The development of IP in the security market is an issue that has come to the forefront of industry debate more and more frequently in recent years. The prominence of IP as a technology in the security sector has meant that manufacturers and installers alike are re-evaluating the skills needed in today’s industry.
It’s largely an educational issue, as we have seen at IFSEC with the popularity of the seminars and training area. So the question is what does IP mean for the traditional installer, the manufacturers, and what might it mean for the industry as a whole?
The importance of IP for building systems
What we’ve seen over the last 15 years is the consolidation of networking to a certain standard -whether that’s telephones, cameras, or access control systems.
This is also happening with the migration of installation practices, which has meant that the same categories of cable and connectors are being used. Video was really the first security sector to have a product that made sense for this – for instance Axis has done really well at embracing IP. Access control is hot on its heels. The switch is inevitable and it has to happen, and manufacturers and installation companies need to be welcoming IP technology wholeheartedly.
Moving to IP: new technologies
The best use of new technology should always be to make things simpler, but often this isn’t the case. There are lots of IP door entry systems available, but they can be complicated. PoE (Power over Ethernet) allows just one type of cable to be used for installation. Utilising a technology like IPv6 means that the different parts on a door entry system can self-configure, and make the installation much more straightforward. These are prime examples of using the latest technology to make things much easier.
Session Initiation Protocol – what does it mean?
Session Initiation Protocol is a brokering standard that allows devices from different manufacturers to talk to each other over the common network. Naturally this is alarming for door entry manufacturers, as it means that customers can, for instance, use a panel from one brand but with different handsets or computers from other manufacturers.
I see SIP as a real opportunity; a business wants to be selling the best devices, and have customers choose them for the right reasons. The right reasons are that the product is fit for purpose, and has the right combination of price and features. The wrong reason to choose a device would be because it won’t work with anyone else’s!
New technologies are constantly evolving and they provide us with exciting and interesting ways of creating solutions and securing buildings. From a manufacturer’s standpoint, we see these developments as helping us to produce better and more effective solutions, and IP is yet another example of this. Looking forward, I think the future is IP and this change is certainly something to be embraced.
Free Download: The Video Surveillance Report 2023
Discover the latest developments in the rapidly-evolving video surveillance sector by downloading the 2023 Video Surveillance Report. Over 500 responses to our survey, which come from integrators to consultants and heads of security, inform our analysis of the latest trends including AI, the state of the video surveillance market, uptake of the cloud, and the wider economic and geopolitical events impacting the sector!
Download for FREE to discover top industry insight around the latest innovations in video surveillance systems.
