Clients in all market sectors find that they are obligated by code or common sense to install new systems or upgrade old ones. The demands of selling and installing security have never been greater.
Technology is always migrating. Now functions used by human resources and energy management are being put onto computers. Records and vital statistics for the entire company reside in virtual filing cabinets called databases.
The systems all communicate with one another over the ubiquitous network. It’s almost inevitable that your commercial security projects and system installs will utilize existing databases or network infrastructure or both. You are going to have to negotiate with the IT department for IP addresses, bandwidth and storage. You are going to have to learn how to cope with the new regime.
The industry indeed is building more into the panels. You, in turn, are building more into your systems. It’s become mandatory in order to remain ahead of the increased competition from other trades migrating into the security field.
The System
It used to live in a locked metal box safely tucked away in an electrical closet. Today’s system is different. A portion of it may reside in a box, but the emphasis has shifted away from the hardware to systems that also involve firmware, network infrastructure, software, servers, storage and the Internet to operate.
David Bitton, Chief Operating Officer of Supreme Security Systems, runs a successful full-service electronic security firm in New Jersey. The company provides over 10,000 businesses, industrial facilities and residences with the most advanced burglar and fire alarms, CCTV systems, access control systems and process and environmental monitoring systems, audio and video intercoms and music systems.
As Vice President and COO of Supreme Security Systems, Bitton is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the business. According to Bitton, he works closely with a number of internal departments, including operations, IT, customer service and sales to ensure that the strategic plans of the company are integrated into all key functions of the business.
Commercial security represents 40% of Bitton’s business. Supreme Security Systems has its own central station, which monitors for fire and life safety, intrusion and industrial processes. “We integrate burglar alarms and access control systems,” says Bitton. “Proximity cards are our preferred access control credential.”
In order for independent security dealers to remain competitive and differentiate for the long haul, according to Bitton, it is important to adopt high-tech strategies along with stellar customer service. “When a customer chooses Supreme Security Systems, they are investing in advanced security protection,” he comments.
This month’s offering of products clearly illustrate technology at its finest. You cannot let these monsters scare you, however. Take heart. You do not need to know how an internal combustion engine works in order to drive a car. Similarly, you do not have to be a computer geek in order to successfully interface with the network. You simply need to understand the rules of the road.
Support for Functions The HID VertX products provide a complete infrastructure for central station applications. They provide integral access control functions within existing alarm monitoring and management software
The VertX CS platform is a fully-functional hardware/firmware infrastructure based on application specific collaborations with a number of development partner companies within the central station market, including Bold Technologies, Ltd., DICE Corporation, GE’s Monitoring Automation Systems (MAS) and OzVision Global Inc.
VertX CS also supports intrusion-related functions and terminology associated with central station alarm monitoring software. It serves as a network-compatible access device that interfaces with HID Prox, iCLASS and all other popular access control card and reader technologies enabling alarm dealers to now have the ability to provide access control solutions to their centrally managed alarm customers utilizing the same software platforms they already use today.
Features include:
- Connects with and stores a complete access control and configuration database for one or two controlled doors and 44,000 cardholders with expansion capability to 250,000 cardholders;
- Processes access control decisions;
- Reports supervised inputs/alarms with 255 priorities;
- Includes an HTTP API, Windows DLL-based;
- Allows local connection of a laptop computer for diagnostics and configuration;
- Connects to the host and to other devices on the TCP/IP network;
- Receives and processes real-time commands from the host software application;
- Reports all activity to the host;
- Controls and communicates with all connected devices;
- Buffers offline transactions and uploads to the host when communication is restored;
- UL 294 and UL 1076 recognized components.
An attractive polycarbonate enclosure protects components from damage. All connections and indicators are fully identified by silk-screened nomenclature on the cover.
Single IP Solution
Unlike other access control systems that require a separate access control panel, a separate DVR panel and two IP addresses, GE combines all of the requirements into a single panel called ACUVison.
GE’s ACUVision offers a single panel platform to provide a solution for access control, alarm monitoring and digital recording. This approach offers the best of both worlds by combining all GE DVMRe (triplex) network DVR capabilities with the Diamond II ACUXL intelligent access control and alarm monitoring panel functionality into a single IP solution.
In combination with GE’s ACUVision, Diamond II v2.3 system owners can now get combined digital video monitoring/recording/playback, access control and intrusion detection functionality in a single panel solution. With this truly integrated digital video recording and access control platform solution, GE provides the ability to display live and stored video associated with alarm conditions and cardholder activity within the Diamond II system architecture.
