October 2018
Contents 18
Vertical Market
Evolving Requirements in
Asian Airport Security The Asian aviation sector is growing at a rapid pace. With the number of airports increasing and the existing ones seeking a raise in their capacity, the vertical offers several opportunities for systems integrators.
IoT
How to Protect Yourself Against IP Camera Hacks Ever since video cameras migrated to the network, security has become a top issue facing both manufacturers and end users.
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Milestone Drives AI Growth With Open Platform
8 Editor’s Note 12 Application Cases 58 SMAhome 61 Companies in This Issue 62 New Products 63 Show Calendar
Milestone Systems is playing a leading role in driving the growth of AI by leveraging its open platform strategy.
34 “We are still seeing demand for higher resolution and better coverage from video systems, but the key focus now, with AI, is behavior/ pattern recognition for pre-alerts, and post-video analytics for rapid response to emergencies.” Patrick Lim, Director, Group Strategy, Ademco Security Group Evolving Requirements in Asian Airport Security, p. 18
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Cover Story
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WEBSITE ARTICLES https://www.asmag.com OSSA to Push OS, App Store for Cameras Having a common, standardized operating system that enables users to expand camera functionalities via apps is key.
On Why the Ban of Chinese Products Cannot be Justified The recent security concerns about Chinese products raised by the American government have left the industry divided in terms of opinion.
Editor’s Note Indonesian Banking System Undergoes Digital Transformation For Indonesia, optimizing its banking system has become a prerequisite as the country aims to grow its smart city projects. At a meeting earlier this month, a US$10 billion bilateral financial arrangement was agreed upon by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Joko Widodo to support the financial and currency stability of the two countries. Indonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world and the country is widely spread over 17,000 islands. This inevitably hinders the development of many of its industries, including traditional banking systems, which usually requires the construction of branches and ATMs across the country. However, these geographical constraints alternatively provide the country’s digital financial technology (fintech) a good reason to grow. In addition, most of the businesses in the country are micro-, small- to medium-sized businesses, which demand more flexible financial services such as online or mobile lending and payment, according to the OxFord Business Group. Many researchers commented that the Indonesia banking industry is undergoing stages of rapid development. New banking service companies and fintech start-ups are entering the country to provide more financial services and options for consumers. Compared to other industries, we can expect the Indonesian banking sector to be largely transformed by digitalization in the following years.
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Needless to say, AI has become a major topic in security. With so many AI solutions providers, an open platform that integrates different devices and solutions could benefit end users tremendously. That’s the point raised by Milestone Systems, which seeks to drive AI growth with its open video management software. Find out more from this issue’s cover story.
Earthquakes, tsunamis, super typhoons and landslides. An alarming number of natural disasters has occurred as of late, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. Smart cities can become an aid in disaster management. Interconnected utility and service infrastructures or telecommunication platforms can enable faster communication and response by city authorities.
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Products of the Month
Facial Recognition Terminals for Building and Airport Access Control Security, speed and convenience have long represented conflicting goals for border control and public building authorities. The following facial recognition terminals are designed to resolve such problems with advanced biometric technology and artificial intelligence, allowing smooth crossing of the electronic gates. Some of the solutions are not limited to one form of biometric recognition, therefore guaranteeing secure management of airport passengers and office workers.
Princeton Identity Portal100
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o ensure free-flowing access control management, Portal100 by Princeton Identity can identify up to 20 people per minute, making it ideal for high-throughput applications, including factories, facilities, airports and borders as well as corporate lobbies. Its dual modality, iris and face recognition, is available to upgrade to tri-modal with additional fingerprint readers.
Key Features • Integration available with existing access control systems • Capable of verification when connected with a credential • Interoperable with the IOM Access Control Product Suite • Two factor identification < 1 second • Totally hands-free
Supplier: Princeton Identity www.princetonidentity.com
Hisign Multi-Biometrics Auto Recognition Intelligent Gate
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ombining four-slap fingerprint and face collection and registration, ID card reader, auto fingerprint, and face recognition, this intelligent gate can be used for self-checking at subway stops, public security checkpoints, road passenger terminals, railway passenger transport, as well as other circumstances for identification. Faces collected on the site will be compared with data read from ID or with the registered data. Correct comparison will automatically allow door access. Key Features • Expandable for functions including iris or finger vein detection • Channels can be monitored by IR sensor to avoid unauthorized access of taggers • Auto-alarm to ensure stability of device • Smooth access for passengers under staff guidance
Supplier: Hisign Technology www.hisign.com.cn
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Cognitec FaceVACSEntry
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hen the passenger approaches, FaceVACS-Entry system detects the person’s face, adjusts the position of the cameras to the person’s height and then captures images that guarantee high verification accuracy. The software instantly verifies the live images against biometric photos stored in ID documents or facial image databases. FaceVACS-Entry is ready for integration into electronic gates at border control checkpoints.
Key Features • With proprietary sensors to distinguish between human faces and artifacts like printed images and masks • Consists of face recognition software and panel hardware and firmware • Allows travelers to complete self-service procedures in less than 15 seconds • User-friendly interface
Supplier: Cognitec Systems www.cognitec.com
IDEMIA MorphoWay
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pecifically designed for modern border control, MorphoWay is an automated e-gate that can speed up passenger screening and greatly reduce queuing time at borders. MorphoWay is able to verify the authenticity of the travel document, correct document owner, and if the person is allowed to go across the border. MorphoWay supports iris, fingerprint or on-the-fly facial recognition access control, as well as e-document scanning. Key Features • Border crossing time: seven seconds in optimal conditions of use • For integration, MorphoWay can be interfaced with other existing monitoring systems • Reports number of persons having crossed the gates, clearance rate, average crossing time and the availability rate of the system • E-gates are equipped with surveillance cameras to transmit real-time images to the monitoring station
Supplier: n IDEMIA www.morpho.com
Vision-Box Seamless ABC Gate With Orchestra Platform
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ision-Box’s Seamless ABC Gate for border control is modernized with Orchestra, the service platform that connects IoT-enabled and mobile ID-ready data. Functions like passenger supervision can be easily integrated. Not only does a 3D virtual assistant show up on the gate access to assist passenger’s access, it can recognize the passenger’s identity, and imitate their traits and movements to provide personal guidance. Key Features • Recognizes identity via active face scanning technology • With AI capability to interpret passenger age, gender, nationality and languages • Can be used in security checkpoints, lounge access, information points, boarding and etc. • Other contactless access options: mobile identity • Provides travelers with a walkthrough identification experience, eliminating stops
Supplier: Vision-Box www.vision-box.com
Hikvision Swing Barrier Gates
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S-K3B601 Swing Barrier Gate can be flexibly installed in combination with various identification sensors, such as intelligent card reader, fingerprint readers and facial recognition terminal DS-K5603-Z with Hikvision’s proprietary algorithm. Hikvision’s Swing Barrier Gates is equipped with 12 pairs of IR detectors and anti-crash swing panel, reaching high throughput at 30 to 40 people per minute.
Key Features • Stores up to 10,000 faces • Instant verification (within 1 second) • One-meter recognition distance • Recognition even against harsh backlight • Distinguishes live human faces from pictures and videos
Supplier: Hikvision Digital Technology www.hikvision.com
Aurora Passenger Management
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y combining Aurora Imaging and Recognition (AIR) engine with the AETHER Sensor unit, passenger verification is taken to a new level through incorporating the hardware into automatic barriers, bag-drop stations and self-boarding gates. Designs range from small LED IR camera units to the single and dual Xenon IR camera units with or without portrait or landscape screens, making it highly adaptable for integration with partners.
