The Web is playing host to all sorts of guests who come to visit and security is among them. The integration of Internet, network and remote access techniques is beginning to dominate the industry. By combining digital hardware with computer applications and communications protocols, processes and all forms of data are sent and shared over the virtually limitless topology the digital domain can provide.
The security world has not completely turned, however. At points in the network there still remain those portals where the data stream must be converted to or from analog. User interfaces and input and output devices allow this to happen. They enable you to view images, enter data, and offer unique credentials. Systems perform operations without you even there such as unlock doors or send alarm notifications to all parties who need to know.
This month’s selection includes technology that crosses the line: are they a service, a product, or both? Either way, they illustrate the trend in security to offer cost-effective solutions that represent many added benefits and better security.
Fifteen years ago the question was whether computer literacy would be a requisite to survive in the security industry. The answer is now apparent.
These types of products and many others being introduced are leading the industry into the realm of network-enabled processor-based integrated systems. Take the following applications for instance...
Better Management From Above
Bethel United Church of Christ in Elmhurst, IL houses administrative offices, a pre-school, and several meeting rooms used for special events and functions. Bethel UCC was using only a standard lock and key management system but church management felt this was not a secure solution.
“It was becoming increasingly difficult to track who had keys to the facilities,” explains Brian Barrett, Church Operations Manager. “Also, our doors are locked from the outside. If someone needed to have the doors opened for a meeting, our system required that there be another person on the other end to open the doors.”
Dan Cosgrove, account executive at Initial Electronics, Alsip, IL, was contacted to come up with an access control solution that would track usage, monitor door events, and manage the system from a centralized location. Cosgrove recommended the Brivo ACS to help facilitate the ease of access.
According to Cosgrove, he installed the Brivo ACS on the main door, rear entrance and a supply room closet. Staff and meeting group leaders were assigned ProxCards and PIN numbers to access the building doors. Additionally, the sanctuary doors were placed on door timers so as to eliminate the need for someone to open them physically.
“Web-hosted access control was key for their application because it allows them to control their doors from any web browser without having to come to the church,” Cosgrove states.
The Bethel UCC administrators have also benefited from Brivo’s web-based administration capabilities by being able to log onto their account from any computer, to monitor activity and to manage access without having to be on site. This has been especially helpful on days when the church is closed.
Brivo ACS automatically aggregates all customer data and management controls into one centralized system. Adding, changing or deleting access credentials can be done on the fly, 24/7 thanks to the remote administration capabilities of the entire system from any web browser anywhere.
Brivo ACS combines secure, wide-area networking via Ethernet Broadband or secure wireless network, and central hosting with a simple point-and-click browser interface, so access can be controlled online from anywhere at anytime. The WAN-based ACS allows a company to network a single access control system for all its facilities, whether they are spread across town or across the world, and manage the entire system via a web-based interface.
In this architecture, the Managed Service Provider (MSP) is responsible for all required network connections. This eliminates the time, cost and complexity of custom cabling or internal IT setup as well as the provisioning of telecom networks to the remote facilities. It also removes the need to set up and maintain local networks and dedicated PCs or servers.
The WAN-based ACS control panels installed at the customer’s sites are networked with a secure central data facility where the ACS application is hosted. The application is made available via the web to the customer for administration and management of all aspects of facility access control. The core component of the ACS service platform is the Network Operations Center (NOC), a secure hosting facility where the application and database servers reside. These ACS applications integrate WAN technology such as the Internet with web-based application services.
Just introduced is the Brivo ACS OnSite, a web-connected standalone access control solution ideally suited for providing security at a single premises, even if the premises houses more than one business.
For more information visit www.brivo.com.
Bridging the Gap
AvaLAN Wireless offers integrated non-line-of-sight camera systems as well as wireless Ethernet bridge systems and accessories. The integrated cameras are shipped as kits, and utilize high-end components from respected manufacturers such as Videolarm, Axis and Sony. Models include fixed and P/T/Z, indoor and outdoor. With AvaLAN products you utilize the latest PoE (power over Ethernet) technologies.
The AvaLAN website serves as a portal where the AvaLAN technology is explained. It shows the various integrated camera kits and wireless Ethernet products, and how to obtain training.
AvaLAN’s non-line-of-sight (Non-LOS) wireless Ethernet Bridge features:
• 902 to 928 MHz, not 2.4 GHz (802.11)—will not interfere with Wi-Fi networks.
• Non-line-of-sight performance provides penetration of up to 10 typical building walls or grove of trees.
• 12-channels vs. only 3 with Wi-Fi solutions.
• 1.54 Mbps raw data rate per channel (18.5 Mbps site-wide).
• 128-bit encryption, with dedicated private keys (no IP addresses, no MAC addresses, no programming required).
• Low power consumption (1 Watt, solar ready).
