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this stuff last? Replacement cycles for security hardware can vary widely based on cost, user preference, and the vendorâ€™s appetite for R&D

Camera features you 2016-03-23 actually use Not all surveillance upgrades are neccessarily useful p. 10

Creating safe networks Manufacturers are developing products that are more resistant to cyber attacks p. 18

Security at the entrance Access control solutions that do their job and provide peace of mind p. 21

p. 23

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The latest in security technology

V.20 i.3 April 2016

p. 24

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Contents April 2016

www.sptnews.ca www.sptnews.ca

Cover Story 16 Keep it or can it

Features

Rip and replace or retain and maintain? The replacement cycle for security equipment can vary from years to decades depending on the capital investment and new options in the market

By Linda Johnson

Departments 4 Editor’s Letter 6 Line Card

• Toshiba launches school support program • Honeywelll buys Videofied business • Samsung announces name change • Anixter’s Levoy recognized by BICSI

26 Archive

Put out the welcome mat

Columns 9 CANASA Update

18 Security all the way

to the edge

Manufacturers say they are working together to help mitigate cyber attacks on surveillance products

By Andrew Elvish

Strong leadership and best foot forward By Richard McMullen

10 Camera Corner

Upgrades that make the grade By Colin Bodbyl

12 20 Years and Counting

21 Security begins at

Events that shape our future By Paul Grossinger

14 Lessons Learned

the entrance Best practices, at doors and throughout a building, can help prevent catastrophic events at our schools and facilities

By Bruce Czerwinski

Integrator or alarm dealer: which one are you? By Victor Harding

Door closer

Designed to be universally applicable as a direct replacement closer, the U1500 Door Closer from DORMA meets most storefront and other commercial door closer hole pattern applications. It is suited for aluminum store front applications which are typical of retail shops, hotels and more.

Access control platform

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EDITOR’S LETTER

By Neil Sutton Your Partner in Securing Canada

Getting cyber ready The surveillance industry is finally getting on board with threat protection

e’re closing in on the mid-way point of this, our 20th anniversary year, which has given me some time for reflection. Naturally, there are some commonalities that arise as we take a closer look at this magazine’s and the security industry’s shared history. Whether it’s false alarms, corporate buy-outs or equipment replacement cycles, there are some themes that continue to echo through the industry (read SP&T News group publisher Paul Grossinger’s column on p. 12 for more on this). A relatively new problem, and one that I think really took a lot of vendors and integrators by surprise, is the down side of using IP networks to host surveillance equipment. I say that with some hesitation. I consider myself a proponent of new technology, and if the industry isn’t moving forward, it may as well be moving backwards. IP technology itself is nothing new, but the threats to IP networks have multiplied to a point where no one can truly claim they can absolutely protect the devices that run on them. For years, most people assumed that viruses and malware were a problem that infected PCs — and only happened to people who didn’t install malware protection and/or were sloppy in their surfing and password creation habits. The truth is that the problem is far worse and very much on the doorstep of the security industry. To quote research from popular IT vendor Dell, almost three in four “decision-makers are somewhat to very concerned about malware and advanced persistent threats.”

The same study also cites the concerns around BYOD (bring your own device) programs in the office, inefficient or ineffective encryption methods, the public Cloud, and how susceptible organizations are to spear phishing attacks (targeted attacks designed to fool employees into revealing compromising information). Dell is not alone in publishing studies of this nature — most of their competitors do it too, and obviously they have a vested interest in convincing customers and potential customers that they may need to invest in superior security solutions. The physical and electronic security industry can really take a cue from this approach. I’m not suggesting that we need to see mainstream vendors pushing the panic button, but network security is a discussion we ought to be having more often. In this issue of SP&T News, an article contributed by Genetec’s Andrew Elvish raises some important points about cyber security and surveillance. Other vendors are coming to the forefront as well, providing more stringent safeguards for their products, partnering with established anti-malware providers, or educating installers and end users around best practices. The thing with history is it tends to repeat itself unless you pay attention and make some course corrections along the way. Security breaches will never be 100 per cent preventable, but a little knowledge will go a long way to getting us closer to that mark.

“Network security is a discussion we ought to be having more often.”

@SecurityEd

Are you receiving

Security Products & Technology News is published 8 times in 2016 by Annex Business Media. Its primary purpose is to serve as an information resource to installers, resellers and integrators working within the security and/or related industries. Editorial information is reported in a concise, accurate and unbiased manner on security products, systems and services, as well as on product areas related to the security industry.

Group Publisher, Paul Grossinger pgrossinger@annexweb.com Publisher, Peter Young pyoung@annexweb.com Editor, Neil Sutton nsutton@annexweb.com Online Editor, Cindy Macdonald Art Director, Graham Jeffrey gjeffrey@annexweb.com Account Coordinator,Trish Ramsay tramsay@annexweb.com Circulation Manager, Barb Adelt badelt@annexbizmedia.com Director of Soul/COO, Sue Fredericks

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Carlo Di Leo, Double Vision Group Colin Doe, Veridin Systems Canada Anna Duplicki, Lanvac Travis Firth, Tyco Security Products Mike Jagger, Provident Security Carl Jorgensen, Titan Products Group Bob Moore, Axis Communications Tom Richards, Lionsafe Security Paul Swan, Tri-Ed Distribution Josh Weidman, Medeco Head Office: 222 Edward Street Aurora, Ont. L4G 1W6 Canada T: 905-727-0077 F: 905-727-0017 PUBLICATION MAIL AGREEMENT #40065710 Printed in Canada ISSN 1482-3217 CIRCULATION e-mail: asingh@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 416-510-5189 Fax: 416-510-5170 Mail: 80 Valleybrook Drive, Toronto, ON M3B 2S9 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada: $40.95 + HST/yr, USA: $71.95/yr and International: $82.00/yr Published 8 times a year Occasionally, SP&T News will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. Annex Privacy Officer privacy@annexbizmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374 No part of the editorial content of this publication may be reprinted without the publisher’s written permission. ©2016 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc. All rights reserved.