Key Features • Uses consistent near IR lighting to overcome various lighting conditions • Verification accomplished in distances up to 1m • 6KB facial templates • AIR engine can also compare a color reference image with captured infrared image
Supplier: Aurora Computer Services auroracs.co.uk
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News Feature
China’s Wuxi Deepens IoT Development to Become Smart City Wuxi, a city known for its modern industry in East China’s Jiangsu province, is embarking on a wide-scale smart city project encompassing connected vehicle, smart transportation and blockchain related applications. BY the a&s Editorial Team
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uxi, home to more than 2,000 IoT companies employing 180,000 employees, has been at the forefront of smart technology applications in China. Wang Jinjian, Deputy Mayor of Wuxi, said that there are still many challenges waiting to be tackled in the IoT industry, and blockchain may serve as a critical tool. “The integrated development of IoT and blockchain is an inexorable trend,” Wang stressed, per the China Daily report. The integration of blockchain technologies will enable IoT to better fit into other fields and boost data exchange security, according to the China Electronics Standardization Institute, which has just formed a partnership with the city of Wuxi to compile regional standards for blockchain and IoT
development. Canada-China IoT and Blockchain Research Institute also launched its first blockchain technical product, CityChain, which is designed to advance credible data exchanges for smart city construction. Recently, a city-level Internet of Vehicle LTE-V2X (vehicle to everything) application was showcased at the World IoT Expo 2018 held at Wuxi. The project is set to cover 211 intersections around Wuxi’s urban area, high-speed railway stations, the airport and five viaducts, serving 100,000 vehicles in the city. The LTE-V2X project is expected to be applied in all areas of Wuxi by 2019, and by 2020, the city will be the first base for the V2X to
“Wuxi has deepened the blend of IoT and manufacturing networks and focused on organizing 100 companies to conduct an intelligent manufacturing diagnosis system.” be rolled out throughout Jiangsu province, according to local newspaper China Daily. Car makers involved in the project include Audi China, FAW Group, Ford Motor, Chang’an Automobile, Volvo, Volkswagen and Peugeot Citroen. SAS Institute is another company that will work with Wuxi on IoT projects. The company is selected
as Wuxi High-Tech Zone’s strategic IoT analytics partner, and will provide tools for data ingestion, analysis and model development to obtain meaningful insights from IoT data. “Smart cities are built on strategic layers of complementary technologies — smart electrical grids that help manage energy use; connected vehicles that keep drivers safe; connected traffic lights and public transportation systems that keep traffic
APPLICATION CASES Commercial NEW BEIJING LANDMARK SECURED BY ASSA ABLOY ASSA ABLOY Tianming fitted steel interior doors and folding-and-lifting shutters for the new Beijing POSCO Center in China that reflect the building’s multi-functional status. The commercial structure consists of two towers with offices, meeting facilities, shops and restaurants. ASSA ABLOY Fire Doors in China formed a special project team with members from R&D, sales and specification departments to look into the needs of the customer. The team improved the soundproof and heat-resistance performance of existing fire doors, and used environmentally-sound raw materials and green manufacturing processes. To determine the most suitable sizes and locations of glass partitions, ASSA ABLOY conducted site visits and took measurements to make sure they fit different office areas. Steel interior doors were specified for high quality and durability. Folding-and-lifting shutters were specified for shops and other commercial premises.
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$ 36.7trillion China’s banking industry total assets reached US$36.7 trillion in 2017.
Source: China Banking Regulatory Commission
a&s explores topics that are generating interest in the security industry, offering readers important facts and information relevant to their profession.
on schedule; and connected buildings that help owners manage temperature, air quality and lighting,” said Jason Mann, SAS VP of IoT, in a recent company press release. “The connected devices, citizens and environments generate an enormous volume of diverse data that must be analyzed at the edge to drive accurate, real-time decision making.” SAS and Wuxi will jointly promote big data and IoT technologies for pharmaceutical, manufacturing, utilities and transportation industries. Wuxi has also deepened the blend of IoT and manufacturing networks and focused on organizing 100 companies to conduct an intelligent manufacturing diagnosis system. An innovation has emerged from the Hongshan IoT town. An intelligent solar dustbin can open a door and start deodorization automatically when it receives garbage. Overall, Wuxi has implemented over 300 IoT applicationdemonstration projects, including 21 nationwide projects.
NEC Biometrics Contribute to Security at the 18th Asian Games NEC announced that it provided information and communications technology (ICT) systems for the 18th Asian Games as a supporting sponsor in the category of ICT security. BY NEC
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EC offered a facial recognition system utilizing “NeoFace,” NEC’s flagship facial recognition artificial intelligence (AI) engine and a behavior detection system to the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta, the main stadium of this event. These systems identify suspicious persons, who have been registered in advance, from surveillance camera video as well as detect intrusions to restricted areas and suspicious objects. Systems were provided as part of the Official Development Assistance (ODA) from the Japanese Government to the Indonesian Government. This project was implemented with support from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing of the Republic of Indonesia, which was in charge of infrastructure development projects for the 18th Asian Games, making the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium ideal for hosting international mega events which require enhanced safety and security. In addition, NEC provided a network system that was fundamental to successfully managing the event. This system connected a total of 130 locations, including associated offices of the Indonesia Asian Games 2018 Organizing Committee (INASGOC) and all competition venues. NEC also supported system operations during the event. Moreover, NEC provided surveillance cameras, network systems and telephone exchanges for competition venues, including the athletics stadium, basketball gymnasium, baseball stadium, softball stadium and tennis courts in Jakarta. “NEC is proud to have contributed to the safe, secure and efficient management of the Asian Games,” said Ichiro Kurihara, President Director for NEC Indonesia. “Going forward, NEC will continue to globally provide sophisticated solutions in support of the ‘NEC Safer Cites’ program, including facial recognition systems and behavior detection systems. We aim to take advantage of these experiences with the Asian Games 2018 in order to promote smart city initiatives centered on essential infrastructure that contributes to safe and secure community development through digital transformation.” Following the successful Asian Games project, NEC highlighted and demonstrated its biometric solutions, including face recognition, at the ASEAN-Japan workshop hosted by Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Terorisme (BNPT) on 19 and 20 September 2018 in Jakarta. The workshop was designed to promote the use of biometric technologies for enhancing security in South East Asia and attended by experts from counter terrorism organizations in ASEAN member states.
Healthcare GALLAGHER SECURES KING CHULALONGKORN MEMORIAL HOSPITAL King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KCMH) is one of the largest hospitals in Thailand. With a 225,000 m2 site and more than 10,000 cardholders, KCMH needed a highly reliable security solution to secure the hospital and protect staff, patients and assets. Requirements included a high level of integration with other systems, the ability to meet increasing compliance requirements, and a user-friendly graphical user interface (GUI). Using the Gallagher Command Center, KCMH was able to integrate multiple systems including fire alarms, Symphony video management software, building automation and parking. IT industry standards for integration such as XML, SQL, OPC and BACnet are all supported. Monitoring operations through one central platform allows KCMH staff to quickly identify, locate and respond to any risks on site. MIFARE Classic and Sagem fingerprint technologies provide a higher level of validated access control in critical areas.
Eagle Eye Networks Opens Office in Tokyo, Japan The new Japan office will offer regional support to customers in Japan and the Asia Pacific. BY Eagle Eye Networks
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agle Eye Networks, a leading global provider of cloud-based video surveillance solutions, announced it has opened an office in Tokyo, Japan. The new office will provide stronger technical, operational, and sales support for customers in Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. “The decision to expand our presence in Asia-Pacific was a logical step to support our growth in the region,” said Dean Drako, CEO of Eagle Eye Networks. “The new office will increase our ability to service current and future partners, as well as further enhance the support that has contributed to Eagle Eye’s success.” The new office will be for Eagle Eye’s Asia-Pacific Sales and Customer Support teams. Eagle Eye Networks’ new office is located at Glass City Shibuya 6F, 16-28 Nampeidai-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0036 Japan. Eagle Eye Networks sells the Eagle Eye Cloud VMS for video surveillance throughout Japan and the Asia-Pacific region. The cloud-based surveillance solution provides customers with redundant and encrypted video surveillance, with a lower total cost of ownership, and without the headaches of traditional on-premise computing equipment. The Eagle Eye Cloud VMS utilizes the two Eagle Eye data centers that are operated in the Tokyo region for Asia-Pacific customers. Eagle Eye’s cloud managed solutions provides cloud and on-premise recording, bank level security and encryption, and broad analog and digital camera support — all accessed via the web or mobile applications. All Eagle Eye products benefit from Eagle Eye’s developer friendly RESTful API platform and Big Data Video Framework, which allow for indexing, search, retrieval and analysis of live and archived video. Eagle Eye’s open video API has been widely adopted for integration in alarm monitoring, third party analytics, security dashboards and point of sale system integrations.
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Cover Story
Milestone AI Drives AI Growth With Open Platform
has emerged as a main topic in security over t he past two years. Systems trained with large amounts of videos and images can now detect objects with more accuracy and precision. This results in AI gaining more acceptance among users. “It’s almost like every time you turn your head, you hear people talking about AI,” said Benjamin Low, VP for APAC at Milestone Systems. “We’ve been seeing good momentum this year, and I think we’ll continue to see more advancement, more releases and more news around AI in the near future.” While AI is not a new concept per se, it has become more mature than before thanks to more advanced AI and deep learning-based algorithms,
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a major topic in security these days. In this regard, Milestone Systems, the world’s No. 1 VMS provider, is playing a leading role in driving the growth of AI by leveraging its open platform strategy. BY William Pao
Benjamin Low, VP, APAC, Milestone Systems
pMilestone’s new Melbourne office is unique in that it features a partner-based Experience Center, where consultants and end users can see a combination of their preferred solution partners working in a proofof-concept environment.
