Blog

• Mass Notification Know How

  • July 22nd, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: Advancements, Applications, ARK Systems, audible notification, capability, commercial facilities, Communication, ECS, Effective, effectiveness, Emergency, emergency communications systems, emergency messages, emergency situations, Fire Alarm, fire alarm systems, Immediate, live-voice emergency messages, Mass Notification, mass notification systems, MNS, Notifications, Notify, Real-tine information, security, security field, Technology, Threats, UFC, Unified Facilities Criteria, visual notification, ways to improve communication

  The security field is always looking for ways to improve communication, especially in terms of mass notification systems (MNS). The Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) defines mass notification as “the capability to provide real-time information to all building occupants or personnel… Read More

• Top 7 Technology Trends

  • July 15th, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: Analytics, Analyze, Anaolog, ARK Systems, Bandwidth, cameras, Customer Service, Data, Data Storage, Developments, DVR, Edge Devices, Equipment, Evolving, Features, Hard Drives, HDcctv, high definition, High-tech, Images, Innovations, Integrated, IP, IP-based Systems, megapixel cameras, Network, Products, Recording, Scurity Systems, security, security field, Signals, Software, Sohpisticated, Storage, Surveillance, surveillance cameras, surveillance systems, Tech Trends, Technology, Top 7 Technology Trends, Traditional Security, Transmits, uncompressed video, VCR, Video, Video Alarm Verification, Video Management Software, Video Management Systems, Video surveillance, VMS

  Technology is always evolving. Because of this, it is very important to stay up to date on recent tech trends and developments, especially if you are in the video surveillance/security field. Video surveillance was introduced in the 1970’s with the… Read More

• Tech Spending on Rise

  • July 7th, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: Agencies, ARK Systems, Attacks, Chief Technology Officer, CIA, Companies, Computer, Computer Hackers, Corporate, Corporate Spending, Data, Data Breach, Educated, Education, FBI, Fox, Global Spending, Government, Government Agencies, Government Spending, Hacker Group, Hackers, Hardware, High Alert, High-profile, information, information technology, information technology security, LulzSec, New Hardware, Nintendo, PBS, security, Security Companies, Security Officials, Security Products, Services, Software, Sony, Spending, Spending on the Rise, Stole, Stole data, Tech Spending, Tech Spending on Rise, Technology, Websites

  Corporate and government spending on information technology security is quickly growing. Global spending on security products and services, which is currently around $55 billion in 2011, is projected to reach $71 billion by 2014, according to Lawrence Pingree, research director… Read More

• HD Surveillance Performance Improves as Demand Rises

  • July 1st, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: ARK Systems, Bandwidth, Bandwidth Consumption, CCD, CCD Imager, CMOS Imager, Column Correction, Column Correction Processing, Dark Current, Data, demand continues to increase, Demand Rises, HD, HD Performance, HD Surveillance, HD Surveillance Performance, HD Surveillance Performance Improves as Demand Rises, high definition, High-definition video, High-definition video surveillance, Image File Size, Improvements, IP, Low-light, Low-light operation, Manufacturers, maximize the benefits of HD, Megapixel Camera, Megapixel Imaging, megapixel technology, Performance, Performance Improves, Pixel Size, Processing, Read Noise, recording video surveillance data, security field, Storage, Surveillance Performance, Technologies, Viable Option, video storage hardware, Warm Environments

  As demand continues to increase for High-definition video surveillance, the security field also continues to improve upon HD performance, specifically in regards low-light operation and bandwidth consumption. This article from SecuritySales.com explains. One of these technologies that has seen drastic… Read More

• Putting Wireless to Work for You

  • June 23rd, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: Alternative Path, ARK Systems, automatically reconfigure, Budget, Business security, camera, card access, CCTV, Commercial security technology, Cost-effective, Emergency, emergency response, HD, Head-end, high definition, Homeland Security, Homeland Security Advisory System, Homeland Security Presidential Directive, infrared cameras, Internet Protocol, IP, Maryland, Putting Wireless to Work for You, Residential technology, secure facilities, secure IDs, security, security cameras, security personnel, security systems, Security Technology, Self-heal, Self-Healing, Signal Verification, Technology, Upgrade, Upgradeable, Upgrading, Wireless, Wireless business security, Wireless Security Camera, Wireless Security System, Wireless Technology

  In today’s economy, one thing is for certain; budgets are as tight as they have been in recent memory. But a small budget does not excuse the use of poor security technology. Because of this, wireless intrusion technology has become… Read More

• IP Video Builds on What you Know

  • June 16th, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: Analog, Analog/Digital Hybrid, ARK Systems, Bandwidth, camera, Cat-5e Infrastructure, CCD, CCTV, charge coupled devices, coax cable network, Coaxial Cable, Computer, De-interlaced, Department of Homeland Security, Digital Camera, Digital format, digital video, DVR, DVR Storage, Emergency, HD, high definition, Homeland Security, Homeland Security Advisory System, Image Degradation, infrared cameras, Interlaced, Internet Protocol, IP, IP camera, IP Integration, IP system, IP Video, IP Video Builds on What you Know, LAN, Maryland, Picture quality, Pixels, power-video-data, Progressive Scan, secure facilities, secure IDs, security, security cameras, Security Industry, Security Manager, security personnel, security systems, Surveillance, Surveillance Camera, Tansmission Medium, Technology, unshielded twisted pair (, UTP Cable, UTP Cabling, Video Streams

  Despite all the advantages that IP video lends to the security field, less than 15 percent of current video surveillance systems utilize this technology. Security managers are often leery to switch from a system, analog, that they are very comfortable… Read More

• Is Your Campus Ready for IP Video?

