The Evolution of IP
Thursday, January 11, 2007
| Written by-Rocky Rodrigues the Security Solutions Marketing Manager for Anixter Canada IP is changing the physical security market — and your business. Are you ready for it? Over the last few years the physical security market has gone through significant change. That change saw the evolution from analog to digital to ultimately IP. This evolution is not only a shift in technology, but also a fundamental change in the commercial aspects of the network and security market. The combination of these two is changing the market dynamics for the better. In this new market, opportunities abound for individuals and companies who understand network environments. This evolution is very similar to the one we witnessed about 10 years ago when IT departments began to evolve. IT departments would soon begin managing the corporate telephone infrastructure in combination with the company’s data network. At the same time, structured cabling solutions and standards evolved as a means to set strict guidelines for the efficient and effective flow of voice, video and data. A security metamorphosis Traditional video surveillance, first installed in the 1950s, is now realizing the benefits of digital and networked video. Some of these include video images, whether real time or stored, that you can make available wherever and whenever you need them. You can now plug in high-quality cameras wherever there is a suitable port, thus enjoying the flexibility and manageability of today’s telephone and computer systems. You can access live and recorded video from network-attached PCs across the Local Area Network (LANs), or access the Internet using network technologies such as Ethernet and the Internet Protocol (IP). Not only is video surveillance going through this metamorphosis, but so too are the other physical security market segments: access control, sound and paging and alarm systems. These systems – once separate – can all now integrate with each other to provide a total and comprehensive security system. Additionally, they, like their video cousins, are now evolving to network and IP-based platforms. Network authentication and physical security are also merging. The ability to gain access to the building can also act as an authentication to your PC or laptop. The estimated combined physical security market in Canada is more than $500 million dollars. While IP video surveillance is but a small portion of the market at this time, all reports indicate this market is growing in excess of 40 percent annually and is expected to be a dominant solution by 2010. Access control, sound and paging and alarm systems are also offering solutions that can take advantage of the corporate data LAN / WAN communication infrastructure. The convergence message we once touted at the onset of VoIP is now being realized with the rapid deployment of IP based security systems. The future is now So what does this all mean? To entrepreneurial data installers/integrators, this represents an opportunity to grow and diversify your business. As end users are now faced with security video and mission critical alarm systems traversing their LAN/WAN data networks, they must come to grips on how best to manage this additional load. That’s where a qualified data and security expert can best lend his or her expertise to companies faced with this type of scenario. It’s easier to teach a data-savvy individual or company the physical security technology than it is to teach a security installer data networks or IP. For traditional security integrators, there is also an opportunity to further develop your business model by understanding data networks and IP-based applications. This must be combined with an understanding of structured cabling solutions, which will include the proper installation practices for UTP, fiber and wireless systems. Organizations such as BICSI offer certified training courses that can add value to you and your organization. |
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