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stronger processing power and wider availability of data. Today, AI is being incorporated into existing technologies, for example smart search and facial recognition, to enhance their intelligence. “When it comes to enhancing facial recognition, AI is playing a big part,” Low said. “If you’re looking at the outline of a person, or you’re looking at certain facial features, using AI you are able to get higher accuracy.” Ac c o rd i n g to L ow, A I b r i n g s benefits to users across different vertical markets. One such vertical is retail, where companies are constantly looking for ways to enhance the shopper experience. In this regard, AI or deep learning-based solutions that extract data from various sensors and turn them into actionable intelligence can play an important part. “ We ’r e s e e i n g r e t a i l - c e n t r i c technology coming out to help retailers gain better insights on what the shopper may be looking for, based on past trends,” Low said. “This then allows shops to guide customers into something they like, or set up targeted promotional items for certain shoppers.”
“We want to build a platform, a place where any product, whether analytics tools, facial recognition tools or new cameras or IoT devices coming to market, can either connect to our platform or use our device driver to do that.”
The Role of Open Platform
abnormal behavior or heavily changed U n d e r t h e p r o g r a m , h a r d wa r e Being the world’s VMS leader, conditions without a rule base, allowing manufacturers can ship out their Milestone is playing a leadership role the user to be alerted to incidents like products — for instance appliances in driving AI’s growth by leveraging fights, someone falling over or a car such as NVRs and storage boxes i t s o p e n p l a t fo r m st r a t e g y. T h i s driving the wrong way without having — preinstalled with the Milestone allows its vast community of partners to monitor hundreds of cameras on XProtect Essential+ VMS. “They can — AI solutions providers included screen. Snap Surveillance, meanwhile, come to us, and we’ll recommend what — to connect their technologies to learns about the physical relationship kind of processor, memory card or hard Milestone’s VMS. between cameras to make objects drive is needed to run Milestone at the “As opposed to traditional video tracking easier. Both analytics platforms optimal level,” Low said. “A lot of these surveillance where everything is very are integrated into the core Milestone hardware manufacturers are very happy closed and proprietary, Milestone has VMS using APIs. to be given the opportunity to work always conducted our business with us, because they know and our technology in a way if they can come up with the that allows as many solutions right bundle using Milestone, as possible to connect to our they are able to drive further VMS,” Low said. “We want to revenue for their hardware.” Milestone Systems has seen rapid expansion build a platform, a place where The user, meanwhile, will in the Asia Pacific, seizing the huge opportuany product, whether analytics get the hardware with a free nities in the region. tools, facial recognition tools license of the Milestone VMS The company now has offices in Singapore, Japan, India, South Korea or new cameras or IoT devices — and the openness and and Australia. Recently, Milestone has opened a new office in Melbourne, coming to market, can either f lexibility associated with Australia, as part of its expansionary effort in the country. connect to our platform or use it. They can then set it up “We are seeing a high 20 to 30 percent growth in Australia,” Low said, adding our device driver to do that.” and upgrade to an advanced that the growth is from a mix of vertical markets. “It’s driven from commercial According to him, this version of the VMS with ease customers to government to education. Retailers are looking at how to utilize surveillance to enhance the shopper experience. We’re looking at education open platform approach will and convenience, should they investing more in surveillance to protect the welfare of students and staff. We ultimately benefit end users choose to. also see government adoption, with many Australian agencies spending more looking for different AI-based “The customers get to try on surveillance.” solutions to address t heir out Milestone for free, and if The new Melbourne office is built to be open and accessible — just like its challenges or difficulties. the customer is interested, they VMS software. What’s more, the office sets itself apart from other offices in the world with its partner-based Experience Center — where consultants and “If you are using one kind of are able to buy a license from end users can see a combination of their preferred solution partners working analytics to solve one problem Milestone and upgrade it to the in a proof-of-concept environment. and using another kind of right version,” Low said. “So analytics to solve anot her it becomes a very seamless “We are constantly working to allow problem, you can interconnect these experience for the end user when it different integrators to connect not just different solutions with Milestone. comes to using our software.” cameras, but all their favorite devices, The user doesn’t have to buy one VMS Openness and Partnership into our platform,” Low said. “We which only connects to their proprietary Indeed, in today’s security landscape, are regularly approached by different analytics platform, then buy another success requires a commitment to solutions providers that want to work VMS if you want to do something else. openness and partnership. This has long with us. They always come to Milestone With Milestone the user gets a platform been the strategy employed by and ask “what does it take for me to where they can try different analytics Milestone, which now wants to use this integrate with you?”, because they until there’s something that’s suitable strategy to push AI to even more users know the connectivity that’s achieved for them,” he said. and market segments. With its open with Milestone allows them to reach out Australian University as platform, as well as support from its to more audience and customers.” an Example vast community of partners, Milestone System Builder Program As an example, Milestone cited has expressed confidence, and we have Milestone has recently announced its Swinburne University in Melbourne, reasons to believe, that it will achieve new System Builder Program, which Australia, which is using analytics success in this regard. brings benefits to all stakeholders from iCetana and Snap Surveillance in within Milestone’s vast network of combination with Milestone to enhance partners. security. iCetana’s analytics detects
Milestone Expands in Australia
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Vertical Market
Evolving Requirements in
Asian Airport Security 18
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The Asian aviation sector is growing at a rapid pace. With the number of airports increasing and the existing ones seeking a raise in their capacity, the vertical offers several opportunities for systems integrators. We take a look at evolving market requirements and business prospects. BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
ith some of the fastest growing economies in the region, the commercial aviation sector in Asia is expanding at a rapid pace. According to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), growth is expected to remain strong in the coming years, well into the next decade. In fact, over the next two decades, a 6 percent growth per annum is projected in the region, mainly due to the liberalization of markets, rise of wealth among the middle class and lack of other adequate transport systems. As the number of airports in the region continues to increase and existing ones seek to expand their capacity, the demand for security solutions in this vertical is on the rise. According to Homeland Security Research, between 2015 and 2020, airport security market in Asia is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8 percent. To put this in perspective, the North American airport security market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 4.8 percent during the same period. For systems integrators (SIs) who are into this vertical, Asia offers a great business opportunity. However, given the varied nature of the region, it is critical that they understand the unique requirements that need to be addressed.
What Does the Vertical Demand?
Like their global counterparts, airports in Asia face a myriad of demanding security challenges. These include handling aggressive passengers, ensuring the safety of staff in monitoring large open public areas, managing access levels and preventing cargo theft. According to Ken May, VP of Asia Pacific Sales for Security Products at Johnson Controls, advanced video surveillance systems are essential to step up on monitoring public areas and tracking unattended bags. The
deployment of strategically placed cameras and recording of high-quality images offer airport authorities faster access to the information they need in critical situations. “It is vital to ensure that only authorized personnel have access to restricted areas,” May said. “Electronic security can help achieve this. Access control products such as portable readers can be used to validate staff at remote areas of the airport where cabling infrastructure is not in place. In instances of increased threat level, individual access levels can also be automatically amended, and security levels heightened.” Effective remote monitoring of ground logistics such as the handling of cargo, baggage offload and refueling is crucial to the smooth operation of an airport, May added. With an integrated video and access control system, these activities are monitored 24/7, so that high-value cargo can be tracked, and issues such as accidents, injury, or theft can be reviewed on recorded video footage. Stuart Rawling, Director of Segment Marketing at Pelco by Schneider Electric, pointed out that an airport can be thought of as a combination of military base, transit center, city center and retail mall. While each one of these applications requires specific technologies and use cases, an airport needs to apply all of these in a holistic operating picture to ensure the safety and convenience of the passengers passing through its facilities. “Video for monitoring public spaces, access control for protecting access to airside and Security Identity Display Area (SIDA), video analytics or radar or lidar for catching violations of secure areas and perimeters are just a few of the technologies that can be deployed onsite,” Rawling said. “Quite often these different technologies are designed to work somewhat independently or with a limited interaction with a similar technology that may be deployed alongside it.”
