Hosted Video: Easy Fit for Many Security Applications
ControlByNet, Atlanta, is on a mission to educate the integrated systems industry about the potential and applications for cloud based/hosted surveillance solutions.
"Our goal is to make hosted video easy," said Ryan Strange, chief executive officer in an exclusive interview with SD&I magazine. The company is currently signing up qualified partner/resellers and has posted online a Frequently Asked Questions piece about the i-flashback Hosted Surveillance Solution (www.controlbynet.com.) The solution uses the Web exclusively to manage accounts and offers both local onsite and fully hosted specifications.
According to Strange, ControlByNet is selective of the cameras it brings into its fold in order to not compromise the solution by having high resolutions that may not be necessary and may clog the network. "The cameras we currently support are for a reason. Some we have rejected use six to 10 times the bandwidth so they are not viable for a hosted solution." He added that in general, onsite solutions allow for higher camera recording frame rates.
Strange said hosted video is an effective organizational solution for a variety of protected premises and currently homeowners associations are a big customer. "When you have sites scattered across the country, the ability to be completely Web-based leverages the flexibility and accessibility of the cloud by creating a solution that maximizes enterprise resources, including new devices, personnel, time and money." The company also offers secure encryption and single sign-on authentication as well as the ability to centrally link together onsite and hosted locations with a single log-in, which removes the troublesome problem of remembering many different links or IP addresses for video access.
While some systems integrators have expressed concerns that in general hosted solutions are not secure, but Strange said that's definitely not the case.
"We can nail it down as tight as the user needs it to be," he continued. "It's extremely secure and encrypted. The hierarchal nature of the software allows a single log-in with multiple levels of access from any (Internet) location which leverages existing enterprise resources. ControlByNet currently offers i-flashback LOCAL (onsite), i-flashback REMOTE (hosted) and ip-LookOUT, its guard monitoring application. It recently added the iPhone and iPad mobile platforms to its connectivity solutions.
Telguard Readies PERS Solution for Q1 Launch
As cellular signaling continues to dominate the security transmission landscape, it's plain to see it's only the beginning. Here's what's coming next: New two-way voice or Personal Emergency Response Systems (PERS) for cellular subscribers.
"The PERS market is being affected by the loss of landlines," said Shawn Welsh, vice president of Marketing and Business Development for Telular(c) Corp., Atlanta. At the present time, there are no cellular solutions that seamlessly incorporate two-way voice and data to accomplish PERS transmission, however, in the first quarter of 2011, Telular will roll out a patented service to integrate with many major existing solution providers' products, Welsh said.
PERS market ready to grow
With many of the baby boomers reaching retirement age and/or caring for aging parents, the PERS market is ready to grow exponentially. To date, Telular has had discussions with several existing PERS manufacturers who have expressed excitement about bringing new cellular solutions to this largely untapped market.
Telguard products are based on RJ-11-to-cellular interface technologies and use dial capture to connect landline telephone equipment with cellular-type transceivers used in wireless communication networks in the Cellular and PCS frequency bands. (See October SD&I magazine, page 74 for information on how cellular can be used as a sole communications path for fire signaling as well.) The product is a natural evolution and extension of the Telguard TG-1 Express, Telular's primary residential cellular communicator.
Until now, transmitting voice and data over a cellular network from a PERS system was unavailable and, when attempted, unreliable at best. "When sending voice communications in a PERS solution you cannot send voice and data over the basic cellular voice channel," he continued. "With our solution we first send the data into our network using cellular data and then send the voice into our network using cellular voice. Using technology in our monitoring center we match the two streams-in effect, conferencing the two calls together-and the monitoring center doesn't notice a difference. That's the heart of our patented solution." Welsh added that considering the disappearing landline, it's become important for PERS manufacturers to have a cellular solution.
Niscayah Awarded Five-Diamond Certification
John Nemerofsky, vice president of Sales & Marketing; Marty Guay, president; Crystal White, central station assistant manager; Dominic DelloRusso, operations manager; and Kevin Keohane, director of Retail join for a photo op in celebrating the company's Central Station Alarm Association Five-Diamond Certification.
Big Give Back from Bay Alarms
Bay Alarm Company in Oakland, Calif., continues to support the U.S. Marine Corps. Reserve "Toys for Tots" program, celebrating 24 years of participation in 2010. Employees of the company raised funds from the beginning of the year to ensure families struggling to make ends meet would have gifts for their children during the holidays. The drive, which does not solicit donations from the public, is funded entirely through employee raffles and fundraising lunches. The proceeds are matched by the company, which contributes over $100, 000 each year to hundreds of charitable organizations throughout California.
"We are proud of our 65-year history of supporting worthy organizations," said Matthew Westphal, president of Bay Alarm Company.
COPS Monitoring Opens CS No. 4
COPS Monitoring, Williamstown, N.J., is slated to open their fourth alarm monitoring central station in Nashville the first quarter of 2011. The 4,100 square-foot-facility will be virtually connected with their three other central stations, which are located in New Jersey, Florida, and Arizona. The 24/7 Tennessee central station will hold a UL listing.
Newsmakers
ADI, Melville, N.Y., appointed Michael Flink general manager and vice president, ADI North America...The Central Station Alarm Association, Vienna, Va., appointed Monique Silverio director of Marketing and Communications...Genetec, located in Montreal, Can., made Bill Nash chief operating officer...Milestone Systems, Beaverton, Ore., promoted Lars Larsen to chief financial officer...The Security Industry Association (SIA), Alexandria, Va., elected Bill Taylor, president of Panasonic System Networks Company of America, Secaucus, N.J., to its Board of Directors.
More than 100 customers celebrated the 5th annual Customer Appreciation Event hosted by Tri-Ed/Northern Video Distribution's branch in Buffalo, N.Y. Top: Branch Manager Tim Labenski with Matt Hofmeister of Amherst Alarm, winner of the Texas 'hold'em' tourney. Bottom: Tri-Ed/Northern Video Distribution's Buffalo staff with the grand prize winner of the night: Tim McCarthy, Kepco Alarm.
Samsung Ends GVI Master Distributor Relationship
Samsung Techwin America, Ridgefield Park, N.J., a digital video equipment provider serving the security industry for the past 30 years, ended their distribution relationship with GVI Security Inc., Carrollton, Texas, as of January 1, 2011. The announcement, largely anticipated for months by the security industry, stemmed from a decision by Samsung to be more of a substantial partner to the reseller and integration community.
"We want to be an integral part of our channel partners' business strategy," said Frank De Fina, senior vice president of Sales and Marketing for Samsung. "We want to earn the business by investing resources at the channel level to drive sales to distributors and systems integrators."
Samsung's distributor and integrator base will now be served directly through the company's North American operations headquartered in Ridgefield Park.
