Much More Than a Wing and Prayer

Jan. 27, 2009

Seems like only yesterday I was boxing up the remnants of the 2007 holidays, but here they come again. For SD&I magazine, it’s been 30-plus years of those holidays and we’ve logged some impressive milestones in 2008 alone. We fine-tuned the publication, renamed it Security Dealer & Integrator and appointed an editorial advisory board. We partnered with ESX for the inaugural show and look forward to June in Baltimore. We’re moving with the market, hitting on the hottest trends, including but not limited to wireless, remote connectivity, Web applications, IP cameras, UTP, Wi-Fi and IP access control, mass notification, fire, environmental sensing and more. We’ve all been affected by the economic downturn no doubt. But the security industry has staying power if it makes the right moves. Security dealers and integrators have to climb out of the ‘box’ mentality and forget about the business as components and hardware only. They have to take the next logical step and get versed in connectivity, networking and computer programming, whether it’s in house or subcontracted. Everything in the world is becoming remotely accessible and that’s where we have to set our sights. This issue chronicles our endeavors to think outside the box for our readers. Our network expert Tom Galvin reveals the plain truth about H.264 compression starting on page 28 and our cover focus on CRI Solutions, page 32 is the perfect example of the future of the security industry. CRI Solutions is an IT centric company that provides integrated security and logical information management solutions to USDA and other high-profile government customers. See page 72 for a twist on the roundtable, this time a symposium on all-time industry highlights during the last 30 years. And don’t forget Assistant Editor Natalia Kosk’s Outlook 2038, starting on page 67. She’s tapped some of the most well-known companies in the industry. There’s also SECURITY Technician™ tucked in on page 67 as well, with lots of data and specs for all you techies out there.
We urge you to patronize and support the manufacturers in this issue and in the industry. They can and are happy to help you specify systems. This industry isn’t recession-proof, but it’s got what it takes to make a good go of it in 2009 and beyond. Thank you for your continued support of SD&I magazine and Happy New Year.

Editor’s note: If you haven’t done so already, please go to http://securitywagesurvey.questionpro.com/ to help our efforts with NBFAA in collecting data for the first ever “2008 Electronic Security Industry Wage Survey.” This anonymous survey is designed for employees and employers from security and fire systems installing, monitoring and servicing companies. Results will be published in 2009.

Editorial Advisory Board Members
George P. Gunning, USA Alarm Systems Inc.
Michael Horgan, H&S Protection Systems Inc.
Alan Kruglak, Genesis Security Systems LLC
Mickey Lavery, I2C Technologies
Richard A. Penney, VISCOM Systems
Adam C. Thermos LL.B., MA, Ph.D., Strategic Technology Group