These are our top takeaways from ISC West. 

ISC West took place in Las Vegas on March 22-25, and the event drew a healthy crowd! 

First and foremost, this gathering made one thing clear: people are ready to regain a sense of normalcy. Although the wristbands signifying a vaccine or negative COVID test weren’t necessary a few years ago, ISC West was the closest things have felt to normal in a long while! Drawing about 20,000 attendees, this event shed light on the excitement to gather once again, but also on a few key trends in the industry. Here are the main takeaways. 

1. Supply chain issues persist — but there are workarounds

While general reports at ISC West implied that business is strong across the industry, one common challenge still remains: supply chain issues. Lack of supplier availability on key products is slowing down the completion of integrator projects across the U.S., and it’s difficult to say when this issue might ease. 

However, gathering thousands of professionals in person presented a valuable opportunity: a chance to find high-quality alternatives to many of the traditional products experiencing supply chain delays. This allows integrators to forge ahead with their projects, utilizing products that can perform at a high level and that are also readily available. 

2. Integrators were in need of networking opportunities

Despite the drawbacks of the pandemic, many integrators have seen strong business in the last few years. As business has continued to expand, the need for networking opportunities has grown as well. ISC West helped integrators with specialties in their respective local areas to connect with integrators in other areas, giving them the chance to form mutually beneficial partnerships. 

This event was also a much-needed opportunity for integrators to share best practices with each other. For example, many provided insight on specific administrative tools or sales and marketing strategies that have worked best for business organization and growth. Of course, in addition to the business benefits of networking, the event was also a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with friends in the industry on a human level. 

3. Mobile credentials gain momentum

Everyone now seems to have their own solution for going mobile. As businesses become more reliant on personal cell phones, many are adopting mobile credentials for access control. Mobile credentials have allowed for more thorough pandemic protocols, like requiring employees to answer a health questionnaire before being granted access to the building. Mobile credentials bring opportunities for smoother, more efficient access management and are expected to continue gaining popularity this year. 

4. License plate recognition picks up speed

One of the hot topics at the show was license plate recognition. There are impressive new solutions available for license plate recognition now, and this technology can be used for purposes such as access control in parking garages, or as an added security measure to aid in investigations. As technology behind video analytics continues to evolve, these new capabilities will offer even greater benefits to complement security solutions. 

5. Cloud solutions continue to crop up

Again due in part to the pandemic, demand has continued to rise for cloud and web-based security solutions. The ability to manage security remotely, control multiple locations from one area, and integrate with additional systems draws more companies to cloud-based security solutions each month. Thanks to growing demand, there’s now a wide variety of solutions available for cloud-based security as well. 

In addition to these top trends, ISC West served as an ideal platform for recognizing women in the security industry, discussing diversity, and reconnecting. Overall, this show was a great success, and proof that there are still plenty of exciting developments underway related to new technologies and trends in security.