27 April 2012 - Security Buyer Magazine

Commend to exhibit virtual software based intercom server at IFSEC 2012

Commend UK, leading Integrated Intercom solutions provider, will be exhibiting the first ‘virtual’ software-based Intercom Server at IFSEC International 2012 – a revolutionary addition to Commend’s Intercom 2.0 range, designed specifically to help customers with the latest IT infrastructure. Networks and their supporting IT infrastructure are becoming increasingly more complex and business critical. To keep IT operations manageable, many are opting to replace their hardware servers with ‘virtual’ software equivalents. In line with this trend Commend has devised one of the world’s first fully software-based Intercom Servers that allows the full functionality of its Intercom technology but in a ‘virtual’ environment as Greg Gregoriou, Managing Director of Commend UK, explains: “Software-based systems offer greater flexibility in terms of space, and can be more cost effective with lower operating costs and better usability,” he says. “Although ‘virtual’, they maintain all of the performance and reliability of their hardware equivalents, and with low operating costs the server should attract plenty of attention,” he adds. Commend will also be demonstrating its new generation visualisation software – ComWIN, which has been upgraded with an emphasis on greater ease of use, flexibility and cost effectiveness. ComWIM provides the front end to security and communications, allowing operators to stay informed and in charge of events, and providing insight so that they can react instantly should an emergency arise. The developments have largely come about in response to customer demand, as Rory Martin, ComWIN Development Specialist, explains: “In response to market demands, we have adapted ComWIN by understanding how people want to use it. This is why we have developed further features such as integrated video and greater animation to give them exactly what they want at a competitive price.” Commend will be demonstrating the wireless capabilities of its proven Intercom technology, which overcomes obstacles such as paved surfaces, or restrictions often encountered within challenging environments. When used with its intercom stations, the Wireless unit has no need for hard-wired data cabling meaning that indoor and outdoor Help Points and Emergency Call stations can be placed where people actually need them, rather than where cabling dictates, and without the need for expensive civil works. With a wireless range of 50 metres within buildings and up to 300 metres outside, the Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications (DECT) technology means that the transmission is both powerful and stable, providing high levels of speech quality and excellent 7 kHz Intercom audio quality. Contact www.commend.co.uk

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PROMISE to showcase its range of surveillance storage systems at IFSEC 2012

UK News Desk / Ghyslaine Cordrey

Highlights Include Integrated Solutions Combining New VessAPP Recording Appliances and Latest Generation VessRAID 2000 Storage Systems PROMISE Technology, Inc., a leader in providing high-performance storage solutions, will be showcasing an impressive range of surveillance storage systems and new storage appliances at IFSEC 2012, the largest annual security event in the UK, from May 14-17, 2012, at the National Exhibition Center in Birmingham, UK. Attendees of IFSEC 2012 will have the opportunity to experience a diverse array of integrated surveillance storage solutions showcased by PROMISE Technology, including the next generation VessRAID 2000 storage systems and new VessAPP storage appliances which together deliver a unified solution that is cost effective, extremely reliable and intuitive to manage, build and grow. The benefits of the integrated VessRAID 2000 and VessAPP solution that PROMISE will showcase include the field proven PROMISE RAID engine that provides reliable data protection which is vitally important since video surveillance is a 24/7, 365 non-stop data write activity to the mechanical hard disk drives. Additionally, installers and system integrators can access the PROMISE Surveillance Storage Calculator, an extremely valuable tool which helps estimate the storage capacity needed for installations and matches the results to PROMISE storage solutions for their deployment. “As a leader and pioneer in IP SAN storage, PROMISE foresees growth in this sector and is serving the market with proven, cutting edge storage solutions,” said John van den Elzen, Managing Director of PROMISE EMEA. “PROMISE is committed to providing innovative solutions to the video surveillance industry and is working closely with industry leading companies like Milestone Systems and AxxonSoft to deliver best-in-class solutions for small, midsize and large scale applications.” Contact www.promise.com

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Manchester businesses advised on the impact of Olympic events

