Honeywell Welcomes North Carolina-based Albemarle Sound & Security as Authorized Dealer

Editor / Provider: Honeywell | Updated: 6/8/2012 | Article type: Security 50

Honeywell welcomed Albemarle Sound & Security as a Honeywell Authorized Dealer for Commercial Security Systems (CSS). The program will provide design, installation and support services for the Edenton-based integrator, which serves residential customers in the upper eastern part of the state. In addition to traditional security systems consisting of video surveillance and access control, Albemarle provides a range of home automation solutions including whole house audio, theater rooms, surround sound, driveway sensors and HVAC control for energy savings.

Albemarle has been in the custom electronics and security business for 17 years, and built the foundation of the company on customer service.

“We strive to put our customers first, and it's a philosophy that drove us to provide home automation solutions in our portfolio in addition to traditional security offerings,” said Billy Joe Dickens, President of Albemarle Sound & Security. “Becoming an authorized Honeywell dealer will help us continue our education on the most advanced technologies in residential security and custom electronics that we can bring to our customers.”

Honeywell's Authorized Dealer Program for Commercial Security Systems supports commercial and industrial security dealers by offering customized marketing support, targeted sales opportunities and technical training programs. The program is designed for dealers with expertise in intrusion and fire, video surveillance and access control.

“Albemarle Sound & Security is a great addition to the CSS Dealer Program, particularly due to their experience in home automation and energy management solutions – areas that are of key focus for Honeywell this year,” said Dave Kaufman, Honeywell's director of dealer programs. “The program can help support their existing security goals, while also educating them on the new trends in residential technology.”

ComNet Introduces ComWorx VL 8-Port Managed Ethernet Switch

Editor / Provider: Communication Networks | Updated: 11/17/2010 | Article type: Component

New Ethernet Switch Offers Cost-Effective Solution to Manage Network Traffic
ComNet, Communication Networks of Danbury, Connecticut, a leading manufacturer of fiber optic transmission and networking equipment, has expanded its ComWorx VL line by introducing a cost-effective eight-port Ethernet switch for commercial applications. The CWFE8TX8MS offers eight 10/100TX RJ-45 electrical ports, is fully managed and offers a self-contained power supply. Although a part of the ComWorx VL product line and very competitively priced, the CWFE8TX8MS offers many features such as IGMP snooping and Spanning Tree commonly found on switches with much higher initial costs.

The CWFE8TX8MS is ideally suited for applications in benign environments where temperature extremes are rarely encountered. The CWFE8TX8MS is rated for operation from 0℃ to +50℃ and is ideal for indoor applications.

According to Andrew Acquarulo Jr., ComNet President and COO, “There was a definite need in the market for a feature-rich managed Ethernet switch for use in applications where network traffic requires management.”

ComNet cont.
“This ComNet eight-port, all-electrical managed Ethernet switch is different in that there is no fiber interface offered, as not every user has a fiber optic network. There is a very large demand for simple managed Ethernet solutions for price conscious applications that do not require the environmental hardening or fiber optic interface offered by traditional ComNet products. The ComWorx VL CWFE8TX8MS managed switch solves this challenge”, stated Acquarulo.

“With the introduction of the ComWorx VL CWFE8TX8MS managed switch, ComNet has made available a complete commercial rated product line for the specific needs dictated by industrial security applications,” said Skip Haight, ComNet VP of Marketing. “This new line of switches has been designed for applications where functionality and performance is mandatory, but low cost is the primary requirement. In our test marketing of the ComWorx VL switches we found that the ComNet customers who previewed these products appreciated the quality versus cost paradigm offered by the products, but the difference to them was that they were backed by a real US based company that offers the level of support needed to ensure success”, Haight concluded.

Industrial Security Monitors Productivity

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 3/5/2010 | Article type: Infrastructure

Industrial compounds are generally large in scale and complex in design. On top of this challenging nature, fulfilling transmission needs and meeting regulation requirements pose serious challenges.


