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ISC West Daily Report

ISC West Daily Report

Day one

On Tuesday, I attended the annual DMP Owners Forum, which is “one the ways we show our gratitude to our dealers,” Jon Adams, DMP dealer development manager, told a room full of DMP's top 100 dealers.

This year's speakers included Major Gen. (Ret.) Vincent Boles, who shared the wisdom he has gained throughout his military career, as well as some of his views on what makes a true leader. Boles gave out his book—4-3-2-1 Leadership: What America's Sons and Daughters Taught Me on the Road from Second Lieutenant to Two-Star General—to all attendees. The other featured speaker was former Southwest Airlines senior level leader, Jason Young, author of the books The Culturetopia Effect and Servicetopia.

Attendees also learned how DMP is giving dealers access to new markets through a variety of new platforms, including DMP's CompanyStore, which enables dealers to participate in the DIY marketplace; Secura, a new high-volume residential dealer program; OnDemand Monitoring, a new revenue generator for dealers to offer to consumers that don't want to sign long term contracts; and new avenues in home automation, including integration with AppleTV, Amazon Echo and Google Home.

DMP executive management also featured sessions on new technology that will be available this summer, including previews of the DMP's Gunshot Detector that goes on Existing DMP XR Series panels and DMP's new Doorbell Camera, which Mark Hillenburg, DMP's executive director of marketing, said is “deeply integrated” and will “provide new highly sought after functionality to the existing DMP Virtual Keypad, App and control panel family."

Jeff Britton, DMP's VP of product design, also walked attendees through DMP's Tech App Platform, which was “developed to save time on new installs and service calls and really to eliminate some of the service calls you are having to make today. The platform will continue to grow because we feel there are a lot of things that your techs should be able to do right from their phone or their tablet.”

Day Two

On Wednesday, I began my day at Axis Communications' 10th annual press breakfast. With the theme of “The Magic of IoT,” Fredrik Nilsson, VP Americas, and Martin Gren, founder, who were both dressed as magicians—you gotta love these guys!—talked about how the company plans to bring the same innovation and “magic” that it brought to camera technology to other products, such as its Network Speakers, which make up an integrated audio system that is ideal for retail settings. Axis also teamed up with Cognimatics to develop analytic capabilities for its True View People Counter, which is also ideal for retail environments, providing valuable business intelligence data.

Gren also provided a preview of its newest technology—the AXIS D2050-VE Network Radar Detector, an outdoor motion detector with radar technology that can provide cost-efficient perimeter protection and decrease false alarms. The Company is also previewing at ISC West a selection of products that will be launched later this year, including new high resolution fixed domes in AXIS M30 Series, AXIS P32 Series, and AXIS Q35 Series. Axis also unveiled its AXIS FA Series with modular cameras for highly discreet, cost-efficient video surveillance, and three new additions to AXIS P13 Series that offer 4K resolution in full frame rate and that enable coverage of large areas with high image detail.

Following the breakfast I headed to the show floor, which was abuzz with high traffic and early indicators point to a record year in terms of attendance for this year's show.

My first booth visit was at Legrand, a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. Manny Linhares, director of strategy, IoT, told me about Eliot, a Legrand global IoT program, that “brings the promise of interoperability, providing the building blocks and infrastructure to enable IoT and bring connectivity to where it is needed.”

Moving to the Qolsys showcase room, I was able to test drive the company's second generation panel, which is sleeker and more powerful with some very cool new capabilities. Kevin Woodworth, director of technical account management, pointed out that the panel is the culmination of “all of the lessons we learned from our first panel, and what we learned from dealer feedback.” The panel has a 7-inch HD touchscreen with built-in 5MP camera and multiple wireless radios, as well as LTE connectivity, advanced encryption, a built-in router, a glass break detector, dual path connectivity and Bluetooth disarming, to name just a few of the upgrades.

