Senior Security Professionals Indicate Complexity of Today’s Security Environments and Movement Towards Centralised Security
Birmingham, UK – IFSEC International 2012 ─ May 14, 2012 ─ VidSys, the leading provider of Physical Security Information Management (PSIM) software that allows organisations to resolve business and security situations in real time, is previewing findings from its first annual UK Safety and Security Survey at IFSEC International 2012.
The survey of senior level IT and physical security professionals from both public and private organisations reveals that while a majority of organisations have complex safety and security environments, anticipated investments and strategies will lead to more centralised security over the next 12 – 18 months.
Highlights from the Research
UK Organisations Face Complex Safety and Security Environments:
UK organisations in both the private and public sectors have complex safety and security environments composed of multiple technologies from numerous vendors.
- 98 percent of organisations are using security systems and devices from two or more different manufacturers. 59 percent leverage technology from at least six different manufacturers.
- The majority of respondents (52 percent) manage security through multiple, distributed locations and 59 percent coordinate security response with at least one other agency or organisation.
The PSIM Market Is Gaining Traction in the UK:
While the PSIM market is still emerging in the UK, organisations are increasingly seeking technology that can integrate and analyse information from their disparate physical security devices and systems in to one common view. Additionally, they are looking for systems that can present instructions for how to resolve the situation in real time, minimize risk and reduce operational cost – key capabilities and benefits of a PSIM solution. According to the survey:
- 72 percent state that having technology that can sort through a vast stream of device and system data to identify and prioritise situations in real time is important.
- 77 percent say the ability to instantly place instructions, information and tools in the hands of first responders is important.
- 82 percent state that the ability to have a proactive risk-focused approach that ensures greater overall safety and security with a common operating view is important.
- The desire to reduce operational costs is the biggest driver of security plans in the next 12 – 18 months.
UK Organisations are Poised to Move along the Security and Technology Maturity Continuum:
The security and technology maturity continuum, as defined by VidSys in its First Annual Safety and Security Survey conducted in the U.S., charts where organisations fall in terms of their approach to managing security situations. The continuum begins on one end with a single vendor environment, where security management is tactical and transaction-driven. It evolves to an ecosystem that provides one complete view of situations across multiple organisations, where organisations take a pro-active, strategic risk driven approach to safety and security. While the majority of UK organisations fall towards the beginning of the spectrum, many are poised to move along the continuum as they seek to overcome existing operational and technology obstacles.
- Almost one quarter of respondents (23 percent) plan to invest in PSIM technology in the next 12 – 18 months.
- More organisations anticipate moving towards having one view of events, one view of situations within the organisation and one view of situations across multiple groups.
“As organisations grapple with complex environments, technology that enables them to better manage security and safety situations while reducing operating costs become increasingly important,” said Darren Chalmers-Stevens, vice president, EMEA operations, VidSys. “We are therefore not surprised to see the PSIM market growth reported by our respondents. We anticipate continued market momentum over the next 18 months as public and private organisations seek to reduce risk.”
About the 2012 UK Safety and Security Survey
The 2012 UK Safety and Security Survey is designed to provide insight into the security concerns and buying patterns of private and public agencies throughout the UK. Sponsored by VidSys, the survey was conducted from late April through early May via Zoomerang, an online survey services provider, and is based on 61 respondents (82% private sector, 18% public sector). A Research Brief providing detailed information on the findings will be available in June 2012.
Editor’s Note: To sign up to receive the full copy of 2012 UK Safety and Security Survey results when it becomes available, please contact VidSysMarketing@vidsys.com or visit VidSys in Sony’s booth, Hall 4 Stand J10 to sign up.