The mission-critical nature of industrial security systems depends on a reliable, safe transmission network. Available infrastructure is the key consideration and planning should account for transmission used for security systems, said Guy Yair, GM Enterprise and Vertical Solutions LOB, Alvarion.


"How the site has been used defines the network structure and types of cables that are being implemented," said Sylvain Voulfow, Security Product Manager, CAE Group (a member of TKH Group).


As large-area security projects tend to be completed in phases, a flexible architecture, such as WiMAX network, is crucial to suit changing security needs over time, Yair said.


Making sure data is delivered with enough bandwidth is essential, as inadequate communication too often originates from insufficient infrastructure, said Udi Segall, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Nice Systems.


Activity-based recording and signal transmission, localized storage and multicast distribution are designed to minimize bandwidth consumption, said Mike Webster, CPP Branch Manager, Global Security Engineering and Consulting, Johnson Controls. Involving the IT department is a necessary step for optimized bandwidth utilization.


Fiber optic backbones are favored for industrial manufacturing installations. "Multimode and monomode fibers allow transmission distance up to 2 km and 40 km respectively, with bandwidth capacity up to 100 gigabytes," Voulfow said.


However, legacy fiber backbone is difficult to extend, adjust and costly to deploy a new one, Yair said.


Although there has been skepticism surrounding wireless technology, it ensures effecive coverage of the entire site and saves on cabling costs. "Compared to trenching, which can cost as much as US$300 per linear foot in an outdoor environment, the initial investment and operating expenses of wireless network can be as low as one-tenth of the total investment for wired infrastructure," said Ksenia Coffman, Marketing Communications Manager at Firetide.


Once a wireless network is deployed, it should support feature upgrades that enable added encryption and capacity enhancement. "For mission-critical applications, a stable IP link must be made failure-proof to provide redundancy," Yair said. "Physical features such as a redundant power supply, or the WiMAX ability to automatically search and associate with an alternative base station upon losing connection, is indispensible."


Wireless mesh technology, with the design of redundant paths and multiple signal drop-off points, enables fail-safe operation. "However, wireless networks can be affected by adverse environmental conditions. Maintaining the network with redundant transmission is crucial. If a transmission node is damaged, it should be replaced quickly so there is no weak point in the system," Coffman said.


Compliance
Security systems play a key role in meeting safety and security obligations. "The industrial segment has been forced to address security concerns associated with the potential terrorist threat since Sept. 11, 2001, and such concerns are most widely held in the chemical and nuclear industries," said Jennifer Mapes, Industry Analyst at Freedonia Group.


Perimeter security in industrial environments has become more prevalent as regulations are developed. The Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards issued by the US Department of Homeland Security specifies a response time, demanding early alerts to be properly met, said John Romanowich, CEO of SightLogix.


"Depending on the industry and what has been manufactured, municipal, state or federal government standards could apply, as well as industry or international regulations," Webster said. To meet changing regulatory requirements, security personnel should build a set of compliance and risk management tools. These include enforcing segregation of duty policies, triggering compliance-based access and intrusion alarms, and implementing infraction and remediation management.


For industrial users, video surveillance requirements often pertain to high-definition footage with audio for inspection. "Few regulations exist to address security criteria for video," said Dave Tynan, VP of Global Sales and Marketing, Avigilon. "Regulation compliance is largely driven by the legal and consequent financial liability associated with the risk of the facility."


Typically, video is stored a minimum of two months, with real-time monitoring required at 20 to 30 fps of critical operation points and restricted areas, said Shi Zhong Su, Section Manager at Genuine C&C. Playback at 6 to 7 fps for general checkpoints is sufficient.

Industrial Security Optimizes Business Workflows

Editor / Provider: Submitted by Axis Communications and Johnson Controls | Updated: 2/2/2010 | Article type: Infrastructure

Thanks to the development of integrated security, large industrial sites are not only secured but automated for a tailored business process.


