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38 Security Dealer & Integrator / www.SecurityInfoWatch.com January 2018 high-water mark for security indus- try M&A; in its history (see SD&I;'s Jan. 2017 cover story, "e Year of the Giga-Deal" at www.securityinfowatch. com/12292632), 2017 saw the wave finally break and roll back – with only a few major vendor deals, perhaps the biggest being Assa Abloy's acquisition of Mercury Security in September. Still, Ladd says trying to stay abreast of frequent changes is no small matter in this industry. "One of the biggest challenges in 2018 will be the contin- ued integration between manufac- turers," Ladd says. "Keeping up with soware upgrades and integration API updates will need to be timely." Similarly, Zucker says that train- ing technicians how to install and sell a diverse portfolio of technol- ogy solutions that are always evolv- ing is another significant hurdle for the industry, and is something that requires continuing education from suppliers on a regular basis. "Our ability to grow is dependent on finding suitable employees to help us extend our brand," he says. "Of course, once you hire those apt people, you have the challenge of properly training the workforce." Technology Disruptors e one constant security businesses can count on is the need to adapt to always-evolving technology. One trend or technology may be on its way out the door, but there is always another waiting in the wings to take its place. at said, the rise of new technologies oen opens the door to opportunity, and it likely will again in 2018. Everything "as a Service": A prime example is the rise of cloud services. ough margins may be eroding for cameras and other security hardware, the increasing adoption of Video Sur- veillance-as-a-Service (VSaaS) and Access Control-as-a Service (ACaaS) offerings have provided integrators with a potentially more lucrative busi- ness in the form of RMR. "Soon it will be Everything-as-a- Service (EaaS)," Varco says, "(but) the industry itself remains on the short end of a very steep curve when it comes to cloud-based services, and in particular Security-as-a-Service (SaaS). More and more of our technol- ogy partners are moving away from licensing pricing models to subscrip- tion-based models." While many were skeptical of the technology just a few years ago, it is now vital part of the solutions integra- tors provide. "We place a lot of empha- sis on cloud – not just in SaaS, but also IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service)," Boethel says. "SaaS provides a scalable solution with minimal up-front capi- tal expense, which is great for mid- dle-market companies that need secu- rity but lack the capital required for robust on-premises solutions." AI, drones and more: Among other technology trends integrators cite as potential heavy influencers in 2018 and the long-term include: artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and drones (unmanned aerial vehicles), cloud- based video storage, and even an increased focus on access control. "Coupled with cloud-based stor- age, our fastest-growing vertical is our access control products and ser- vices," Zucker says. "We have seen tremendous growth and interest from commercial clients to be able to limit access to physical space as well as see- ing who is entering/leaving at particu- lar times of day." Both Philippou and McHale believe AI will be the most transformational technology trend within the secu- rity industry moving forward. "Video already collects so much data that can't be analyzed quickly enough by current soware," McHale says. "AI in all its guises can convert this into action- able data that will have an enormous impact on improving the TCO of video surveillance and IT convergence systems in all the verticals that make up this market." Smart Homes, DIY and MSOs: The Residential Market Trifecta Add up all the changes to the commer- cial security industry already pointed out and they probably don't hold a candle to the sheer amount and vol- ume of change our industry's residen- tial security dealers are confronted with on a daily basis. Cover Story Many integrators think drones and anti-drone technologies will be a heavy industry influencer in 2018 and beyond. (Artificial Intelligence) will have an enormous impact on improving the TCO of video surveillance and IT convergence systems in all the verticals that make up this market." — Jim McHale, market research firm Memoori