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Technology
Choosing the Right
SD Card for
Surveillance Cameras
Choosing the best SD card for security cameras is a critical part of ensuring the reliability of a surveillance solution. Now with edge storage on security cameras becoming the primary storage solution, knowing what to look for in an SD card has become vital. BY Eifeh Strom, Freelancer
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dge storage in surveillance cameras has made building a surveillance solution more flexible and more affordable; however, the reliability of edge storage has been questioned in the past. A big part of these concerns was due to the insufficient abilities of standard retail SD cards. As a result, it has made choosing the right Secure Digital memory card (SD card) for security cameras a critical component of an effective surveillance solution. Without the right
SD or microSD card to store and write video data, the reliability of a surveillance system could be extremely compromised. Globally, the SD card market is forecast to surpass US$8.9 billion in revenue by 2022, according to a report by Persistence Market Research. Advancements in NAND technology are expected to drive the applications of SD memory cards. These advancements are also helping manufacturers develop SD cards better suited to the needs of video surveillance. We talked to some of the leading SD card manufacturers to ask them what makes a good SD card for security cameras.
Security Camera Needs
Unlike other types of cameras, surveillance cameras have different storage requirements. From the different environments in which security cameras
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“ Without the right SD or microSD card to store and write video data, the reliability of a surveillance system could be extremely compromised. „ are deployed to the need for 24/7, continuous data writing, security cameras require something more than the standard retail SD card can offer. “The vast majority of microSD cards available in the market today are intended for consumer use in digital still cameras (DSCs), car dash cams or home cameras; they are not designed for commercial and industrial edge storage in IP video surveillance cameras,” explained Joey Lin, Senior Segment Marketing Manager at Micron Technology. “As a result, edge storage is viewed as ‘unreliable’ by many systems integrators and installers.” The majority of users do not understand that the lifespan and quality of SD cards used in edge recording can vary significantly depending on the quality of the card selected. Selecting
the wrong quality SD card could therefore result in costly field failures that may occur within months of deployment. “A common mistake today is the use of retail microSD cards in video surveillance deployments,” Lin said. He explained: “The example is that a 64 GB retail card will quickly wear out in a typical video surveillance system with a continuous 8 Mb/s bit rate. If recording to a retail microSD card for 12 or more hours a day, the retail memory card will likely fail within months of deployment.” Lin pointed to the following as the major differences between memory cards currently available in the market: the NAND flash technology used in the card; how well the firmware is optimized for 24/7 video recording; and how the NAND is tested and screened
▲ Surveillance-grade SD cards can withstand extreme temperatures and continuous recordings of up to two to three years.
to improve overall product reliability. To meet the storage requirements of security cameras, it is advised to select a card with high endurance and environment hazard protection — for example, tolerance to very high or low temperature and humidity. “Security cameras may record 24/7 whatever the weather condition, and they need a card able to record without error with sustained performances and a limited risk of failure. It is key to select the correct SD card,” said Robert Allen, Director of Marketing and Technical Services for EMEA at Kingston Digital. “Another important specification is the recording resolution and frame rate of the surveillance camera. If an SD card data transfer speed does not match the camera’s requirements, it will affect the recording.” One of the biggest differences between edge storage in a security camera versus other cameras is the heavy workload to the edge storage device. A security camera requires high endurance capability and recording performance to meet the needs of 24/7 high quality video recording. “From an endurance perspective, edge recording in an IP camera is one of the heaviest workloads for memory and can quickly wear-out a consumer-grade retail microSD card, after which storage is not possible until the card is replaced,” Lin said. “For an application
Robert Allen, Director, Marketing and Technical Services, EMEA, Kingston Digital
Joey Lin, Senior Segment Marketing Manager, Micron Technology
that needs 24/7 continuous recording, firmware must be tuned to support minimum steady state performance to guarantee all frames are recorded.”
Overcoming Challenges
To meet the growing need of security cameras, companies like Micron, Western Digital (WD) and Samsung have developed surveillance-grade memory cards, specifically for security surveillance purposes. Unlike standard retail SD cards, surveillancegrade SD cards are built to withstand extreme weather (i.e., temperatures from -25 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius), continuous recording of up to two to three years and
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Industry Report
What You Need to Know to Succeed in the Indian Market BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
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he Indian customer has evolved quite a bit over the recent years, so much so that international security companies find the place more and more attractive. But there are still fears about the whole idea of entering the Indian market as it’s massive, diverse and, to a very large extent, fragmented. I am not going to say that these fears are misplaced. No, they are very much valid. But the potential returns on investing in this country are extremely high now. Hence it is important that you find a method to the madness.
What Does the Indian Customer Want?
First, let’s see what the Indian customer requires at the moment. According to Ashish Dhakan, MD and CEO of Prama Hikvision India, analog systems were the popular preference for a very long time in India. But that is beginning to change now as integrated solutions and the Internet of Things (IoT) have created a need for IP-based video surveil-
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The Indian security market offers tremendous opportunities. However, there are several factors that make international solution providers reluctant to enter the subcontinent. In this article, we look at strategies that are required to enter and succeed here.
lance, access control, intrusion detection and perimeter security systems in various verticals. “The Indian market remains an enigma due to its multilayered structure, huge scale, socioeconomic diversity, emerging vertical markets and myriad customized requirements compared to other developed countries,” Dhakan said. “India is one of the fastest growing markets for security products and solutions across the globe. The Indian security market is currently moving towards a mature stage. In the coming years, India’s security market will experience a boom
“There is a growing shift from using security products for the sake of compliance to using them because of a better understanding of their benefits. „
like never before. The government’s smart and safe city initiatives are creating new opportunities for the security industry.” A primary aspect of change is a shift from using security products for the sake of compliance to using them because of a better understanding of their benefits. Sudhindra Holla, Sales Director for India and SAARC at Axis Communications, gave an example. “For example, large IT companies, around five years back, just installed view/monitor/record system for purposes like forensic matters,” Holla said. “But now they are getting integrated with access control, face recognition and other similar solutions. The focus is on employees’ and women’s safety. When you look at manufacturers and retailers, people are moving beyond surveillance to business intelligence with solutions like people counting, loss prevention and even heat maps. There is also an emphasis on solutions that would help optimize the stores, to ensure that the right stocks are available in the right stores.” There are changes in the government sector too. For instance, the police are looking at solutions to monitor traffic. License plate recognition has become a standard to monitor traffic violations and other relevant matters. In fact, analytics, in general, is on the rise. Much has been talked about the possibility of analytics on the edge making an impact in the Indian market, given the infrastructural limits here. Now the solution can be seen deployed in the field. Speaking of technical requirements, Holla added that customers are moving on from image quality, reliability and forensic-grade video to technologies like thermal imaging systems. Perimeter protection is becoming a major challenge, especially for entities like large manufacturers, power plants and other critical infrastructure. For such sites, knowing something is out there is often more important than what is out there, to take the right action. These thoughts from two of the top security companies in the country should give you a brief idea on how the market is currently poised. But for many foreign manufacturers, a major fear is that Indian customers are extremely price-sensitive. This is a reality, unfortunately, and companies must face it.
Dealing With Price Sensitivity in Indian Market
Dhakan agrees that the Indian market has a very peculiar nature as far as intense price competition is concerned. Here, price becomes a single major deciding factor in consumer behavior. A major reason for this is the large number of options available that makes customers treat products like commodities. A solution focused approach is required to negotiate the best deal in the security projects. “In large-sized projects, customers (end users) focus more on solution part rather than price,” Dhakan said. “The best way to handle this is by creating a compelling value proposition with focus on solutions and benefits. The latter may catch a customer’s eye, but individuals who are
Ashish Dhakan, MD and CEO, Prama Hikvision India
Sudhindra Holla, Sales Director for India and SAARC, Axis Communications
truly price-sensitive are much more enticed by the tangible benefits of the product. So, the value proposition needs to sell benefits, not speak of how you’re a price leader in your industry. If we are able to sell benefits well, then pricing will speak for itself.” To help customers make more informed decisions that are not just based on price, companies can provide real-world examples (application cases), he added. A similar thought was echoed by Holla as he pointed out that they tend to make the customers aware of the need to go beyond price. Presenting the bigger picture of expenditure that the customer might incur is something that Axis focuses on. For instance, repairing a PTZ camera that is installed at a public place could cost quite a significant amount. This means, unless the product is guaranteed to function without hitches, the cost of repairing it each time could be more than that of the camera itself.
