Secure Logiq and Seagate join forces on video surveillance storage

Secure Logiq and Seagate are bringing together their combined strengths to create “the ultimate storage solution” for the video surveillance industry. This partnership will draw on Seagate’s expertise in very high-density storage applications and Secure Logiq’s own cutting-edge understanding of the surveillance industry.

This new partnership provides the perfect solution for security professionals operating in the Middle East, where retention times for CCTV footage are comparably longer than in other territories and exacting standards mean that second best will never do.

The collaboration will see Secure Logiq’s management servers, processing servers and client machines all designed and optimised for the application and combined with Seagate’s SAN storage units which offer large storage, resilience, expandability and vertical integration.

The combination creates a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario for the companies’ mutual clients as it has realises an end-to-end solution which is designed, supplied, tested and supported by experts in HD surveillance and data storage.

“This is a powerful combination that will deliver real advantages for surveillance system users right across the whole of the Middle East,” explained Secure Logiq’s Robin Hughes. “The benefits are there for everyone to see. Seagate has excellent products for storing large volumes of data and we have the understanding of the market to add real intelligence to a surveillance system. Together, can deliver a complete solution that will revolutionise how HD surveillance video is stored in the region.”

Secure Logiq and Seagate highlighted their new partnership at Intersec 2022.

*For further information visit www.securelogiq.com

Genetec introduces Security Center v5.10 unified security platform

Genetec – the technology provider of unified security, public safety, operations and business intelligence solutions – has recently unveiled version 5.10 of its flagship unified security platform designated Security Center.

Among many new enhancements, this major release allows more system components to run in the cloud, thereby reducing the gap between cloud and on-premises security systems. It also makes it easier to connect external systems and tap external data for use in dashboards, maps and investigations without relying on complex and specialist integrations.

The new version of Security Center brings enterprise video surveillance customers new options to facilitate their migration to the cloud as well as support flexible hybrid cloud architectures. Taking a step further towards unified, enterprise Video Surveillance-as-a-Service, the new version of Security Center Omnicast – the video management system of Security Center – enables the seamless use of tiered cloud and on-premises storage to manage short- and long-term video archives according to customer needs.

In addition, it gives configuration flexibility and reporting capability and supports various scenarios for real-time or on-demand access to video footage stored in the cloud. Depending on its recency and criticality, video can either be stored in high performance storage for fast access or long-term storage to support flexible cost options as well as data compliance. To ensure maximum security, ingested video blocks are encrypted on-premises and then moved to the cloud using encrypted communications channels.

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“Last year accelerated the digital transformation of organisations big and small, inside and outside of the security industry,” explained Francis Lachance, director of the video and appliances product group at Genetec. “Omnicast Cloud Storage is not just terabytes in the cloud. It’s a complete collection of media services that deliver the flexibility and sophistication enterprise customers need to successfully move to a hybrid cloud video surveillance architecture.”

Sipelia Communications Management, the module of Security Center that enables SIP-based communications between operators and intercom devices, has also been enhanced to offer support for cloud-based deployment.

Record Fusion Service

Security Center 5.10 introduces a new no-code solution to connect external data sources to enhance an operator’s situational awareness. The new Record Fusion Service feature offers a simple and fast path to integrate third party data streams from private or partner record publishers. Users can define tailored record types and consume data from a variety of sources including KML, JSON and CSV documents, or otherwise set up a REST application listening point to which these external services can push records.

The Genetec Record Fusion Service can be used across the entire unified platform to enhance awareness and response, provide contextual information on dynamic maps, be visualised in operational dashboards, in investigative reports or in the unified monitoring interface.

The service supports a broad range of applications, from displaying user-defined and filtered information on a map with custom graphical elements through to combining various records from a wide variety of sources to create custom aggregate records that are useful to specific operators or roles.

The Record Fusion Service increases agility, enables highly specific and relevant data to be quickly and easily added to the platform and makes security operators more efficient in accessing timely contextual information.

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Mobility features

Security Center 5.10 further taps mobile devices to reinvent the way organisations accomplish routine tasks on-the-go. Genetec Mobile, a unified app that enables users to access cameras, doors and ANPR units from their smart phones, now supports Genetec Mission Control incidents as well as standard operating procedures. This allows end users to trigger or view active incidents on maps or in list format and record incidents in the field to notify colleagues in the Security Operations Centre.

