The wave of data pouring through corporate networks is surging into tsunami-like proportions as organizations seek information from connected IoT devices in order to securely generate new streams of insight and analysis. But rather than creating isolated pools of IoT data, enterprises are increasingly combining these data assets into smart spaces that deliver multiple benefits across various business units.
This is happening simultaneously with the ongoing convergence of physical security and cybersecurity solutions and roles. Once distinct entities and operations, many enterprises are unifying these two operational functions to protect and differentiate themselves.
Businesses are building these strategies atop the cloud investments they made to enable secure remote work over the last two years. Now, as the world transitions to hybrid workplaces, they’re finding additional uses for cloud architectures.
Indeed, IoT is helping drive demand for cloud-based physical security—especially access-control-as-a-service and video-surveillance-as-a-service—along with AI-based video analysis, according to a recent report by Swedish smart-building research firm Meemori. Overall, demand for video surveillance products will stay healthy, with global sales projected to reach $31.5 billion in 2026, compared with about $21.7 billion in 2021.
Seeking Cyber Safety
Cameras cannot protect data and networks; in fact, when improperly managed, cameras can become a network security risk. The cost of inadequate or poorly managed cybersecurity is high and growing. Cybercrime costs could reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, a 15% uptick from $3 trillion in 2015, predicts Cybersecurity Ventures.
One step that prevents data theft and loss is patching software whenever updates become available, a time-consuming and error-prone process if done manually. Automating software updates and other processes wherever possible is a best practice, one that becomes simple in cloud environments.
A centralized dashboard featuring unified threat management and advanced analytics—where integrators or customers can manage security—streamlines and accelerates processes, boosts protection and reduces IT strain.
Powering Up With Partners
Whether they manage their network, sensors, and/or video surveillance internally or through a partner, numerous organizations are turning to trusted advisors for help designing, deploying, and supporting smart spaces. These customers want benefits such as improved physical and cybersecurity, enhanced employee and customer experiences, increased productivity, reduced power consumption and costs, expanded adherence to sustainability initiatives, and more effective staffing.
Positive impacts like these generate more investment: IoT could spark global value of between $5.5 trillion and $12.6 trillion by 2030, McKinsey estimated. This economic value encompasses the gamut of situations, from restricted areas and outdoor arenas to consumers, retail customers, hospitals, and homes. Furthermore, offices will account for between $240 billion to $500 billion and outdoor areas will generate $400 billion to $930 billion.
While this is an estimate, whatever the eventual total really adds up to, there is little doubt integrators will have many opportunities to design, deploy, and support smart spaces. So what are some of the steps channel businesses can take to enter this arena and provide customers with secure, scalable solutions? What are some of the benefits integrators and their customers can expect? And how can value-added partners avoid potential pitfalls as they help customers leverage these solutions?
Pouring the Foundation
The answer begins, as it so often does these days, in the cloud. And while adoption of this architecture has steadily grown, it’s skyrocketed in recent times, said Michael Warrilow, Research Vice President at Gartner.
In 2022, global cloud revenue will be $474 billion compared with $408 billion only a year ago, according to Gallup, and by 2025, more than 85% of organizations will adopt a cloud-first philosophy.
“In 2022, more than $1.3 trillion in enterprise IT spending is at stake from the shift to cloud, growing to almost $1.8 trillion in 2025,” Gartner wrote.
Network security is another key component of this foundation. Once again, a cloud-based solution can help.
The convergence of cloud-native security functions, such as secure web gateways, cloud access security brokers, firewalls, and zero-trust network access, with connectivity solutions like VPNs and SD-WAN forms SASE or secure access service edge. Dubbed by Gartner as the “fastest growth opportunity in the networking and network security market,” SASE secures the anytime, anywhere access requirements of users and devices, including smart spaces.
In fact, this year SASE spending will reach $6.8 billion, compared with $4.8 billion in 2021, according to Gartner. More than 50% of organizations will have explicit plans to deploy SASE by 2025, versus less than 5% in 2020.
Smartening Up These Spaces
By adding smart cameras and sensors to their networks, enterprises can practically see inside their walls to improve productivity and enhance experiences; safeguard people, places, and things; meet or exceed sustainability goals; create new revenue streams; and more.
Bossa Nova, known for its advanced robotics (and appearance in a Super Bowl ad this year), sometimes suffered heat-induced IT hardware failures in the summer when temperature and humidity rose. To protect expensive equipment and avoid even more costly downtime, the company installed sensors in critical areas, such as IT closets and robot-charging areas. IT staff monitor the sensors wherever they are in real time via the same dashboard they use to oversee the network. The sensors also send alerts if they discover changes in temperature or humidity.
There are additional benefits, too. A Forrester Research report cited one vendor’s sensor as being directly or indirectly responsible for savings in technology and business concerns such as downtime, energy costs, installation, IT maintenance, and insurance, plus increased lifespan of equipment, including IT.
Similarly, organizations leverage smart cameras that are viewable and managed on the network-management dashboard for multiple purposes. In office environments, companies use them for hot-desk and conference room scheduling and monitoring room temperatures to ensure a more comfortable environment for employees and guests. In concert arenas and university settings, IT or facilities departments use smart cameras for heat mapping to prevent overcrowding, thereby avoiding fire or occupancy limits.
Security professionals overseeing restricted spaces like server rooms or executive offices manage compliance, optimizing built-in analytics, machine learning, and identity-based rules within wireless access points to track those who enter the area. Smart cameras’ granular search eliminates costly, time-consuming manual quests for recorded problems, and sensors that integrate environmental and video alerts provide a seamless support experience.
Community of Choice
When businesses select a platform-based, cloud-first solution, they also open the door to an ecosystem of complementary applications for horizontal and vertical uses. This marketplace of partners uses APIs to provide applications that offer insight into occupancy and the flow of people in and around buildings, as well as custom splash pages, building management systems, and wireless private networks, among other programs.
A deluge of opportunity has arrived but there’s no rain in the forecast—just lots of sunshine ahead for smart spaces and those prepared for the weather ahead.
