Security Integrator IT Expertise Statistics

Published Dec 07, 2017 16:44 PM

20 years ago, putting physical security systems on IP networks was just emerging. Today, almost every system is networked in some way, IP cameras are the most common choice and the clear majority of video surveillance systems allow for remote network access.

Certainly, the systems have changed. But how about the integrators who design, install and maintain those networked security systems? What experience, education or certifications do they have? In this report, we answer this question based on 150+ integrator responses.

Summary - **** **** ******

**** *********** **** ****** ***** ** skills ******* ** *** *** ******** or ****-********, **** * ***** ** **** reporting ******** ********** ** ******** **** ****** ********* through ******** ** ******* ********. *******, **** integrators *** ** *** **** ******* in ** **** *** ** **** certifications ** **** ** ***** ****-****** status.

Informal ********

******** *** ****** **** ****, ****** through ** *** *** ********, ** self-learning ******* ******* *** ******** ********, was * ****** *****. ** *** job ******** *** *** **** ****** approach, ******** ********* ********** ** ******* company ********.

  • "****. *** ** *** *** ********."
  • "***** ** *** * *** ****** the **** ******* ****** *** **** learned **** ** ** *** ***."
  • "**** ********** *** ******* ******** ******** courses"
  • "** ************** *** **+ ***** ** hands-on **********."
  • "** ******** ********** ** **, ******* OTJ *** ******* **** *****. (********* IPVM ******!)"
  • "* **** *** ****** *** **** on ** ********* *** ***** ***** on ********* ********. * ** **** to ****** ***** ** ****** ***** systems ******* **** **********. *** ****** come **** ********** - **** *** misses ** *****."
  • "******* ******** ** *********"
  • "********* ********** **** *****"
  • "* **** ****** ** *** ** industry *** ****** ** *****. * have ************** ** *** ** ******. My ******* ********* ** ** **********."
  • "**** ** ***** ** ********** *** classes."
  • "****. * **** **** *********** ********* over *** ***** ** ******* **** networked ******** ********. *******, * ** hire ***** **** ******** ************** ** fortify *** *********."
  • "******* * *** *** ******** ****** at ** * ******** ****, * was *** ** ***** ** ***, so * *** ** ***** ** the ***."
  • "**********. *'** **** ** ********** *** 23 ***** *** **** ******** * great **** ** ********* **** *** smart ** ****** *'* ********* ** interact ****."
  • "****** ** *** *** ********** - learning **** ********."
  • "*** *** **** **** *'** ******* in ** ** ***** ** *** business."
  • "**** ********** **** *** *****."
  • "**-***-***-********. ********** *********, ****-******."

******* *********** ***** ****-********, ****** *********** to ***** ********** ****** ******* ******** interests, some ***** ******* ** ******* *****.

  • "**** *******"
  • "**** ********* **** ********** ******"
  • "**** ******** - **** ****** ** working **** ******* ******* **** ** Crestron *** ******** ** **** ** AV *** ************."
  • "** ** * ***** ***** *******, we ***** *** ***** ********* ***** internet **** *** *******. ***** **** i ******* ** **** ***** *** wireless ********** ******."
  • "*********. ***** ** *****/******** **********, ************ electrical ********."
  • "**** **** ********, ** ****** ********."
  • "* **** * *******/************** ********** *** have **** ****** ***** ** ****** along *** ***"
  • "* **** * ******** ***** ****** on ******** *** **** ** **** learned *** * ** ******** ********* techs."
  • "**** ****** *** ** *** ***. Never ****** ******** ************* ** **** CLI *** ** ********** ******."
  • "**** ** **** ********* *** *'** been ********** ******** *** ** *****."
  • "**** ******** ***** *** ******* ** tinkering"
  • "** *** + **********. * *** of ******* *** **** *********. ******* various ********** (*** ******) ******** *******."

Formal *********

**** *********** ***** ****** ******** ** IT ** **-******* ***** ** *****, achieving ******* ******* **** ***** ********. Advanced ******* ** ** ***** ** study **** ****** *********** ***** ***********.

  • "*** **************, ** ********, *+ *************, AAS ** ******** *********** *******"
  • "********* *** "********** ************* ** ******** Information **********"
  • "*** ***** ********** ****** ** **** of ** ******* ****** ** ***********."
  • "** **** ****** ******* * ***** CCNA ***** ***** ***** **** * took ** ****** *** ****** ****(****-****). Took *** ****** ** *** *** the ***** ****. * **** **** were ******* ***** *** ** ****** me *** ******* **** * *** into *** ******** **** ** ****."
  • "****** ** ******* ** **, ******** job *** ** ******* ********."
  • "********* ****** ** ** ******* *** security"
  • "* **** ** ****** *** *********** engineering *** *** * *** ******** classes *** *** ***** ***** *****. Most ** **** * **** * have **********, ****** ******** ***** ****, and ************ ********* ** ** ******. My **** ******** ** ***************. **** of ** **** ******* ** ***** self-employed. ** ******** **** *****’* ******* to **. ***** *********** *** ** first *******, *** * ***** * need *** *******."
  • "****** ** **, ***** ** **** Center ******* *** ******* *****, ******* and ***** ****** *** *********** **************, RCDD."
  • "********* ** ******** ******* (**********), ****, A+, ***+, ****, *******, *********."
  • "* **** ****** ********* ** ** and **** ****** ** *** ******* department ***** ********* ******."
  • "* **** * ** ****** ** Computer *********** *******, *+ ********* *** been ******* ********* *** ***** ********. I **** ****** ** *** ** industry ** *** **** ** * central ******* *********** *** ***** *** RS5000 *******." 

