Vast improvements in video surveillance technology have led to a major increase in the number and types of cameras supported by video management systems. The increase in cameras has led to an explosion in the amount of available video data, and this influx of video has made it nearly impossible for security departments to efficiently process seemingly endless hours of video. More security managers are asking how they can improve investigations and monitoring without spending countless hours trying to find what they need.

Our series with Paul Boucherle, principal at Matterhorn Consulting LLC., aka the Swiss Sherpa, continues here with part 6! Paul will be providing lessons to help system integrators climb their sales mountains. If you missed Lesson #5: Bring the right equipment for Base Camp II, you can read it here.

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Lesson #6: Planning Your Summit Assault.

Last month, you learned some guidelines as to what equipment you should bring to Base Camp II. As you ascend the Sales Mountain, you will have to consider the summit assault plan and part of that plan is knowing the "terrain" you’re going to be playing in. Let’s say your terrain is the retail vertical market segment and professional Loss Prevention (LP) management, what is your plan?

They say we don’t have much change of the seasons here in California, but retailers can tell you differently. No sooner do the kids get out of school, than it’s “Back to School” season, following by “Fall Shopping,” “Halloween Shopping,” and finally – wait for it – “Holiday Season,” where retailers realize as much as 40% of their annual revenues! Given the high stakes involved, retailers put great emphasis on, and planning into, their holiday season preparation.

Did you know that overheating may lead to the premature failure of your security network video recorder? Improper cooling and ventilation could affect all the components of your hybrid or network video recorder (HVR/NVR), from video cards to the main processor.

As temperatures increase with the onset of summer, security and IT managers should watch out for heat and other environmental conditions to maintain their security HVRs/NVRs in mint condition. Longterm exposure to heat, dust and even vibration will affect the proper operation of your recording devices. Make sure to add health monitoring software that will alert you when a component is out of operating specification. This software is typically included with advanced HVRs/NVRs.

To ensure long-lasting performance, download this free infographic to learn other ways you can optimize your HVR/NVR’s operating environment and protect your investment today.

We are currently working with a large restaurant chain to upgrade more than 100 locations running 3VR video security systems to the latest version of our VisionPoint™ VMS 7.2.2. The Enterprise Server is one of the pieces of the security software the chain has deployed.

We recently launched our VisionPoint video management software-only solution, which includes our Enterprise Server. The solution enables our users to install the enterprise security software on their own hardware. This is a great option for those customers that have a large network/server deployment and an existing relationship with a server hardware vendor. The appliance version of the Enterprise Server remains available for customers who prefer to use a plug-and-play solution that does not require software installation and hardware requisition.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the victims of the tornado that swept the town of Moore, Oklahoma, on May 20, 2013. Just over a month after the Boston marathon bombings, people all around the nation watched as one of the worst tornadoes in history ravaged Oklahoma. Entire buildings and homes are reduced to a bleak landscape of scraps while forlorn residents scramble about piled up debris, looking for loved ones and what’s left of the lives they knew. Such images of the devastation tug at the heartstrings and the goodhearted readily give up hard-earned dollars, hoping that their monetary contributions will go a long way into the rescue and relief of victims.

How times have changed.

And yet they have not. The security/loss prevention industry has been using video as an investigative tool for decades. Back when I was Vice President of Loss Prevention for Lord and Taylor about 20 years ago, cameras were used extensively to apprehend shoplifters and dishonest employees.

3VR and our VisionPoint™ family have been featured in American Banker. We are excited about the positive responses we’ve received so far for our video management software suite, especially at ISC West 2013 last month. ISC West attendees were able to witness our powerful Forensic Search feature on 3VR’s intuitive user interface, and just how easy it is to search mountains of video footage for the information they need with the click of a mouse.

When buying a new car a decade ago, I had to decide whether or not to get the GPS option. Since I had never used one before, I wasn’t sure I would need it. Plus, it seemed like a lot of money to spend at the time. Flashing forward to today, I’m not sure how I ever lived without it! Making an investment in technology that will pay off down the road will prove to be one of the smartest decisions you will make.

Investing in Technology

In anticipation of the Tyco IS Annual Electronic Security Products Expo happening this week, let me share with you how Mary Lownes of Tyco helped her customer lay the foundation for success. How? By working with her retail customer to invest in technology that would further their success. A luxury watch retailer had analog DVRs with hard drives that were burning up and provided only analog video. The retailer also wasn’t able to leverage its existing system for much else. They needed help fast!