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Toshiba launches school support program

a commissioning service where a oshiba’s surveillance diToshiba employee will perform vision recently launched a site visit in collaboration with a new program to meet the integrator who installed the the needs of its K-12 and high edequipment. The additional service ucation clients. will check that the systems are fulThe program includes special ly optimized, providing pricing, but also places the best possible resoan onus on ongoing suplution, working within port, says Greg Hartzthe school’s bandwidth ell, director of Toshiba limitations or available Surveillance & IP Video number of hard drives. Products, since uptime is The company will vital to school users. also offer end user train“What we’re really ing to enable them to trying to do is meet the Greg Hartzell, Toshiba get the most out of their needs of an education system — providing for viewing, institution. Surveillance is a high searching and exporting of key priority for them. What a lot of video. schools need to avoid the most is As part of the school program, if there’s some sort of an incident Hartzell says Toshiba will provide and they go back to grab the video a mapping service that allows an and the video is not there or not administrator to view an entire useable,” he says. school district, drill down to an inA key element the company dividual school and then select opis able to offer, adds Hartzell, is

tions including blueprints as well as indoor or outdoor camera feeds. Users can receive automated reports on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, which will provide details on alerts, as well as day and night snapshots of every camera on the system to confirm they are fully operational (i.e. aimed properly, all in focus and providing good images both day and night). The reports by branded to the installing integrator, providing an additional touch point with the customer. Hartzell says Toshiba has been offering these services more informally up till now, but decided to launch it as a program in a more official capacity since it has been well received. He adds that there are no plans currently to adapt it to other vertical markets and that it is well suited to the needs of educational institutions. — Neil Sutton

Honeywell buys Videofied business

oneywell announced in March that it has acquired privately-held RSI Video Technologies, owner of the Videofied brand, for approximately US$123 million. The company is known for its wireless, battery-powered motion detectors with built-in cameras. Videofied video verification products are used by both central stations and end users. Founded in France in 2000, the company says it has in excess of one million installations in more than 60 countries. The company employs about 110 people and operates a U.S. office in Minnesota. “The industry has been looking for ways to reduce the burden on local law enforcement resources responding to false alarms,” says David Paja, president of Honeywell Security and Fire, in a statement. “RSI helps reduce false alarms by providing cost-effective indoor and outdoor video verification solutions to dealers and central monitoring stations.” RSI will become part of Honeywell Security and Fire, a business unit of Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions. Honeywell also recently acquired Xtralis, a maker

SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca

Canadian Videofied rep Steve Peters in the Honeywell booth at the recent ADI Expo in Toronto

of smoke detection equipment and perimeter security and video analytics software, for US$480 million.

Samsung announces name change

Tom Cook, Hanwha Techwin

amsung Techwin America is now known as Hanwha Techwin America. The announcement comes just over a year after South Korea-based Hanwha first acquired the company. Tom Cook, Hanwha Techwin’s vice-president of sales, North America, said during a conference call to media that it was otherwise business as usual for the company. “Everything else remains the same. Our R&D, our manufacturing, our sales and marketing structure… Basically it’s a name change.” The company wanted to make a public announcement prior to a dealer summit in Puerto Rico, as well as prior to ISC West, held in Las Vegas in April. The Samsung name will continue to appear on the company’s surveillance products, at least until the company sees fit to make a change, said Cook. “As we look down the future, it will be our decision… whether or not we keep the Samsung brand on our products or if we decide to change it to something else.”

market watch

Anixter’s Levoy recognized by BICSI

Company (ticker)

eter Levoy, A n i x t e r ’s vice-president of channel sales in Canada, was the recipient of BICSI’s Larry G. Romig award this year. The award, named for BICSI’s first director, rec- From left: BICSI President Brian Ensign, Peter Levoy, ognizes those John D. Clark, Jr. “I believe that it is extremewho have demonstrated dedication and commit- ly important to give back to this ment to the BICSI committee. A industry wherever and whenever long-standing supporter, Levoy is you can,” says Levoy in a statement. Levoy received the award currently the chair of the BICSI Cares Committee and also served during BICSI’s Winter Conference as BICSI’s Canadian Regional and Exhibition, held recently in Orlando, Fla. Director for four years.

OPEN

Price (Mar. 14) 52-week low 52-week high

ADT (ADT) AlarmForce Ind. (AF.TO) AlarmCom Hldg (ALRM) Allegion (ALLE) Anixter International (AXE) Avante Logixx (XX) Avigilon Corp. (AVO.TO) Checkpoint Systems (CKP) Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) Diebold (DBD) Flir (FLIR) Gentex (GNTX) Honeywell (HON) Johnson Controls (JCI) Mace Security (MACE) Napco (NSSC) ScanSource Inc. (SCSC) Stanley (SWK) Tyco Int. (TYC) United Technologies Corp. (UTX) Verint Systems Inc. (VRNT) Vicon Industries (VII) Viscount Systems (VSYS)

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@SecurityEd • April11/02/16 2016

11:16

2016-03-29 11:32 AM

LINE CARD Applications Pizza parlours can slice security data

March Networks has teamed up with point of sale provider SpeedLine Solutions to create a solution for pizza restaurants that the companies say will help reduce shrink, improve performance and provide additional insight into customer service. The solution has already been deployed at one mid-west U.S. pizza chain using March’s Searchlight for Retail software with Speedline’s restaurant POS system. March’s 8000 series hybrid NVRs and analytics from an MegaPX dome IP camera are also part of the overall integration, allowing for data such as wait times, promotional effectiveness and conversion rates.“This new integration allows SpeedLine point of sale users to protect their restaurants with the same intelligent IP video solutions used by some of the world’s largest retail chains for loss prevention and service analytics,” says SpeedLine Marketing Manager Jennifer Wiebe in a statement.

Calendar Good parking for German cars A German parking facility based in Dusseldorf is using a Geutebruck video solution that utilizes a G-SIM security information management system to help manage 20,000 parking spaces in 60 locations. The system interfaces with a Schneider Intercom voice communication and the pay machines from Scheidt & Bachmann. At the time of announcement, 16 locations were connected to the system with another 44 to come. Video images from 120 cameras are managed with more coming online as additional locations are connected to the system. A total of approximately 500 cameras will eventually be incorporated. “In the past, employees were needed at each property to process service requests. Today two employees per shift can easily handle all incoming service requests from all the properties combined,” says Mr. Heiermann, Head of Technology and Control Stations at B+B Parkhaus GmbH & Co.KG.

San Lucido adopts smart city approach

April 19, 2016 ADI Expo Edmonton, Alta. www.adiglobal.ca April 22, 2016 ADI Expo Calgary, Alta. www.adiglobal.ca

Italy’s San Lucido has entered the first phase of its Smart City initiative. Its security focus is on curbing incidents of graffiti and destruction of public property. The city of using a solution from Milestone Systems, which is also helping to contribute positively to a green initiative. Waste, that would otherwise be abandoned, can now be detected more easily and disposed of accordingly. Milestone Partner GSA di Guido Luigi has installed Milestone XProtect Express to manage 36 Axis Communications cameras located in public areas. Security managers and law enforcement officers are able to view camera data using Milestone’s XProtect Smart Client. A mobile client provides police the opportunity for fast response and full situational awareness while on patrol.

