2025 Year End Review

It's no secret that the physical security needs of an organization are rapidly growing over time. The drivers behind this span far and wide, but fundamentally speaking, protecting your business operations is at the heart of the growth we are seeing. Whether it is property, assets, or the very people that serve as the heartbeat of an organization, keeping them safe and productive is getting more critical over time.

Key Takeaway: Technology is Advancing Faster Than Organizations

As we close out the year here at Blue Iron Sentinel, 2025 has been a year of education for our customers. Given that physical security solutions (video surveillance, access controls) have been around for a very long time, it's easy to keep using what has always been in place. Despite its shortcomings, leaving "well enough" alone is a very common strategy. This past year we've seen an increase in organizations taking time to better understand the advancements that have taken place over the last 5+ years in the physical security market. Knowing that technology advances as a pace far greater than we typically assume, stepping back and evaluating what's available, and more importantly, how those capabilities can help you accomplish more as an organization is more important now than it's ever been. Here are some ways we've watched this play out in 2025:

• More Than Surveillance: Our projects this past year had a tendency to focus on capabilities that went well beyond video surveillance. With machine learning and carefully measured AI capabilities, cameras are now giving organizations the ability to reduce risk in the area of field operations. Often referred to as "computer vision", the value that can be realized by a traditional video surveillance system is rapidly growing.

• Real-Time Data Sharing: Management of video content has always been a challenge. More importantly having the right data, in the right hands, at the right time is critical. In 2025 we witnessed a significant increase in the number of organizations wanting to share data in a secure way, to address challenges in this business.

• Breaking Down Silos: We witnessed firsthand how organizations are demanding more in terms of how they interact with the systems they have deployed. There's a strong desire to end the days of jumping from one screen to the next and enter an era where independent systems work together to present a view that aligns with the business.

• Increased ROI: Being able to extend the maximum useful life of existing investments was a common theme in 2025. Additionally, building a consumption model that produces predictable spend over time played a heavy roll in our projects throughout the year.

  
  

Bringing all of this together, we witnessed a big step forward in how organizations are looking to consume new capabilities, while at the same time a fresh look was being taken at the options that are now available in the market.

Here are Some Examples from the Field:

1. More Than Just Surveillance

   With video analytics serving as a key component of the solutions we deploy, organizations are tapping into the value this provides. One example is with an oil field services company that leverage analytics to increase their situational awareness in the field. If someone crosses over into a restricted area, video analytics delivers a proactive notification to alert key stakeholders that something (or someone) is operating outside of the standard operating procedure.

   
   

2. Real-Time Data Sharing

   As more and more 911 dispatch operating centers add camera sharing to their list of capabilities, organizations that operate in those jurisdictions and leverage the Eagle Eye Networks platform, were able to share critical video content when safety was compromised. The ability to do this quickly and securely is becoming more-and-more a key requirement that organizations are looking for.

   
   

3. Breaking Down Silos

   Being able to merge the value of a video surveillance system with the value of an access controls system was at the heart of all of our consulting this past year. As an example, a client that manages hundreds of gym locations was interested in bringing these two solution sets together in order to provide a safer experience for both their employees and their clients.

   
   

4. Increased ROI We saw an increase in companies wanting to leverage their existing hardware while changing the software they use for video surveillance. Predictable spend was a key topic in these discussions as well. One example was with an organization that provides patient care, and they wanted to be able to accurately budget for their needs as they were experiencing rapid growth as an organization. Being able to extend a fixed price per camera (installed) was a big factor in their decision to scale their security strategy across their locations.

   
   

One big observation we had was that these focus areas where consistent across nearly every vertical industry we serve. That tells us this is critical to the future direction of this market. Predictable spends, tighter integration, secure data sharing and the effective use of advanced platform capabilities are here to stay.

Is Your Organization Falling Behind the Curve?

As mentioned previously, technology is advancing faster than organizations. While change can be intimidating, if partnered with the right integrator, the transition isn't as challenging as it may seem. The larger question is what your organization stands to gain if you take the necessary steps to evolve with these changes.

Some questions to ask when considering this topic:

• Are you getting value from you existing investment? When it is needed most, is it available and is the data accurate? Are these solutions simply viewed as an insurance policy, or are we seeing real business value from these systems and capabilities?

• Do your field operations need improving? Field operations can be defined as a retail store front, a rig site, a school campus, or an apartment complex - regardless of how you define field operations, the question is where do you have gaps? These gaps present new opportunities.

• Are you wasting time trying to find data, or struggling to access it? Do you still bounce around between disparate systems? Do you still struggle with data not being available when you expected it to be? How long does it take you to retrieve video content when it is requested or needed?

• How long has it been since you evaluated what your options are? Has it been years? Do you know what's disrupting the physical security space today? Do these changes have value to your organization if they were implemented?

  
  

Asking these questions can lead to tangible benefits is explored properly. From our perspective, as was mentioned previously, 2025 was a strong year for educating our customers on new capabilities and mapping those capabilities to business value.

No Time Like the Present

Security threats are becoming more sophisticated, and operational demands are increasing. Integrated security systems are no longer optional; they are essential for staying ahead. By adopting unified security, you gain a competitive edge through enhanced protection and operational agility.

Emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, and cloud computing are rapidly advancing integrated security capabilities. Organizations are already tapping into this and are enjoying benefits such as:

• Proactive Situational Awareness

• Better Data Management

• Improved Field Operations

• Reduced Risk with Added Business Value

  
  

Blue Iron Sentinel specializes in delivering cutting-edge, scalable video surveillance and access control solutions tailored to your needs. Partnering with experts ensures you get the right technology, support, and training to succeed.

By embracing integrated security systems, you transform your security operations from reactive to proactive. You gain control, clarity, and confidence in protecting your assets and people. The future of security is a unified approach. 2025 delivered a strong year that supports this fact. Complete the form below if you'd like to learn more or have an initial conversation that's specific to your organization. Above all, we hope that everyone has a safe and Happy New Year!