Integrated solutions are important, but what you integrate is more critical.
Security devices are no longer siloed. This means connectivity and
integration have become two key factors that define the efficiency of a device. In fact, they are no longer just devices; they are solutions. Solutions that can solve the customer’s problems by bringing together several devices and making them work together seamlessly.
In the Middle East, integrated solutions are gaining traction. A simple example of this was given by Vikas Chadha, VP of Commercial Security at Honeywell, who explained that if, before, the focus was on security and automating a building, now it is about scaling it to the whole city or a region. Others point out how integrated systems are making an impact in different verticals, combining security and business operations into the IT network.
This importance of integration, especially in an industry that’s seeing the entry of some new devices like drones and robots, was also stressed by Kenneth Hune Petersen, Chief Sales & Marketing Officer and Acting VP for EMEA at Milestone Systems.
“In the last four years, Milestone has put in an extra effort in building stronger integrations into our system,” Peterson said. “When we release updates to our solution, we highlight the new features often. But a big part of what we put our development power is towards making sure that we make it even easier to integrate.”
Remote location systems
Owing to the nature of the oil and gas industry, the
Middle East has several security requirements in remote locations. Here, there is a need to have cameras that can cover long ranges in tough outdoor conditions. Perhaps one of the companies that can give an authoritative account of the integration requirements in such places is FLIR.
Bashar Al Zubaidi, Sales Director for Security in the Middle East at FLIR Systems, recently spoke about how their integrated system assists in providing long-range coverage with fewer devices and, in effect, fewer costs.
“I’ll give you a small example,” Al Zubaidi said. “Traditional
surveillance cameras have a lighting issue, wherein they can only see up to 200 meters. We have a hybrid solution that is an integration of thermal camera and radar that can protect distances up to 20 kilometers.”
Integrating fire with video
Anyone familiar with the security industry will tell you fire safety is a huge market anywhere in the world. In the Middle East, integrated systems that would bring together fire and surveillance cameras are increasing in demand.
“Smoke detection through cameras is an offering availed through our development network,” said Ettiene Van Der Watt, Director of Business Development for MEA at Axis Communications. “In the past, people were mostly reliant on the smoke reaching the ceiling for the alert to sound. By adding edge analytics to Axis cameras we can detect smoke, especially in critical environments. Advantages include earlier detection and faster reaction times in areas where traditional smoke detection systems fail due to too many false alarms or being too slow in alerting authorities.
Of course, this doesn’t mean the traditional fire systems are not in demand. Customers are looking at
building automation systems that can jump into action as soon as fire is detected, locking the right doors and unlocking the right ones to make sure people are able to get out fast.
To sum up, with the rising interest in safe and
smart cities, large scale integrations are of interest to Middle East customers. Factors influencing customer requirements in integration include the geography of the region, large-scale project plans, and a fresh interest to boost efficiency.