During recent months I have purchased three laptops at various intervals. Superficially, the machines have been the same, but in fact each has been a technical improvement, in terms of components, on the previous. Such is the speed of development of high-tech systems that entire model ranges are frequently replaced after six months.This rate of change is often mirrored in the high-tech security industry, especially CCTV, which means that a technical specification could be obsolete as soon as the ink is dry on the paper! Many are the security managers who have specified obsolete equipment, or who have found themselves the “beta testbed” for unproven new technology.
The solution, as delegates on the recent Security Management Stage 2 learned, is - unless there is a very strong case for the contrary - always to use a functional specification and to deal with a reputable system integrator. Of course, if you are happy with the terms ABF, HAD CCD, CMOS, 40pcs of IR LEDs, TVL, SNR, F1.2, VD2, VBS, ADNR, H.264, dual stream, DDNS support, 10/100BASE-T, DHCP, ARP, DNS and ICMP – and the dynamic interaction of each – go ahead and tech-specify!
The next Security Management Stage 2 Course, when the trainers will attempt to demystify this jargon, takes place 15-26 October.