Language and Cultural Barriers
India has 22 official and hundreds of unofficial languages. This means foreign companies must be prepared to meet the varied language requirements in different parts of the country. “In the Indian market, language plays a key role in influencing the customers,” Dhakan said. “In metro cities, businesses are conducted mostly in English. Hindi becomes a predominant part of the business conversation in the North and Central India. In the southern, western and eastern parts of India, regional languages along with English help to engage the customers.” Localized marketing is extremely important in this regard and foreign manufacturers should ensure that they have representatives in every nook and corner of the country. Some of the SIs we talked to stressed on this point as they explained that quick technical support is critical to them. In short, understanding the changing requirements in the country, knowing how to deal with price sensitivity, and overcoming language barriers are some of the key factors that international manufacturers need to consider when entering the Indian market. With the right approach and investment, India can be one of the most lucrative options for you.
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Industry Report
What’s Trending in the Fire Alarms and Evacuation Market? With the rapid rise in popularity of building automation systems, the integration of fire alarms and evacuation systems is seeing a strong rise in demand. Here is a look at the current market trends, challenges and opportunities. BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
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ith the increasing awareness on the need for safety and prevention, fire alarm and evacuation solutions continue to see higher market demand. According to a report from the research firm Technavio, the global emergency alarm and evacuation market is expected to reach US$5.3 billion by 2021, growing at a CAGR close to 7 percent. Increasing awareness, government regulations and end-user demands are expected to be the major reasons for this growth. The rising popularity of building automation solutions is also expected to fuel growth in this sector. However, Technavio pointed out that the current uncertainty over ideal wireless solutions and lack of awareness will hamper expansion for two more years. The market could see a rapid pick up after that. In the fire alarms solutions market alone, the industrial sector is expected to see the most growth because of government regulations becoming stringent in developed and developing economies. Technological advancements such as wireless sensors, advanced detection systems and human machine interface (HMI) solutions are also among the factors encouraging customers to adopt solutions and boost the market. Mass notification and evacuation systems are widely seen in the commercial sector. They make use of announcement systems, messages, emails and phone calls to provide real-time information in the event of an emergency. Some experts have pointed out that the recent developments in the field of the Internet of Things (IoT) have transformed the market, with the integration of business systems with emergency systems giving greater flexibility in operation. However, a major issue that still hurts the industry is the lack of standards for different structures that could lead to possible failure of control systems during an emergency. A technology close to this market, and imparting significant influence on its development, is the digital addressable lighting interface (DALI). DALI is a wireless protocol and software integration that makes the lighting systems digital. Its deployment complements fire and evacuation solutions, and has proved to be extremely useful during an emergency situation.
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The Current Trends Seen in the Market
Bringing the fire alarm and evacuation systems under one technological roof and integrating them to work together seamlessly is the main trend that is seen in the market. According to Thomas Parrish, VP of Integrated Systems at Telgian, more and more fire systems are being installed with voice systems so that there is no need for two separate setups to be put in place. “We are seeing a lot of integrations,” Parrish said. “We are also seeing, in certain markets and verticals, the uptake of using the communication systems for other purposes like telephone, paging and background music.” In fact, the integration of mass notification systems with fire alarms is widely seen as the most significant trend by many in the market. Some suggest that the need for intelligibility and clarity is crucial in this regard to managing audible as well as visual notification systems. The role of mobile technology is also becoming more and more important. Features like Real Time Location Services (RTLS), widely found in smartphones these days, can be integrated with security systems to expand the reach and effectiveness. Rex Lam, Senior Consultant at Guardian Forest Security,
“The industrial sector is expected to see the most growth in fire alarms solutions because of government regulations becoming stringent in developed and developing economies. „
stressed that the change in trends is reliant, to a significant extent, on the regulatory policies of a region. Depending on how proactive a particular government is towards meeting the requirements in the field, the market demands and trends could change. Speaking specifically of major Asian markets like Hong Kong, Singapore and Mainland China, Lam said that he could not see much change over the years. “The trends have not been changing much because there are fire codes in different jurisdictions, regardless of where you are, may it be Hong Kong, Mainland China, Singapore, etc.,” Lam said. “This is because the fire system needs to be compatible with the local regulations first before other things can come into play. So, the trend has been to first meet the regulations and then try to integrate the solutions with building management systems. Of course, there are different ways to do this, there are several industry-wide protocols out there for you to integrate with other systems, but the key thing is before you apply the technology, you must understand what is the value of an integration. This will help the client understands why they are spending the money.” Speaking of developments in technology, Lam added that solutions are becoming more and more sophisticated than before in reducing false alarms. “Traditionally you would detect fire either by temperature or by smoke,” he said. “I have recently seen newer types of sensors that are also using CO as part of their detection technology in an effort to reduce false alarms. In any alarm system, false alarms are something that you are trying to avoid at all costs.” The importance of local regulations was also stressed by Paul Wijnstra and Mirre Veerman, Fire Safety Consultants at Royal HaskoningDHV, as they spoke about the market conditions in the Netherlands. In most cases in the country, fire alarms and sounders for evacuation are integrated into a single control panel. But the integration of voice alarm
systems is not permitted as per Dutch standards and hence has to be maintained on a separate control panel.
The Current Requirements in the Market
Needless to say, more and more verticals are interested in installing mass notification Rex Lam, Senior Consultant, Guardian Forest Security systems integrated with fire alarms. According to Parrish, sectors like healthcare were the early adopter of this but now establishments like schools are making it a requirement. There is also demand from other industries like the retail. “More demand from what we would consider non-traditional markets,” Parrish said. “[For instance] in large single-story Thomas Parrish, VP, Integrated buildings we would use systems Systems, Telgian that would be useful for both paging as well as for emergency communications.” According to Lam, the major requirement is to meet the gover nment regulations. In many countries, regulators impose stringent checks on fire safety. Non-compliance with the rules could lead to problems fo r c o m m e r c i a l a s w e l l a s non-commercial establishments. Paul Wijnstra, Fire Safety Consultant, Royal HaskoningDHV Going a bit more in detail on this, Wijnstra and Veerman added that the Dutch standards NEN 2535 and NEN 2575 define the requirements for fire detection and evacuation systems in the Netherlands. “For the fire detection system in the recently published 2017 edition, it is now allowed to have digital mimic panels,” they said. “This is due to the recently proven reliability which the Dutch fire detection standard prescribes to. For evacuation systems, sounders with programmed messages are now available.”
Technological and Market Challenges
As solutions become increasingly sophisticated and their integration requires multifaceted expertise, challenges in their implementation are also prone to rise. According to Wijstra and Veerman, for an evacuation alarm system with sounders to function effectively, the sounders and detectors should be combined in the same loop. Everything depends
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How to Protect Yourself Against IoT
IP Camera Hacks? Ever since video cameras migrated to the network, security has become a top issue facing both manufacturers and end users. More and more, reports on hacking and intrusion against network cameras have underscored their vulnerabilities and lent urgency to the concept of “securing your security device.” Indeed, doing so is a two-way street — it requires efforts from both vendors and users.
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or the longest time, video cameras have performed the key role of surveilling and monitoring premises, keeping lives and properties secure. However, the security of the device itself is something that has often been neglected. And, as cameras migrate more and more to the network, they face the same kind of risk and cyber threats as other networked devices. In fact, a lot of IP cameras have fallen victim to intrusion and hacking. A
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BY William Pao
recent baby cam hack, as told in a June 6 report on web portal CSO Online, occurred in South Carolina when a young mother found out that her baby cam moved on its own, pointing at her while she was breastfeeding her son. In another report by South China Morning Post, dozens of Canon IP cameras were hacked across Japan back in May, and in most cases a message that read “I’m Hacked. bye2” was left on their screens apparently by the hacker. According to a blog post by Jungle
Disk, in 2014 73,000 unsecured cameras were hacked and made available to the general public, and of that 11,064 cameras were in the US. Since then, reports of hacks against IP cameras and NVRs kept coming out. In October 2016, a series of coordinated cyberattacks were launched against Dyn, an internet performance management company based in New Hampshire, resulting in service disruptions across various famous sites including Airbnb, Amazon.com and
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The Boston Globe. It was later found out a botnet of Internet of Things devices, including IP cameras and network video recorders, were used in the attack after being infected with the Mirai malware.