Over at the FLIR Systems booth, I was given a demo of the FLIR United VMS 8.0, the latest version of the company's comprehensive, enterprise-level video management solution for managing video security operations. The company introduced three high-performance security cameras, including the FLIR PT-Series HD thermal and visible camera system, the FLIR Quasar 4K fixed box camera, and the FLIR Ariel 3MP (3-megapixel) corner camera. All three cameras integrate with FLIR United VMS 8.0 and expand the company's end-to-end line of security solutions. I also got a demo of the company's Cameleon command and control platform.

At the Interlogix booth, the company was highlighting TruVision Navigator 7, the latest release of its popular video management software. TruVision Navigator 7 now works seamlessly with Interlogix TruPortal access control systems and IFS network switches, allowing end users to manage their entire security system from one single, easy-to-use interface.

This year's ASSA ABLOY Press Event focused on “Security in the IoT Age,” and Martin Huddart, president, looked at how IoT will affect security. He aptly pointed out, “We are producing data, not products today,” noting that the key as we move forward as an industry is “bringing all these devices together.”

Next, I caught up with Denis Hebert, president, Feenics, a provider of cloud-based access control solutions. The company launched its enterprise Keep by Feenics platform that delivers scalability, flexibility and advanced security. The new cloud-based access control as service (ACaaS) platform integrates native visitor management, and incorporates RESTful API that dramatically simplifies integrating complementary systems plus connecting Keep to applications outside of the organization. Built specifically for the cloud and hosted by Amazon Web Services, Keep significantly minimizes costs through simple, maintenance-free upgrades and patches.

At the LifeSafety Power booth, Joe Holland, vice president of engineering, gave me a glimpse into how the company continues to “innovate the category of power,” with new predictive analytics and critical reporting capabilities. The company announced a breakthrough in connecting intelligent power management analytics to leading software manufacturers directly through Authentic Mercury Security hardware.� “This truly enhances and expands the potential for systems integrators to offer remote power management to customers who will benefit from predictive analysis and detailed reporting on the health and well-being of their solutions,” said Holland.

I also met with Glen L. Smith, director, dealer operations, ADT, who told me about the great strides the ADT Dealer Program has made in the past year alone. In the area of support for dealers, the company went from a net promoter score of -9 to 76 in just 18 months. How did they do this? “We asked our dealers what was broken,” said Smith, who noted that response time was a big issue for dealers. In response to this concern, Smith said they went from a two-hour hold time to a zero hold time in just one year.

At the Bosch Security Systems booth, the company featured a completely new portfolio of IP cameras and video analytics that extend surveillance beyond security, services that create recurring monthly revenue opportunities for dealers, and an all-in-one wireless multi-sensor that can be configured as a door/window contact, water or tilt sensor. Bosch also introduced In-Store Analytics, a solution to provide retailers with valuable insights on store traffic for improving operations, customer engagement and sales.

At the Alarm.com booth, Brian Lohse, director, commercial sales, talked about the company's strategy to take what it has been doing on the residential side and bring that to the SMB space. On the residential side, the company's open platform continues to expand integrations with a broad range of devices to help its dealer partners extend their footprint in the smart home. Alarm.com has also extended 4G LTE communications capabilities.� In addition, Alarm.com highlighted its Business Intelligence service that helps its dealer partners lower attrition by analyzing data points.

Next, I caught up with Jeff Whitney, VP of marketing for Arecont Vision, who went over some of the big announcements for the company at the show, including Arecont Vision SNAPstream bandwidth reduction technology that supports multiple new and existing megapixel cameras; SurroundVideo Omni G3 Omnidirectional multi-sensor cameras with remote setup; Arecont Vision Compact MicroBullet indoor/outdoor, day/night megapixel camera; and Arecont Vision MicroDome G2 with Integrated IR indoor/outdoor day/night ultra-low profile megapixel camera.

