Go deep: Deeply integrated access control and digital video

Photo courtesy AMAG Corporation
Dave Ella is chief technology officer for access control firm AMAG Corporation; he is a strong advocate of integrating video surveillance with access control solutions.

[Editor's Note: Dave Ella's column is based upon a session that he held at ISC West 2008 and was solicited for SecurityInfoWatch.com and IPSecurityWatch.com readers to provide insight into the idea that integration of video and access control can mean much, much more than simple alarm I/Os.]

The security industry has seen a lot of changes the past five years and the pace of change is increasing. Access control is already on the LAN and is moving towards the edge of the network. Video is truly on the network, and making great strives to become a proactive tool to deter crime. Customers are demanding increased integration, and the pressure is on to provide an all-inclusive solution with installation at a reasonable cost. However, providing a truly integrated solution requires deep links between access control and digital video - deeper than the normal integration we've all come to know.

Understanding deep integration

Why is deep integration important? Deep integration provides faster response to incidents, and increases the level of security. Security guards are more productive, therefore increasing security. It simplifies forensic analysis of incidents, and turns data into information.

Simple systems normally do not have any integration. Video and access control are available as separate stand alone systems where no communication between the systems exists. Operators manage each system separately.

Light integration occurs when video and access control systems send alarms or events to each other but the operator still has to use two or more application user interfaces.

Deep integration occurs when video and access control systems are combined into a single fully functional management interface. The access control and video systems work together to provide real-time information so security guards and other system operators can proactively respond to events as they occur. The systems are combined so closely, the user thinks it is a single system.

Deep integrations usually exist through the use of a Software Developers Kits (SDK) provided by each security equipment manufacturer. An SDK is a piece of software that acts as glue to link two systems together.