Axis Prevents Volkswagen Production Delays
Shanghai -Volkswagen has manufactured the Passat automobile since May 2000 at a factory in Anting, about 50 kilometers from Shanghai. The company implemented a control system for production, which connected to computing systems supplied by ICS Industrielle Automatisierungssysteme in Germany. The control system allows Volkswagen to control the production process of every single car via a barcode label attached to each vehicle. These barcodes are read by scanners installed along the assembly line and transmitted back to the control system.


To ease work and prevent delays in the manufacturing progress, SeeTec Industry Monitoring and ICS Industrielle Automatisierungssysteme developed a visual verification system with Axis network cameras as a key element. Once the scanner reads an error, the data collection point (DCP) sends a signal to the camera, which then forwards a picture of the barcode to the emergency data entry computer. The management software implemented by SeeTec opens a window on the screen and views the barcode. An employee then copies the numbers into a second window, where data is directly transmitted to the control system.


To provide a fully redundant solution, a self-test routine was incorporated into the system: The management software recognizes spelling errors and only the correct entry of the barcode is forwarded. Moreover, a signal circle was created to make sure that all components of the system work reliably. The DCP sends a signal which travels through the whole system in short intervals. Signals that are not registered and answered by any of the components within a determined timeframe is considered as a warning, which appears as an audio message or on the screen.


Employees save time by not physically going to each car to rescan its barcode. The tailor-made visual verification system increases the value of the network and improves the production process.


Johnson Controls Helps Novartis Streamline Business
Swiss Novartis is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world, with more than US$29 billion in annual sales. Novartis separated its numerous services performed at its headquarters into two areas: technical service and facility management, and energy and waste.


Novartis outsourced its technical and facility management services to Johnson Controls since January 2001. This included managing 1,100 employees who had previously worked for its subsidiary, along with the service facilities encompassing 1.8 million square meters. Given that all services were contractually guaranteed for a certain level of quality, the contract delivers lower and more transparent costs.


Johnson Controls maintained the building automation system, along with the integrated heating, cooling, ventilation and elevator systems. Lab technology systems are also managed, including electronics and automation, piping and system construction, logistics, IT, inspection, and quality assurance. Furthermore, Johnson Controls provided several technical training courses for employees.


Security services are important to Novartis. For access control, Johnson Controls organized emergency services, which includes the fire department, emergency planning and consultation, and the central alarm system. The management of cleaning services, centralized copy center, postal services and internal transport were combined into infrastructure services.


The required quality of the services was defined by service-level agreements, where the client specifies the expected level of quality for the services. In such agreements, the service provider must balance the needs and perceptions of the client company, the contracting party and the recipient of the services.


As a result, the status of Novartis' employees was enhanced within the new structure. The responsibilities of the employees were increased at the same time.

India: Security in High Demand

Editor / Provider: a&s International | Updated: 2/20/2009 | Article type: Hot Topics

India's GDP growth rate is the world's second highest, after China. With the government pushing aggressively for more liberal trade practices, India continues to attract foreign investments. The global economic meltdown may pose threats to some, but the security business in India will continue to grow as demand and awareness for security and safety increase.


According to Frost & Sullivan, the total market for electronic security solutions in India during 2008 was US$207 million. This market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 23 percent until 2012. The Asian Professional Security Association (APSA) — India Chapter — had similar projections: $248 million for size and 30 to 35 percent for growth.


On the other hand, recent research shows that a large portion of this market is still untapped, said Jagpal Singh Jagdeva, Director at Turbo Consultancy Services, rendering other more optimistic estimates like G4S' $350 to $400 million and Zicom's $500 million. "The commercial and residential markets may be going down a bit, but the government sector is rapidly growing," said Pramoud Rao, Managing Director at Zicom Electronic Security Systems.


