International. Altronix, highlighted in its blog the benefits of integrated access control and video surveillance systems, indicating that they provide greatly improved security operations, but often involve complicated configurations with high installation and labor costs.
New power and access integration solutions alleviate much of this long-standing problem by simplifying board design and cable management with extreme versatility and scalability. The simple yet pragmatic design of these new integration solutions with custom backplanes makes an otherwise arduous integration aspect faster, easier and extremely cost-effective, all of which are tangible benefits for both end users and installers.
An important advantage is the simplification of design and installation. Setting up these integration solutions in a single enclosure is relatively quick and easy. Online tools such as the Trove configurator make the design process even easier. In addition, the ability to test systems prior to deployment greatly reduces installation time and overall costs.
An additional benefit provided by the new energy and access integration solutions is the space savings. In the past, multiple cabinets were usually installed to house access control equipment, power supplies, and accessories. This scenario requires a significant amount of valuable wall space, compared to an all-in-one access and power solution that provides ample space for all necessary access and power products and backup batteries.
Improved system troubleshooting is another significant benefit. When a problem arises, energy is usually the first point of problem solving, but it is usually not the source of the problem. Power solutions that report diagnostics can help determine the cause of a system failure. This information can reduce system downtime, eliminate service calls, and provide faster response times to help keep security systems running. Advanced power and transmission solutions with network communications can also provide early detection of potentially defective devices, allowing service providers to take proactive steps to avoid system disruption. Among the available diagnostic information are critical operating criteria such as AC presence, battery status and condition, voltage output, current consumption, ambient temperature and more.
The combination of faster design, installation, and system troubleshooting and service translates into higher ROI for integrators, as labor costs and off-site service visits can be significantly reduced. For example, simply restarting a device remotely can often solve a problem and save a truck's time and expense to diagnose and repair the problem. This saving alone can be significant for both distributors and end users, while reducing potential and costly system downtime, and power access and integration solutions with network communications offer a new source of RMR for integrators by offering remote monitoring as part of their service contract offering.
New access control and energy integration solutions offer end users and integrators an all-in-one approach that not only simplifies design and installation, but preserves budgets, delivers a tangible return on investment, and improves overall security.
* Text written by JR Andrews, altronix sales executive.
