Page 16 - Security Today, April 2018

Three Ways to Create a VMS Specification
There are three main ways to develop a specification for a VMS and supporting cameras and hardware.
Based on Your Operations
This is the best method, resulting in the easiest path to getting precisely what your business requires. Analyze your businesses needs based on your day-to-day operations. Small to medium-sized businesses have very different needs compared to an enterprise operation that never closes. Complete a risk assessment to develop requirements based on your most vulnerable areas and prioritize triggers that indicate a problem. Always plan to scale up as cameras and tech are frequently added/replaced, but hardly ever removed.
Designed by Committee
Some organizations are the victims of their own size or budget. When there’s an active presence from the IT or sales department, or the dollar amounts get too high, it’s not just up to building management or security to select the right product. The committee can include consultants, system administrators, finance and building management, and everyone wants to justify their existence at the table. We see these types of specifications and know that there will be a rude awakening when the quotes are distributed, usually leading to some modifications. It’s also very easy to over- spec what is truly needed to get the job done.
Based on a Product
The most limiting way to design a spec is by copying the feature list of a single product to create your requirements. From a sales/integrator standpoint, it’s a great way to lock out the competition. When a customer really knows the security market and wants to avoid being bid an inferior product, this can be justified. In choosing to do this, you may miss an even better option that meets your needs. If you really like a feature of a certain VMS, prioritize that and see if another vendor has something similar.
The primary frustration with specifications that miss the mark is the waste of money and time. Enterprise VMS come with enterprise VMS price tags and enterprise VMS complexity. If you’re running a small business, there’s no need to over-buy. However, if all goes well, and your business grows as planned, you don’t want to have to re-invest in your VMS or infrastructure because your current system can’t scale to match your growth. Setting realistic expectations is the key to success.
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