Sectors such as services, finance, insurance, real estate, media and tourism seem particularly strong, indicating overall growth potential. In terms of electronic security, critical infrastructure, homeland security, transportation, public areas and theretail sector are the fastest growing at the moment. The banking and IT sectors also contribute to the ever-increasing security needs.


"Public areas have the highest growth potential in developing countries," said Anil Dhawan, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing at G4S Security Services and President of APSA — India Chapter. Needs for security in shopping malls, hotels, big stadiums, railway stations, bus stops and airports, as a result, are growing fast in India.


The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) provides security to 267 public-sector companies, which spread over several vital industries including nuclear power generation, aviation and defense, said Anand Navani, Sales Manager, Video Intelligence Solutions, Verint Systems. Security services at ports and other transportation facilities are also included. Due to cost-effective concerns, end users are looking for total security solutions that combine electronic security with manpower, physical security, said Dhawan.


"The market is expanding because people here are very intelligent and are quick in adapting new technology," said Koji Yamada, General Manager of Professional Systems Division, Panasonic Systems Asia Pacific. Infrastructure developments in highways, airports, seaports and metros have increased dramatically, said Yamada. Construction sites grew from the earlier 16 in Aand B-class cities to C- and D-class cities, said Harish Vellat, Director at ADI, creating higher demands for low-voltage, electronic security; and an organized chain of distributors is needed in order to provide quality goods and services.


"Though growth rates for individual market segments are still under research, we can safely assume growth to be in excess of 20 percent from all these segments," said Niju Vijayan, Deputy Director, Automation and Electronics, South Asia and Middle East, Frost & Sullivan.


Market Characteristics
India is a huge market, with a lot of untapped opportunities and a variety of business cultures and practices. The first thing people notice is the market's extreme sensitivity to price.


Lack of user education, said Ashish Gupta, Corporate Sales Manager at Bell Securitech, is probably the main reason. Users, especially those in the private sector, tend to purchase systems based on price rather than quality because they do not have sufficient knowledge to differentiate among products.


Another factor is the ever-changing tax laws. Because of frequent changes in taxation, customers prefer a negotiated price to a fixed one so they can better adapt, said Dr. Saifuddin Bharmal, CEO at Lookman Electroplast.


The fall in the rupee would be the third factor because it would affect the profit margin for installers. As local prices cannot vary all the time, installers have to secure their profit margins by lowering equipment cost, said Dr. Bharmal. "They are more likely to go for cheap products instead of products that come with annual maintenance," seconded R. K. Bhardwaj, General Secretary at APSA — India Chapter.


"The market might be price-conscious," remarked Prakash Prabhu, Country Manager for India at Axis Communications, "it's not driven by cheap products but by value for money." Users just want to make sure that they get the best features with the lowest price possible. "Price is the only concern for low-end products. As for mid to high-end, quality and powerful features are the deciding factors."


India is also very unique in that it is not modeled after any market structure. It does not have an organized channel, and there is no clear-cut definition for the word "market." "The market isstill evolving, said Prabhu, and integrators sometimes act as distributors and distributors sometimes are function as installers or importers."


Although the market today is quite cost-conscious, it wants effective solutions, said Dhawan. "Cheap electronic gadgets cannot provide suitable help or evidence in times of need," seconded Bhardwaj. Low-quality systems would require more maintenance in the long run. "You have to be very rich to buy poor or cheap systems," said Prabhu.


Product Needs
Users are starting to look for more advanced and sustainable technology at an affordable price, said Amitabh Sharma, Product Head of Video Security Products at Sony India. "There is already a noticeable trend toward deploying high-performance cameras, with add-on capabilities such as edge-level intelligence, video content analysis, audio transmission and so on."


Banks and financial institutes are willing to invest in high-tech security measures. Most large projects now require central command and control capabilities. Industrial and commercial facilities are seeking to improve their overall safety with total solutions, said Navani. "Real-estate developers have also started to include comprehensive security systems in their construction plan as a major selling feature."


