Today’s developing technology in the security industry is about providing one system, one solution. Access control and digital video are two of the main technological components that serve the best integrated solution for the end-user.
Look at the benefits
When you have a truly integrated access control and digital video solution, the system appears as one component to the end-user. This one system provides a fully functional security management interface so industry professionals can proactively respond to real-time events as they occur.Â
Using one system also reduces the number of manufacturers involved in the installation, minimizing the risk for integration complications. Since manufacturers are responsible for their own products, using one integrated solution from one company eliminates passing blame if challenges occur.
Deeply integrated access control and digital video produce a faster response to alarms, increasing productivity in security officers and increasing the level of overall security. This convenient integration gives the security officer one system to view video and respond to alarms. Officers can also view cameras on map screens and control cameras during an incident. When in alarm, security officers can:
•          View live video and immediately respond to situations while they are occurring.
•          Document video for replay and reference.
•          Operate the pan/tilt/zoom feature manually to avoid missing an event.
•          Schedule and/or manipulate camera tours and patterns based on the current situation.
•          Increase safety by providing video escort in parking lots.
Users can view tagged video from an alarm screen, maps, activity lists, history reports or a virtual matrix. Tagging alarms from an intrusion, a building management or visitor management system provides enhanced security while tallying a log for incident reports. The operator can immediately see what caused an alarm and actively respond to it without dispatching a security officer.
A deeply integrated system can automatically display video to the operator when there are alarms of interest. Alarms can pop up in a virtual matrix, in a new window or on a mobile device like a PDA. Used as such, video then becomes a much more proactive tool.
The making of an integrated solution
Any system activity should be able to trigger an automated system response on any of the sub-systems. This is one of the tests of a truly integrated solution. The response might be to lock a set of doors or to swing a camera to a different preset position – the options are unlimited.
Many organizations want to move to IP based access control and video, but don’t have the bandwidth or storage available. Some system combinations can be configured to save and transmit video only when an incident occurs. Edge-based storage devices can buffer video to prevent transmission across the LAN and allow the user to choose transmission time.
Other systems allow analog switchers, DVR, NVR and IP cameras to be combined to preserve investment and allow a migration path from analog to digital video.
A deeply integrated access control and digital video system eliminates the need for several different systems functioning separately in the same facility. By choosing a system that integrates these two great technologies, a cost-effective, easy to use and easy to maintain solution comes to life.
Kim Rahfaldt is the public relations manager of AMAG Technology. She can be reached at [email protected].