To view a simple schematic of how to build an outdoor AW-D900 or AW-H900 system with various antennae options visit www.avalanwireless.com/housing_design.htm. For additional info and an up-to-date list of supported network cameras visit www.avalanwireless.
Improving Response Time
Fire-Lite Alarms IPDACT communicator transmits information generated by a fire alarm control panel to a central station via the Internet. The IPDACT can utilize any Ethernet network connection such as ADSL, cable modem, and T1. Compatible with a majority of new Fire-Lite control panels, the IPDACT communicator allows for alarm transmissions of less than one second, which improves response time.
The IPDACT communicator saves cost by not requiring a dedicated phone line or public IP address. Instead, it uses a DHCP client for automatic IP address configuration. While a standard telephone line from the fire alarm panel secondary dialer port is used as backup and can be shared with other devices, the IPDACT communicator connects to the panel’s primary dialer port. For higher redundancy configurations, the system also supports dual destination central station receiver IP addresses.
The IPDACT’s supervised line functionality is so fast it allows a central station to quickly detect any off-line panels. The system uses Contact ID format and prior to transmission, data is further encrypted using AES 512 bit, one of the most secure encryption technologies available.
The IPDACT communicator reports to a compatible IP receiver that decrypts the data into standard Contact ID and then sends the data to the central station software system. The new receiver uses a high performance embedded operating system for higher reliability and efficiency, supports up to 3,000 IPDACT accounts, and is compatible with most central station formats, allowing seamless integration into the conventional central station architecture.
For more information, visit www.honeywell.com.
Physical Security Made Easy
In a move to make superior physical security solutions simple and cost effective, EZ-Apps Inc. has developed hosted software technology called EZ-Assure. Two products have been released utilizing this web-based monitoring approach: EZ-Assure Access Control for electronic key and lock management, and EZ-Assure Secure-Audit for managing guard tour activity.
EZ-Assure is the technological engine behind a web-based managed solution for monitoring physical security. Solutions built on EZ-Assure require no installation yet can be tailored to individual customer needs, from basic electronic lock control to enabling organizations to monitor, track, report and analyze the events that internal and external security staff are responsible for recording during their shifts.
For more information visit, www.ez-apps.com and www.ez-assure.com.
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Conventional Alarm Panels on the Internet
Bosch enables Internet communications for virtually any conventional alarm panel with its new C900V2 Dialer Capture Module. This new capability means that alarms are dispatched automatically over an installed high speed Internet connection and do not require a land-based telephone line. With this new module, Bosch maintains full alarm panel operability for Bosch panels as well as panels manufactured by a wide variety of vendors. In addition, no modifications to the installed panel are necessary so the panel operates exactly as in the past, with no new programming or codes to learn.
Bosch has developed the C900V2 in response to two technology trends gaining popularity in the United States:
(1) many households and businesses are switching away from landline telephones in favor of cellular telephones.
(2) a rising number of households and businesses have installed high speed Internet or broadband connections.
By eliminating the need for a landline, Bosch allows the selection of telephone technology independent of its fire or security alarm system’s requirements. The C900V2 uses Bosch’s innovative NetCom technology to accept analog signals from a conventional alarm panel, digitizes the information including user numbers and zone numbers, then formats the data for fast Internet transmission. NetCom also maintains a constant “heartbeat” status signal with the central station, improving on the usual daily or weekly handshake signal used by most panels.
For more information visit www.boschsecurity.us.
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Biometrics, Critical Analytics and Search
3VR Security’s Intelligent Video Management System (IVMS) converts raw video from security cameras into intelligently searchable information. 3VR v4.0, is the security industry’s first IVMS that combines video with sophisticated biometrics and motion and object analytics in a highly-integrated solution that makes it possible to proactively detect and preempt threats and conduct faster and more comprehensive investigations.
3VR v4.0 changes the security paradigm by enabling proactive monitoring and targeted investigations. Its object, motion and biometric analytics, combined with the ability to capture and search video data have never been offered within a complete security solution from any vendor. The 3VR v4.0 IVMS requires just a few hours to deploy compared to similar systems and is less expensive than traditional analytics systems.
With 3VR, your customers pay only for the analytics they want, where they want them. Users can deploy a range of analytics to suit the location of specific cameras and individual security needs: whether it’s turning on face recognition for entrance and exit cameras; activating object and motion analysis for perimeter defense; or looking for abandoned and removed objects in key areas. Additionally, the 4.0 release now supports thousands of cameras, deployed on a local network or even in remote geographies.
The 3VR v4.0’s complete analytic suite includes:
• Object and Motion analytics—restricted areas, motion zone (museum search), perimeter violation, abandoned object, removed object, lighting changes, directional motion.
