Picture Perfect™, one of the most powerful, proven and widely deployed security management systems in the world is being absorbed by the competition. We all saw it coming, with the acquisition of GE Security by United Technologies Corporation (UTC), and now the “end of support” looming toward the end of 2015. It sounds like a long time, but to transition many of these massive systems will take years to accomplish and will require significant personnel and budget resources.
If you are a Picture Perfect customer, your hand is forced and you must convert to another system. The question is: Are you prepared both technically and organizationally to make this conversion?
In order for you to be prepared, you must develop a business plan to address the transition. This involves conducting a security system assessment and creating a detailed inventory of the current system. You should develop a strategic action plan for the transition and evaluate options for conversion including integration solutions with other systems. It is important to evaluate the impact to the organization and security operations.
After a replacement system has been selected, project funding should be secured and a system transition plan and schedule should be developed. The transition plan should include database conversion, dual systems operation, field hardware upgrades, field hardware conversions, and operational testing. As new buildings or facilities are converted, the final stage of conversion should be a commissioning of the system.