At the Pelco by Schneider Electric booth, Sharad Shekhar, CEO, Pelco SVP, video line of business, and Diane Feliciano, VP, global marketing, spoke about how the company has spent the last 12-18 months “transforming and repositioning the company” for the future. “We have been making changes across the entire organization for the last couple of years, from technology developments to new sales, support and operations programming,” said Feliciano. Pelco also showcased several new and enhanced products and systems, including its VideoXpert Video Management System (VMS); Sarix Enhanced IP Cameras with preloaded analytics on every model; ExSite Enhanced Explosion-Proof Cameras; and Optera Panoramic Multi-Sensor Cameras.

I finished my day with a visit to the Altronix booth, where Kirby Han, art director, took me through the company's latest upgrades and new products, including its new NetWay Spectrum Fiber Solutions, its eBridge 800E EoC Receiver with Integral PoE Switch and its expanded NetWay Line with new managed midspans and endspans.

Day Three

I started day three at the Allegion Trends Talk breakfast, where I was able to speak with Rob Martens, futurist and VP, strategy & partnerships, about how the company is leveraging the latest technologies to provide the best solutions for customers. “I am the tip of the spear when it comes to new technology,” he said. “I create the chaos that the company has to deliver on.” Product wise, the company's Engage platform is expanding to include many more products, “so that level of connectivity is now getting rolled out and becoming a reality.”

At the Genetec booth, I spoke with Andrew Elvish, VP, marketing and product management, about the success of the company's Mission Control system, which he said is “a game changer,” as the decision support system provides organizations with heightened levels of situational intelligence, visualization, and complete incident management capabilities. He also pointed to how the company's Retail Intelligence application provides business intelligence and operational efficiencies. The company also highlighted the latest capabilities of its Synergis access control system, part of its Security Center unified offering.

At the AMAG Technology booth, I met company president Kurt Takahashi, and spoke with Kim Rahfaldt, public relations manager. The company unveiled Symmetry CONNECT, its new policy-based identity management system that delivers an easy to use, automated software platform to manage employee, contractor and visitor identities, satisfy regulatory audit and compliance requirements and reduce the administrative costs of the security team. When used with Symmetry Access Control, organizations have a robust identity management system that utilizes data to secure people, property and assets, and automates business processes for better operational efficiency.

At the HID Global booth, I spoke with Anthony Petrucci, director of global public relations and corporate communications, about the company's new indoor Location Services for workforce optimization, which won the SIA New Product Showcase award. The Location Services provide organizations with visibility into the location of their workforce in a facility, making it possible to analyze room usage for better building management and increased operational efficiency. He also spoke about how the company is leveraging Bluetooth low energy (BLE) for new and emerging applications in the connected environment, as well as the role of mobile access, advanced smart card technology and biometrics in the company's overall strategy.

At the Milestone booth, I spoke with Courtney Dillon Pederson, communications manager, about the company's strategic alliance with Lenel, which will begin selling Milestone Systems Video Management Software (VMS) solutions directly through the Lenel Value Added Reseller (VAR) channel in North America. “We are really excited about this partnership and believe this is a great combination,” she said, noting that this alliance will reduce the total cost of ownership for users.

I next visited the Eagle Eye Systems/Brivo booth, and sat down with Dean Drako, president and CEO for Eagle Eye, who shared his views on the “continued adoption of cloud.” He also talked about the technology partnership with Hikvision to deliver customers a seamless and cybersecure cloud video surveillance solution. Eagle Eye also highlighted that is has added Camera Cyber Lockdown to all its products, which blocks cameras from communicating with the Internet, stops them from being attacked and compromised. Drako also spoke about the company's implementation of two-factor authentication, which “will be the standard for the industry moving forward.”

At the IDIS booth, I was able to sit down with company president and COO Albert Ryu, who shared his views on how the company is poised to leverage technology to provide the customized solutions for customers. He also spoke about how the company, which is celebrating 20 years, is “bringing AI to security.” On the product side, the company featured H.265 IPC/NVR products, including the new IDIS 12MP Super Fisheye Camera. Also featured were new low light and long distance solutions, and end-user focused enhancements to the company's award-winning PTZ tracking controls, IDIS Smart UX Controls v2.0 and retail analytics/business intelligence suite IDIS VA in the Box. The company also highlighted its powerful 64-channel IDIS DR-8364 NVR, which delivers enterprise-level performance at an NVR price.

