STRENGTH IN
THE ALTERNATIVE:
What You Need to be Successful with Best
of Breed Solutions
By: Sarah Colson
When it comes to determining the best digital security
and surveillance solution, there is a lot of confusion
around best of breed solutions compared to commercial off the shelf / turnkey solutions.
We have seen something similar in the past with IP and analog technology.
Analog systems are built using a single supplier for all components in the system with little to no flexibility for options of specific usage needs. However, IP
based systems allow complete flexibility by selecting components from multiple suppliers and building a system off specific needs.
End users want to have the best solution and with the evolving market there
are various options everywhere you turn. Integrators want to be able to provide
the best solution the market has to offer, end users want to have a deployment
that meets their needs, and manufacturers want to ensure that their products
are the ones fulfilling these demands. But where do you turn to ensure you are
receiving the very best digital security and surveillance solution?
The Best of Breed Approach – What is it?
The benefits of having flexibility in building a surveillance system to end users is
extremely important, especially considering what may be best for one deployment may not be the best for another. This is where the idea of a best of breed
solution comes into play. Best of breed solutions are exactly what the name
states, the best solution available. What we mean by “best of breed” is having
the flexibility to choose the components of your system tailored for the specific
project. What may be best for one project may not be the best fit for another.
These types of solutions are able to be optimized for superior performance
based on that system’s application.
Seneca Data Distributors, Inc. | 7401 Round Pond Road | N. Syracuse, NY 13212 | p: 800.227.3432 | f: 315.433.0945 | www.senecadata.com
“End users want
to have the best
solution and with the
evolving market there
are various options
everywhere you turn.”
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Utilizing best of breed solutions allows a solution to be
built choosing the best components for each project,
meaning you are able to choose which cameras, video
management software, network video recorder, viewing
stations, and so forth. The components built in a best of
breed solution allows integrators to choose each component. This approach gives a wide range of options, allowing for more functionality and performance for each project. The best of breed approach enables the integration
experts to put together a leading solution with expertise
from multiple manufacturers.
What is the down side to this type of solution? Typically
purpose built solutions increase the total cost of the solution because of the customized approach coupled with
the complexity of multiple components. However, the best
of breed approach adds multiple features and enhances
functionality for your specific project, tailoring a solution
will become a long term investment and is by far worth the
extra money in order to receive the best solution for each
project. This type of solution also allows components to
be updated to take advantage of new features and functionality without having to replace the entire system.
How and Why Purpose Built Works
If you look at many companies in the digital security and
surveillance space you notice that these companies focus
on a single component of the installation, allowing for expertise in that field. This makes a best of breed solution
so powerful with increased flexibility, features, and performance. Integrators use the best of breed approach to pull
all of these components together to create a solution that
is ideal for their specific opportunity.
Examples of component expertise include camera manufacturers, video management software, and hardware
manufacturers. Camera manufacturers focus on creating
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the best IP and analog camera available in the market today. These cameras range from high end to low end with
features and benefits to match. Developing a wide range
of camera allows camera manufacturers be certain to have
a solution to match every customer’s unique need(s). The
similar situation is true for video management software platforms and hardware manufacturers. VMS companies specialize in designing features and interfaces for multiple uses
that an end user needs to execute their digital security and
surveillance solution. Hardware manufacturers spend a lot
of time of ensuring their hardware solution has the proper
amount of storage with optimization on all system components to meet the demand in the surveillance market.
Today digital security and surveillance solutions need to be
carefully tailored to unique markets such as retail and transportation. A good application for a best of breed approach
would be a project that requires high megapixel cameras
to capture both high and low lighted areas with only a few
features from the VMS, where another application needs
enhanced VMS capabilities with a large amount of storage.
The same solution would not benefit both projects. Best
of breed solutions allows a greater selection for end users
and integrators to have multiple options in designing a system that is the “best” solution for that project without over
specifying a system.
Hardware Perspective: The Importance of Compatibility
Creating a best of breed solution will enhance the longevity
of your security and surveillance solution but only if it is done
correctly. Having all the best components will be pointless
unless they all work together. Having the best solution for
your project is important however you need to ensure the
components have compatibility with each other. The integration of all the components to work together can be done with
a good security and surveillance system builder.
Digital security and surveillance hardware system builders are able to test all
the components of a best of breed solution to ensure compatibility with each
other. Certified engineers are able to take all of these components to test
and optimize the entire solution to work together. Without proper testing and
optimization, the best of breed solution could be incompatible and result in
constant failures for the end user. The benefits of having a good system builder
are endless, but ensuring proper testing and compatibility of the solution is essential for the success of every security integration and deployment.
“Today digital security
and surveillance
solutions need to
be carefully tailored
to unique markets
such as retail and
transportation.”
Mixing and matching compatible products from multiple vendors (cameras,
software, storage, networking, etc.) allows for a wider selection of surveillance
solutions. Choosing a security and surveillance system builder is not always
easy to find. To ensure the proper use of best of breed solutions, make sure to
pay close attention to the longevity of the system builder and their partnerships. Partnerships are going to be key in utilizing best of breed solutions properly. Lasting partnerships allow system builders to offer the best solutions with
greater availability with competitive pricing. Valuable partnerships with component manufacturers and technology leaders allow system builders to build
original, custom, and quality solutions. Benefits include co-engineering with industry leaders to ensure complete compatibility of the security and surveillance
system, as well as additional capabilities and expertise. System builders who
design and test best of breed solutions have a complete security and surveillance ecosystem of partners to deliver these types of solutions to integrators
nationwide. In addition to creating best of breed components, pay close attention to logistic partnerships, these partnerships allow system builders to have a
higher availability to parts and competitive pricing structures.
Why Choose Best of breed Surveillance Solutions
End users rely on integrators to pull together the best solution for each opportunity based on their project’s scope and application. Best of breed solutions
allow end users to have great flexibility, multiple options, and tailored systems
for the usage.
Best of breed solutions increase support for end user by providing a single point
of contact, simplifying and reducing the hassle of fixing any issues with their
security and surveillance solution. The flexibility of the system builder is essential for a true best of breed solution, supporting multiple vendors with valuable
partnerships to make all of the components work together. Typical best of breed
solutions are found in Tier 2 system builders with the capabilities of supporting
multiple markets with connections to industry leading system components.
Best of breed solutions are ideal for lasting digital security and surveillance solutions for guaranteed system integrations and deployments. These solutions
are a great investment and allow security systems to support future technologies with easy replacement and upgrades to support the technology curve and
end user’s needs. Best of breed solutions are by far worth the investment and
fit into where the industry is headed.
Learn more at www.senecadata.com »
Seneca Data Distributors, Inc. | 7401 Round Pond Road | N. Syracuse, NY 13212 | p: 800.227.3432 | f: 315.433.0945 | www.senecadata.com
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