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Convergence Q&A
Benchmarking ConvergenceThe Latest from SIW
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This month marks the two-year anniversary of the “Convergence Q&A” column. During that time, many organizations have begun convergence initiatives, and a new kind of question has popped up in reader e-mail and security conference discussions.
At first, the questions were along the line of “Have any companies tried…” or “Has anyone been involved in…” when it came to convergence topics. This column was born out of those questions, with the purpose of sharing information about what security practitioners have been doing, what they have found successful and what lessons they have learned.
During this column’s existence, many companies have executed convergence initiatives of one type or another. Surveys at security conferences and workshops reveal that more than half of the security practitioner attendees have engaged in earnest dialog with IT departments about one aspect or another of electronic security systems deployment. Thus, it should be no surprise that a growing percentage of questions begin with a new phrase: “How many companies are...?”
On the whole, security practitioners want to know “where they stand” in relation to what their peers are doing with convergence initiatives.
In response, Security Technology & Design and SecurityInfoWatch.com will launch a new online convergence benchmarking feature starting in July. Each month, we will provide two or three questions on a convergence topic of interest that can be answered online in just a minute or two. We’ll publish the results in this column.
When you have a question about where your peers stand on a particular convergence issue, you will be able to submit your question and see the responses! We’ll also be able to present related information in the column, to further explore the topic. Please consult the July edition of this column for the specific Web page to visit to participate in the benchmarking study.
Note: Our upcoming benchmarking initiative has the potential to provide previously unavailable insights into convergence progress and activities. Would you be interested in receiving the benchmarking results by e-mail, in advance of print publication? Let us know. We’re considering providing early feedback to readers who participate in our initiatives.
