Panasonic and Tyco Team i-Pro Video System with SyncSeer Platform

Oct. 19, 2006
Panasonic network video system to work with business decisions and IT integration software

Panasonic and Tyco issued a joint news release today announcing that Panasonics i-Pro video systems will be used with Tyco's SyncSeer system. The SyncSeer system itself is a partnership of Tyco Electronics and Versatile Electronics.

The i-Pro technology has been Panasonic's solution for a network video system; it includes a number of network cameras and recorders to meet changing business surveillance needs. From Tyco Electronics' security division, the SyncSeer system is a policy-based business decisions platform that can be used with a variety of business systems that deliver their data over the network. According to Bernard DeGree of Tyco Electronics, the SyncSeer system can be applied to such things as temperature sensors in a server room, or an IP camera system, a card access system and more.

The platform was developed by Versatile Systems, a software developer that had partnered with Tyco Electronics. It was initially designed as a system that could help manage business decisions for Tyco itself, but the company saw applications of the technology for other Fortune 500 types of companies, explained DeGree.

According to DeGree, the system is built with hooks, so it can work with a variety of common business systems. It also is designed to be an intermediary for the data coming in and out of the variety of IP-type system now being placed on a business network.

"It [SyncSeer] doesn't replace any of a company's UL-certified systems," said DeGree. "What we're finding with everything going IP-based to NVRs and network cameras is that it is starting to infringe on the IT world. And the IT people are giving some resistance to some of that migrating over to their world because you're dropping things onto their network without anti-virus protection or anything that would meet their standard procedures for data they bring in. I wouldn't call it a clash, but there's a situation of 'Facility vs. IT', especially as the technology is starting to come over into their world. So we developed this technology called SyncSeer to basically handshake the systems and to take the proper measures from an IT perspective that ensures that it is a protected device coming into the LAN."

Though Panasonic System Solutions President Frank DeFina was unavailable Thursday afternoon for comment on the partnership that would link his company's i-Pro video technology to Tyco's SyncSeer software system, he released a statement through the company's PR channels.

"Panasonic is pleased to be part of this innovative security solution that leverages the proven performance of our i-Pro Series of video surveillance products designed specifically for advanced networking applications," said DeFina. "We believe the SyncSeer system complements our vision for IP based systems on the enterprise level and look forward to working with Tyco Electronics and Versatile Systems to achieve shared business objectives."

Versatile Systems' president Bob Joyce billed the system as the kind that can encompass a variety of security platforms, serving as an over-platform that centralize operations.

"With an intelligent security solution, companies have a centralized management and monitoring solution and can establish business specific rules for information gathering and dissemination," said Joyce. "This solution will respond automatically to multiple triggers or events, allowing companies to react instantly when property and assets are compromised."