Integrated network-driven security will be slow coming

So says Archana Umesh Rao, a researcher at analyst Frost & Sullivan. “Open communications protocols, networks and faster computers have led to the diversification of IP networks to newer areas of the organisation,” she explains. “As a result, interoperability is being extended to other applications such as security.” As technology advances in the security industry from analogue to digital to IP, Frost & Sullivan says that vendors and customers alike are reviewing opportunities to secure their facilities more comprehensively by integrating the technologies instead of using independent security products. It points out that corporate security services, such as video surveillance, access control and fraud detection are increasingly database-driven and network-delivered, leading to IP becoming ever-more tightly tied in with physical security. However, implementation has been sluggish – a fact that Rao puts down to low user awareness about the benefits of integrating disparate security solutions. Also, the use of integrated systems has been restricted to high-end applications due to the high cost of network infrastructure and integration software. “The convergence of physical security with IP involves a complex amalgamation of security and networking technology,” she says. “In this context, superior customer service and technical support will be crucial to gaining a competitive advantage in the market.”