This single IP solution is supported within the Diamond II architecture. It is a cost-effective alternative that allows live and stored video associated with alarm conditions, as well as cardholder activity, to display. Designed to lower total cost of ownership it is easier to service and support. As an integrated technology, GE’s solution requires one integrator for installation of both access control and digital video. Additionally, this economical solution can be used to fulfill the access control and digital video requirements of remotely located facilities.
A single database manages multiple recorders and cameras. A combined Diamond II/ACUVision solution is a network of recorders and cameras communicating over a LAN or WAN utilizing the same database. The system can consist of one or many recorders, connected to hundreds of cameras, each of which can be independently set up to respond with different recording criteria.
The database contains setup information relating to cardholders, alarms and cameras. When an alarm occurs, the video recording that is linked to the event begins several seconds prior to the alarm event trigger, allowing the user to instantly see the actual event not just the aftermath.
Embedded Operating System (OS) Technologies improves performance and reliability with enhanced logic implementation to continually tag video with the associated alarm events, even in an offline condition from the host.
Its modular design reduces space requirements by offering all power and terminal connectors for the reader and expansion module electronics in one uniform wall-mount enclosure that integrates the DVMRe/ACUXL components with a single CAT-5 type cable. This reduction in space is also accompanied by a reduction in time to install and maintain the system.
Features include:
- Multiplexer functionality with built-in digital recording;
- A printed circuit board assembly that supports communication with downstream ACU panels, RRE reader interface boards, RIM alarm input modules, and RRM remote relay modules;
- Supports up to 16 readers;
- Supports up to 16 standard or PTZ cameras;
- Remote PTZ camera control;
- Record rate of up to 48 pps (system total for all cameras);
- Record speed selectable per camera;
- Each unit allows up to 150 input points and 134 output points;
- Each unit interfaces with up to 8 expansion modules, Remote Input modules (RIM)/Remote Relay Modules (RRM);
- Access control capabilities supporting up to 50,000 cards;
- Direct LAN or WAN connectivity;
- Ability to multi-drop up to 15 additional ACUX panels downstream from the onboard RS-485 port (4 to 6 recommended);
- Auto-detect video on start-up;
- Continuous recording with simultaneous archiving;
- View live or recorded images remotely using WaveReader software;
- Motion search;
- Integrated WaveBrowser software;
- Up to four hard drives totaling 1TB of storage capacity;
- Multi-level password protection;
- Flash technology for DVMRe/ACUXL updates.
Custom Fire Alarm Specifications
The KnightSpec Specification Writing Tool is a software package allows you to create custom fire alarm specifications for Silent Knight panels including the IntelliKnight 5820XL, IFP-50, IFP-100, and IFP-1000 control panels, as well as the integrated voice evacuation versions of the IFP-100 and IFP-1000 control panels. The easy-to-use interface allows users to select from a wide variety of panel options and equipment in an easy “point-and-click” manner, reducing the time required to create a final specification.
Compiled specifications are saved as .doc files which allow editing in Microsoft® Office applications or insertion into larger specifications. Once a specification is complete, the user can print applicable data sheets to accompany the specification for submission.
Friendly Flexibility
Bosch has upgraded its G Series control panels with new features that increase personal safety for specialized applications such as banks and other high-security facilities. The new units offer enhanced safeguards, flexibility and ease of installation.
Features include:
- “Two-Person Disarm,” which provides greater security by requiring two people to disarm the system;
- “Early Ambush,” which increases security by allowing the disarming user to confirm the facility is safe for others to enter;
- “Easy Exit,” which allows customers to change the system’s arming state without first disarming; change system status from perimeter arming to complete protection with just one command;
- Access control tokens that now allow customers to easily arm, disarm, or bypass points simply by presenting their tokens;
- Simplified access to telephone connections and additional power terminals to make system wiring easier;
- 246 points and 996 access users.
The G Series Panels are available in three models – D7212GV2, D7412GV2 and D9412GV2 – to meet the needs of various size applications. The updated panels are scaleable and offer greater control. Customers may now modify the access status for as many as eight areas of a facility from one keypad with a single command, eliminating the need to key multiple commands to access each area.
The G Series Panels integrate the functionality of the Bosch control panels with intrusion, fire and access control. The panels now also integrate with Bosch’s DiBos Digital Versatile Recorder, providing enhanced security by coordinating the functions of intrusion control with CCTV surveillance. Events such a motion detector alarms can activate the CCTV equipment to focus a camera on the area of the alarm event and automatically record the scene, which provides even greater flexibility for comprehensive security.