A new specialised portal is also available to help customers manage mustering during evacuations. The Evacuation Assistant app connects to Security Center Synergis (the access control system in Security Center) such that, when an evacuation is triggered, the system automatically starts to monitor the safety status of all personnel and visitors. When people arrive at the safety area or muster point, they can badge their credential at a fixed or mobile reader, notify the ‘muster captain’ that they’re safe or inform them that someone might be at risk. If someone is shown not to have been evacuated, the system will then trigger a response so that security personnel can take immediate action.

*For more information about Security Center 5.10 visit: https://resources.genetec.com/blog/security-center-5-10-is-here

ONVIF reflects on year’s activities and achievements at 2019 Annual Membership Meeting

ONVIF, the global standardisation initiative for IP-based physical security products, recently held its Annual Membership Meeting to provide members with an overview of important activities that have occurred in 2019 and outline bold plans for the year ahead. Attendees heard presentations on the growth of ONVIF as well as plans for new Profile development.

ONVIF chairman Per Björkdahl highlighted the forum’s achievements over the past year, in particular focusing on the market’s continued support for the Profile concept, with the number of conformant products surpassing 13,000 earlier this year.

With six Profiles to choose from and additional ones in development, ONVIF Profiles have increasingly been included in various bid and specification processes in projects around the world, making it the de facto interface in the industry.

Björkdahl also noted the continued involvement of ONVIF in the International Electrotechnical Commission’s work on international standardisation, in addition to new proposals for cloud connectivity and interoperability between multiple systems.

Contributions recognised

In keeping with tradition, ONVIF recognised the contributions of multiple individuals from various ONVIF Committees. Steve Wolf, who served on several ONVIF Committees on behalf of Pelco, received the ONVIF Service Award, which acknowledges individuals who have provided a long-term commitment to the organisation. While serving on the Technical Committee, Wolf led the Security Working Group and was also an active participant in the Video Enhancement Working Group, contributing towards a number of improvements in how ONVIF approaches video.

Andreas Schneider of Sony received the ONVIF Distinguished Service Award, which recognises individuals who’ve made significant contributions to ONVIF over many years in multiple functions. Schneider’s long-term service to the Technical Services Committee has positioned him as a major facilitator of the ONVIF organisation, with contributions to multiple ONVIF Profiles.

ONVIF chairman Per Björkdahl

“The overarching goal of ONVIF is to provide the market with a single interface through which every system can operate,” explained Björkdahl. “Our award winners have shown significant and long-term commitment to our organisation, in turn making this goal a reality one Profile at a time. We thank both of our recipients for their innovation, hard work and service.”

Specification development roadmap

ONVIF Technical Committee chairman Hans Busch of Bosch spoke to members about the specification development roadmap, which highlights plans for future Profile development, as well as the continued alignment to the standardisation activities within the IEC TC 79 Working Groups for video surveillance and physical access control standards. Specifically, Busch covered what specifications are being examined for future Profiles and how they complement and further enhance existing ONVIF Profiles.

As chair of the Technical Services Committee, Sony’s Schneider gave an overview of the Committee’s work on new and existing Profiles, client and device test tools, updates to the conformance process and tools and the Developers’ Plugfest.

Shi-lin Chan of Axis Communications, who serves as chair of the ONVIF Communication Committee, provided a recap of ONVIF communication efforts in 2019 and discussed the organisation’s plans for the launch of a Mandarin website later this year.

Driving interoperability

Founded in 2008, ONVIF is a leading and well-recognised industry forum driving interoperability for IP-based physical security products. The organisation has a global member base of established camera, video management system and access control companies and, as stated, more than 13,000 Profile-conformant products.

ONVIF offers Profile S for streaming video, Profile G for recording and storage, Profile C for physical access control, Profile Q for improved out-of-the-box functionality, Profile A for broader access control configuration and Profile T for advanced streaming.

ONVIF continues to work with its members to expand the number of IP interoperability solutions that ONVIF-conformant products can provide.

 

Next generation models of Illustra Flex 3MP IP cameras provide “seamless video capture and viewing experience”

Johnson Controls is introducing the next generation of Illustra Flex 3MP mini-dome, bullet and box cameras with features such as P-iris lenses and TrickleStor technology to provide optimal image quality and reliability, and the convenience and efficiency of bandwidth management of the camera using Illustra IntelliZip compression technology.

Going beyond H.264 and H.265, the embedded Illustra IntelliZip technology monitors and then adjusts system streaming parameters, matching the camera’s field of view activity. The video quality is automatically adjusted when motion is detected to ensure detail quality is maintained. When activity ceases, the video adjusts and optimises the bitrate, in turn helping to reduce network bandwidth usage and video storage requirements.

