Companies of all sizes need to have advanced physical security systems if they want to remain safe from vandals, thieves and other malicious individuals. Unfortunately, a company's use of surveillance cameras and other fundamental tools may change over time as it expands in size and requires larger facilities with more areas to protect.
A recent report by SecurityInfoWatch noted that integrated security systems can be a good fit for a growing business. Physical security information management (PSIM) software, for example, allows executives to combine access control systems, video surveillance and other intrusion detection tools under a single umbrella, making management less complicated and more efficient.
PSIM is highly flexible, which is important for an expanding company. There are many reasons why a business may outgrow its current operations or simply lose the need to use a specific security application, including running out of space in the budget or finding that a specific product doesn't have the support the organization needs, SecurityInfoWatch noted.
Integrated security systems also make meeting compliance requirements much easier, as there is only one interface to deal with, rather than having to change a number of functions to avoid paying fines, according to the news source. Furthermore, a single system makes it easier for executives to respond to an incident, as they can use multiple tools to confirm or find the location of an event.
Raising awareness with integrated solutions
Non-integrated security systems make it more difficult for employees to recognize when an incident is taking place, as monitoring disparate applications on multiple screens can be a pain. If a security command center uses an integrated network of intrusion detection tools, however, executives can have an easier time discovering and addressing a situation, SecurityInfoWatch said. Furthermore, PSIM consolidates all resources to even a company with hundreds of surveillance cameras so it can use a single management interface.
A separate report by Frost & Sullivan noted that the PSIM market is largely driven by the adoption of IP solutions and the need to customize offerings to a company's unique demands. These trends are pushing the PSIM market to expand at a compound annual growth rate of more than 37 percent through 2015, at which time it will generate $544 million in revenue, up from only $80 million in 2009.
"While PSIM is seeing a higher degree of customization, coupled with increased connectivity, many market participants believe that PSIM functionality can or should be created with off-the-shelf software and not by customization options," said Matia Grossi, research manager at Frost & Sullivan. "It is anticipated that while the standardization process gains momentum, the need to provide customized solutions will remain dominant in the market."
The future of security management
As organizations of all sizes from all industries continue to demand advanced physical security and intrusion detection solutions, the decision to use one multifunctioning system will make more sense, especially as firms continue to struggle with the ongoing macroeconomic crisis. As the demand for integrated security systems increase, the prices for such tools will also be forced to drop so the market can remain competitive.
Most integrated security systems will provide decision-makers with complete oversight of their physical property and provide consistent responses to incidents. As a result, the use of disparate access control systems, surveillance cameras and other advanced tools will no longer be a cost-effective option.
If organizations want to have an effective security program, decision-makers need to consider implementing a unified system.
