With more companies investing in security systems, it makes sense to step back and think about an integrated approach that combines access control systems, intruder alarms and CCTV.
A
ccording to a 2010 survey from
Traditionally, installers would physically
and controls who gets into a building and
the Small Firms Association, 45%
connect the three different systems via
where they go from there. When this is
of businesses were victims
a series of inputs and outputs.
part of an integrated system, managed
of crime in the past two years and
There is far more work
from a PC software application, it gives
60% suffered crime on two
involved in making three
the operator and manager full control
or more occasions. Theft
separate systems talk to
of the system and a full audit trail of
of stock and cash, along
one another so that,
movement within the building, backed
with criminal damage to
for example, the CCTV
up by visual images and intruder alarm
premises were the most
cameras begin recording
status at that time.
common incidents,
the moment an alarm is
while the average
tripped. Not only is this
cost of an incident
type of setup more time-
was almost €3,000.
consuming and cumbersome
Naturally, businesses have
to install, it also creates the
responded by investing more money in security
problem of having to deal with three different equipment vendors.
and prevention. The survey
Integrated systems have the intelligence to disarm the intruder alarm system only for the areas where the person entering has been granted access. In a multi-tenanted building where someone opens the door and disarms the alarm, they could leave the whole
found CCTV usage increased to
For the business itself,
just over 38% of firms, and almost 30%
managing this kind of
a fully integrated system
of companies now have some form of
infrastructure – usually
that knows where people
access control system.
with a third party security
building vulnerable. With
should be going, the
management platform –
other areas of the building
Like the legs of a stool, a good security
adds further complexity
remain protected.
system has three parts: an intruder
and cost. There is an easier
alarm, access control, and closed circuit
way.
TV. In the past, however, that has meant
Integrated systems really come into their own when
three separate systems for a company’s
Combining the three
security team to run and three different
elements of a security system
Integrated systems have the intelligence to disarm the intruder alarm system only for the areas where the person entering has been granted access.
CCTV is included. Let’s take the example of a building protected by proximity card access; by itself that system might not prevent unauthorised entry by someone who had somehow managed to obtain a card. When you have an integrated system, the CCTV will record footage of
manufacturers for the installers to deal
– access control, intruder alarms and
the person entering when they present
with. At a time when there are plenty of
CCTV – into one system is not only more
the card. If a door has been forced, that
other challenges facing businesses, this is
powerful but also more cost-effective.
registers not only on the access control
Access control by its nature manages the
and the intruder alarm systems but
movement of people within a building
when combined with CCTV, it will record
an unnecessary complexity.
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