The adoption of IP-based products worldwide is causing buyers to embark on a quest to find the right network surveillance solutions to suit their needs and applications.
The era of network products has arrived and it is here to stay. All new projects in almost -- if not all -- countries are now resorting to network installations and this trend is seeing a steady increase, although different countries are moving at different adoption rates. In some countries, installing IP-based surveillance is required by government regulations. As for countries where it is not required by law, their governments are working hard to promote its adoption. Judging by this global phenomenon, it is safe to say the technology involving IP-based products have mostly reached maturity.
Compared to visitors of Secutech last year, who thought a major shift to IP would take a minimum of three to five years, almost all visitors this year reported that the shift to network solutions in their countries had already been set in motion. Where it was previously hard for buyers to find a stable and reliable solution, most manufacturers are now able to offer a wide selection of different network solutions, customizable according to clients' needs.
Not surprisingly, professionals from various regions are reporting double-digit growths in terms of network product sales; the younger companies even experienced triple-digit growth this year. In Dubai, IP-based products have grown 500 percent due to the countless new projects that are being commissioned. Network products made up 20 percent of sales in 2012, but this year the company is looking at 50 percent, according to Osama Qafiti, Area Sales Manager of Vanguard Integrated Solutions in Dubai. Together, the improvements in technology and decrease in price make network solutions far more appealing than ever before.
Compatibility and Stability
As all new projects and installations are now implemented with network surveillance, buyers have certain requirements that are crucial to their evaluation and purchase of network products. For example, it is important that network cameras can successfully connect to management platforms. Many times, products that are ONVIF- or PSIA-compliant still manage to encounter difficulties when connecting to one another, contributing to some of the frustrations buyers experience when making their initial purchases. Image quality becomes an issue in some cases when IP-based cameras fail to compete with images generated from an HD-SDI camera.
Buyers tend to focus on the stability and reliability of network cameras, especially in countries where IP-based products are mandated by the government. “Even though the resolution of the cameras is important, stability is even more important because we get fined by the Ministry of Interior if it fails to perform,” said a system integrator from Qatar. Since network surveillance was regulated last year, all public installations were required to be IP, and all video feeds from public installations are linked to the Ministry of Interior.
Preference for IT Background
Another major movement seen making an impact and shifting the trends in the industry is the growing number of IT-based manufacturers. “Two years ago when we were still evaluating the market for IP products, we were worried about whether the products would differentiate greatly depending on if it comes from IT background or traditional manufacturer because the IP camera modules were not easy to make. Nowadays, everyone is able to make IP and the worry is now moving to how it will fit in the worldwide market and how well it integrates,” said one major Brazilian manufacturer. Meanwhile, Yossi Yaron, IP Department Manager at Smart IP Solutions stated that there are no preferences for IT-based manufacturers in the Israeli market, as sometimes, not all IT-based manufacturers make their own cameras.
Buyers' preferences varied between purchasing from traditional or IT-based manufacturers, but it is evident that more and more buyers now prefer to buy from IT-based manufacturers. After all, installing and configuring network products require some basic knowledge of IT; having an IT background automatically places the manufacturers in an advantageous position when networking issues occur during installations, as they are able to immediately pinpoint and solve the problems.
Despite the various additional features now available with IP-based cameras and solutions, buyers value stability and reliability above all else. Network products must also be able to connect with what they claim they can connect to, in order to avoid compatibility issues during installation. If the IP-based products are unable to fulfill the simplest of requirements, how can they be expected to carry out their purpose?