• Biometrics/Face analytics—face indexing, face recognition, face tracking, face watch lists, face profiling, face import/export. For more information, visit www.3vr.com
Both a Product and a Service
The patented Alarm.com Wireless Gateway module, developed and manufactured by Alarm.com, enables you and your customers to have wireless and web-enabled security and monitoring services. These services are provided to end users by Alarm.com’s authorized security dealer integrators. The Alarm.com module is fully integrated with GE Security’s Simon, Concord and Networx control panels. Through an always-connected, wireless signaling path, the module transmits alarm and non-alarm signals in real-time from the customer site to Alarm.com’s Network Operations Center.
The Alarm.com Wireless Gateway module brings with it an always-on, two-way wireless connection between the customer’s security system and the Alarm.com Network Operations Center. No other local connectivity is required at the premises. This makes Alarm.com suitable for locations that do not have an analog phone line connection or an Internet connection.
Alarm signals are routed immediately to the central monitoring station designated by the dealer. Neither an analog (POTS) phone line nor an Internet connection is necessary at the customer site.
Non-alarm activity alerts (such as the opening of an entry door, medicine cabinet or liquor cabinet) can be generated by Alarm.com, based on end user settings, and sent to end users via e-mail, cell phone, PDA, etc. These alerts are co-branded with the dealer’s company name and contact information.
Users can log into their Alarm.com-enabled security systems from anywhere in the world through the web and PDA. They can check system status in real-time, change the control panel’s arming state, program and delete user codes, turn lights on or off, and more.
Alarm.com offers its dealers regularly scheduled sales and installation training webinars, co-branded marketing materials, sales training presentations and other tools. Dealers choose the central monitoring station(s) that will receive alarms transmitted from its Alarm.com-enabled accounts. Alarm.com can route alarm signals to most standard central station receivers that support SIA and/or Contact ID protocols.
Alarm signals are transmitted from the Alarm.com Wireless Gateway module at the customer premises and are routed immediately to the central monitoring station selected by the dealer. The central monitoring station responds to the alarms the same way it would if the signals were transmitted directly over a traditional phone line from the customer premises to the central station. Alarm.com does not publicly publish the wholesale dealer rates. End user pricing is established by the dealer. Alarm.com AirFX Toolkit enables dealers to solve many customer problems quickly without having to roll a truck to the customer site. For more information, visit alarm.com.
Embedded Wed Server
iGuard from Lucky Technologies Limited is a biometrics (fingerprint identification) and contactless smart card access control & time attendance system. It uses the most-advanced capacitive fingerprint sensor to achieve the highest fingerprint-identification results in the industry. iGuard includes an embedded Web Server, which enables all computers, such as Apple Macintosh, PCs & Unix machines, in the corporate computer network to setup, maintain and access the information of the device simultaneously via the Internet. All the necessary hardware and software is built-in to the device, including the hardware to connect the system to a network. For more information visit www.lucky-tech.com.
A Collaborative Effort
S2 Security Corporation (S2) and UPS Security Systems announce a collaborative effort to provide enhanced remote security system management capabilities through UPS Security Systems’ SiteControl service. As a result of the joint effort, UPS Security Systems will be able to manage security systems remotely via the S2 NetBox.
UPS has integrated S2’s NetBox physical access security solution with the SiteControl remote monitoring and card access database management service. The service is the next generation of remote physical security management and monitoring, making SiteControl’s 24-hour support available to companies around the country, regardless of geographic location.
Additionally, UPS Security Systems’ clients will now have the option to monitor their own security systems from any location via a web browser. As physical and logical security solutions continue to converge, this partnership enables UPS Security Systems to provide small and medium size companies with the same integrated security system features available to much larger organizations. Users of the integrated service will also see reduced equipment costs and operating expenses, as there is less equipment to purchase and customer involvement with the security
system is minimal. For more information visit www.s2sys.com.
Ethernet-Based IP Appliance
The MDI Security IP Dual Door Controller (DDC II) is a fully distributed Ethernet-based IP appliance for MDI’s Integrated Digital Controllers. The DDC II functions as a standalone network node with both primary and secondary IP addresses. The DDC II integrates card readers, associated door hardware and I/O into a single package. The unit is configurable for two doors with entry readers, or for one door with entry and exit readers.
The DDC II memory stores 20,000 card records. All access control decisions for readers are made by the DDC II using its local database. Cards that have not been used for a preset number of days are removed from the DDC II database and replaced with more active cards.
If communication between the DDCII and the host is disrupted, the DDC II continues to make access decisions for its 20,000 cardholders. Up to 10,000 events are stored at the DDC II and passed to the host when communication is restored.
The DDC II features 2 reader ports, flexible input and output configurations, FLASH memory for application programs (firmware) and SDRAM for cardholder database and event storage. The interface between the DDC II and the host utilizes industry standard TCP/IP Ethernet communication protocol. The DDC II is configured with a diagnostic port which allows field service and other technical personnel to view activity, perform diagnostics analysis, and make configuration changes.
For more information, visit www.mdisecure.com
