DVTEL to launch IP Institute

RIDGEFIELD, N.J.—Video surveillance provider DVTEL is launching IP Institute, where the company will offer online and classroom instruction on IP-based security for its integration partners.

An offshoot of DVTEL's Technical Center of Excellence, the IP Institute “is not about 'come hear about our products,'” Yoav Stern, DVTEL CEO, told Security Systems News. Rather, the institute will offer practical technical and business education for integrators about IP-based security systems in general.

The bottom line is that the IP knowledge of many technicians “is still not there,” Stern said. Classes will address “things they have to do in their business to succeed."

Classes will be held here and at locations across North America. Ed Wassall, DVTEL VP of global marketing, will oversee the program along with Maria Cambria, VP of DVTEL's Technical Center of Excellence, and Cathy McHugh, DVTEL director of marketing.

Zvi Peled, who joined DVTEL in April as COO and is based here, now handles day-to-day operations for DVTEL. His focus is “to make sure systems integrators have an easy way to make money if they work with us,” Stern said.

Peled told SSN that DVTEL has the right products, custom integration capabilities and strategies in place. However, to really grow DVTEL, he said, “we need a closer relationship with VARs and integrators. We want to be their first choice, and we will be if we execute the strategy correctly.”

The IP Institute is one way to develop that relationship. Another is a new Web interface that “mechanizes and simplifies” a lot of information that integrators would normally need to get via a telephone call from DVTEL.

“What we are offering is cool tools,” Peled said. “Tools that support the integrator and enable them to make money easier.”

While DVTEL's products are classically “for large, mission-critical installations with high-level fault tolerance,” Stern said that the company is continuing to expand its portfolio to include more products for the middle market and plans to introduce more SMB options by the end of the third quarter.