Moving over to the Hanwha Techwin booth, Miguel Lazatin, director of product and channel marketing, North America, walked me through all of the new features and capabilities of the Wisenet 5 chip, which was unveiled recently. The new chip powers the Wisenet X series, a new product line that features 27 models split up between 2MP and 5MP camera lines. Features include 150dB WDR performance and clear images in extreme low light conditions, convenient USB port is also available for easy setup and installation, as well as license-free audio and video analytics, dual SD card slot for increased onboard storage and image stabilization using gyro sensors. The company also announced that it is investing $100 million to create a security-only manufacturing facility in Vietnam.

Next, Dahua product marketing manager Jennifer Hackenburg, gave me a tour of the booth, showing me how the company is embracing “deep learning,” pointing out that the company is “ahead of the curve” in leveraging all of the enhanced capabilities that deep learning can provide. The company announced that it is working with NVIDIA to bring artificial intelligence (AI) functionality to its next-generation deep learning products. Equipped with NVIDIA GPUs, the Dahua DeepSense advanced high-capacity video analytics server provides deep learning capabilities. The technology delivers a powerful, scalable method of extracting rich metadata and processing structural data to deliver fast and accurate analytics. Dahua also announced that Movidius' Myriad 2 Vision Processing Unit (VPU) technology will power select Dahua video surveillance cameras with advanced intelligence functions that train the devices to gather, analyze, and retain information much like the human brain.

I next visited with Jim Hoffpauir, president, Zenitel, at the Vingtor Stentofon booth. He showed me how the company's Turbine Intercom Station can provide a multitude of solutions, in any setting, from schools to airports to military and government applications. He also talked about his dedication to educating customers on how to pick the right system, and he created a scorecard to follow. He noted that it is important to have three key features—intelligibility, interoperability and the “ilities,” which relates to “high availability, scalability, defensibility and maintainability.”

At the Tyco-Johnson Controls booth, I spoke with Roger Barlow, senior director, product management, TycoSP about a number of new products across its intrusion, access control and video divisions, and how the company is benefitting from the “synergies between Tyco and Johnson Controls,” he said. He also showed the DSC iotega, the company's new innovative security and lifestyle management platform. A full-featured security technology, iotega facilitates home automation enhancements and add-ons via software apps. The company also announced its SG System 5 now supports PSTN line cards on the SG-System 5 receiver to give central stations the flexibility to monitor both IP and PSTN alarm signals, and how its EntraPass Go Support for Apple Watch is the “industry's first Apple Watch mobile credential that allows card holders to use the watch as a mobile access control credential."

At the Sureview Sytems booth, Simon Morgan, chief technology officer, gave me a demo SureView PSIM Solutions, which he pointed out, “improve security, optimize operations and reduce costs. He showed me how the Immix CC Platform delivers more integrations, easy deployment and simple operation. He said SureView Immix CC Simplifies PSIM deployment and operation, featuring “intuitive UI, more integrations and unique architecture, which deliver unprecedented ease of operation and versatility.”

Next, I visited Ditek, a surge protection company that works closely with the security industry to protect vital systems and equipment from being damaged by power surges, saving money in the process. Jorge Andino, field sales engineer, pointed out that the company does this by providing a site survey for each project, giving that customer the right surge protection equipment to meet their needs. “Our surge protection equipment acts as the sacrificial lamb, preventing costly damage to the equipment.”

I finished my day speaking with Rick Caruthers, executive VP, Galaxy Control Systems, who told me about the company's new announcement that is “committing resources and manpower to providing cloud solutions to our customers,” he said. The Galaxy Cloud Concierge solution is a complete turnkey, cloud-based, fully hosted and managed access control and monitoring solution that includes professional 24/7 management and supports industry standard access technologies.

