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Network Expert
Software as a Service
By Tom Galvin
A NEW CLASS of network-hosted monitoring services is emerging to complement and enhance traditional alarm monitoring. Hosted services that provide video monitoring and recording, video verification and access control provide new recurring revenue possibilities and enhanced value for end users and clients.
These services are based on a model called Software as a Service (SaaS). This is a software delivery model where the application is hosted in the “network cloud” on an Internet-accessible server. Subscribed users access the application through a standard Web browser without manually installing and maintaining custom software. “SaaS” has become the preferred buzzword over out-of-fashion terms like Application Service Provider (ASP) that describes a similar concept. Unlike ASP services that simply host off-the-shelf products overlaid with a browser application, true SaaS products are built from the ground up for Internet hosting.
With the SaaS model, end users usually do not pay for owning the software, but pay a recurring fee for using the application. The issues of providing software upgrades, new features and server maintenance are administered at the hosted server site by the service provider.
What enables SaaS for electronic security is the adoption of network-friendly features now being built into digital video recorders, network cameras, access control readers and panels.
A great example of a SaaS service is the Digital Fabric product from Digital Synthesis (www.dsynthesis.com). The Synthesis Digital Fabric is a software platform that enables connection and control of common, network-ready electronic security systems across either a LAN or Internet environment.
The Synthesis platform connects traditional DVRs and access control platforms for remote monitoring and control. In addition to the legacy analog devices, Synthesis works with native IP access control devices like HID’s IP-ready Edge Readers. For network video, Synthesis integrates with PacketNVR (www.packetnvr.com) software to access popular network cameras from Axis, Sony and others through network firewalls.
Another unique differentiator is that Digital Synthesis also integrates with primary central station automation software such as those offered by IBS and Dice. This is new in that it provides some of the largest central monitoring stations the ability to provide end-to-end IP-based video and access control monitoring in a convenient common user interface across different brands. With the service, the subscribed end user can use a web browser for complete visibility to live and recorded video, alarms and access events from multiple sites. President and CEO of Synthesis, Dana Hersom added, “For the first time, end users who want notification and control of their security systems have a common user interface to all their systems that communicate seamlessly to major central monitoring centers when needed. This provides value-add services for the end-user that were previously only available in high-end, more expensive integrated applications.”
