FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Phare Consulting Foresees Convergence Revolution in Access Control

Overview Presentation to be given at ISC EAST 2005 Conference

 

Boca Raton, FL August 10, 2005 … Access Control will follow CCTV as the next segment of physical security to converge with IT.  This is the key finding of a presentation by Phare Consulting to be given at ISC East 2005 on August 23rd.

 

Rich Anderson, President of Phare Consulting says: “The management teams of most end users today have significant pressure to reduce security risk and costs simultaneously.  Access Control is often the most critical and most expensive system employed in physical security.  The benefit of an IT convergence strategy would be very rewarding for these end users”

 

To understand the likelihood of Physical and IT convergence, as well as the nature of the opportunity, Phare has recently interviewed a broad segment of enterprise level physical security end users.  Their opinions, and Phare’s marketplace analysis, have led to the following key findings:

 

  • Convergence is being driven by eight key end-user forces

These forces include not only the current state of the technology, but also the interest and concern of senior management. 

  • Manufacturers will be driven not only by end-user needs, but by the ability to reduce R&D costs.

The use of open IT standards to develop security products can also be a major advantage in the R&D process since significant portions of the hardware and software may already be available for licensing.

  • The key opportunity for end user cost savings is in the elimination of proprietary wiring and installation labor.

As much as 40% of the end user’s system purchase price is made up of the installation of proprietary wiring and door hardware.

  • Most significant IT shops already have 60% of the software required to do Physical Access Control

With the increased use of identity management, network monitoring, and common reporting environments, many IT groups are paying twice for the same functionality today.

 

The convergence of IT and Physical Security will cause significant structural changes at all levels in the industry.

Phare believes these changes will alter the organization, processes, and responsibilities of many end user security organizations.  Clearly, manufacturers will also see significant shifts in their product offering, as well as the value proposition they provide.  Most affected, however, may well be the integrator whose excellent physical security skills may not be enough to overcome an absence of a track record in IT technology.

 

The presentation mentioned in this release will be available from the Phare Consulting web site following the ISC EAST 2005 conference.

 

About Phare Consulting

Phare Consulting is a Boca Raton, Florida based management consulting firm focused on the development of successful strategies and organizations. Our business is helping to make companies grow. With an extensive background in high-tech B2B companies, and a particular emphasis on the electronic security industry, Phare is uniquely positioned to deliver results - not just reports - to our clients.

 

Contact Information

Rich Anderson

Phare Consulting Inc.

http://www.phareconsulting.com

1.561.962.2770

 

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