By launching their new Integration Partner Program, Bosch Security Systems early this year aimed at nothing less than to move their business to a new level of interoperability. The program's purpose is to provide partners with powerful development tools and dedicated resources to ensure support of Bosch video products within third-party solutions. For Bosch the introduction of the partner program is a big step since the company in the past was known admittedly as a highly-reputed provider of security solutions but not as an open company whose IP-products interact easily with third-party components. As a first step, at ISC West in April stand visitors could see Bosch demonstrations with partners Genetec, Milestone Systems, OnSSI, Exacq Technologies and Lenel. Right before IFSEC, Bosch and Milestone announced to further intensify their cooperation. In Birmingham, GIT-SECURITY.de had the opportunity to talk to Rudolf Spielberger, Head of the Integration Partner Program at Bosch Security Systems and Christian Bohn, Milestone's Vice President Alliances and Marketing, about the cooperation.

GIT-SECURITY.com: Mr. Spielberger, there are many partner programs out in the market. Can you give us an overview about the new Integration Partner Program at Bosch and explain to us what distinguishes this program from others?

Rudolf Spielberger: The Bosch Integration Partner Program (IPP) is designed to support partner vendors in the security and other industries. As partners, they can easily integrate our products and systems to build new solutions or expand their solutions with video applications. But it also is aimed at consultants, integrators and end users. The program helps them identify compatible products and applications with a goal to make it even easier to design best-of-breed solutions. We have built a new web portal featuring a solution advisor that helps integrators identify the compatible software and products that are right for their video projects. The result is greater flexibility for end users to utilize Bosch IP video devices with the software and storage platforms that best address their security surveillance needs. As part of the program, developers gain a comprehensive library of reusable software components and sample code to facilitate immediate integration of Bosch IP devices into their applications. Bosch engineers also help optimize support of video product features for more complex projects. For end users, stringent testing of all third-party solutions listed in the web portal ensures seamless integration of Bosch IP devices and simple operation.

Terms like open protocols, software development kits to download, best-of-breed solutions and integration with third-party products do not exactly match the picture a big part of the industry has got from Bosch. For me this sounds more like a change in philosophy within your company.

Rudolf Spielberger: That's true. It is a big step for Bosch. The change in philosophy was developed over the past years out of the cooperation with other companies for the ONVIF projects. And it is a reaction to the strong demand from the market. Interoperability is the biggest topic in the market at the moment and the ONVIF activities have laid the basis for an easy integration of security systems. Customers all over the world have signaled a strong demand for an even deeper integration of our products with other systems.

Mr. Bohn, am I right if I assume that for Milestone Systems as a VMS company, topics like interoperability, open systems and the need for integration are not exactly new tasks to handle?

Christian Bohn: 100%. Since Milestone was founded we've been fighting for open systems. Partnership within the industry was always the basis for our growth and success. To work with open systems and to partner is in our DNA, and we are more than happy to see that the mentality in the industry is changing towards integration, partnership and open systems.

What is your view on ONVIF and its activities?

Christian Bohn: As Rudolf mentioned, ONVIF's activities are great for the industry as a whole. One can't overestimate the achievements ONVIF has brought. Integration on a basic level is now possible for all ONVIF-compliant cameras and systems. That is just fine, but the market is looking for more comprehensive solutions. Users do not only want basic functions and it is not enough for them if they can simply watch video streams of their cameras with their management software. They want to use the full scale of possibilities cameras and security systems offer these days. The third-party devices we integrate into our video management software are getting better every day, they are becoming more intelligent and they offer a variety of functions you can only use if you enable a deep integration far beyond ONVIF. This is why we work with key partners to enable integration on the highest level possible, and this is why we are so happy with the Bosch cooperation.

Bosch and Milestone have been working together already for some years, what has been realized from the partnership?

Rudolf Spielberger: At first we have worked together to ensure seamless integration of Bosch IP video devices within the XProtect Video Management Software. Now we are aiming on a higher level and currently Milestone supports tamper and motion detection of our cameras, H.264 compression and multi-streaming from Bosch IP video devices. Intelligent video analytics is our main focus at the moment: a whole bundle of video analytics functionalities our cameras actually offer are now fully integrated in XProtect.

Christian Bohn: Also included are functions for steering PTZ cameras or to control wipers for the MIC Series cameras. So end users can now use more functionalities.

What support is planned to bringing this joint solution to the market?

Rudolf Spielberger: We will feature our integration solution at over 25 events, e.g. in the majority of Milestone partner events and industry trade shows globally. We have already completed MPOPs (Milestone Partner Open Platform events) in France, Czech Republic, Italy and Shenzhen in China and Abu Dhabi, as well as at ISC West in the U.S. Here at IFSEC in the UK we have a dedicated section reserved for Milestone in our booth and featured Milestone in the IPP Tour Promotion.

What can customers expect from this partnership in the near future?

Christian Bohn: Both companies invest heavily now in manpower to strengthen the integration. With Bosch as a Milestone Alliance Partner we will continue to build on the strength of the excellent technologies provided by both companies, and we will extend the cooperation into the years to come with strong integrations between our companies.

Rudolf Spielberger: Moving forward, joint customers will be able to access even more unique features of Bosch devices. A new Milestone device driver, which will be available soon, will support edge storage and Bosch's Intelligent Video Analysis software for advanced notification of potential security risks, as well as other features. This dedicated driver will cover all Bosch IP devices.