The new Illustra Flex cameras feature the aforementioned TrickleStor, allowing the cameras to record video at the edge of the network even if an outage takes place. The camera will detect an interruption or stoppage and begin to record video to its SD card. Once the connection between the camera and NVR resumes, TrickleStor will then transfer the video from the SD card to the NVR to ensure uninterrupted video.

The true Wide Dynamic Range function available across the Flex family line allows cameras viewing a scene with high-contrast lighting to balance shadows and highlights in order to maintain crisp image detail. This feature is ideal for camera deployments where windows or doors are areas of interest.

The family of Flex 3MP cameras is also equipped with a P-iris lens system that works in conjunction with custom software algorithms to provide optimal image quality and sharpness in all possible lighting conditions.

“Providing a high-quality, seamless and economical video experience is at the heart of these latest Illustra Flex introductions,” said Stuart Bettle, video product marketing manager for security products (EMEA) within the Building Technologies & Solutions Division at Johnson Controls. “Whether it’s P-iris to ensure the clearest image, TrickleStor providing end-to-end recording failover or IntelliZip to maximise bandwidth, we’re focused on meeting the needs of our customers on every front.”

The small, aesthetically pleasing Flex 3MP mini-domes are available in indoor and outdoor versions, the latter IP67-rated for protection against dust and water damage and also featuring IR illumination for improved low-light viewing.

The bullet model also offers an IP67-rated enclosure that protects against dust and water damage, making it a top choice for parking areas, garages, loading docks and other areas exposed to the elements. These models also serve as an exterior solution for schools and small-to-medium retail stores, banks and office buildings.

The Flex 3MP box camera is a flexible solution adaptable for any installation or application requirements.

*For more information about the Illustra Flex line of cameras visit illustracameras.com

Veracity set to join partners at BETT 2017 as education sector demands reliable and long-term storage of HD video

Veracity – a leading provider of innovative and intelligent solutions that solve real-world IP video challenges in transmission, storage and display – has just announced its inaugural attendance at the BETT Show.

The BETT Show takes place between 25-28 January at London’s ExCeL, and is the largest education technology event in Europe. By partnering with Kingsfield Computer Products Ltd on Stand G372 and Kent CCTV & Data Ltd on Stand E370, Veracity will show visitors from schools, colleges and the further education world that choosing to use higher definition cameras to record in much greater detail is now perfectly possible by dint of using the company’s award-winning surveillance storage product COLDSTORE.

Depending on the environment and the use of open platform cameras, it’s also possible to reduce the systems’ overall total cost of ownership by recording direct to COLDSTORE from the cameras, cutting out the additional hardware, VMS licence and energy costs of NVRs.

Alastair McLeod: Group CEO of Veracity

“No longer need you worry about reducing the recorded resolution from your cameras to conserve hard disk space,” explained Alastair McLeod, Group CEO of Veracity, to risk and security managers operational in the education sector, “or recording in high definition for short periods only. Security teams looking after retail centres are already realising the benefits of being able to record continuously in high definition, enabling them to retrospectively interrogate CCTV footage in greater detail than previously possible.”

McLeod added: “COLDSTORE’s recording design, which uses only two hard disk drives at a time in a mirrored overlapping pair sequence, extends the life of those disks considerably and reduces system energy consumption by around 90% when compared to similar-sized RAID systems.”

Veracity’s transmission products will be available for visitors to view. These include the industry-benchmark HIGHWIRE family of products, enabling the latest IP cameras to be installed over legacy coax networks without re-cabling and associated business disruption.

Also of interest will be the POINTSOURCE Wireless solution, which enables security installers to locally view IP cameras on a smart phone during installation

Veracity wins prestigious environment accolade at 2016 VIBES Awards

Veracity, the provider of innovative and intelligent solutions that solve real-world IP video challenges in transmission, storage and display has won a Vision in Business for the Environment of Scotland (VIBES) 2016 ‘Environmental Product or Service’ Award, which recognises the significant contribution to the environment made by the company through its products and approach to end-to-end product lifecycle management.

VIBES* is Scotland’s leading environmental awards scheme. For the last 17 years, it has recognised and rewarded those businesses contributing towards the country’s sustainable development by taking significant steps to either improve or reduce their impact on the environment. This year, 32 Scottish businesses were shortlisted from a record number of entries. Each of the finalists underwent a rigorous judging process, including a programme of site visits, in order that their environmental practices could be assessed.

The award recognises the significant contribution to the environment which Veracity’s products make while delivering cutting-edge technology and consistently reliable quality. The manner in which the company and its staff demonstrably commits to reducing energy costs in the production, performance and lifecycle of its products was duly recognised by the Judges.