Camera Problems Today
These incidents speak volumes of the fact a lot of today’s IP cameras are still beset by vulnerabilities. Some have backdoors. Some employ default passwords that are easily searchable on the web. Some have other design flaws. These can all be exploited by hackers over the internet. “Backdoors are a major threat, and they exist due to negligence in designing a secure product in many of the connected cameras today,” said Alon Levin, VP of Product Management at VDOO. “However, backdoors are not the only threat we are seeing in cameras. Cameras also include design flaws, known vulnerabilities and zero-days vulnerabilities, which can only be handled by the manufacturers.” “Many technologies are built with limited security controls inherent in them. They are often created with poor coding practices or hardware vulnerabilities that make compromise quite easy. Like any technology, if the underlying camera operating technology is vulnerable to attack, and left with access to open networks like large data networks or the internet, they can be effected by the million or so new virus variations that are created every day,” said Dave Tyson, SVP of Cyber Security Consulting at Apollo Information Systems. “The biggest security problem with IP cameras is that they are not managed very well to achieve sustainable cyber hygiene. For example, default passwords remain on the camera, or camera firmware is not updated, or abnormal memory, storage, or bandwidth usage goes unnoticed,” said Bud Broomhead, CEO of Viakoo. As to why this is happening, experts point out that camera manufacturers place a stronger focus on the design and performance of their products. Security,
Bud Broomhead, CEO, Viakoo
Cheng Lai Ki, Cyber Operations Consultant, Horangi Cyber Security
then, becomes a lower priority. “Camera manufacturers operate within a specialized subsector, and much like other technology developers, their skills are geared towards improving the quality of their products. While it cannot be said for all manufacturers, security may not necessarily be aligned to their key business objectives,” said Cheng Lai Ki, Cyber Operations Consultant at Horangi Cyber Security. And needless to say, making devices more secure requires a certain amount of investment, and this goes against camera manufacturers’ interest in keeping costs down. “The race to be cheapest got them all in trouble. Many are just OEMing parts and codebase libraries which are flawed. Not many have taken the time to write their own code and then publish the third-party audits of their code security audits. As
Andrew Lanning, Co-Founder, Integrated Security Technologies
long as people keep buying this poor quality equipment, there is no incentive for the manufacturers to clean up their development,” said Andrew Lanning, Co-Founder of Integrated Security Technologies. “To also become experts in security, the manufacturers will have to double their in-house development budget. That doesn’t make sense from an economical perspective. In addition to economic considerations, it is also really hard to integrate a security team into an existing development team — it requires a ‘DNA change’ for the entire company,” Levin said. “Not only that, investment in security today is something that is hard for manufacturers to prove that they have done to the right level and use as a commercial advantage.” But this is not to say that manufac-
▲A lot of cameras today come with backdoors, design flaws and other vulnerabilities that render them susceptible to cyberattacks.
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Product Review
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hen monitoring a wide area, be it a warehouse, airport or parking lot, a single IP camera may become quite constraining as it has a narrow field of view, thus leaving various blind spots uncovered. In this regard, a multisensor camera can be an ideal and cost-effective option as the user only needs to purchase one single device rather than three to four individual cameras. Installation and maintenance can be made simpler as well. “Multisensor cameras are easier to install. They have only one network connection. Since most video recording systems require only one license for all the cameras in the unit, it makes the IP system more economical,” said Bob Mesnik, President of Kintronics. “The power and data connection to the camera can be run in a single cable, making installation quicker and
more efficient. Because the camera is located by a single IP address you can save costs on VMS device licensing by registering four cameras using only one device license,” said Russell Morris, Lead Engineer at NW Security Group. However, there are still caveats when installing these devices in wide open areas. “It is important to note that the positioning must take into consideration possible obstructions from existing structures and moving vehicles. Open areas usually have a challenge with mounting positions with some cases having to have additional support poles installed. These poles can themselves become obstructive, and sometimes unsightly, if too many of them are installed,” said Archie Makore Shumba with Business Development at Stratus Projects. “On the other hand, available structural mounting positions usually become repetitive as they are, in some cases, on one side of the site.”
What to Consider
Before making a purchase, it is better to know that there are two types of multisensor cameras — those with lenses that are fixed, offering 180-degree panoramic views, and those with lenses that can be adjusted and repositioned, offering more flexibility in different use scenarios. In addition, the user should look at the camera’s specs and consider if they meet their needs and requirements. Typically what the user should look for are summarized as follows:
Resolution and Bandwidth
Depending on the brand and model, each sensor in a multisensor camera comes with a resolution of between 2MP and 11MP. Note that the maximum resolution listed on the datasheet is usually the sum of the resolutions of the sensors. “Do not be fooled by marketing blurb; most
When it comes to surveilling large, open areas, multisensor cameras stand as an ideal choice. Each comes with multiple lenses all packed in one device, in the process reducing cost and simplifying installation and maintenance. Yet what should the user look for when purchasing a multisensor camera? How should it be installed? In this article we asked some systems integrators to address those questions. We also looked at multisensor camera models from different brands to help users pick the right device. BY William Pao
SIs Share Tips and Experience With Top
Multisensor Brands Camera 40
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companies will sell their camera as ‘8MP’ or ‘20MP,’ but in reality they take a sum of the resolution of all sensors and market the camera as something which is much higher in resolution than each individual sensor,” Morris said. Bandwidth utilization is another issue that the user needs to consider. “Remember that because a multisensor camera is multiple cameras in one, it will utilize more bandwidth and storage than a single camera. For example an Axis P3707-PE contains four HD 1080p cameras so this will utilize the same amount of network bandwidth and storage as four separate cameras,” Morris said. Performance is another key feature that needs to be examined. “Some cameras will only offer full frame-rate video across all sensors when a lower resolution is selected. Always check before specifying and make sure the
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Special Feature
Overcoming Mall Vulnerabilities Malls and shopping centers have long taken on the role of the town square, for a community, district, entire town or city. This makes them a popular place not only to shop and engage various services, but also as an end destination to meet, congregate, exercise and be entertained.
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ccording to Jeff Whitney, VP of Marketing at Arecont Vision Costar, malls and shopping centers typically include some mix of large open spaces such as concourses, atriums, parking lots and structures, greenspace, and loading docks, all with multiple access
points. “Unfortunately, all of these beneficial items can lead malls and shopping centers to become a magnet for criminal activity, for everything from stock slippage by employees to slip and fall fraud, and to organized crime, robbery and assault,” Whitney said. “In extreme cases, malls and shopping centers can become potential soft targets for terrorism, such as active shooters or bomb threats.” Indeed, it is the very nature of malls that makes it the most vulnerable. Lynne Woodgates, Business Development Manager at Hanwha Techwin Europe, said that malls are designed to be easily accessible and welcoming places with multiple entrances and exits. They are therefore a potential target for terrorists who might seek to inflict maximum damage in a crowded environment. As economic concerns rise, there will be other risks too. “In a tough economic environment, the tenants of malls are likely to see an increase in theft by opportunists as well as organized criminal gangs,” Woodgates said. “Dealing with
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Feng Cai, Vertical Solutions Manager, Hikvision Digital Technology
Keith Drummond, Senior Director, Sales and Marketing, IDIS America
anti-social behavior, often due to alcohol or drug abuse, is a constant challenge for malls.” Feng Cai, Vertical Solutions Manager at Hikvision Digital Technology, added another point. Given the large area of a shopping mall, it consumes a significant amount of electricity, and with flammable substances, chances of fire breakout that could lead to loss of assets and injuries to people are high. Of course, these need to be seen in the wider business context. According to Billy Hopkins, Senior Technical Manager, IDIS Europe, all retail operations are under pressure from online competition and changing consumer habits. “Consequently, they are working to find new ways to compete and attract customers,” Hopkins said. “Shopping centers are evolving, and many are being styled as leisure destinations offering a customer experience that is as much about entertainment as it is about shopping. Against this background, security and safety become even more important.”
How Malls Deal With Emergency Situations
The need for the buildings to be aesthetically pleasing creates inherent hiding places which can make designing a security system a hurdle of sorts for consultants and SIs. „
The security departments at malls and shopping centers have largely been responsible for typical retail security challenges, ranging from loss prevention, policing the concourses, parking structures and other public areas. However, in recent times, their responsibilities have risen to include response to emergencies like fire, active shooters, armed robbery and terrorist issues. “Increasing visibility of security is key to better responding to emergencies and to ensure that customers and mall workers feel safe,” Whitney said. “This includes increasing the number of uniformed guards visible at entrances/exits and in public areas, as well as adding overt and highly visible security cameras in the same areas. Both will increase actual security and the comfort of customers and mall staff. Discreet surveillance in other areas will help increase situational awareness without seeming omnipresent. Improving access control to limit where the public and employees can roam without permission will also help.” He suggested that hiring an experienced security consultant to review the facility and its security plan is a good first step — Engaging with local law enforcement, the fire department and local ambulance services to update their emergency and disaster plans and ensure two-way communications are in place for when an incident does occur is critical. However, despite having certain security management systems in place, malls may lack the technological capabilities to deal with an emergency, according to Cai. For example, it is necessary to integrate the distributed subsystem of video surveillance, alarm, access control and fire control into one monitoring center to establish a unified management system for the emergency command. Malls cannot afford to have security solutions that operate independently of each other anymore.
