Watch this Space - Opportunities in IT-based Surveillance

Extracted from a feature in "The Channel" magazine, July 2009 - written by Clare Coulson
This article discusses the emergence of the IT channel in selling surveillance technologies ... and why they would want to

Convergence: it's the same old story. We've seen telecommunications moving to voice over internet protocol (VoIP), the finance industry initiating online banking, and the broadcasting industry offering we-based audio and video, all of which provide fresh opportunities in the IT sector. Now it is firmly the turn of surveillance, as traditional CCTV deployments are being replaced by IT-based technologies.

Convergence within the IT sector might be somewhat of a cliche, but it does open the doors of opportunity to those willing to step through, especially in the SMB market. IT-based surveillance grew out of IT-based conferencing and the web-cam market, and has been evolving over the last decide or so. Similarly the security industry, with analogue-based CCTV solutions, has gradually been moving into the digital space, using DVR (Digital Video Recording) that is increasingly built on IT platforms. That being said, Scott Wattie, Director of Mi5 Ltd, says: "It would only be in the last couple of years that you would say there has been true convergence, and now there is a blurring of the lines." He explains that it has appeared now because of two things: the ability to use IP to transport the video feed rather than traditional coaxial cable, and the improvement in image quality on IT-based solutions, versus traditional CCTV solutions.

The market shifts

An IDC study entitled Monitoring the Network Surveillance Market Value Chain, published in May this year, uncovered a "major shift in the way organisations protect their business assets", according to Chris Chute, Research Manager, Worldwide Digital Imaging Solutions and Services at IDC. "Moving forward, security administrators will rely less on human observation to address their most critical security demands. The opportunity is tremendous for those who understand how to position themselves in this evolving space," he said.

Indeed, the study shows that rapid advancements in network surveillance technology are shifting the emphasis away from guns, guards, gates and dogs, and placing it on more sophisticated, scalable security solutions. IDC predicts that worldwide surveillance/monitoring camera shipments (both CCTV and IP) will grow from 9.3 million in 2007 to 26.5 million in 2013, but network camera shipments (IP surveillance) will surpass those of analogue cameras in 2012.

Perhaps most interesting for IT resellers is the increased usage of cameras to improve and streamline a growing number of business processes, in addition to protecting sensitive resources and property. Video analytics can be used to adjust customer flow and product placement in stores, track suspect behaviour or respond faster traffic incidents, thus opening up an array of new revenue streams for you.

Your opportunity

...Mi5's Wattie, whose company uses battery powered, non-networked cameras with SD memory, which are "creating a new segment in the market" says: "A lot of people realise, after we talk to them, that there's often qood money to be made and it's not that difficult."

IT companies have always had the task of securing an organisation's information, and surveillance is a natural extenion of these needs, broadening the remit to securing a company's physical assets and, in more sophisticated instances, using software to track and analyse behaviour.

Traditional CCTV can be quite complex and, as Wattie points out, the market has been very well segmented by the security industry until now. IT-based standaone solutions like that of Mi5 and other integrated IP- systems remove some of the complexity of the solution and open up the market to IT resells and sysmtes integrators.

Is this for you?

...D-Link's Marketing Director, Australia and New Zealand, Maurice Famularo reminds us: "Surveillance, which is security, is a very different selling process than IT." IT surveillance may form part of an overall surveillance solution which could include alarms, access systems and patrols. It's important to know the parameters of the installations you are offering. Mi5's Wattie suggests that "without specialised security assistance resellers should focus on selling IP-based or standalone devices". "This will save getting in too deep with products outside their field of expertise," he adds.

Expertise

...Aside from surveillance-specific skills, you'll also need to be able to provide the network and other peripherals to run the IT-based solution. A standalone solution, such as Mi5's, does not need any further equipment as the SD card can be read on any computer and the images are stored as jpegs.

The full article is available in the July issue of "The Channel"  www.thechannel.co.nz