Alongside the continued enthusiasm of the team, this award should assist in stimulating a wider adoption of the technology globally, in turn creating measurable environmental and economic benefits through a quantifiable reduction in the carbon footprint associated with the rapidly growing surveillance industry.

Veracity’s Murray Bothwell and Sam Brown accept the 2016 VIBES Award

Both Veracity’s COLDSTORE and TIMENET solutions were mentioned specifically for the significant levels of energy saved, as was the company’s consideration of the whole end-to-end product lifecycle.

“COLDSTORE has won a number of awards for technical innovation, so we’re delighted to see that its environmental credentials have also now been recognised,” said Alastair McLeod, Group CEO of Veracity. “Winning in our first year of entering these awards is a great achievement. We’re very grateful to the Veracity team that developed COLDSTORE, the design of which is underpinned by the three core values of the company: innovation, reliability and environmental awareness.”

Gillian Bruce, chair of the VIBES Awards, commented: “The VIBES Awards recognise and showcase the fantastic work being undertaken by businesses across the country to put sustainability at the heart of their operations, often saving money in the process. We’ve been very impressed by the high standard of entries in 2016, and with a record number of companies entering the VIBES Awards this year, it’s encouraging to see that so many businesses understand how reducing their environmental impact can also benefit their business. We would like to congratulate Veracity and all of our 2016 winners and finalists and hope that many more companies will be inspired to follow in their footsteps by recognising the benefits of sustainability in business.”

Alongside winning the Environmental Product or Service Award, Veracity was also shortlisted in the VIBES Innovation category and will now go forward to the larger-scale European awards which take place in 2017.

*VIBES is a strategic partnership between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the Scottish Government, Scottish Water, Scottish Enterprise, Highland and Islands Enterprise, Zero Waste Scotland, the Energy Saving Trust and Scotland’s 2020 Climate Group. The awards are further supported by CBI Scotland, the Institute of Directors, the Federation of Small Businesses, Bright Green Business and Quality Scotland

Veracity partners with industry leaders and returns to ASIS International 2016

Veracity, a leading provider of innovative, intelligent solutions that solve real-world IP video challenges in transmission, storage and display, reflects significant growth through sales of its COLDSTORE solution with a return to the ASIS International event in the US.

At the show, which runs from 12-15 September at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Veracity will be demonstrating TRINITY, the system architecture which enables IP cameras to record direct to the company’s COLDSTORE sequential recording system.

There will be solution demonstrations with camera partners Hanwha Techwin America at Booth 2641 and Axis Communications (Booth 3101). Their open platform cameras provide the necessary capabilities to create a server-less system using high-performance megapixel camera recording. This is ideal for non-monitored and remote access systems and easily integrated within Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) systems.

“Innovative products such as COLDSTORE and close partnership initiatives such as TRINITY are essential for our community of installers to help differentiate themselves,” said Scott Sereboff, global sales director and CEO of Veracity USA, “enabling them to deliver high value projects to end user customers with a wide variety of use cases and technical considerations.”

Veracity delivers innovative, intelligent solutions that solve real-world IP video challenges in transmission, storage and display. For over a decade, its products and designs have been trusted and recommended by security system integrators, enterprise clients and major industry partners. The solid foundations of its in-depth expertise and a highly-talented team enables the business to work with key companies in the industry and continuously create new opportunities and growth for both itself and its myriad partners.

 

Axis Communications introduces Zipstream compression technology for end users

Axis Comunications has launched its Zipstream compression technology, developed specifically for video surveillance applications. This new technology reduces bandwidth and storage requirements by an average of 50% or more without the need for end users having to invest in new cameras or software. In addition, Zipstream is fully compatible with the widely adopted H.264 compression standard.

In use, Zipstream analyses and optimises the network camera’s video stream in real-time. Scenes containing interesting details are recorded in full image quality and resolution, while other areas are filtered out for optimal use of available bandwidth and storage. This allows important forensic details like faces, tattoos or license plates to be isolated and preserved.

Irrelevant areas such as white walls, lawns and vegetation are sacrificed by ‘smoothing’ in order to achieve the better storage savings.

The new Zipstream security solution from Axis Communications

End user customers can deploy Axis’ Zipstream technology alongside other Axis Communications network camera technologies such as Lightfinder  and Wide Dynamic Range – Forensic Capture. Zipstream will also work with third party video management software installations already in place.

Axis Communications is making its Zipstream technology available on the existing network camera models Axis Q1615 and Axis Q1635 and also in the Axis Q35 Series via firmware updates.

New fixed network cameras and fixed dome network cameras due for release this year will also include the new Zipstream technology.

*Zipstream is now available through distributor Norbain