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Special Feature
Not Just “Guns, Guards and Gates”: Convergence is the Need of the Hour The convergence of physical and logical security has been gaining traction ever since the introduction of network-enabled security devices. However, despite the obvious advantages it brings in, end users, and even systems integrators, remain slow to implement it. We discuss this with the experts. BY Prasanth Aby Thomas, Freelancer
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hat physical and logical security have converged at a technological level is old news, but what is still amazing, unfortunately, is how far behind managements are when considering this convergence. Despite the obvious fact that convergence improves security as well as operational efficiency, organizations, and to a significant extent their systems integrators (SIs), continue to consider the two as though never the twain shall meet.
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Industry experts are aware of this issue as they stress the importance of convergence. Jon Stanford, Global Director for Industrial IoT Solutions & Services at Cisco Systems, pointed out that when it comes to unauthorized access to systems and data, the “last door” becomes cyber access. This means that no matter how well you protect your logical computing environment with security controls, once a malicious actor (whether a trusted insider, a trusted third party or an intruder)
“Interoperability and ease of access are two of the biggest challenges in this space. „ passes through the final physical barrier, it’s game over. “In order to effectively mitigate risks across the board, you need to address both physical and logical security together,” Stanford said. “Today’s advanced threat agents exploit vulnerabilities in both domains. In the industrial base, cyberphysical security attacks are of grave concern to critical infrastructure operators, because, if successful, their effects could be catastrophic. The damage or disruption resulting from combined cyber-physical events can be far-reaching. It’s crucial to ensure that security investments encompass both cyber and physical security protections.” Monitoring for physical and logical anomalies is also increasingly important because indicators of compromise might occur simultaneously in each domain, he added. If an organization doesn’t combine its security resources and share information between the two, vital information could be lost. The resulting lack of holistic visibility and insight could lead to increased occurrences of exploitation or diminished response capability. Mohamed Benabdallah, Director of Professional Services at Convergint Technologies, explained this in simpler terms. Stressing the importance of convergence, he said that the crucial factors for assessing security on both sides of the fence include the “What, Where, and How.” What are we trying to secure? Where is it located? And how do we secure it? “Allowing someone access to an IT asset in a facility without knowing about their physical presence in the facility can result in a breach of both physical and logical access,” Benabdallah said. “Because once the physical security system has allowed someone into the facility without using a credential, the person in question can then access the network as well. Another layer of complication is added by wireless networks, which extend the physical facility beyond the actual walls and create yet another way for logical intrusion.”
Are SIs Aware?
To be fair, the demands of the end users will be an important factor that comes into play when discussing the approach of SIs. Andrew Howard, Chief Technology Officer at Kudelski Security, pointed out that SIs are driven by the needs of their clients. For most enterprises, convergence is a fairly new concept and, even though awareness is definitely growing, it is not ubiquitously understood. However, some would say the onus is on the SIs to make sure that their customers understand the need and importance of converging physical and logical security. And not everyone seems convinced that SIs consider this a priority. Matthew Wharton, President of the Security and Technology Consulting Division at Guidepost Solutions, feels that SIs are
The challenge for firms would be how they can coordinate efforts in physical and network security across the organization to plug any potential holes by collaborating on company-wide security policies.
largely playing catch-up at this point because to a lot of them, the real difference between a network-enabled camera and a non-network enabled camera is still not clear. “If they had a camera that they were connecting to the video system before and now to a PoE switch with a connector, they are looking at ‘does it work,’ ‘does Mohamed Benabdallah, Director of Professional Services, it deliver video,’ ‘does it show Convergint Technologies up on the platform,’” Wharton said. “They are not anywhere near as sensitive as they should be that they just put in a potential vector into the actual network of the client once they connect that network-enabled device.” To Benabdallah, even though most SIs are aware of the convergence between cyber and physical security, the challenge is that those responsible for physical Andrew Howard, CTO, Kudelski security do not engage with those Security responsible for network security. The most secure firms, he said, coordinate their efforts across the organization to plug any potential holes by collaborating on company-wide security policies. “Recent high-profile cybersecurity breaches have elevated awareness for both physical and logical security managers
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SMAhome
10 LoRa Gateways to Talk to Your Devices Kilometers Away LoRaWAN gateways are located at the heart of LoRa star topology, bridging end devices and servers in the network. They are the communication center of multiple concurrent links. The following gateways are able to talk to your sensors and devices from far away, and collect useful information for their owners.
Lorrier LR2 IoT LoRaWAN Gateway 868MHz Lorrier LR2 is a carrier-grade IoT LoRaWAN gateway for building professionals. It works outdoors to establish a wide coverage network by telecommunication operators, as well as a local network by individual IoT connectivity service providers. Lorrier LR2 is based on the iC880a LoRaWAN concentrator by IMST which uses Semtech SX1301 base band processor. It is capable of supporting thousands of endpoints with eight simultaneous receive channels. The Mikrotik Routerboard also serves as the advanced communication gate with the
internet on TCP/IP. The main control unit of Lorrier LR2 is BeagleBone Green with 1GHz (2000 MIPS) processor.
lorrier/lorrier.com
Gemtek LoRa Femto Indoor Gateway
Hongdian A10G LoRa Gateway
The Femto Indoor Gateway is specifically designed for wide area IoT applications. Applications include, but are not limited to home and building security, automatic meter reading, monitoring fault indicators, monitoring street lights, etc. It is suitable for private areas like small business, parking space, exhibition center or campus. It is also suitable for providing coverage for indoor blind spots. The Femto Indoor Gateway supports up to eight concurrent channels for LoRa transmission, and it works with various wireless frequencies covering Europe, U.S., India, and China from 470MHz to 928MHz.
A10G is a module-based long-distance wireless communication gateway supporting LoRaWAN standard protocols, serial port data two-way communication, and long battery standby function. With the capability of supporting 20000 LoRa node access, A10G is suitable for large number of access applications in the private network. With an embedded watchdog in the system, A10G can recover automatically from network failover to ensure connection to end devices and the cloud platform.
Gemtek technoloGy/www.gemteks.com
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honGdian/en.hongdian.com
Cisco Wireless LoRaWAN Gateway Cisco Wireless Gateway uses LoRa technology and complies with the LoRaWAN specifications, enabling communications with Class A,B, C devices. The gateway is an IP67-grade outdoor product embedded with two of Semtech SX1301 baseband chipsets and supporting up to 16 uplink channels, allowing 16 data packets to arrive at the same time. This capability improves the spectrum utilization up to 4 MHz frequency bandwidth and increases overall system capacity. Further, the gateway supports multiplechannel diversity combinations via software
configurations. Channel diversity is helpful in finding better radio signal paths from endpoint to gateway. The gateway is also fully managed by the Cisco IoT Field Network Director (IoT FND). Cisco IoT FND provides zero-touch provisioning capabilities to automatically download pre-defined configuration data, firmware upgrades, information dashboard, performance statistics and management-related information.
ciSco SyStemS/www.cisco.com
Advantech WISE-3610 Wireless IoT LoRa Network Gateway Advantech WISE-3610 is a Qualcomm ARM Cortex A7based hardware platform, which uses OpenWRT, a Linux distribution for embedded devices. It is a wireless IoT LoRa private network gateway designed for smart buildings, smart cities, Industrial 4.0 applications. WISE-3610 can aggregate the wireless sensor networks including LPWAN technology by Advantech private LoRa technology as well as the wired sensors, and ties them into an IP network. With modular slot design, it can agilely adapt to a variety of wireless technologies at regional RF bands, wireless communication protocol by various uplink requirement. WISE-3610 supports up to 500 sensor nodes simultaneously.
