Ian Rayner: category manager client computing at Axiz, says that video surveillance is expected to strongly complement Axiz existing product offerings.

There is market convergence as surveillance resellers are being forced to become more IT savvy, and traditional computer hardware and networking resellers are becoming more product and installation savvy. As a computer infrastructure distributor we believe this will enable many of our resellers to participate in this emerging converged market. Axis products, company ethos and global market positioning fit very well with the Axiz product portfolio, he adds.
 
Roy Alves, country manager for Axis Communications Africa Region, concurs: IP Video is moving into new markets and increasingly overlapping with IT systems. Axiz position as a hardware distributor will bring Axis products to a wider share of the IT reseller market.
 
IP Video is showing strong growth as companies with established IT infrastructure are seeing the ease of installation and adaptability of the technology. Dispensing with proprietary hardware and wiring not only brings system costs down but also makes system management simpler, with common platforms and cabling infrastructure for both the monitoring systems and general IT.
 
Rayner sees even further growth in the IP video market, as business and home users increasingly see the potential and the emphasis shifts from security to general remote monitoring.

Weather, queues, parking, schoolrooms, traffic, construction, building management... there are more and more applications being thought of. The technology and hardware platforms have created a rich field for application development. Growth will be driven by simplicity, affordability and flexibility, and most importantly by information reaching the different markets on how they can increase productivity and gain peace of mind through the applications emerging, he adds.