SIA New Member Profile: Vunetrix

New Security Industry Association (SIA) member Vunetrix offers a security network monitoring tool designed to detect real-time performance problems with IP security technologies across multiple geographics and report conditions through a user-friendly dashboard and automated email/SMS alerts. Vunetrix is a gbloal provider of physical security software, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with a satellite office in Edmonton, Alberta, and its extended team located across the United States and Canada.

SIA spoke with Curtis Nikel, CEO of Vunetrix, about the company, the security industry and working with SIA.

Tell us the story of your company.

Curtis Nikel: Vunetrix opened its doors at a time when network connected security devices had been around for only a few years. The company’s founders realized connecting these disparate network devices, configuring them to operate and expecting them to simply do their job was leading to unrecognized failures. The failures weren’t the company’s staff not knowing what they were doing, but rather overlooked and misunderstood configurations. The bottom line, however, was expectations from everyone were mthat the equipment was working when it wasn’t, and no one noticed until it was looked upon for archived evidence.  

Vunetrix found its market when it realized not only were their deployments suffering from outages, but rather every integrator in the security industry had exposure to this. We believe every integrator out there has dealt with the experience of their client’s equipment not doing what it was supposed to at one time or another. Today our deployments are watching for both integrators and end users to ensure their security infrastructure is working for them.  

What solutions/services does your business offer in the security industry? And what makes your offerings/company unique?

CN: Vunetrix provides the ability to visualize device status, filter data interactively and generate reports deriving relevant and accurate health and performance data. This type of automated intelligence for security teams greatly improves security posture and reduces system downtime.

Vunetrix is physical security software which delivers real-time visual intelligence for both security operations center operations and facilities management teams. The Vunetrix software is the only way to collect uptime reports for your security devices and performance data about all components within your security ecoystem. These reports empower your teams to meet and discuss your system and troubles with the components. As W. Edwards Deming said, “Without data, you’re just another person with an opinion.”

What is something we might not know about your company – or something new you are doing in security?

CN: Vunetrix service is provided to integrators and end users across North America and around the world. The company is headquartered in Seattle and operates with a team of both security and network Professionals located across North America. Our vision is simply to provide security practitioners with information to know and prevent system failures from occurring. It is all about knowing what you cannot see.

What do you think are the biggest opportunities in the security industry right now?

CN: The past few years have given most security integrators an education they weren’t aware was coming. Business have been tested as to how well they can perform in a pandemic for both their internal and external customers. Vunetrix through the past few years has played a key role for many ensuring site security devices were working, and when not, informing everyone of exactly what was wrong and what was needed to get the system back up and operational. 

What are the biggest challenges facing your company and/or others in the security industry?

CN: One of the biggest challenges we face is advancing integrators’ willingness to work with software tools to tell them the state of their client’s security technology. Most integrators want to wait for an email or a service call or their caring business software to report a client site problem or a phone call. When we speak with end users, what we hear is, “Why can’t my integrator look after us with software like yours?” and we say, “they can,” and when we talk to the integrator, we hear “why.” There is a gap here we need to close. 

What do you enjoy most about being at your company – and in the security industry?

CN: There is tremendous satisfaction for the Vunetrix team knowing those which are using our software are better informed and empowered to take care of the technologies. No one wants to buy security technology, however, when bought to apply a company’s rules and policies, protect their staff or keep the public safe and protect assets it needs to work, and we are here to let you know it is.

What does SIA offer that is most important to you/your company? And what do you most hope to get out of your membership with SIA?

CN: SIA can play an important role for Vunetrix. The organization brings incredible value in being a trusted organization which is made up of individuals committed to bettering the security industry. In the coming years, Vunetrix shall work to be both a learner and an educator within the group.

The views and opinions expressed in guest posts and/or profiles are those of the authors or sources and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Security Industry Association.