advantech/www.advantech.tw
MultiTech Systems MultiConnect Conduit
Designed with the ability for customized configuration, MultiConnect Conduit features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth (BT/ BLE), GNSS and two accessory card slots that enable users to plug in a diverse range of MultiConnect mCard accessory cards and provide the local wired or wireless field asset connectivity. Available options include a LoRaWAN-ready mCard, which is capable of supporting thousands of MultiConnect mDot long range RF modules, connecting remote sensors or appliances. When used within range of multiple buildings or asset management, MultiConnect Conduitâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s communication range can reach up to 10 miles line of sight, or up to 3 miles in buildings. MultiConnect Conduit is certified for Europe 868 MHz, North American and Australian 915 MHz ISM bands. It also supports private cloud platform managements.
multitech SyStemS/www.multitech.com
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New Products
asmag.com PRODUCT FOCUS To view the most updated and complete content for new products, please visit the “Products” section of our website at www.asmag.com. For more information, contact as-pr@newera.messefrankfurt.com
WM Series Magnetic Locks With Built-in Door Contact Feature – UL275BWM-SL
March Networks Searchlight for Retail
B444 Conettix Plug-In 4G LTE Cellular Communicator
Dahua DH-VCS-TS20A0 Video Conferencing System
ALGATEC/Malaysia Key Features • Integrated with Door Status Monitoring Function (DSMF) and Lock Status Monitoring Function (LSMF) • Enhanced door contact with built-in reed switch • Dual voltage operation – 12Vdc/24Vdc selectable • Zero residual magnetism • Ease of installation with low maintenance and low power consumption made it a cost-saving product • Quiet and carefree operations Email: shirley@uwcelectric.com
Bosch Security and Safety Systems/U.S. Key Features • Secure Conettix IP communication from compatible Bosch panels to Bosch receivers using Verizon 4G LTE cellular network • Remote programming and monitoring of compatible Bosch panels • Personal SMS message and email notification options • Direct configuration from Bosch Remote Programming Software (RPS) eliminating the need for separate configuration • Simple LED status information and advanced keypad diagnostics available with easy 2 step plug-in installation, troubleshooting and maintenance Email: onlinehelp@us.bosch.com
CTS 24-Port Commercial Grade Modular Ethernet Managed Switch
ComNet/U.K. Key Features • Commercial grade for 0 to 50ºC operation • Fully configurable via web-based GUI or USB CLI • 8 channel 10/100 TX ports and 8 channel Coax CopperLine ports • Aggregate analog to IP retrofit switch over existing coax/UTP • 3 slots capable of 8 ports each for a total of up to 24 configurable PoE-capable ports • IGMP multicast support Email: sales-europe@comnet.net
Luminite NEXUS Wireless Alert
Luminite Electronics/U.K. Key Features • Battery powered; rapidly deployable and reusable • Wireless with up to 64 units on one site • Long range transmission of 1 km between units • Visual beacon and audible sounder/ enunciator • Works on advanced wireless mesh protocol, negating the need for repeaters • IP Masthead receiver available for remote monitoring Email: info@luminite.co.uk
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www.asmag.com
March Networks/Canada Key Features • Hosted in the cloud and managed by March Networks • View and compare user-definable report summaries to identify potential issues based on transaction trends over time • Review transaction data integrated with video to quickly investigate instances of potential internal theft • Uncover customer trends and employee key performance indicators (KPIs) and gain insight into overall store operations Email: sales@marchnetworks.com
Dahua Technology/China Key Features • A compact system combining a full-HD PTZ camera, codec microphone and speaker together in one device • Offers smooth connection with various third-party cloud platforms, such as Starleaf, ZOOM and Bluejeans • Supports meeting recording onto USB drives, enabling convenient real-time meeting archive for further reviews • Supports industry standard A/V encoding technologies and achieves seamless interconnection with products that meet international standards Email: overseas@dahuatech.com
2MP Outdoor Network Compact Dome Camera XNV-6011 Hanwha Techwin America/U.S. Key Features • 2MP @ 60fps • Triple codec H.265/H.264/MJPEG • Built-in 2.8mm fixed lens • Wide dynamic range 150dB • On-board analytics • Digital image stabilization • Built-in retail business intelligence analytics • USB for easy installation Email: customerservice@hanwha.com
X.mio5 Q25 SMPTE ST 2110 Network Interface Controller Matrox Electronic Systems/Canada Key Features • Native SMPTE ST 2110 support with no CPU usage • 4x UHDp60/50 inputs and outputs over 25GbE • 32x HD inputs and outputs over 25GbE • 256 audio flows from 1 to 64 tracks • Multi-channel HDR conversion • On-board de-interlacing, scaling and compositing Email: insales@matrox.com
AXIS Q1765-LE Network Camera
Axis Communications/Sweden Key Features • 18x optical zoom and autofocus • Built-in IR illumination • HDTV 1080p and H.264 • IP66- and NEMA 4X-rated for outdoor use • Supports wide dynamic range (WDR) and Corridor Format, allowing effective monitoring with higher resolution in vertical scenes Email: axis-sap@axis.com
TVT NVMS 2.0
TVT Digital Technology/China Key Features • Supports Windows/Linux/ Mac OS, includes pure software and embedded devices • Supports access control system, burglar alarm system, attendance system, intercom system and RFID • Advanced AI+ applications: face recognition, people counting, behavior analysis, etc. • Supports various types of client access: B/S, C/S, Android, iOS • Intelligent data analyzing capability with face and people counting statistics demonstration Email: overseas@tvt.net.cn
ELAN Intelligent Video Doorbell
Nortek Security and Control/U.S. Key Features • The Door Station camera integrates with ELAN Surveillance for video recording and monitoring • Allowing users to answer the door from anywhere either in the home or remotely is just the start • Auto-discovered and auto-configured for effortless integration into an ELAN system • The doorbell camera integrates advanced motion analytics to accurately identify between people and moving objects Email: linear.sales@nortekcontrol.com
Avigilon H4 Multisensor Camera
Avigilon/Canada Key Features • Self-learning video analytics: automatically adjusts to changing scene conditions and continues to adapt to scene changes without the need for any manual calibration • Manually configurable sensors: moves on three axes for a variety of coverage options in a wide range of environments • Up to 32 MP total resolution • H.265 compression technology • Content adaptive IR technology Email: orders@avigilon.com
Companies Advertiser Index in This Issue *The index is provided as an additional service. *The publisher does not assume any liability for errors or omissions.
COVER STORY
• Milestone Systems
PRODUCTS OF THE MONTH • Aurora Computer Services • Hisign Technology • Cognitec Systems • Hikvision Digital Technology • IDEMIA • Princeton Identity • Vision-Box
VERTICAL MARKET
• Ademco Security Group • Johnson Controls • Maxitulin • Pelco by Schneider Electric
Surveillance Page No.
Advertiser
INSIDE AVIGILON SINGAPORE BACK PTE COVER 3, 5 DAHUA TECHNOLOGY
Major Item
Country
VIDEO SURVEILLANCE SINGAPORE asksales@avigilon.com
SURVEILLANCE
CHINA
overseas@dahuatech.com
LENS
CHINA
sales@foctek-lens.com
INSIDE GENETEC FRONT COVER
SOFTWARE
CANADA
info@genetec.com
BACK HIKVISION DIGITAL COVER, TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD. 38, 39
SURVEILLANCE
CHINA
overseasbusiness@ hikvision.com
FRONT MILESTONE SYSTEMS COVER, PTE LTD 16, 17
VIDEO MANAGEMENT SINGAPORE SOLUTION
CO., LTD.
45 FOCTEK
TECHNOLOGY
• Kingston Digital • Micron Technology
INDUSTRY REPORT
• Axis Communications • Guardian Forest Security • Prama Hikvision India • Royal HaskoningDHV • Telgian
IoT
• Apollo Information Systems • Horangi Cyber Security • Integrated Security Technologies • VDOO • Viakoo
PRODUCT REVIEW
• Allied Universal Security Systems • Kintronics • NW Security Group • Stratus Projects
SPECIAL FEATURE
• Arecont Vision Costar • Bosch Security and Safety Systems • Cisco Systems • Convergint Technologies • Cyberbit • Guidepost Solutions • Hanwha Techwin Europe • Herta Security • Hikvision Digital Technologies • IDIS • Kudelski Security
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15 SAMSUNG (HANWHA
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KOREA
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7 SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY
STORAGE
SINGAPORE apj.sales.enquiry@seagate. com
9 SHENZHEN WANJIAAN
SURVEILLANCE
CHINA
info@wanjiaan.com
2 TSAI JUNG CAST CO.,
SURVEILLANCE
TAIWAN
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1 VIDEOTEC S.P.A.
IP CAMERA / SOFTWARE / VIDEOSERVER
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23 WESTERN DIGITAL
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CO., LTD.)
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