Industry Sectors, Project News, Technology, UK News Desk / Ghyslaine Cordrey

Businesses in Manchester were given an exclusive insight into security planning for this summer’s large-scale city-centre events at the annual Manchester Security exhibition and seminar, which was held last week (18th April). Free to attend, the event welcomed a record number of over 250 delegates from local businesses including Morrisons, Selfridges and The Printworks, as well as public sector organisations Manchester City Council and the University of Manchester. Providing delegates with an overview of the security challenges faced by the city was a panel of expert speakers: Chief Superintendent Stuart Ellison and Superintendent Bryan Lawton from Greater Manchester Police, Ian Horseman-Sewell from G4S Major Events, and Inspector Sean Ferguson from ACPO and the Metropolitan Police’s Olympic and Paralympic Policing Coordination team. Trevor Elliott, Director of Manpower and Membership Services at the British Security Industry Association, opened the event alongside Greater Manchester Police Assistant Chief Constable, Garry Shewan, and Tony Morton, Chairman of the Manchester City Centre Crime Prevention Panel, and commented on the event: “2012 is an exciting and challenging year for businesses across the country, with the impact of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games being felt in towns and cities nationwide, including here in Manchester, and it’s essential for businesses to plan effectively to consider the implications of the large-scale events that are going to happen over the coming months.” Presenting on behalf of event sponsor, G4S, Ian Horseman-Sewell noted that the impact of the Games will be felt far wider than London, claiming that there are “very few organisations around the country that we’re providing security services to that aren’t in some way affected, even if it’s only in terms of moving goods and supplies around the country during the Games period.” Ian went on to say: “I’m really proud to say a lot of [the Olympic security] operation springs from the North West. Manchester is a particular centre of excellence based on many years of event-related work and partnerships with organisations such as the city council, the Police themselves and the private sector organisations here that are heavily involved in events.” Representatives from the Police gave a further insight into the security and public safety challenges faced in Manchester, and the preparation work that has gone into Olympic-related security planning, including community engagement and the mapping of crime patterns within key areas of the city. Exhibitors from a range of security providers were also on hand to showcase the wide array of products and services on the market to help individual companies put their own security plans in place, from electronic security measures to people-based guarding services. The event was organised by the BSIA in partnership with Greater Manchester Police, the Manchester City Centre Crime Prevention Panel, Greater Manchester Chamber and Manchester City Council. You can view video excerpts from the day’s presentations at http://www.youtube.com/thebsia Contact www.bsia.co.uk/events

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Digital Assurance launches new Digital Product Assurance service

UK News Desk / Ghyslaine Cordrey

Product Tests enable vendors to independently verify the security claims made by OEM suppliers Digital Assurance, the independent security assessment and information assurance consultancy, today announced the launch of its new Digital Product Assurance (DPA) service. DPA goes far beyond compliance and claims-based testing by subjecting digital products to aggressive real-world attacks. Suitable for hardware, software or hybrid digital systems, DPA provides a unique testing environment in which to independently validate or contest the security assertions made by OEM suppliers before committing to production. Stringent security tests emulate the types of attack the product might face when released on to the market and assess the competencies of proprietary O/S or DRM, making it the ideal testbed for high-end devices. Vendors who seek to brand OEM goods usually have to rely upon the supplier to make the necessary security checks and assurances yet it is the vendor’s brand, customer relations and market share which are detrimentally affected if these have been exaggerated. Any product breach is likely to cause serious reputational damage and can incur high legal costs as the company seeks redress from the supplier. DPA provides the means to independently verify the security of a digital product at a time when it is increasingly important to assess the security stature of a prototype before committing to production. Examples of products that stand to benefit from DPA include: •Access control systems and components •IP cameras and CCTV systems •Mobile and cordless phones •Set-top digital TV units and smart TVs •Games consoles •Intruder and fire alarm systems •SaaS offerings •Radio communications systems (voice and data) •Cashless vending systems •MFD printers •ANPR and traffic management equipment •Process control field equipment (buildings automation and SCADA equipment) Each DPA assessment is tailored to the product, the technology and its deployment environment and is designed to identify and expose potential security vulnerabilities. Other variables, such as the vendor’s business concerns from revenue protection, loss of reputation or legal implications can also be taken into account and factored into the comprehensive report which includes practical security enhancements on how to mitigate these risks. A DPA hardware test subjects the product to physical attack by attempting access via management ports, debugging headers and other externally presented interfaces before analysing internal elements such as the printed circuit boards and storage devices. In the case of radio-based products, proprietary Digital Assurance tools coupled with Software Defined Radio (SDR) are used to try and intercept or manipulate the device. Software-based products are deployed directly onto a virtualised testbed infrastructure which is capable of mimicking the anticipated deployment environment. In any of these scenarios, DPA permits far more comprehensive assessments than can be undertaken in customer production or pre-production environments. “DPA offers organisations at both ends of the supply chain the ability to identify and understand the risks and vulnerabilities in their products before going to market or committing to large scale deployments. Our team of testers can take these products apart and behave as a malicious user would, enabling the vendor to iron out discrepancies before the product comes to market,” said Phil Robinson, Director, Digital Assurance. “There are none of the repercussions associated with a product recall – the loss of consumer confidence, tarnished reputation or legal damages – and the vendor has gained an independent insight into the strengths and weaknesses of the product. Product pen testing has to be a prerequisite in what is now a cost and risk adverse market place.” Digital Assurance Consulting Limited is exhibiting at stand J60 at Infosecurity Europe 2012, the No. 1 industry event in Europe held on 24th – 26th April 2012 at the prestigious venue of Earl’s Court, London. The event provides an unrivalled free education programme, exhibitors showcasing new and emerging technologies and offering practical and professional expertise. Contact www.infosec.co.uk