Appointments

May 1-5, 2016 BICSI Canadian Conference & Exhibition Niagara Falls, Ont. www.bicsi.org May 11, 2016 Security Canada Alberta Edmonton, Alta. www.securitycanadaexpo.com May 17, 2016 ADI Expo Ottawa, Ont. www.adiglobal.ca June 1, 2016 Security Canada Ottawa Ottawa, Ont. www.securitycanadaexpo.com June 2, 2016 ADI Expo Winnipeg, Man. www.adiglobal.ca June 7, 2016 Focus On Drones Toronto, Ont. wwww.focusonseries.ca June 15, 2016 Security Canada West River Rock Casino Resort Richmond, B.C. www.securitycanadaexpo.com September 21, 2016 Security Canada Atlantic Moncton, N.B. www.securitycanadaexpo.com

JoAnna Sohovich

Skip Sampson

• JoAnna Sohovich has been appointed CEO of The Chamberlain Group, maker of LiftMaster and Chamberlain access control brands. Sohovich’s has held previous roles at Honeywell and Stanley Black & Decker. • Following its annual shareholders meeting, members of Security-Net,

SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca

Justin Wilmas

Michael J. Martin

appointed Skip Sampson to the position of president of the board of directors. • AMAG Technology has hired Justin Wilmas as its Director of Sales, East Region. Wilmas will be responsible for management and leadership of sales activities in Eastern North America. • Universal Protection Service

Jason Evans

Brian Huitt

appointed Michael J. Martin as president of the security company’s Midwest division. • Legrand has hired Jason Evans as national trainer for its Electrical Wiring Systems division. • Brian Huitt, CEO of Controlled Products Systems Group (CPSG), has been named Chairman of the Board.

September 22, 2016 ADI Expo Vancouver, B.C. www.adiglobal.ca September 30, 2016 Anixter Showcase Montreal, Que. www.anixter.ca October 6, 2016 Focus on Government Security Ottawa, Ont. www.focusonseries.ca

canasa update

By Richard McMullen

Strong leadership and best foot forward The Canadian Security Association enters a new phase under a new administration

am delighted to announce that as part of our newly refreshed partnership with SP&T News, CANASA will once again have a column in every issue of this magazine. I am fortunate to be the first author and would like to take this opportunity to provide an update on CANASA. Our association continues to be strong and engaged in many activities that help our membership and the entire industry. I was elected as CANASA’s National President last June, along with a committed and dynamic National Board of Directors. Our first challenge was to replace our Executive

Director, JF Champagne, who left CANASA to take on a leadership role at the Automotive Industry Association in Ottawa. We promptly engaged the services of a professional search firm to assist in the hiring of a new leader and after following a rigourous recruitment process, we selected Heather Terrence as our new Executive Director. Heather brings extensive experience and expertise to CANASA and she has already proven to be an effective leader. Recruiting Heather will prove to be a legacy of our 2015-2017 Board of Directors and I would like to thank them for their efforts and support during

the transition. The CANASA staff effectively managed the association during our hiring process and focused on continuing to deliver member services and engagement. During the fall, we continued to provide top level industry events, including Security Canada Atlantic, a successful Security Canada Central show held in October and a Monitoring Symposium that featured engaging topics in that sector. CANASA also hosted golf events, member meetings and continued to deliver on our commitments to all of our stakeholders. CANASA has been active on

alarm response issues, working with police services in Quebec City, York Region and Toronto. We continue to build effective relationships that will help us collaborate with law enforcement agencies across the country. Our CANASA staff, volunteers and membership will help guide and shape our future. 2017 marks the 40th Anniversary of CANASA and we look forward to this milestone achievement. I know we have much to celebrate and much to look forward to. Richard McMullen is the National President of CANASA (www.canasa.org).

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CAMERA CORNER

By Colin Bodbyl

Upgrades that make the grade Too often, camera manufacturers focus their R&D efforts on features that few will take advantage of

t seems like every time a new camera is released we are bombarded with a list of new and improved features that manufacturers proudly present as game changing. The reality is, very few of these features really impress integrators. Manufacturer R&D efforts often seem misguided, or simply directed at improvements that only a select few end-users actually need. To an outsider it may appear that the surveillance industry is running out of opportunities to innovate, but there is actually still a lot of low hanging fruit for manufacturers to improve on that would positively impact de-

“Very few integrators are concerned about booting up a camera at -40°.” mand for their products. For the past few years there has been a obvious focus on improving two simple features, the first being frame rates. For years integrators have been reducing frame rates to between five and 10 frames per second to manage storage costs. As megapixel cameras became more common, integrators had to again reduce frame rates to manage bandwidth requirements in addition to storage.

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Yet as high definition cameras up to five megapixels began to exceed end-user demand for resolution, manufacturers moved their focus from resolution to frame rates. Quickly, cameras with the ability to stream up to 60 frames per second flooded trade show floors. Granted, it’s understandable that 60 fps is critical in casinos and certain industrial applications, but it’s not a game-changing feature that is worth investing the R&D budget in anymore. The second niche feature that has been a focus recently is ultra wide temperature ratings. While temperature ratings are important, very few integrators are concerned about booting up a camera at -40°. There are of course applications where wide temperature ratings are important, but in general, very few integrators are eliminating cameras because they are only rated to -20° or -30°. In the odd case where temperature ratings are of critical importance, integrators will ask manufacturers specifically what their extreme cold models are, but it’s not a feature that should be marketed on a broad scale. There are features that manufacturers should be investing heavily in. One such feature is low-light performance. Historically, CCTV cameras have not been very good in the dark. Megapixel cameras exacerbated the problem with their high-resolution image sensors that were particularly bad in low light conditions. Advancements in noise reduction have allowed manufacturers to drastically improve on low-light colour performance, but for sites with near zero light there are still very few good options.

Once considered a low quality solution, IR illuminators have now been integrated into some of the best cameras in the industry. While IR illuminators are a cost effective method for improving low light performance they have several key downsides. For one, IR illuminators do not last forever. Just like any light bulb, they will eventually burn out. Neither IR illuminators nor advanced noise reduction are a perfect solution. With plenty of room for innovation, improved low-light performance will always be extremely valuable to integrators. Another area manufacturers should be investing in is Power over Ethernet (or PoE). PoE has truly revolutionized the way network devices are powered. Everything from telephones to lighting can now be powered through PoE. While other device manufacturers in the networking space invest heavily in PoE, the surveillance industry still has hundreds of IP devices that do not support PoE. PTZs seem to be the biggest challenge. PTZs with built-in infrared can draw up to 60 watts of PoE power, if they support PoE at all. Continued efforts to standardize product lines on PoE and reduce the power consumption of existing PoE devices will pay back for manufacturers in the long run. While it may appear that the industry is struggling for features to innovate on, the reality is that there is still plenty of room for improvement. Manufacturers must make an effort to invest less in niche features that only a select few will ever need. Instead, they should turn their attention to features that will always be in high demand, now and in the future. Colin Bodbyl is the director of technology for UCIT Online (www. ucitonline.com).

20 YEARS AND COUNTING

By Paul Grossinger

Events that shape our future Years of security coverage provides some perspective on the forces that drive the industry

n the spring of 1999, I was hired on as an assistant editor for a rather new trade magazine in the security industry. Little did I know that 17 years later I would still be working with SP&T News, let alone be the group publisher of three of the leading security magazines in North America (SP&T News and sister publications Canadian Security and Sécurité Québec). During my first six months with SP&T News, I was introduced to a world I was absolutely clueless about. My family never owned an alarm system, I was unaware of the growing use of video surveillance in Canadian society and my eyes glossed over when industry professionals started to talk to me about electric strikes, structured wiring, access control, and ULC monitoring station requirements.