  • June 9th, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: access, access control, ARK Systems, biometric, biometric access, biometric ID, biometric identification, biometrics, Budget, camera, camera manufacturers, camera types, card access, CCTV, coaxial infrastructure, cost to maintain, Department of Homeland Security, economic, Emergency, emergency response, Expanding business, Expanding or contracting, fingerprint scans, HD, HDcctv, high definition, high quality video data, high threat risk, Homeland Security, Homeland Security Advisory System, Homeland Security Presidential Directive, How to, HSPD 12, HSPD 3, infrared cameras, Internet Protocol, Internet Protocol Video, IP, IP Video, iris scans, Is Your Campus Ready for IP Video?, Lease or own, lens, Lighting, Maryland, mass notification emergency communication, National Terrorism Advisory System, Ongoing costs, retinal scans, secure facilities, secure IDs, security, security cameras, security personnel, security systems, Size of building, smart business choice, smart card, smart cards, Stay or leave, surveillance technology, Technology, telephone access, Threat Advisory System, Threat Conditions, threat level, video equipment, video quality, What is

  Over the past eight years, surveillance technology options have gone from a few simple choices between camera manufacturers, camera types, lens and how many tapes were needed to more complex issues such as choosing between IP Video and HDcctv. And… Read More

• Building an ideal communication network

  • June 3rd, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: 9/11, access, access control, ARK Systems, Available Technologies, biometric, biometric access, biometric ID, biometric identification, biometrics, Budget, Budget concerns, Budget Limitations, Building an ideal communication network, camera, card access, CCTV, communication device, communication devices, communication goals, communication network, data interface capability, Department of Homeland Security, Emergency, emergency response, federal security standards?, fingerprint scans, HD, high definition, high threat risk, high-speed backbone, Homeland Security, Homeland Security Advisory System, Homeland Security Presidential Directive, HSPD 12, HSPD 3, Identify Goals, Identify Limitations, Identify needs, infrared cameras, Internet Protocol, IP, IP addressability, iris scans, Maryland, mass notification emergency communication, National Terrorism Advisory System, Research, retinal scans, secure facilities, secure IDs, security, security cameras, security personnel, security systems, smart card, smart cards, System deployment, System Design, System support, Technology, telephone access, Threat Advisory System, Threat Conditions, threat level

  If you are under the assumption that you can accomplish your communication goals and the ideal communication network with one product, you have been misled. In order to build a network that meets both your current and long term goals,… Read More

• Curbing False Alarms

  • May 27th, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: ARK Systems, central monitoring station, CMS, Convergence, Convergence in fire alarm technology, Cost of POTS, Curbing False Alarms, dispatching police officers to the scene, Emergency, emergency response, enhanced verification, equipment malfunctions, False Alarms, False Alram, falsely announced break-ins, Fire Alarm, Fire Alarm technology, Greater coordination required, Internet Protocol, IP, IP communicators, IP fire alarm communicators, IT infrastructure, Maryland, mass notification emergency communication, National Fire Protection Association's National Fire Alarm Code, NFPA 72, plain old telephone system, Potential savings, POTS, Power backup for IT components, primary means of communicating, primary means of communication, receiving station, Reduce operating costs, Remote diagnostics, Save money, Savings, secondary means of communication, secure facilities, security, security personnel, security systems, Service Calls, Technology, Understand IT standards and practices

  False alarms may not seem like a big deal. After all, a false alarm is better than an actual break in, right? Well yes and no. This article from SecuritySales.com explains just how disruptive false alarms can be. Of course… Read More

• Convergence in fire alarm technology

  • May 18th, 2011
  • Posted in Uncategorized
  • Tags: ARK Systems, Convergence, Convergence in fire alarm technology, Cost of POTS, Emergency, emergency response, Fire Alarm, Fire Alarm technology, Greater coordination required, Internet Protocol, IP, IP communicators, IP fire alarm communicators, IT infrastructure, Maryland, mass notification emergency communication, National Fire Protection Association's National Fire Alarm Code, NFPA 72, plain old telephone system, Potential savings, POTS, Power backup for IT components, primary means of communicating, primary means of communication, receiving station, Reduce operating costs, Remote diagnostics, Save money, Savings, secondary means of communication, secure facilities, security, security personnel, security systems, Service Calls, Technology, Understand IT standards and practices

  As the security industry quickly adopted the use of IT infrastructure and systems into its physical security, the fire alarm industry was much slower to grab on to the new concept of “convergence.” Code changes to the 2007 National Fire… Read More