Security Dealer & Integrator

JUN 2017

Find news and information for the executive corporate security director, CSO, facility manager and assets protection manager on issues of policy, products, incidents, risk management, threat assessments and preparedness.

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42 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com June 2017 Systems integrators must be savvy to the technical differences, design challenges and cost considerations of video data and converged applications – specifying solutions that can meet the 24/7 demands of modern data and security operations centers. e sim- ple fact is that converged data (such as video) can add significant business value that reaches far beyond tradi- tional use cases. As the need for storage continues to grow alongside the demand for a greater amount of data, so too does the technology and demand for data to be easily accessible, safe and importantly, secure. e protection of data is a very real priority for both physical and IT security professionals, and integrators can help lead the way. A Changing Landscape A comment I oen hear from those outside the industry is that the security and surveillance markets move more slowly than others. At times I agree, Knowledge is power, but ulti- mately, customer satisfaction is the key to an integrator's suc- cess. The following are strate- gies that are pivotal to ensure access to future opportunities while ensuring sustained success with current customers: • Improve IT capabilities : Partner with solution providers who are experts in IT and are willing to invest in your success as a subject matter expert. Position your organization as one that customers can rely on for expertise. • Spell out the differences: Help customers understand that video surveil- lance data is different than "normal" IT data, and the implications this brings to their server and storage infrastructure. Work with your cus- tomers to define the business, operational risk and impact of system downtime and data loss while educating them on the proper solutions. • Become IT savvy as quickly as possible: IT is increasingly involved in server and storage infrastructure buying decisions, preferring to make pur- chases from traditional channels. This process can lead to loss of hard- ware revenue for integrators. • Provide great service at all times: Once the initial sale is confirmed, make a commitment to provide timely delivery and installation of systems. Afterward, provide timely and efficient support when issues arise. but we have made significant strides in terms of innovation; therefore, now is the time to change the outside per- ception. Integration firms can lead the charge, leveraging best practices and solutions to realize new business opportunities and revenue streams. Since data is so important, the pro- cess of storing this data becomes one of the most critical components of a system. When it comes to video stor- age, there are myriad terms to learn, memorize and master. Hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI) solutions offer a simple, more practical and cost-effective alterna- tive. HCI reduces data center costs and complexity by integrating SAN and server virtualization capabilities into a single soware-defined infrastructure deployed on COTS server hardware. e advantage of HCI is that it pro- vides the benefits of enterprise-class IT infrastructure – performance, resil- iency, efficiency and scalability – with- out the high cost and complexity. HCI appliances designed for the needs of the video surveillance market are simple to deploy and scale. Because the storage pool is virtualized, stor- age is completely scalable: Individual appliances can be added to meet grow- ing surveillance needs. Adding a cam- era here or there when a hot spot or interest area is identified or increasing resolution is easily accomplished. Because video data is highly vari- able, unpredictable and write-inten- sive, traditional storage systems – such as NVRs – must oen be over-provi- sioned to plan for the worst-case sce- nario. However, performance suffers during video data spikes, and oen leads to degraded operations that lead to video loss. Integrators should specify solutions that streamline system performance, and improve the capacity for video and data capture. Solutions that are designed for write-intensive environ- ments, such as IP video surveillance and enterprise IT applications, are ideal choices to deliver high levels lev- els of performance, resiliency and scal- ability – enabling customers to protect and ensure availability of critical video surveillance data. Integrators are tasked with ensur- ing surveillance customers can benefit from the best practices and solutions, and increasingly those systems are the ones proven in the world of IT. Addi- tionally, you can make sure that your business does not miss out on valu- able hardware sales. e interest in new technology is growing at a rapid rate and you are in a unique position to transform your customer's surveil- lance environments while exceeding IT expectations. ■ » Brandon Reich is General Manager for the surveillance division of Pivot3. Request more info about the company at www.securityinfowatch. com/10214659. Selling Points Video Surveillance

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