However, over time, and with the help of many alarm and security experts, I came to understand and appreciate not only the importance of security, but also the passion members of this industry have for protecting Canadians. There are way too many encounters and fond memories to list, but I vividly remember time spent with Dave Currie, learning about DVACS and the eventual use of cellular and wireless technology in the alarm industry. I also remember many discussions at CANASA events, ISC West conferences and at other times with the likes of Todd Jeffery, Ed Fitchett, Lori Herder, Victor Harding, Sandy Hislop, Brad Sparrow, Ivan Spector, Paul Swan, Elliott Goldstein, Steve Kelly, Rick Snook, Normand Fiset, Angelo Bucciarelli, and Randy Krzak, just to name a few, who taught me

the intricacies of the security ecosystem and how security installers, dealers, integrators, distributors, and manufacturers all work together to propel the industry forward. It is obvious that technology has dramatically evolved since the late 1990s, but for me there are three events that I covered as editor of SP&T that I feel still have ramifications to this day. Firstly, there was the effort, spearheaded by MPP Frank Klees, to regulate the Ontario alarm industry in 2000. I only wonder what the industry would be like today if Klees was successful in bringing all factions of the industry together to agree on a model. Secondly, there were the events of 9/11, which to this day remains the biggest contributor to increased security awareness amongst Canadian (and global) citizens, governments and businesses.

And thirdly, it is the growing interest in the security industry of the Fortune 100, which in my opinion started shortly after Sept. 11, when Tyco announced the acquisition of the DSC Group of Companies, a Canadian security giant that included the likes of DSC, Kantech, Deltavision and Sur-Gard. From there, other acquisitions followed: Honeywell buying Burtek, GE grabbing Interlogix, more recently Canon scooping up Axis, JCI merging with Tyco, and the list goes on and on. I am proud to be part of Canada’s security industry, and although there is still work to be done in the areas of false alarms, training, penetration rates, and cyber security, I do think the future looks bright for everyone involved, especially if we can continue to work together to make this world a safer place.

SP&T turns 20

Come Celebrate With Us! To honour SP&T’s

20th Anniversary, we want to hear from you - our loyal readers.

BRATIN LE G

Visit www.sptnews.ca/20years to share your thoughts on how Canada’s alarm and security industry has changed since we first began publishing in 1996.

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1996 12 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca

2003

2010

2016

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LESSONS LEARNED

By Victor Harding

Integrator or alarm dealer: which one are you? Know where you stand in order to fully appreciate the true market value of your company

t is a completely different sale process if you are selling an alarm versus an integration company. The valuation process is different, the resulting valuations are very different, the buyers are different and many of the terms of the deal are different.

“Buyers for each type of company are, for the most part, completely different.” So if you are the owner of a security company, it is important to know what you are and therefore what you will be selling. Let’s define an alarm company as a company where the overall thrust is to amass monitored accounts or recurring monthly revenue (RMR). You may do some camera and access control work but these tend to be smaller jobs and not the main activity of your company. You want to build an alarm accounts base. In contrast, let’s define an integrator as a security company where the thrust of the company is to sell, install and service larger commercial security systems, integrated or not. If you get a monitored account out of the installation that is a bonus but not the reason you did the job. In fact, many integrators consider installing or servicing monitored accounts as an unwanted distraction from the higher margin integration work. Most company owners intuitively know what they are and where the value in their business lies. Of all the deals I have done, there has only been one deal where there was any confusion on this and interestingly enough that particular company did not sell. Why? Because both the owner and I thought

14 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca

there was value in the non-monitoring part of the company and that simply was not the case. Here is a tip. A good way to determine whether there is value in the installation/service end of your business is to eliminate the monitoring revenue and accompanying costs from your income statement and see whether the rest of the business is still making money. Nine times out of 10 in the situation where the resulting income statement is not making money, the company for sale is an alarm company and the value of the company will be almost strictly in the monitored accounts. Do the test yourself on your own company and see what turns up. You can rest assured that most smart buyers will be doing the same test. Integration companies are valued for the most part using a “multiple of normalized earnings” or “EBITDA.” The key items addressed to “normalize” earnings are any abnormally low or high owner’s compensation, any one time, large revenue or expense items or any large amortization, interest or bank charges expenses. For small and medium sized integration companies the multiples used to value the “normalized earnings” can be anywhere from three to six times depending on several factors: how fast the company is growing, how large the company is (larger companies tend to trade for higher multiples), and finally how “scalable” the company is. Scalability is a term used by private equity and investment bankers a lot and relates to the ability to “scale up” the company’s revenue to several times what it is currently doing. Most of you have heard from me and others how alarm companies are valued. Although we all talk about multiples of RMR, the discerning buyers in this market

will dig in to see what cash flow the account base will generate. They look at the monitoring rate of the accounts, the annual attrition rate, the cost to replace lost accounts and the cost to service, bill and collect the accounts amongst other things to determine what that number of months should be. Today more and more, particularly on larger account bases. buyers will calculate what they call “steady state net operating cash flow” (SSNOCF). This calculates what cash flow the account base drives after replacing annual attrition. Finally, two factors that don’t get into the SSNOCF calculation but are very critical in assessing any account base are: the accounts have signed contracts and are on a call forward line. If I owned an alarm company I would do the following to maximize the value of my company. Own as many accounts as I can — whether I get them organically or buy them — have them located in as dense a geography as I can, make sure the average monitoring rate on the accounts is $25/month or higher (this affects the cash flow

calculation hugely), manage my net attrition so that it is for sure below eight per cent and preferably below six per cent, have them all on signed contracts, all on a call-forward line and as many on PAP as possible. If I owned an integration company, I would do the following to maximize my selling price: do business in a niche where the margins are 35 per cent and above, make sure that niche has lots of future business in it, try like crazy to get my business to as close to $10 million per year in revenue, make sure it can stand on its own without needing me, make sure that I am staying up-to-date with technology all the way through my organization both in what I use to run my business. Finally, the buyers for each type of company, are for the most part, completely different. It pays to know what you are and to maximize the factors that build value in that market. Victor Harding is the principal of Harding Security Services (www. hardingsecurity.ca).

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Keep it or can it Rip and replace or retain and maintain? The replacement cycle for security equipment can vary from years to decades depending on the capital investment and new options in the market By Linda Johnson

wenty years ago, obsolescence was not a major issue in the security industry. Technologies changed little from one year to the next, and end users did not expect to replace equipment for a long time. Today, the replacement cycle for many kinds of equipment is rapidly getting shorter. Still, end users will always look for ways to extend the life of their systems. John L. Moss, CEO at Framingham, Mass.based S2 Security, sees the life cycle of security equipment as dividing into three categories. Hardware can have a lifetime of about 25 years, he says, while access control and other administrative systems manufactured during the last 30 years have a lifetime in the 10-to-15-year range. During that time, an end user may replace the computer but won’t replace the software or the field panels that operate the electric locks.

