Elevating Security

A modern workplace and community hub that delivers to the tenants

By Paul Smith

Willis Tower, an iconic symbol in Chicago for more than 50 years, has undergone significant transformations to become a modern workplace and community hub that delivers the best experiences for its tenants, area residents and visitors. Originally known as Sears Tower, it was renamed Willis Tower after a change in ownership in 2009.

Making Safety and Security Intrinsic to School Design

By Ron Boezwinkle, Jason Russell

Public anxieties about school safety are escalating across the country. According to a 2023 Gallup report, 44% of parents fear for their child’s physical safety at school, a 10 percentage-point increase since 2019. Unfortunately, these fears are likely to increase if the incidence of school tragedies continues to mount. As a result, school leaders are now charged with two non-negotiable responsibilities. The first, as always, is to ensure kids have what they need to learn, grow, and thrive. Sadly, their second responsibility is to keep the children in their care safe from threats and physical danger.

The Power of a Layered Approach to Safety

By Ken Cook

In a perfect world, every school would have an unlimited budget to help secure their schools. In reality, schools must prioritize what budget they have while navigating the complexities surrounding school security and lockdown.

Protecting Data is Critical

Physical security and cybersecurity converge

To say that the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a part of everyday life would be a dramatic understatement. At this point, you would be hard-pressed to find an electronic device that is not connected to the internet.

Mobile Access Adoption

Mobile wallets accelerate across a growing range of applications

By Sanjit Bardhan

Smartphones and other mobile devices have had a profound impact on how the world securely accesses the workplace and its services. The growing adoption of mobile wallets and the new generation of users is compounding this effect.

Changing Mindsets

Network devices have become smart enough today to discover themselves

By Adam Lowenstein

We have come a long way from the early days of fuzzy analog CCTV systems. During that time, we have had to migrate from analog to digital signals. When IP-based network cameras arrived, they opened a new world of quality and connectivity but also introduced plenty of challenges. Thankfully, network devices today have become smart enough to discover themselves and even self-configure to some degree. While some IT expertise is certainly required, things are much smoother these days. The biggest change is in how fast security cameras and supporting infrastructure are evolving.

Digital Access in the Workplace

By Lester LaPierre

It is simple to set up a unified, robust access control solution for one tenant leasing one building. It is even easier if the tenant owns the property. But what is involved when multiple companies lease space in a building? And what about companies that have multiple buildings in the same city or locations across various regions in the country and the world?

Cloud and Hybrid Adoption on the Rise

By Kris Houle

The physical security industry is experiencing a time of great transformation. Cloud connectivity is accelerating, and more organizations are choosing to blend on-premises and cloud-based solutions. This transformation is affecting all aspects of security, including access control. In the Genetec annual State of Physical Security Survey, it was access control that topped the list of new technologies end-users planned to focus on in 2024.

In The Clouds

Six top security integrators talk about why their customers are moving to cloud video surveillance

By Ken Francis

Video data storage in the cloud was a novel concept when Dean Drako founded Eagle Eye Networks back in 2012. While cloud was being used for almost all other business systems at that time, the physical security industry took a cautious and measured approach to cloud adoption.