Video, Telephony Work Gets Noticed

In a difficult economy, IT managers are requiring return-on-investment justification for all projects. But Ikon was able to demonstrate something beyond cost savings: an application that could potentially save lives.

Ikon built a packaged solution for IP video surveillance that helped the police department in Seal Beach, Calif., provide field officers with access to video cameras at commercial sites.

Mark Smitt, sales manager at Ikon, said the city of Seal Beach was working on the project with Loronix, a manufacturer of digital recording devices, but had difficulty integrating the wireless connectivity component. Ikon, a Cisco Gold partner, arrived on the scene six months into the project and brought the application to fruition by establishing that critical wireless connection.

The IP video surveillance solution uses Cisco Systems' wireless 802.11b technology, Access Control Server and L.E.A.P. Due to the security requirements of the application, Cisco's S.A.F.E. blueprint was used to prevent unauthorized access to video streams.

As part of the application, video is transmitted from a commercial site, such as a bank, to the police dispatch center and then off to squad cars. The implementation has been in use for three to four months, said Smitt.

The second Best In Show award went to ShoreGroup, a Cisco Gold solution provider that has managed more than 30 projects for Verizon Wireless, selling more than $10 million in Cisco infrastructure and $2 million in maintenance and service contracts.

ShoreGroup, a two-year-old firm specializing in IP telephony and network management, has grown from six employees to 70 today, said President and COO Robert Ditta.

Originally, ShoreGroup was asked to upgrade Verizon Wireless' switched infrastructure. But over the past 18 months, the solution provider has also provided IP telephony training, deployment and proactive monitoring, maintenance and support for the Cisco contact center product suite.

ShoreGroup's ability to add its CaseSentry network management services helped seal the deal, Ditta said.

This year, CRN has presented 10 Best In Show awards. Profiles of the winner will be published in October as part of a special report on the fastest-growing solution providers.