Amid all the threats, the demand for intelligent video surveillance is high in verticals such as public sectors, shopping malls and office buildings, said Prabhu. "The highest crime rates are of theft and burglary."


Electronic access control systems are increasingly adopted in the corporate sector, to help achieve higher productivity and better track employees' time management. "In segments like logistics and transportation, revenue generation can also be enhanced by state-of-the-art access control systems," said Vijayan.


Looking for proactive systems with intelligent video and remote control capabilities, said Rajesh Solanki, Managing Director at Rasan Infocom. Video analytics could convert video data into meaningful information, making security procedures more efficient. "The most important thing about a system is that it must be able to alarm the related personnel instantly when a security breach occurs," said Gupta.


High definition/megapixel, H.264 compression, video analytics and DDNS are trends in video surveillance as the migration to IP quickens. In addition, remote surveillance is becoming popular in the residential, education and health care sectors, said Prabhu. To reduce back-end workflow, intelligent software can now be embedded at edge devices for more proactive and effective on-site analysis.


Challenges
User education is the biggest challenge for everyone. When choosing a system or solution, users and installers usually do not know what specific features would best suit their needs, let along the latest technology they could choose from. Security awareness within end users is not enough, either. "Everyone in India is keen to learn more about security systems, but user awareness is not keeping up with the pace," said Dhawan.


When awareness levels are low, consultants could be an option, said Vijayan. "Users, however, must be made aware of the possible, informal alliance of consultants with specific brands, which may not always be the best-in-class solution." In addition, government purchases are often mired in long approval processes and lack transparency.


Competent system integrators are also difficult to find. "A good system integrator must be able to enable interoperability between systems and capable of software integration," said Solanki. Insufficient network infrastructure and bandwidth can also be challenging, said Varun Jain, CEO at SKJ Electronics & Systems.


Lack of security standards and regulations is another hurdle. For a huge continent like India, a clear set of standards and regulations could help security providers develop more quickly. "There's a gap which should be filled up, and one of the ways to do this is through clearly defined standards," said Dhawan. The APSA — India Chapter is planning to take the British Security Industry Association as a model to establish standards for the Indian electronic security industry, said Dhawan. Moreover, the Indian government and corporate representatives are working together to establish a climate of sustainability and growth that will ensure progress for the next 20 years, Jagdeva said.


Future Outlook
Anything considered mission critical demands attention. "The microscope is on what you have done to provide further security and safety to your employees, inhabitants and country," said Adam Rosenberg, VP of Marketing at Magal Security Systems. Explosive detection, IP-based security systems, central management software and integrated building management systems are the future trends in security. "Increase in terrorist attacks makes customers consider different and better measures for security and willing to pay more for them," said Rosenberg.


A number of international companies are looking to manufacture in India or form local alliances, added Solanki, as physical presence further helps foreign companies gain acceptance and visibility in India. More IT system integrators are entering the market as well because more systems are becoming IP-based, said Vellat. Sharma predicts that more meaningful collaboration would take place between the security and IT industries in the near future as conventional and newer applications of intelligent video surveillance are constantly emerging. "Advancements in building technology such as Web-enabled systems that allow for easy convergence and anywhere-anytime monitoring are needed," said Navani.


Luckily, the Indian market is expected to witness high domestic consumption riding on an 8-percent GDP growth, said Vijayan. "India is a market poised for sustained growth, with ample opportunities for both local and foreign security solution companies." Although some investors are pulling out, there will be no significant impact on electronic security, said Jain. "Projects will not be shelved completely — only delayed," said Prabhu. The current economic downturn might even increase security demands as crime rates go up, making it mandatory in every segment, said Dhawan.


Steps are also being taken by the government as the Private Security Regulation Act 2005 gets fine-tuned and enforced. Guarding companies also have to meet certain standards and be licensed for operation. Good training and certification programs are much needed in India for installers to carry out quality installations, said Solanki.