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Finally, he says, video equipment has a lifespan similar to IT equipment: thus, a video recorder has a three-to-five-year life, while cameras have the same or slightly longer lifespans. Moss does not believe the trend to falling prices has, in itself, shortened the lifespan of cameras. Lower prices are not driving the consumption as much as the increase in their technological capability. “The fact that the price is

“Most large companies will keep their equipment until it’s been fully depreciated.” — John Moss, S2 Security coming down on cameras makes them more accessible and means there are more video systems being sold,” he says. “But if you own cameras,

you won’t necessarily replace them because new ones are available that cost less. You might replace them because new ones are available that have significant technology enhancements over what you own and the cost also happens to be less.” Moreover, in most corporations, he adds, there’s a minimum length of time that equipment will be kept because their acquisition is a capital purchase. “The equipment is on the books for five to seven years. So, if you decide, after four years, you want to replace your cameras, you have to take all the depreciation you haven’t taken yet, and all the expense you haven’t absorbed yet has to be absorbed at the time you replace it. So most large companies will keep their equipment until it’s been fully depreciated.”

Although the replacement cycle for intrusion systems is about 10 years, says Peter Redfern, commercial sales leader for Mississauga, Ont.-based Tyco Integrated Fire and Security, systems are commonly installed for much longer than that. Access control systems are more in the six-to-eight-year range, although customers are not usually faced with a forklift replacement. “Depending on what platform a client uses, and if it’s an enterprise platform from a reputable manufacturer that’s been around a long time, you can typically upgrade your existing system rather than have a rip-andreplace situation.” In video, Redfern says, we see the most compression of life cycle, which is due to changing quality and declining prices. He puts the lifespan of most camera systems today at five to seven years. “People are finding it’s cheaper to upgrade to newer technology, and you get better quality cameras for the same price or lower than trying to replace them. They get obsolete really quickly, depending of course on what the client needs.” Even with the shorter lifespan, he adds, some customers may want to upgrade a little sooner to take advantage of new technology. “They may be really active in using the systems and want to take advantage of new technology. Or maybe they want to use one camera to cover a larger space and zoom in with a pan-tiltzoom technology, use video analytics or such.” Andrew Elvish, VP of product management at Montreal-based Genetec, says the replacement timeline for some access control systems can be quite long — up to 20 to 25 years — because they don’t tend to wear out. The result of that longevity in access control, however, is a reduced ability to bring in new features to the systems. “In effect, they can become frozen in time, especially if they’re proprietary access control systems. In the access control world, there are ‘forklift upgrades,’ which is an unfortunate thing to have to endure as a company. But if a proprietary access control company stops developing their system, for instance, it effectively becomes obsolete, and you either live with obsolete material or you rip it out and replace it,” he says. “So, on the access control side, you’re looking at long timelines — but [it’s] riskier because of the proprietary nature of some of the traditional access control manufacturers.” Jim Dearing, market analyst for security and building technologies at IHS, says one trend

that will distort the replacement cycle, at least in the short term, is the impending sunset of the 2G network in the U.S. Control panels will have to be either replaced or upgraded before the shutdown, at the end of this year, or face being rendered unable to communicate with monitoring stations if they do not possess 3G or 4G capability or a PSTN backup.

“Many of the new platforms coming out have the ability to interface with, or be a direct upgrade from, the previous generation.” — Peter Redfern, Tyco Integrated Fire and Security “Manufacturers and dealers are working at getting the panels that are currently installed upgraded to the 3G network. Many have begun developing campaigns to capitalize on this expected surge in demand, and they’re coming up with new ways to educate their subscribers that they need to upgrade their panels.” Another driver in the replacement cycle, Dearing says, is people moving homes. When someone moves into a home that already has an intrusion alarm panel, it’s fairly common for the monitoring company to offer them a new or better panel at a lower price. “Companies like ADT, for example, usually offer heavy discounts on the initial installation of a residential security offering in exchange for RMR revenues. The replacement rate is boosted as a result. This also comes into play when a customer switches to a new monitoring provider,” he says. Dearing says some of the ways customers avoid upgrading are: • keeping an alarm sign despite no longer possessing an actively monitored alarm; • moving from single-family to multi-family housing; and • setting up a DIY home security system or opting for an MSO (multi-system operator) security offering. However long customers may want to extend equipment life, they are sometimes compelled to accept the end has come. One cause of equipment demise is failure rate, Moss says. When cameras fail beyond their warranty period, they must be replaced. One factor affecting the failure rate of cameras is the presence of motorized components. “A camera with PTZ controls, for example, will not last as long as a fixed camera,” he says. “The newer cameras with high megapixel ratings often come without the motorized controls

because you can use digital controls to zoom into and pan around an image. I suspect those cameras will last even longer. Equipment lifespan is also influenced by environmental conditions, Elvish of Genetec says. The longevity of sensors, for example, whether they’re camera sensors, door sensors or heat/cooling sensors, will be affected in varying degrees depending on where they’re located. Outdoor cameras, like automated licence plate recognition cameras, tend not to last as long as indoor cameras. “Indoor cameras can last quite a long time. That’s why we see legacy analogue equipment still being viable and people saying, ‘We still have these analogue cameras. We bought them 10 years ago, 12 years ago, and they’re working just fine. Why would we replace them until we really need to?’” One strategy customers use to avoid full upgrading is hybrid appliances, Moss says. During the move from digital video recorders to network video recorders, manufacturers built hybrid recorders, which accepted analogue cameras alongside IP cameras. While hybrid recorders were popular a few years ago, he adds, not many people buy them today. Sometimes, he says, people buy the security software only, thus replacing their own computing platforms. Alternatively, they may be able to keep the system and just replace the hardware by taking advantage of obsolescence programs offered by some companies. “When systems begin to become obsolete, we offer a lower-cost upgrade. So manufacturers will offer a program that makes it cost effective to do replacements, and people don’t have to face the forklift upgrade,” he says. Redfern says equipment lifespan is often extended because most major manufacturers, especially of enterprise-level systems, are making products that are backward compatible. “Many of the new platforms coming out have the ability to interface with, or be a direct upgrade from, the previous generation. Companies are cognizant that, when people make a substantial investment in an access control system, for example, they don’t want to be ripping it out and replacing it every six, eight or 10 years. The backward compatibility is very important, to the large clients in particular.” Overall, Dearing says, replacement cycles are getting shorter. But then, security companies are offering so much more in equipment and features than they did 20 years ago. “And, now that they’re using things like LCD screens on smart home panels, the life cycle is obviously much shorter. It’s like your television,” he says. “Five years ago, what did your television look like? Completely different. It’s all helping to speed up the replacement cycle.” Linda Johnson is a freelance writer based in Toronto.