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Entatech UK to distribute ZOTAC’s product range to UK customers

UK News Desk / Ghyslaine Cordrey

IT distributor Entatech UK Ltd has today announced their distribution partnership with ZOTAC, a manufacturer of graphics cards, mini ITX motherboards and small form factor barebones in a bid to further establish the brand in the UK market. The partnership will see Entatech distribute ZOTAC’s exciting product range to their customer base of over 3500 resellers and VARs throughout the UK. Channel Manager, Iain Gillogaley, commented on the new partnership “Our partnership with ZOTAC is extremely exciting for us. They are a number one NVIDIA brand and are market leaders for quality and specifications. Their products are perfectly suited to our business and our partnership with ZOTAC will increase choice for our customers, bringing high quality products to them for a reasonable price.” John Woodward, ZOTAC Regional Manager, Northern Europe said “The appointment of Enta signals an extremely important strategic move for ZOTAC UK in achieving our objectives. Enta have a wealth of experience and the partnership is significant to building our brand and driving future UK business.” ZOTAC products are now available from Entatech’s ecommerce website www.entaonline.com which has full information about each of their seven product divisions, a meet the team facility, express shopping, special offers, bundles and comprehensive account management facilities. Those who are not yet a customer of Entatech can find out more about the distributor at www.entatech.com Contact www.entatech.com

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CCTV Image – issue no.47 – Spring 2012

UK News Desk / Ghyslaine Cordrey

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Streit announce their intention to open a new office in London

UK News Desk / Ghyslaine Cordrey

Streit Group – the world’s largest privately-owned vehicle armouring company – will be announcing at Counter Terror Expo 2012 its intention to open a new office in London, this month (April), to act as a hub for its marketing and sales operations in the UK and the wider European market. The office, situated on London’s Victoria Street will initially have three staff, giving Streit Group an invaluable presence to drive the company’s planned expansion in the region. This move makes strategic sense for Streit Group given that it already sells a large number of customised armoured and up-armoured vehicles to companies headquartered in Europe, although currently these vehicles tend to be for deployment in hotspots outside of the region. The focus, moving forward, will be for the company to look beyond this to compete directly for European specific military, policing, private security and cash-in-transit business that will hopefully see Streit Group’s advanced armoured solutions operating on the ground across the region in the very near future. Traditionally, Streit Group’s core focus has been away from Europe. For instance the vehicle armouring company, whose roots are in the competitive North America market, has become a leading player in other key geographic areas such as the Middle East and Africa in a relatively short space of time. It is hoped that a similar level of success can be accomplished in the UK and Europe. A strong push for the London office, early on, will be to secure military vehicle contracts. This is a sector which, globally, Streit Group has moved into in a major way over the past two years. A fact underlined by the bringing to market of a number of APC platforms such as the Spartan, Cobra, Cougar and the large MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) Typhoon. Said Guerman Goutorov, Chairman of Streit Group: “We see the opening of a London office as an important stepping stone which gives us an invaluable face-to-face presence in the UK and European marketplace. Now we will be able to more readily discuss the requirements of prospective customers locally and also, crucially, gain a better understanding of the trends in what we see as a pivotal region for future expansion. “Certainly this is a mature market where a high level of vehicle protection is expected as standard, however we believe we are well equipped to deliver armouring on a par with, if not beyond, traditional suppliers thanks to our field-proven experience in major conflict zones, extensive R&D base, while maintaining an extremely competitive price point. Given the scale of the capabilities that Streit Group now has in place worldwide, with the recent opening of our largest facility yet in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which ramps up production capacity to an unprecedented level of 520 vehicles per month, we are geared up to rapidly fulfil orders for potential European buyers, whatever their specific requirements.” Contact www.armored-cars.com

