Commercial End Users Communicate Electronic Security Concerns

Security Sales & Integration’s 2012 Commercial End-User Study provides a launching point into clients’ psyches, and exposure to their perspectives and realities.

Seven in 10 security directors/managers are looking to spend more money on security, with 72% of that group considering new or upgraded systems. However, SSI’s eighth Commercial End-User Study also shows increased sensitivity to equipment and integrator costs, and the belief that safety within organizations has slipped.

This year’s results indicate 70% of those end users intend to boost security spending — 58% looking at new security/fire-life safety systems, and 14% evaluating upgrades and risk assessments. More than four in five plan to either maintain their security budget or increase it, with the average allocated funding at $2.199 million or plus $13,000 compared to 2011. At the same time, security directors/managers are extending their expertise and reasserting their authority, with gains reported in both IT collaboration and decision making. They are also more enamored with integrators’ technical aptitude and systems’ reliability.

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ControlByNet Showcases Cloud-Based Hosted Video Surveillance Solution

Time to Ditch DVRs – Five Reasons to Make the Move

ControlByNet, (CBN), a leader in cloud-based, hosted video security surveillance solutions, is showcasing its solutions for home owners associations and property managers at the CAI Annual Conference and Exposition. Displayed in booth 813, CBN’s “no DVR-needed” product offerings allow HOA board members the ability to monitor the community with a unified, cloud-based, hosted video surveillance solution.  It also provides a centralized access solution for property managers and management companies to put multiple communities under one ‘umbrella’.  ControlByNet has developed Ditch DVRs: Take it to the Cloud: Five Reasons to Make the Move to help CIA attendees understand the benefits of hosted video surveillance.

“With all the TV coverage about broken or stolen DVRs at crime scenes, we decided to compile Five Reasons to Make the Move to help educate HOAs and property managers on the benefits of hosted video security surveillance.  There is still a learning gap when it comes to cloud-based video surveillance and we want to help educate users on how solutions like our cloud-based offerings provide a reliable and cost-effective solution,” said Ryan Strange, CEO of ControlByNet.  “With no video storage onsite, e-mail alerts when problems arrive and nothing for vandals to steal, our solution provides residents a greater sense of security and deters malicious vandalism.”

Ditch DVRs: Take it to the Cloud: Five Reasons to Make the Move

HOAs and property managers need a security solution that helps them protect the property, as well as minimize the day-to-day security worries.  Hosted video security surveillance provides an effective solution that allows them to build for the future instead of buying from the past.  

1. Nothing onsite: No video storage onsite, only network (IP) cameras and switch. There is nothing for vandals or mischievous kids to steal that contains the evidence. Once an act is recorded it is secure.
2. Always Someone Watching: Solutions like ControlByNet know when cameras, Internet or power has been interrupted. Instead of going weeks without the knowledge of an outage, the system alerts you to the outage so it can be fixed immediately.  This greatly reduces the responsibility of the manager of volunteer boards.
3. Up-to-date Technology: ControlByNet’s i-flashback solution allows users to control who accesses the video and archives from any location with Internet access. In addition, cloud-based systems are always up to date with newest technology including access from smartphones, iPhones and iPads.  In addition technology enhancements are automatically added with no cost to end user.  
4. Affordable: Cloud-based systems provide a lower cost of entry since there are no server purchases. They also provide a steady rate for service providing greater ease of planning and budgeting
5. Single Solution for Multiple Areas/Properties: With cloud-based solutions, users can easily combine physically separate locations to keep a single login and view of cameras. From front/back pools to multiple properties to gates and offices, hosted video security surveillance like ControlByNet can combine any combination to work as a single solution.

 

CBN’s “no DVR-needed” product offerings include i-flashback LOCAL, i-flashback REMOTE and ip-LookOUT. i-flashback is an easy to use, 100-percent browser-based application installed as either an onsite solution, remotely hosted solution or any number of combinations.  Both software solutions allow users to manage any number of remote cameras from a single browser; including Internet Explorer, Firefox, as well as the growing number of connected devices including Windows Mobile,  iPhone, iPad, Blackberry and Android.  i-flashback REMOTE, the hosted solution, provides web-based controls for hosting providers to manage multiple servers, users and accounts.

IP vs Analog Security Camera FAQ

Often small businesses are not educated on the comparisons between analog cameras and IP, or digital, cameras. That is one of the major barriers to moving towards IP cameras. Until consumers are educated, they will not force the old-model CCTV installers to convert to newer technology.

Here are a few of the top questions from inquiries regarding IP over analog:

What is this PoE that the cameras advertise?

• PoE is Power-over-Ethernet.  In layman’s terms it simply means that the camera can be fully powered by a network cable and PoE network switch.  To the consumer it equates to a single network cable running to the camera, with no extra requirements for cctv power supply boxes or special electrical needs.

Can I buy the least expensive IP cameras?

• Not advisable unless you’re just using for a nanny-cam or something simple.  The cheapest cameras are priced there for a reason; poor user interface, firmware problems (auto-restarts, won’t keep time), bad warranties and most importantly they are usually very inefficient on the network…which translates to much higher usage on your Internet connection.

May I use some of the current analog cameras we already have in place?

• Yes, by using a simple device called a video encoder you can convert the analog cameras where they can be viewed as network (or IP) devices.  This enables them to be accessed directly on the Internet by IP address or name, which also enables access to and from remote video surveillance software.

I simply compare the technologies with other media in which the customer is already familiar:

Analog technologies:  VCR, 8-track, cassette tape, cctv cameras

Digital technologies:  DVD, CD, MP3, IP cameras

Do you really want to stick with analog based on the other media in that category? 

It makes it simple to begin to understand where technology is headed and why you would want to utilize IP cameras over an older technology.