@SecurityEd • April 2016 17

Security all the way

to the edge Manufacturers say they are working together to help mitigate cyber attacks on surveillance products By Andrew Elvish

ong before the term Internet of Things (IoT) became “a thing,” the IP-physical security industry was working with multi-sensor systems to manage video surveillance, access control, and automatic licence plate recognition sensors to capture, analyze and store data. Genetec’s systems were built on an open-architecture, and because of this, we were positioned to expand and integrate new sensor devices or “things,” like smart phones used as mobile surveillance cameras, intercom systems, and body-worn-cameras. As the IoT became more mainstream for broader markets and the consumer public, as we expected, vulnerabilities have to come into sharp focus. The IoT is a network of physical objects, devices, vehicles, buildings and other items that have embedded electronics, software, and network connectivity. A wide variety of sectors and applications, including environmental monitoring, infrastructure management, medical and health-care systems, and transportation are adopting the benefits of the IoT — and especially

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the consumer market. By allowing things — or sensors, as we refer to them in IP-physical security — to be used and controlled remotely across an existing IP network infrastructure, the IoT creates opportunities for more direct integration between the physical world and computer-based systems. The benefits are improved efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit. We are also aware that any system is only as secure as its most vulnerable point. When working with extended IP-based and federated physical security systems, multiple access points will naturally result in increased opportunities for cyber-attacks. We know that even one improperly secured or protected edge devices, like a camera, can be the gateway to put an entire system at risk.

Cyber attacks hit close to home A recent story in the press reported of a hacker that accessed an unprotected baby monitor and had been speaking directly to the child in the room. With this disturbing violation, consumers are finally becoming more aware of the vulnerability of their default or easy-to-guess passwords for the sensors and devices in their homes. Similar sensor device technology is attached to large corporations, municipal infrastructures, law enforcement, and citywide surveillance. These edge devices are connected to vast security system networks and storage locations, containing highly sensitive data which can affect both public safety and human life. So, while the idea of a stranger connecting with a child over an audio or video monitor is

both shocking and upsetting, the consequences of a security breach from edge devices within larger security systems, has the potential to cause damage on an even greater and more devastating scale.

How can we protect our data? A poorly or improperly secured sensor device could allow hackers to gain access to a video management system, which could be subsequently connected to an access control system, data storage, communications systems, or the Cloud. By leveraging the vulnerability of a single camera, a hacker could gain access to read, disrupt, alter, cut the video feed or lock an organization’s sensitive, private, and critical data. Camera manufacturers have become increasingly involved in the security of their edge devices and are aware of the impact vulnerabilities can have on an entire network. Some already publish recommendations on how to keep their cameras secure, but, if end-users do not follow these guidelines, then they are of little help. The task now is for the physical IP-security industry to put new measures in place to help mitigate these risks.

Ensuring better security at the edge At Genetec, we collaborate with an ecosystem of over 200 manufacturing partners, who collectively produce 2,700+ cameras and other sensor devices. We work closely with camera manufacturers to reduce and secure any vulnerabilities that exist between edge devices and the archiver — that part of our security platform that manag-

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es, saves, and archives video data. The key is to ensure that the front-end is as secure as the backend when video data is being managed, moved, and stored; either on-premises or in the Cloud. One of our strategies for 2016 is to work with and influence camera manufacturers to implement better standards to follow more rigorous security practices. At a very basic level, this includes having camera manufacturers require users to set a unique password whenever they install a new camera. Camera manufacturers often set default passwords, like 123456 or admin, which many end-users never change when they install the devices. This means that if a hacker knows the make, model or even the manufacturer of a camera, they can easily gain access via these default passwords. By requiring that users setup their own, unique passwords at installation, we can make it that much more difficult for hackers to gain access. Increasingly, and particularly when it comes to edge devices, we err on the side of security instead of ease-of-use and compatibility. While this may lead to more effort on the part of manufacturers, developers, installers and the IT department, we must take these steps to assure physical security systems are secure by default.

Multiple layers of defence Beyond being deterred by a secured sensor device at the edge, we know that hackers will quickly move on and attempt to break into the database via sniffing networks or by grabbing unencrypted data in transit. They will even make attempts by installing malware to grab data before it gets encrypted. Staying ahead of hackers and other unwelcome entities trying to exploit the increased number of network gateways into physical IP security systems, we are taking the Security-of-Security very seriously, and to new levels. This strategy incorporates multiple and varied lines of defense, including encryption, multi-layer authentication and authorization.

Encryption and authentication Encryption is the process through which data is encoded so that it is scrambled and rendered useless, if intercepted, to unauthorized users. While encryption can effectively hide contents or ensure the confidentiality of data, additional security measures are required to protect the integrity and authenticity of data. Even if a hacker is unable to get access to video data, simple encryption cannot keep that data from being spoofed, nor does it prove the authenticity of the data transmitter. The process of authentication allows a user, client, or server to determine whether an entity is who they claim to be. For example, through authentication, an operator can be certain that

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they are connected to their security system when logging on to a video surveillance server so that they don’t fall prey to a man-in-the-middle attack. There are several methods of authentication including; basic (username/password combinations), certificates, claims-based, multi-factor and biometrics. Today, we are using one of the latest protocols that can be employed to better protect physical security systems. TLS provides protection by using digital certificates to first authenticate the counterpart in the communication and then negotiate a symmetric session key that is used to encrypt data during the conversation. This process provides greater security for communication over a network because it protects communication channels between servers and client applications, as well as between the servers themselves. TLS is just one example of a multilayered approach to protecting physical security systems that is a vital component of our approach to the security-of-security.

Maintaining privacy In addition to protecting sensitive data from hackers and other outside entities, it is also important to be able to manage who, within your organization can see your data and what they can do with it. Increasingly, public and private companies, various levels of government and law enforcement are federating and sharing data and video footage. In essence, they are taking advantage of the IoT to share video footage with each other. This greatly increases their ability to quickly respond to and mitigate criminal activity. Sharing video data across IP networks requires that security professionals must have the means to guarantee that their sensitive data stays private, viewable and accessible only to authorized users, even in the event of theft or interception. Comprehensive, finely grained privileges allow security personnel to define all the access rights for private data, computing resources and applications within their system. Only authorized entities are allowed to review sensitive data and video exports out of system storage must be explicitly authorized — quite often by multiple parties.

Partnership with Bosch At Genetec, we share the initiative for the security-of-security with many of our technology partners. One such partner is Bosch Security Systems. According to Konrad Simon, a Product Manager in the company’s IP Video division, Bosch takes a 360 degree view of data security. Because video and related data are often highly critical and sensitive, Bosch has a systematic four-step approach to maximizing security by considering physical safety and cyber security simultaneously.

The first step is to create trust. Based on certificates, Bosch ensures trusted communications between cameras and network components by assigning each element an authentication key that serves to verify all components from Bosch cameras to a video management system or viewing clients. Once trusted communication between the components has been established, the next step is to secure the data. When it comes to safeguarding surveillance data, the safe storage of the encryption keys used to secure the data is paramount. Bosch implements encryption at the hardware level. All Bosch IP-cameras and recoding solutions are factory-loaded with a trusted platform module (TPM) that safely stores all encryption keys used to protect all streamed and recorded data. Even in the event of a data breach, the information is useless to anyone without the certificates’ private keys. The third step is to manage user access rights. Video surveillance data can range from merely sensitive to top secret, and even networks with trusted devices and secure data transfer can fall victim to human error. To mitigate the risks associated with human error, the video cameras made by Bosch offer management options for individual user access rights and support existing industry standards, including Microsoft’s Active Directory. Finally, all of Bosch’s video surveillance solutions comply with leading industry standards in public key infrastructure (PKI) for the management of digital encryption certificates.

