Meet Convergint’s Advanced Solutions Security Expert Amir Shechter

Organizations across the globe rely on Convergint Technologies to provide operational knowledge, improve processes, enhance safety, and support business objectives. Convergint’s Advanced Solutions team understands the risks and threats facing highly secure organizations and provides unique solutions tailored to specific requirements.

Advanced Solutions combine physical security, software-centric solutions, and cybersecurity for organizations that require a higher level of security. Convergint’s Director of Advanced Solutions Amir Shechter leads this innovative group. Here Amir shares some of his thoughts on emerging trends and provides insight for security professionals who are looking for answers on how to solve their most pressing security challenges.

I have worked in the security industry for over 20 years. My career focus has been on developing unique Advanced Solutions to enhance resiliency and support business continuity. I’ve led the implementation of applications such as Physical Security Information Management (PSIM), Identity Management Systems (IDMS), and dashboard solutions (Big Data).

Advanced Solutions are those that collect, analyze, and act on relevant business data gathered from security systems, as well as open-source systems gathered by security systems. The goal of an Advanced Solution is to improve processes and build a dynamic solution to meet the requirements of a complex business environment. Among those solutions are identity management systems, situational management systems, dashboards, and smart sensors, to name a handful. The most popular trends in the industry include facial recognition, active shooter detection, and mobile credentialing.

The ROI of Advanced Solutions can be easily justified in any complex business environment. The goal of an Advanced Solution is not only to increase security but to provide information that can help the business operate more effectively. The vision is to build a solution that enhances services for internal and external customers using business-driven data to integrate with business processes, and thereby drive real results. A complex business environment can be one that operates nationally or globally, is highly regulated, mission-critical, has a large footprint (such as transit, campus, hospitals, stadiums, and data centers), or hosts sensitive data.

Advanced Solutions offer a consultative approach to producing business outcomes on an enterprise level. Utilizing the specific expertise of the organization’s particular vertical market, they address and support the long-term business goals of an organization, taking into account their vision for the future, the need to meet key performance indicators, and the company’s strategic plans for growth. By collecting and leveraging data and managing workflow processes, Advanced Solutions can improve business operations by:

• Protecting critical data
• Offering cybersecurity technology solutions
• Ensuring compliance
• Supporting business continuity
• Managing identities for visitors and contractors
• Enhancing overall facility safety
• Providing data to other business-driven functions, such as building occupancy, support logistics, and assets tracking
• Supporting communication functions via mobile devices
• Providing relevant external open-source data to enhance situational awareness of elements such as weather, social media, and local or global events

Reducing risks continues to be a challenge as the threat landscape evolves and becomes more complex with each passing day. Security threats can exist in any area of the business, from its people to its processes to its technology. Most breaches, actually, begin with an individual insider making a poor decision or mistake. Challenges can also exist in employee awareness and training. Without a layered approach to security, both physical and cyber, and a written response plan, recovery from a breach can be difficult.

Working with our partners, we can address these challenges by integrating cyber, physical security, and the human element to create a culture of security.

As the largest independent integrator in the world, Convergint recognizes the changes happening in the security industry and the needs of our customers. To meet those evolving needs, Convergint created an Advanced Solutions team that has expertise in physical security, software-centric solutions, and cybersecurity solutions. Our goal is to support Chief Security Officers and Chief Information Security Officers in building an effective strategy to protect and support business operations.

As an independent solutions provider with a global reach, Convergint has relationships with leading product partners to serve the varying needs of customers. This allows Convergint to provide cutting-edge technology solutions that include proactive solutions for our customers. This non-proprietary approach allows customers to avoid sole source dependency and maintain long-term cost competitiveness.

With a culture of integrity, accountability, and excellence, Convergint is committed to being your best service provider.