In business, we seem to focus on 1 and 5 year plans. Anything further out than 5 years is something worth dreaming about, but not worth strategically planning and budgeting for. As we help our customers build their 5 year technology plans on how to use electronics to help them run their businesses better, we now have two new desired “upgrades” to the tools they invest in:
1) High Definition picture quality everywhere
2) Cloud recording bypassing traditional recorders
Security professionals must be able to deliver an ROI on their spending every year, and do so by finding new ways to manage their employees, customers and vendors. One of the tools to do so is through properly deployed video, access and alarm systems.
1) High definition everywhere – More is less. Today’s cameras can do the work of 2-3 of yesterdays. HD has become the new standard. It is time to embark on a 5 year plan to replace all old cameras and start reaping the rewards. The ROI? You truly do get more with less…..new HD systems cover more area, gather more evidence, and deliver more analytical data. Cameras utilizing higher resolution imaging with on camera triggers and more affordable recording appliances need to be part of today’s new tool chest.
2) Enterprise Cloud Recording – storing back up images somewhere other than just on the hard drives at the site is now a reality…but still very expensive. Storing little thumbnails of pictures of interest for remote investigation could be your first step in what might be available in another year or so. Do you have some sites that only need 1-3 cameras? If so, the cloud is ready. Building a hybrid model where some cameras are stored locally and others remotely is finally a reality. The ROI? If network bandwidth is free (someone else’s budget) you can eliminate the headaches of local recorder management in remote 1-3 camera deployments and still have those cameras visible through your Enterprise Video Management Software.
Does your 5 year technology plan have HD and Cloud in the mix?
Your future is only secure if you have experts on your team helping you get there.