Working together Ultimately, a comprehensive approach to the security-of-security requires that the sensors at the edge can capture data and move it to a unified security system for management, analysis and storage with strong encryption that is accessible only to authenticated and authorized end-users. Bosch-integrated data security systems bring peace of mind by protecting both valuable data and privacy while ensuring that video information cannot be tampered with. As the challenge of safeguarding data continues, Bosch experts are actively contributing by transferring well-established IT standards and authentication methods to the security industry. By understanding the complexities our connected world, and through collaborative efforts, Genetec and its technology partners, like Bosch, are working together to assure that video data is protected at the sensor, during transit and analysis, all the way to storage and long-term archiving. Andrew Elvish is the vice-president of product management and marketing at Genetec (www. genetec.com). Konrad Simon, product manager, IP Video, Bosch Security (www.boschsecurity.us) also contributed to this report.

Security begins

at the entrance

Best practices, at doors and throughout a building, can help prevent catastrophic events at our schools and facilities By Bruce Czerwinski

n fall 2014, a man entered a Hamilton elementary school playground via one of three unlocked gates. As nearly 30 kindergarten students played, the man flung one child over his shoulder and walked off campus. Fortunately, a woman parked across the street saw what was happening and opened her car door to confront the abductor. The man dropped the child and fled. The four-year-old was unharmed but shaken, as were parents of 250 other students. A few weeks later, a man wandered undetected onto an Ottawa elementary school campus and

offered candy to a young student. Fortunately, the student declined and the man walked away, never having been confronted by school personnel. A witness used her mobile phone to take a picture of the intruder and shared it with police. While both of these situations ended well, smart security planning may have prevented them from ever occurring. Schools aren’t the only facilities that can suffer from lax access control. For example, office buildings face the return of a disgruntled former employee looking to gain revenge on a supervisor. Medical centres treating an injured gang member may encounter rival gangs seeking to continue fights begun in the street. Creating roadblocks at facility entrances that rely on layers of security can stop potential

criminals before they have a chance to reach potential targets — both people and property. And those layers can become part of security plans that are easily repeatable across various types of buildings, architecture and locations. Since many organizations count on their security providers to offer solutions, it is imperative for integrators and dealers to become aware of current and proven best practices. Here’s a look at solutions that are working today across Canada.

Assessing the risks The first step in the design of any new or retrofit security plan should be an all-hazards risk assessment. This assessment will highlight an organization’s security strengths as well as pinpoint weaknesses. It will also help the organization to spend its money more wisely to create the specific solutions required to secure entrances.

@SecurityEd • April 2016 21

An assessment will include the surrounding neighbourhood and traffic patterns, perimeter landscaping, parking lots, lighting, outbuildings, fencing and gates and current security equipment, including communications systems. It will give special emphasis to potential entry points such as doors, windows — even the rooftop.

Protecting the entry The process of protecting the entry begins by defining an entry to serve as the main entrance for visitors and those which will serve employees, vendors and delivery people. Best practices call for a single visitor entry. The process of protecting any entry begins with a sturdy electronic lock with a pick guard. And locks are good only when used. So an end user should be encouraged to keep doors locked at all times except in those operations where main entries are kept open to allow a free flow of customers during business hours. But nearly all organizations have doors that should remain locked unless in use. When visitors require access, a video intercom can serve as the doorbell. These units, usually mounted just outside the entry, typically include a colour camera (some with PTZ), call button and microphone and speaker for voice communication. Visitors push the call button to connect with a base station often placed on a receptionist’s desk or in a security office. The base unit provides a view of the visitor and allows for a twoway conversation. An employee can safely make the determination to allow access from the other side of a locked door. A push of a button on the station remotely unlocks the door. If there are any doubts about the visitor, the door stays locked and a security officer or first responder can be summoned. Entry vestibules are now considered a best practice for many campuses and office buildings. It adds an extra wall and door to create one more barrier between visitors and the interior facility and people. While still in the vestibule, visitors are asked to present a government-issued photo ID that is swiped through a visitor management system. That checks the visitor’s information against national and provincial criminal databases and the RCMP sex offender registry. Each organization can add its own data to check for non-custodial parents, disgruntled former employees and others. Approved visitors receive a temporary photo ID badge to be worn on the premises. Then the final vestibule door is opened. The process of requesting and receiving permission to enter and completing the badging process doesn’t take much more than a minute for most visitors. And the extra layers of security provide a much higher level of safety for those in the facility. But most buildings have multiple entries.

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Best practices call for them to be locked at all times except when in use. And video intercoms have proven very useful in that the same receptionist or security officer can make judgments on entry requests for access. The units are ideal for allowing entry into loading docks without having to dedicate manpower to locking and unlocking these doors. Even staff members who have forgotten their access card for the day can be let in through an employee entry. The same lock-video intercom combination also works well on interior doors — those at rooms with high-value inventory or data, such as cash and record rooms. The Ontario government has given its thumbs up to protecting school entries. During the 2005-06 school year, the Ontario Ministry of Education offered the province’s public elementary schools up to $3,100 to buy and install front door locks and video intercoms. Nearly 850 schools took advantage of the Safe Welcome program. The offer was expanded in 2012, adding schools from among 66 of Ontario’s 72 school boards. In total, more than 75 per cent of the province’s 4,000-plus public elementary schools received Safe Welcome funding. There are at least two more security tools that are part of the best practices being employed for entry protection. Security screens, made of stainless steel mesh, protect glass entry doors and nearby windows. The December 2012 Sandy Hook gunman shot his way through a window to enter the school. Security screens are virtually impervious to gunshots, knives, clubs or rocks. Also panic buttons and related emergency notification systems located throughout a facility allow those inside to quickly contact first responders if there is a security breach.

CPTED The adoption of Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles also adds to overall facility security — especially at the entry — and often at very little cost. Many of the CPTED ideas will have been identified during the all-hazards risk assessment. For exam-

ple, making sure that trees and brushes have been cut back to not provide a hiding place for criminals and contraband. Overgrown landscaping can also block the entry views to first responders patrolling the area. Fencing and gates help to channel visitors to the proper entry. Inexpensive signage works in tandem with fencing to direct people from the parking lot to the main entrance. Signs can also provide information on the entry procedure, including use of the video intercom and visitor management system. Lighting discourages criminals and helps to identify visitors at the front door on dark winter afternoons. A well maintained front entrance sends a message that the organization is serious about maintaining security. That requires immediate removal of graffiti, repair of broken windows and replacement of burned out light bulbs. Here are some other security layers that also help protect an entry. Basic cardkey/keypad systems are ideal for employee entries. They are relatively inexpensive and eliminate the time and cost of re-keying when traditional keys are lost or stolen. With wireless systems now available, they also can be added to protect entries to outbuildings and other entrances where cabling would be cost prohibitive or impossible. Also, systems hosted by a central station remove the cost, trouble and space required to maintain an onsite server. Interior entries also need attention. All interior doors should be lockable from the inside. These locks represent one more layer between office occupants and gunmen and other criminals. A $10 peephole allows the occupant to see who’s requesting access without having to open the door.