**************

** *** ********* *** ******* ******* degrees ** ****** ********, ******* */* did **** ******* * ** **** certifications.******* *+*** ***** ************** **** *** **** commonly *****.

  • "********* *** ************ *** ***** ****"
  • "**** ****** - ********"
  • "****, ****, ***, * ** ******** I.T. ****** *********** (****** *'* ********* capable ** ********* ** ****, ****, PowerShell, ***.), **** *******, ******* **************, security *********** *** ********, ***** *** Industrial **********, *** ****."
  • "***** *********"
  • "******* ************* *** * *** ***** before ******** *** *******. ********* ********* IT, ******* *+"
  • "** ***** ********** **** ****"
  • "******* *+, **** ********, (*****)."
  • "*******+, *+, ********* ** ******** *************"
  • "* ******* ** ** ** ***** ago ** * ***** ******* **** and **** ****** ** ** ******* for * ********* ****** ******* ******** in ************ *** ****** ******* **** employed. * **** **** **** ******* from ******** ***** ************** ** ********* and ***** **************."
  • "* **** ** **** *** ** ISP, *** *'** *** * *** minor ***** ***** **** *** **** 16 *****."
    "***** *********"
  • "* *** ** ********** ** ** previously ** **** ***, ** *** been ****** ** *** *** ******** and ****** ******** ** ******* *** manufacturer ************* ******* (*****, *********, **)."
  • "** ********** ******** ******** ******* ** professionals **** ****** * ********** **** have ******* *+, *******+ *****"
  • "******* **** ******* *************"
  • "*+ *******+ ****, *****"
  • "** ***** *.*. ************. ****, ****, CEH, * ** ******** *.*. ****** programming (****** *'* ********* ******* ** scripting ** ****, ****, **********, ***.), from *******, ******* **************, ******** *********** and ********, ***** *** ********** **********, and ****."
Comments (7)
Avatar
Christopher Freeman
Dec 14, 2017

With the need for more and more highly technical people at the basic level s of install , I see a great problem emerging as the need for IT Basics is crucial to the install. 

More and more systems are being installed as labor only with remote management from IT based Management Teams 

This is creating a Dumber , less educated labor force. 

as a integrator i see the need for a deeper level of understanding at the install level. 

Not just pull wire, install devices, connect to Inet 

Troubleshoot to see where, why, how Proper installation, location, application standards are being met. 

Which all goes back to better training at the apprentice level

I see too many times where the installation force has no idea how or why things work 

They just install where told to. 

computer based systems require a knowledge of operating systems and software basics, good feel for the computer software

example : Why you have usb conflicts on plug in of device

                where to go to start , stop a application 

                what is requirement to change, add a hard drive 

                how to load or unload a application because of conflicts

                or errors

                why use or disable the inet services on upnp, notifications,

                or other not needed features enabled in the startup process

lots of wasted time in the industry in the integration process

employees dumbfounded by what to do next , idle time because of lack of knowledge  and wasted trips do to lack of preparation

 

 

(2)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Dec 14, 2017

Chris, couldn't agree more. It's a problem that seems to happen not just with small integrators (I once had a municipal government client tell me he had to help the installer IP address the camera because they didn't know how, hence why I think they are getting away more from lowest cost bidders). But it also seems to be with larger companies, too. We're a small business of 25 people overall. All our Systems Designers have professional IT experience backgrounds in setting up and troubleshooting networks, and I am continually amazed how the installers from big, national chains with all their resources struggle with network knowledge to troubleshoot and install correctly, when you would think it would be the opposite. I'm not saying all do. I have seen some do pretty good work. But there are others that really seem to struggle, it's hit or miss..

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Dec 14, 2017

This is creating a Dumber , less educated labor force.

The irony of this statement being surrounded by enough grammar/spelling mistakes to fail a Junior High English test is too good not to point out, sorry Christopher!

I completely agree with you.  Good physical security technicians are few and far between.  This is one of our biggest hurdles in expanding our business right now.  The time/money it will take to hire/train new physical security techs is slowing down our overall growth.  There is nothing worse than turning down business because we don't have the bandwidth to do the work.

(1)
(1)
(1)
UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #1
Dec 14, 2017

Don't judge, Int #2, least ye be judged.

https://ipvm.com/forums/video-surveillance/topics/binge-drinking-in-this-industry#post-146618

Let's try to stick to the points of the article on this one.

(1)
Avatar
Christopher Freeman
Dec 14, 2017

my apologizes will try to be more sensitive to the views feelings and keep to task 

I am not one to judge , or criticize , so accept my apologies

problem is still the same , as I spend a lot of time trying to teach and not do my work or convince others to do thier Job or scope as interpreted. 

 

Will try to keep a better handle on the writing s so as not to affend

cff/ppp

 

 

U
Undisclosed #3
Dec 15, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Off topic: 44 frets, 18 strings.  Nice.

Avatar
Christopher Freeman
Dec 15, 2017

Helps de-stress after a long day on the road and with others 

love my Gibson,Martin,Taylor,Fender so many choices only one at a time.

Helps relax, and chill ax