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Streit Group showcase armoured vehicles at Counter Terror Expo

Event News / Ghyslaine Cordrey

Streit Group – the world’s largest privately-owned vehicle armouring company – is planning to spotlight its fast expanding range of up-armoured and armoured vehicles for personal protection, specialised transport and patrol, on stand I-19 during this year’s Counter Terror Expo event at Olympia, London. This will be the first time that Streit Group has exhibited at the event and reflects the growing strength and ambition of the business. A sign of the way that Streit Group has transformed itself to become a major player in the armoured vehicle field, is the fact that the company now operates nine major production plants in locations from South Carolina in the USA to a massive new facility in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – believed to be the largest armoured vehicle facility of its kind. Streit Group’s extensive manufacturing base is also supplemented by a network of nine satellite offices, the latest of which has just opened in London to service the UK and mainland Europe. The major focus for Streit Group, during Counter Terror Expo, will undoubtedly be the up-armoured solutions it is targeting at the private security sector and government agencies who are seeking to ensure the safety of their VIPs whilst on the move, especially when faced with a heightened terrorist threat. Alongside this, Streit Group will be taking the opportunity provided by the exhibition to stress the benefits of its latest range of Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), which the company believes are ideally suited to the off-road challenges of border protection and other mission-critical anti-terrorism duties. In addition, Streit Group is backing the prestigious CTSS (Counter Terrorism and Specialist Security) Awards, which are being run in parallel to the Counter Terror Expo event, through its sponsorship of the Armoured Vehicle, Support Vehicle and Emergency Vehicle of the Year category. Looking in more detail at the armoured vehicles that visitors can expect to see on Streit Group’s stand throughout Counter Terror Expo, the Spartan APC, introduced late last year, is proving to be an extremely attractive option for military (Ministry of Defence), Ministry of Interior and law enforcement customers. This multi-functional Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV), was created to bring together effective protection against ballistic assault, light mines and grenade blast scenarios, with a Streit developed body on an extremely manoeuvrable Ford F550 platform and 4×4 on demand. Alongside the Spartan, a number of other vehicles for Streit Group are to be shown at Counter Terror Expo including personal protection, luxury, SUVs that are able to transport their important passengers in comfort and safety. One example that will be on stand is the armoured Toyota Land Cruiser 200 Series. The Toyota’s outstanding reliability, and ability to move passengers securely over the most challenging of terrain, makes it an ideal solution for Streit Group to up-armour and offer to customers who need a vehicle solution to cope with extremely remote and inaccessible locations. Said Guerman Goutorov, Chairman of Streit Group: “We are excited to be able to demonstrate our leading edge armoured vehicle capabilities at Counter Terror Expo 2012 in what is a landmark year for us as we ramp up our production capacity and open new offices around the globe. When it comes to the counter terror arena, our success to date has been built very much on the ability to tailor vehicle solutions in line with the real challenges that customers face on the ground, carefully balancing the pressing need for a high level of protection with other considerations like mobility. Certainly it is critical that should the occupants of a vehicle be attacked they are not just safe from ballistic and other threats but, crucially, they can be driven out of harm’s way. With this in mind at Streit Group we place a strong emphasis on research and development, a focus which ensures that we are well placed to implement the lessons learnt from the thousands of vehicles our customers have deployed in the most testing of conflict zones over the past 20 years.” Contact www.armored-cars.com

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