It’s all about layers Audio intercoms also play a role in the larger security plan. They can be used to simultaneously share messages with all offices should a security breech occur. They can also be integrated with video surveillance cameras protecting the perimeter. If the budget permits, video cameras, placed inside and outside a facility provide valuable real-time and recorded images of emergencies. By selecting one public entry and then hardening it with layers of security, it is possible to seriously deter criminals from entering a facility — from a school to a medical centre to an office building. And these layers are among the most affordable available on the security market. They complement one another to synergistically heighten safety. They have also been proven effective and represent today’s best practice for securing the entry. Bruce Czerwinski is the U.S. general sales manager for Aiphone (www.aiphone.com).

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Multi-functional keypad

Camden Door Controls The CM-110SK is a single door, multifunctional stand-alone keypad, with a Wiegand output for interfacing to an access control system. This unit supports up to 2,000 users with a four-digit PIN. Extra features include lock output current short circuit protection, anti-tamper, and a backlit keypad. Housed in a vandal proof zinc alloy electroplated case, it’s suitable for mounting in both indoor and harsh outdoor environments. The electronics are fully potted so the unit is waterproof.

www.camdencontrols.com

Door closer DORMA

Designed to be universally applicable as a direct replacement closer, the U1500 Door Closer meets most storefront and other commercial door closer hole pattern applications. The new U1500 is suited for aluminum storefront applications, which are typical of retail shops, hotels, elder care facilities, service stations, convenience stores, and other small to mid-sized businesses. The U1500 Door Closer fits the most common grade 1 surface door closer hole pattern for quick and easy new or aftermarket installation. It’s designed to work with most commercial hardware door and frame types.

www.dorma.com @SecurityEd • April 2016 23 SPT_ADT_April.indd 1

2016-03-29 11:42 AM

Product Previews

The latest in security technology

Rugged Android device Xplore Technologies

Electronic watchdog STI

Rex Plus II, the electronic watchdog alarm, provides a way to deter burglars, without the problems of owning a real dog. With his electronic radar eyes, Rex II can “see” through thick doors, walls and glass. When movement is detected, he starts to emit the selected sound (Dog 1, Dog 2, 2 Dogs together – Ding, Ding Dong, Chirp – Siren 1, Siren 2). The closer an intruder gets, the more frequent the barking becomes.

www.sti-usa.com

With 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, and an Intel CPU, the XSLATE D10 provides a full set of ports, including two USB 3.0, RJ-45, an optional HDMI input, and more. Key features include: MIL-STD-810G with a 5’ drop spec and IP-65 rating for dust and liquids; Class I, Zone 2 (US, CAN), ATEX Zone 2 safety classification; Android Lollipop 5.1 OS; all day battery life; integrated 802.11ac, Bluetooth and 2.5m accurate satellite GPS.

www.xploretech.com

Web-based VMS Qognify

VisionHub is a web-based video management solution (VMS) which accommodates Qognify’s home grown fully-integrated video analytics suite, including the a Suspect Search application. The VMS is an open platform that leverages video as the main sensor in the control room, while integrating third party Access Control Systems (ACS) using a dedicated module.

VMS

Tyco Security Products With the release of exacqVision 7.4 video management system (VMS) software, Tyco Security Products introduces a native integration between exacqVision version 7.4 and the DSC PowerSeries Neo intrusion system. Version 7.4 also includes new health setup indicators, filtering, CameraLinks in Exacq mobile and enhanced server management in Enterprise System Manager (ESM). With the existing Kantech access control integration, users can operate their security system including video surveillance, intrusion and access control from a single client interface.

www.exacq.com

www.qognify.com

Access control platform Nortek Security & Control

Linear ProControl is a commercial grade, secure front and back-end integrated security and access control platform with an exclusive dealership program and Remote Management Console. Linear ProControl with RMC encompasses an entire commercial security and access control management ecosystem. The turnkey solution’s integrated back-end opens up a variety of revenue streams through enhanced support and RMR services. Elevator control, anti-pass back, and an array of video, viewing and other features can be securely managed on or offsite through the RMC dashboard.

www.nortekcontrol.com

Windows 10 app Leviton

Leviton announced the availability of the Snap-Link Mobile application (app) for use on Windows 10 devices, including Surface tablets, desktop and laptop computers, and smartphones. This new Leviton control app is a solution for monitoring and controlling Leviton automation systems either remotely or locally and is offered without monthly fees or device licences. Users can download the app via the Windows Store on a Windows 10 device and use it on as many connected Windows 10 devices as they wish. The Snap-Link Mobile app also allows for control over multiple Leviton managed properties.

www.leviton.com/automation 24 SP&T News • www.sptnews.ca SPT_JanFeb_JCJury.indd 1

2016-01-12 3:56 PM

“Putting a new face on an old friend”

LOOKING TO SELL? WE’RE BUYING!

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Consolidated_SPT_Feb.indd 1

CONTACT Victor Harding 416.925.7474

FUNDING PROGRAMS! WHOLESALE MONITORING! FULL OR PARTIAL ACCOUNT ACQUISITIONS!

Harding_SPT_Feb.indd 1

2013-02-01 9:28 AM

2016-01-20 SPT_JanFeb_Harding.indd 9:24 AM 1

2016-01-19 Sercutek4:01 SP PM Jan 2016 good.indd 1

www.sptnews.ca

2016-01-19 4:03 PM

Technologies

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2016-03-23 11:44 AM

Ad Index

ADT........................................................................... 23 www.securemorebusiness.com/info

Genetec.................................................................... 15 www.genetec.com/subscribe

Smart Vision............................................................. 11 www.smartvisiondirect.com

Armstrong.................................................................. 5 www.armcon.ca

Harding Security Services......................................... 25 victor@hardingsecurity.ca

Speco Technologies................................................ 1, 2 www.specotech.com

Bosch.......................................................................... 1 www.boschsecurity.com/hdsecurity

J.C. Gury Company.................................................... 24 www.jcgury.com

TRI-ED....................................................................... 27 www.tri-ed.com

CANASA...................................................................... 9 www.securitycanadaexpo.com

Kaba......................................................................... 13 www.kaba-adsamerica.com

WatchNET................................................................. 25 watchnetinc.com

CML Security............................................................. 25 www.cmlsecurity.com

Milestone.................................................................... 7 www.milestonesys.com/company/events

Weiser....................................................................... 28 www.weiserlock.com

Dorma....................................................................... 19 www.dorma.ca

SecurTek............................................................. 10, 25 www.securtek.com

@SecurityEd • April 2016 25