Day Four

On Friday I started the day at the Morse Watchmans booth speaking with George Lawson, account executive, and Joseph Granitto, COO, about the company's key control and access management security systems, which are getting smarter and safer with a lot more functionality. “We take feedback from customers to add new features and make our products easier to use,” said Lawson. In addition to an improved motherboard powering its systems, the company is unveiling a new enterprise-based software system. And its Asset Watcher, which the company tested exhaustively over the past year, is set to come out soon as well.

At the Pivot3 booth, I spoke with Brandon Reich, surveillance business leader, about the company's strategic original equipment manufacturer (OEM) relationship with Intelligent Security Systems (ISS), an innovator in the development of advanced video management and video analytics software. Under the agreement, ISS will license the Pivot3 hyperconverged infrastructure (HCI) platform and integrate it with ISS video management software (VMS) to supply more robust security intelligence and video storage options to customers. “We are really excited about that partnership,” said Reich. “We can provide a great solution set together.”

At the Eizo booth, I spoke with Keisuke Akiba, product and marketing manager, and Brian Cote, about the company's security and surveillance monitoring solutions. The IP decoding monitors come equipped with visibility enhancement technology for improving the clarity of video footage in real time. Akiba demonstrated the multi-monitor flexibility and showed me the 4k IPS 31.5-inch monitor with 3840 x 2160 native resolution.

Over at the Boon Edam booth, Tracie Thomas, marketing manager, gave me an overview of the company's many entry solutions, as well as news on the company's expanding sales and customer service staff to support record sales growth. The company also announced the expansion of its product-training schedule, with more programs and locations. And, soon, Boon Edam will offer its revolving door specifications on the ARCOM MasterSpec platform, which is widely used by architect and design firms in North America for commercial buildings.

At the 3xLOGIC booth, Suzi Abell, tradeshow and events manager, shared show news, including the company's new integrated, hosted video and access control solution for the SMB market and the company's partnership with Bold Technologies to offer an advanced video solution. The companies recently completed integration of Bold's ManitouNEO with the 3xLOGIC VIGIL video platform, which supports cloud-managed video. The company also announced the release of a new multi-sensor camera and updated VIGIL software.

At the Panasonic booth, Charlie Hare, national category manger, security and evidence management solutions, walked me through some of the company's big announcements at the show, including the company's expanded portfolio of i-PRO Extreme Surveillance Technology and its new i-PRO Extreme PTZ Camera with Advanced Analytics, as well as its latest video surveillance solutions. The i-PRO features a new chip set that produces “amazing picture quality,” said Hare.

Over at the ReconaSense booth, Clayton Brown, product manager, described the company's next-generation situational awareness platform, which provides “the tools to perform real-time critical analysis,” he said. John Carter, the CTO of ReconaSense, is a former NASA engineer. The software leverages the IoT and big data with access control and video analytics to drive “proactive response” across diverse systems. By connecting the dots and alerting operators of suspicious events, the technology facilitates better decision-making and optimal resource allocation.

My final booth visit was over at NVIDIA, which was showcasing some of its latest IVA-related, AI technology for smart and safe cities, featuring many partners such as IBM, Hikvision and Dahua. Deepu Talla, VP/GM, autonomous machines, showed me how the company's GPU computing is not only powering its many partners but “driving the latest applications for safety and security in AI cities,” he said, including public safety, traffic management, behavior analysis, video analytics, anomaly detection, facial recognition, fast forensics, parking management and robotics.

NOTE: In addition to daily reports, look for ssnTVnews video interviews from the show floor, including my video interviews with Bill Bozeman, president and CEO, PSA Security Network; Dan Moceri, executive chairman and founder, and Ken Lochiatto, president and CEO, Convergint Technologies; Maureen Lally, VP of marketing, TycoIS; Richard Tampier, senior director, sales and product strategy, Red Hawk Fire & Security; Craig Layers, senior VP. sales and marketing, ADS Security; and Jon Cropley, principal analyst, video vurveillance, IHS Markit.

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