Security Dealer & Integrator

SEP 2013

Find news and information for the executive corporate security director, CSO, facility manager and assets protection manager on issues of policy, products, incidents, risk management, threat assessments and preparedness.

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network goes down or a camera fails, automatic email alerts are sent to the integrator and user. Managers can determine the cause of failure and deploy a service technician or other resource to investigate the issue. In most cases, a hosted system still functions offline, even without connection to the cloud — a service not available in a traditional system. When back online, users can then access all data that occurred while the system was down. Mitigating Risk Hosted services, especially integrated access control and video systems, enable users to minimize risk because events on both systems are recorded together. For example, in the event of an alarm sounding because a door is forced open, both systems react. The integrated system presents the video associated with the alarm condition to the end-user as a single event, instead of manually reviewing separate DVR or NVR sources to locate video of the incident. Users understand more quickly if the situation is a real threat and can notify the appropriate personnel or authorities to respond. This may also significantly reduce false alarms, which in some cases, result in fines from authorities. System notification and awareness are especially useful if an incident occurs after hours or when nobody is in the building. There is peace of mind in knowing that no matter what, the hosted service is monitoring the system and can immediately alert customers of potential instances. tion between access control and video systems administrators. Not only do systems work together through a single user interface, but in the event of maintenance, only one call is necessary to address any issues. Keep needs scalable. Be open about requirements for solutions that can be built-out on a need-basis. Hosted system capabilities should be flexible to business growth, and they should offer options for single user log-in, making it easier to gain access — even when a system is stretched across multiple locations. Trust your integrator. One of the significant benefits of hosted services is the convenience it provides the end-user and the reduced issues of managing a system. It is important that the end-user trust the integrator responsible for selecting and managing the system and who will have access to security information. John Smith is the Senior Channel Marketing Manager for Honeywell Security. Scalable Growth Finally, hosted systems support business growth. Cloudbased solutions can scale quickly based on customer needs. By moving to a hosted service, applications can be modified on an ongoing basis to "grow" alongside the business. If there is significant business growth — for example, if a company adds more physical locations, cameras or doors — adding expensive servers and software is not necessary to expand control. Hosted systems are also "future proof" because users no longer manually upgrade software, features or enhancements — updates are initiated automatically in hosted systems, providing customers with the latest releases. Some manufacturers, such as Honeywell, now offer hosted integrated applications that provide notification and automatic updates. Choosing the Right Hosted Services: Tips for Security Executives For security executives considering moving access control and/or video applications to a cloud-based service, be sure to consider the following before settling on a manufacturer and a system installer/integrator to partner with. Choose a manufacturer that provides hosted access control and video systems. By choosing different solutions made by one manufacturer, there are fewer channels of communicawww.SecurityInfoWatch.com Request information: www.securityinfowatch.com/10740350 EXECUTIVE GUIDE TO SYSTEM INTEGRATORS • September 2013 S9

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