This week I've dropped in on ISC West, the large west coast physical security show, for a quick look. No $2.99 buffets and blackjack for me...this week it's all about security. Here are some of my observations:
The Explosion of IP
Four short years ago I spoke on a panel at ISC West about the convergence of information technology and physical security. Not the responsibility for managing both, as we have often spoken of at CSOonline, but the convergence of the actual technologies such as video and access control systems as they move to IP and embrace interoperability. Twenty people attended that session and when I later walked the floor and spoke with the exhibitors they had no idea what we were talking about. At the same time their booths were packed with the equivalent of analog hubs, routers and gateways for CCTV systems.
This year it's all about IP. It seems that everything at the show is now designed to run on your IP network. The exhibitors are now talking about APIs and video compression...it's amazing. But what is also amazing is how digital technology is expanding the capabilities of traditional, old school, physical security tools (see my notes on my meeting with Mobotix below).
The Message: Economic Espionage is Real
I missed the keynote but spoke with the keynoter. Our friend Lynn Mattice (former CSO of Boston Scientific and now with the Security Executive Council) joined Tom Mahlik, Chief of the FBI's Counterintelligence Strategy and Domain Section, to discuss the realities of economic espionage and what the FBI is now doing to help businesses address this evergreen challenge. I ran into Mattice and Security Executive Council Founder Bob Hayes on the show floor and heard about how CEOs have been after the FBI to help them solve, or at least minimize, this tremendous problem. At CSO Perspectives this year we heard about this problem from former FBI operative Eric O'Neill and former FBI Director Louis Freeh. I've also had some conversations on this topic recently with some leaders in the financial industry who indicated that this is a quickly growing problem for them and of great concern.
Mattice also talked about the needs gap between what security vendors are delivering and what their customers actually need. "Most people don't understand that the vast majority of businesses in the United States have fewer than 500 employees. They are the least equipped to operate safely overseas, but they also are the economic engine of the U.S." Mattice went on to say that until security vendors and integrators actually develop solutions that focus on risk management and address the specific needs of their customers, they will continue to lose business to their competitors that are tailoring solutions to the needs of those customers.
The Evolving Channel
Channel companies are having to get smart these days. This is a side effect of the move to digital technology and IP-based solutions. It's not just about running cable and mounting cameras. Now it's about integrating technologies from multiple vendors and having a clear understanding of how to make them all play nicely on the IP network. Education is becoming key and the vendor community is stepping up with training and certification programs (see my notes on Panasonic below.)
Identity Management Isn't Just for IT Anymore
The convergence of identity and access control systems is really kicking into high gear. I spent some time with IDenticard and they are seeing big adoption in the education, healthcare, government and manufacturing markets as organizations struggle to control access to their facilities and are looking for more secure cards to help them achieve this. They produce end-to-end solutions from the software to the card itself.
Not Your Father's Video
One of the most exciting technologies I saw came from Mobotix, a manufacturer of hi-res megapixel video cameras. Their 360 Hemispheric Q22 Camera looks like a speaker mounted in the ceiling, but this 3 megapixel camera provides a 360 degree all around view for complete room coverage. Need to zoom into a certain activity captured on the recording? The software will do that for you with fantastic clarity with digital continuous zooming and panning. And the pricing is very attractive starting at under $700 a unit.
For Panasonic It's About Flexibility & Education
As one of the largest players in video, Panasonic has to address many needs in the marketplace. At ISC West they were showing a number of digital as well as analog and hybrid cameras. They are mapping to the needs of a diverse customer base but are also educating their channel partners on interoperability issues through the PSDN (Panasonic Solution Developer Network). They are also seeing big business on Corporate Campuses, in Higher Education, and in Pharmaceuticals, Healthcare, Banking, Retail, and Stadium implementations.
Leading the Convergence is Nothing New for Tyco
For a number of years now Tyco has been a leader in convergence of access control, video surveillance and IT. They continue to blaze the trail following their acquisition last Fall of Trident Tek. They are seeing clients apply more pressure to integrate traditional physical security technologies, like video surveillance and access control, into enterprise services. Don Lyman of Tyco cited three key trends in the industry: a surge in the move to IP video, a scaling back in short term expectations around video analytics, and more companies being focused on the integration of surveillance technologies and process controls.
All in all an interesting show. I'll be back on the floor this morning and will post an update to this report after that.
