Key cards and PINs are your first line of defense against unauthorized access. And, for the most part, these prove to be effective for your security needs. But key cards and PINs can be compromised or stolen. What happens then?
While key cards and PINs are great, you still need a second level of defense – a way to verify the identity of those individuals accessing your facility or restricted area. For this, a video management system (VMS) is an excellent option.
Weak Links in Typical Control-VMS Systems
1. Camera View: One of the main weaknesses of most Control-VMS systems is the camera view. Typically, these cameras zoom in on individual faces. But what happens if there are multiple individuals around, out of camera range? To maintain adequate security, most facilities need multiple cameras.
2. User Interface: Most access control systems provide more than enough information for each door event. When you add a camera to this scenario, operators can quickly become overwhelmed as they are bombarded with more information than they can process.
3. Video Review: Most Control-VMS systems present the operator with live video streaming. But if an operator wants to go back and take a second look at a door event, the process to do so can become quite cumbersome.
The Ideal Control-VMS Systems
The key to a successful security/surveillance system is to design a solution complex enough to meet your facility’s unique needs while still be simple to operate. What’s necessary is a “middleware” program that can integrate the essence of access control and the essence of video management into a single, unified, easily understood screen.
The ideal system would:
1. Allow operators to control door access, including opening and locking mechanisms.
2. Allow operators to view a list of cameras associated with each entry point.
3. The interface would be so simple that the program would take 10 minutes or less.
Such a “simple” system is actually incredibly complex. But it is possible!
For any further questions on the use of Control-VMS systems, simply contact ARK Systems at 1-800-995-0189 or click here today.
When you consider how crucial security can be, and when you think of all the options that you’re faced with today, one thing becomes clear. You need a contractor with experience. For assessment, design, installation, testing and service, ARK is the expert across the board.
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