-Arindam Bhadra

By having data describing the health of the system shared on the cloud, system integrators can observe data on demand and create proactive maintenance plans in coordination with the end user.

Such plans should result in increased system reliability and less downtime. If system performance data is aggregated and anonymised, it could also be used by manufacturers to analyse and form conclusions about maintenance schedules and system lifespan.

We are just beginning to see how emerging technologies and concepts such as Ar tificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud computing and cybersecurity are impacting our industry. As companies plan for the future, budgets are increasingly focused on innovative solutions that can help to process the growing amount of data being captured and consumed.

Manufacturers and Systems Integrators that understand this shift have been quick to identify opportunities to win new business through the introduction of value-added applications or new services capable of generating recurring monthly revenue.

A benefit is happier customers. “A daily challenge for end users is balancing human resources used in the operation of a system and daily maintenance, with maintenance having shared responsibility with the system integrator.”

We explore some of those technologies and opportunities below.

Artificial Intelligence and Analytics

AI analytics is the product of automating data analysis—a traditionally time consuming and people - intensive task—using the power of today's artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.

Various product types that incorporate AI technology include antivirus/antimalware, data loss prevention, fraud detection/antifraud, identity and access management, intrusion detection/prevention system, and risk and compliance management.

Although companies are not completely relying on AI for their cybersecurity programs, AI is currently being utilized in a limited capacity, particularly in products like email filters and malware identification tools.

Behavioral analysis tools are utilizing AI more frequently to analyze data and identify patterns in hacker behavior, including their attack timing, methods, and movements within systems. This intelligence can be extremely beneficial for defenders.

For many security vendors, the primary objective of ar tificial intelligence in the field of security is to eliminate false positives. This is because filtering out irrelevant data from large sets is a major challenge for analysts. With the help of AI, this task can be made more accurate and efficient, enabling analysts to respond to cyber attacks more effectively.

AI is commonly utilized to improve attack detection accuracy and prioritize responses based on risk. It also enables automated or semi-automated responses to attacks and provides more precise modeling for predicting future attacks. Analysts are still involved in the process, but AI streamlines their job and enhances accuracy when confronting cyber threats.

The challenge for their customers will be clearly defining which data is most valuable to them, who will have access to it, and how to best manage it. Systems integrators can play a key role in this process by having those discussions with customers up front and encouraging a proof-of-concept phase before fully rollouts are undertaken.

Cloud-Based Services

Pandemic-accelerated digital transformation has led to more remote workers. More cloud users. More cloud providers. Essential systems integration across an ecosystem of partners. An astounding number of edge devices passing Internet of Things (IoT) data to the cloud.

All interconnected and interdependent, delivering the speed, scale, and connectivity expected in our daily digital lives. And all radically expanding an organization's attack surface for cyber criminals to exploit. Cloud based services provide Information Technology (IT) as a service over the Internet or dedicated network, with delivery on demand, and payment based on usage. Cloud based services range from full applications and development platforms, to servers, storage, and virtual desktops.

In addition to AI and data analytics capabilities, we are seeing demand from customers for Security-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings. The combination of low, upfront capital costs and outsourced services has made Cloud-based video and access control popular, especially in the hospitality and small-to-medium enterprise markets. Examples of SaaS cloud service providers include Dropbox, G Suite, Microsoft Office 365, and Slack. In each of these applications, users can access, share, store, and secure information in “the cloud.”

As technology providers add more sophisticated applications and services to further drive customer insight and efficiencies, expect enterprise retail customers to begin moving to this model as well in 2018. For systems integrators, SaaS solutions can represent a recurring revenue stream and a great opportunity to generate new business.

Cybersecurity Impacts

Cyber attacks can cause electrical blackouts, failure of military equipment, and breaches of national security secrets. They can result in the theft of valuable, sensitive data like medical records. They can disrupt phone and computer networks or paralyze systems, making data unavailable.

Cybersecurity is crucial because it safeguards all types of data against theft and loss. Sensitive data, protected health information (PHI), personally identifiable information (PII), intellectual property, personal information, data, and government and business information systems are all included.

The sheer scope and size of the data breaches we saw in 2017 – Equifax being one of the most notable – has heightened concerns over cyber-preparedness. Increasingly, customers are evaluating their own level of cybersecurity preparedness, as well as that of their suppliers.

There's no doubt that our industry is taking cybersecurity seriously, however there is still work to be done, and both systems integrators and their manufacturer partners need to be prepared. Information Technology (IT) departments will continue to play an expanded role in approving products for deployment on corporate networks. The use of third-party cybersecurity audits will also become more commonplace, which will significantly impact how products are developed and deployed. AI can be used by bad actors to exploit weaknesses in software or security programs, such as identifying patterns that reveal vulnerabilities in computer systems.

Through the use of stolen personal information or open-source data, cybercriminals can utilize AI to generate numerous phishing emails that can distribute malware or gather valuable data. Security experts have observed that phishing emails generated by AI have a higher rate of being opened and can trick potential victims into clicking on them, resulting in attacks. AI can also be utilized to create malware that constantly changes to evade detection by automated defensive tools.

In addition to ensuring that their products are secure, manufacturers and system integrators will also need to improve their own organizational security. For video solution providers, that could mean demonstrating how they protect their software code and architect their software, and how compliant their solutions are with data privacy standards in North America and globally.

The need to bolster cyber defenses will also create demand for new equipment and software upgrades as the vulnerabilities of customers' legacy equipment are exposed.

Cybersecurity will be a challenge for some systems integrators, but a great business oppor tunity for others. Customers will increasingly look for integrators that can meet their cybersecurity standards and possibly pass a cyber audit. If there's a weak link in the chain – from product design to installation or service – then everyone loses.

So it's important that integrators and manufacturers work closely together and ensure that they share the same high cybersecurity standards. Integrators should also demand that their manufacturer partners be diligent about educating them on products and keeping software up to date to reduce potential vulnerabilities.

Knowing Your Market

Many of today's leading system integrators have begun investing in the additional resources needed to educate staff and align their organizations so they can successfully adopt and provide these new capabilities to their customers.

It's important that your organization have conversations with both your end user customers and your technology providers so you can take advantage of new opportunities while also helping to clarify what's possible today and what's still on the horizon.

As integrators move from equipment sales to consultative solution sales, it is important to understand the unique business problems of the customers in your target market. While this concept is not new, a growing number of integrators are putting vertical market initiatives in place to concentrate their expertise.

The top five business challenges of yesterday may no longer be the top five challenges of tomorrow. Integrators need to understand what those unique challenges are for each vertical they play in, and work with manufacturers that can provide proven solutions for specific markets.

(This "Security Blogs" Published in June 2023 Edition)