C H A P T E R 1
The journey towards modernization
The decision to modernize your physical security system is the first step in a multi-stage journey that can dramatically improve your security and business operations. This journey towards modernization can usually be divided into four stages: expansion, connection, automation, and understanding.
Stage 1: Expansion
In the first stage, you begin increasing your sensor coverage through a standalone security application. After deciding to modernize, you start adding in new hardware, including high-resolution cameras and biometric readers.
Stage 2: Connection
Once you’ve increased sensor coverage, you’ll be looking for ways to augment your security with data from other systems. At this stage, you’re most likely looking to connect video surveillance and access control systems to increase the speed of access verification and investigation or bringing together video surveillance and communications to improve emergency response in public spaces.
Stage 3: Automation
Your security system is now being bombarded by massive amounts of data coming from the increase in sensors. As a result, you and your team may become overwhelmed because it’s not clear what data is important and actionable. At this stage, you’ll want to start automating repetitive day-to-day tasks to help operators focus on what really matters.
Stage 4: Understanding
With all this data being collected in the physical security system, you’ll want to start using the data to gather insights about operations and processes. This stage of modernization is no longer just about security. It’s about improving intelligence and business operations.
For most organizations, the journey towards modernization ends between stages 2 and 3.
This happens because organizations adopt an integrated approach instead of choosing unification. Unification enables the flow of data across all of your security and operational activities, empowering you to address the unique challenges in each stage of the journey.
Implementing a single software platform that offers a single interface to manage core security systems, such as access control, intercom, intrusion, and video devices, is crucial. But with the pace of innovation in the industry accelerating, the ability to bring in external sensors and data while maintaining a coherent, intuitive user experience is needed for true long-term sustainability.
According to a recent Genetec unification impact survey, 93% of organizations that moved to a unified platform saw a decrease in compatibility issues across their security system.
