percent versus the previous week ending Sept. 25. GAFO includes general merchandise, apparel, furniture, sporting goods, electronics, hobby, books and other related store sales. The report – ShopperTrak’s National Retail Sales Estimate – calculated retail sales on a yearly level, showing a slight increase compared with last year. The numbers come despite the slightly higher week-over-week rise. Retail performance continued at the expected seasonal low pace between Labor Day and Columbus Day. ShopperTrak reported GAFO retail sales have increased 34 weeks out of 39 weeks so far this year compared with 2009.

What this means for the security business is greater opportunity to upgrade the retail sector, if the trend holds. Holiday sales may dictate whether or not this market is waking up.

Being early in finding security solutions is the key to earning confidence from those with new funds on their hands. Timing is critical, but listening first is the key!

Vivotek Camera, An Essential Camera in the Miner Rescue in Chile

Todd — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 20:56:01 +0000

One of our product partners, Vivotek, had this to share on their website after the rescue of the Chilean miners.

We have had excellent service from the Vivotek cameras we have put into action for our clients. They are priced well, extremely reliable, and their Video Management System is excellent…and FREE!

Congratulations to Vivotek for their involvement in this project! We look forward to designing a Vivotek system for our customers at 2M Solutions.

ASIS 2010 In Town This Week

Todd — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 20:49:33 +0000

ASIS International is having their exhibits and annual conference in Dallas this week. I will be visiting the Dallas Convention Center toward the end of the week and am excited about seeing all the latest development firsthand. Here’s a little blurb from the ASIS International website, explaining who they are and what they do:

ASIS International is the preeminent organization for security professionals. Founded in 1955, ASIS is dedicated to increasing the effectiveness and productivity of security professionals by developing educational programs and materials that address broad security interests, such as the ASIS Annual Seminar and Exhibits, as well as specific security topics.

By providing members and the security community with access to a full range of programs and services, and by publishing the industry’s No. 1 magazine—Security Management—ASIS leads the way for advanced and improved security performance.

Construction Employment Down in September

Todd — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 22:36:22 +0000

The Security Industry Window in a Bleak Economy

As the U.S. economy struggles to gain footing for a more permanent and comprehensive rise, the construction sector continued to struggle in September. Today’s release by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that the construction industry lost 21,000 jobs in September alone.

Here’s a brief excerpt from the Economist:

Aside from government employment, payrolls in good producing sectors had a rough month, and construction in particular was hard hit, shedding 21,000 jobs. Private services did better across the board, especially the leisure and hospitality sector, which added 38,000 employees. There is indeed a lot more leisure to go around in America these days.

Read more

For the security industry a focus on the leisure and hospitality sector may be the bright spot, judging by the 38,000 jobs added there.

What are some target areas for security providers in the leisure and hospitality sector?

Hotels and casinos, while assumed to be running state-of-the-art technology already, would benefit from reviewing their existing surveillance system. If they are stuck in analog, yet wishing they had more analytics and greater controls, introducing hybrid or IP systems may be a good marketing move. They may be surprised to find how much sense it makes.

Personal GPS Trackers — Think about amusement parks! Children as well as the elderly want independence, and many parents and caregivers recognize the need to have safe places for families to enjoy leisure time. Personal GPS tracking can relieve some of this worry. Though the technology is still evolving, uses for GPS trackers will grow dramatically as people find out how convenient they are.

Consider marketing access control as a convenience and not just a security measure. One of the distinct advantages of using access control is that of being able to turn off/on access for individuals who no longer need it. Hotels have used the technology for many years instead of handing out keys. But there are other possibilities as well. Consider the convenience of biometric readers when a card or fob are not necessary.

Mobile surveillance systems are a good fit for tour buses, trains, and taxi cabs. Make them affordable, and they will be bought by the dozens, or hundreds, for fleets.

This is a short list that a creative marketing department can run away with. The economics of security make good sense, and applications for this booming technology are unlimited.

Links:
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Economist

2M Solutions and Milestone

Todd — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 17:15:37 +0000

2M Solutions is XProtect certified with Milestone Systems, Inc.

Numerous video management systems are on the market and can range widely in price as well as functionality.

2M acquired professional certification from Milestone Systems and has solved many customer problems who needed the benefits of an open platform system.

On their website, Milestone lists the benefits of their XProtect Enterprise system. Here’s a quick list, but to view in full click here.

XProtect Enterprise can scale to support an unlimited number of IP cameras, IP video encoders and selected DVRs with analog cameras, as well as an unlimited number of servers, sites and users.

Automatic camera discovery (using e.g. Universal Plug And Play, Broadcast and IP Range scanning) ensures rapid discovery of hundreds of different IP-based video cameras and encoders from numerous vendors.

Supports the newest video compression technologies e.g. H.264, MPEG-4 ASP, MxPEG

Supports close to 900 IP cameras, IP video encoders and selected DVR models from over 79 different vendors through dedicated device integration.

Built-in video motion detection (VMD) works independent of camera model and supports up to 64 cameras simultaneously per server.

Multi-channel, two-way audio lets operators communicate with people at gates/entrances or broadcast messages to many people at once.

Multiple language support lets operators use the system in their native language with support for 20 different languages.

Quickly deliver authentic evidence to public authorities by exporting video to various formats, including video from multiple cameras with viewer, logs, and user notes included.

and much more…

2M Solutions wants to solve customer problems — even the good ones, such as growth — and open platform systems, such as Milestone, not only solve today’s problems, but they hold great promise for the future.

The success of entities such as Google and WordPress, are great examples of the advantages of open systems. Third party contributions are only limited by the process of evolution in the creativity and entrepreneurship of individuals.

Ingenuity and recognizing the needs of customers before the customers know they have a problem will ensure that open platform systems will always be relevant and fresh.