Comment Re:Remote controlled lock? (Score 1) 97
I'm with a startup called Edge Integration (www.edge-integration.com - sorry, our web site is pretty lame at the moment) building exactly the system everybody seems to be talking around. Coming from the database/web I have found the physical security industry is pretty backward and I just don't think there are many solutions out there for our friend with the POP sheds all over the place. We're a good fit for it and maybe Brivo.
There are all sorts of quality electrified locks, decent means of authentication (Prox cards and readers are the most common and easiest to use) and systems that work well in locally managed situations. Getting rid of keys removes a big headache (not that Prox cards are perfect). The problem here is how to manage it all.
The problem with most physical security is they are controlled over serial lines to a control panel in a central closet (each panel is usually designed for 8, 6 or 32 doors) and to manage it you have to run some old Windows program (I even saw one recently that was a DOS program). For individual POP sheds with one door this is overkill. A clever guy could wire the door up to a spare server, write a bunch of software and manage it all that way, but ... that's a lot of work, I know, that's what I've been doing.
At Edge we are building a single door Controller (basically a PDA with special I/Os) to talk to the serial readers; manage the locks, buzzers, lights; and collect data from temperature sensors, pump switches or whatever else you want to connect. Our Controller manages its battery and happily works without external power or a network for as long as it can. Without network you can't configure it or see who is at the door, but if they have been authorized the door will still open. The Controllers talk to our server (we're an ASP model) so other than the little board a the door there is no "panel". All management, configuration, monitoring and upgrading is done over the network. The Controller calls out to us so there are minimal firewall/network issues to deal with. Users monitor and manage their doors on our web site, so it doesn't matter if the doors are spread across 20 POP sheds or in the same building. Naturally, you can define groups of doors and groups of users and map all kinds of schedules and permissions between the two. You can do ad hoc remote unlocks and scheduled uplocks. If the network is connected it takes about 3 clicks of the mouse and about 15 seconds to disable someone's access to a door. The web app will also let you know if a door is off network.
Right now you can't get this wonderful system, but soon ... we have just begun installation into a few reference sites and will be showing up in some security integrator's inventories in the very near future.
There are all sorts of quality electrified locks, decent means of authentication (Prox cards and readers are the most common and easiest to use) and systems that work well in locally managed situations. Getting rid of keys removes a big headache (not that Prox cards are perfect). The problem here is how to manage it all.
The problem with most physical security is they are controlled over serial lines to a control panel in a central closet (each panel is usually designed for 8, 6 or 32 doors) and to manage it you have to run some old Windows program (I even saw one recently that was a DOS program). For individual POP sheds with one door this is overkill. A clever guy could wire the door up to a spare server, write a bunch of software and manage it all that way, but
At Edge we are building a single door Controller (basically a PDA with special I/Os) to talk to the serial readers; manage the locks, buzzers, lights; and collect data from temperature sensors, pump switches or whatever else you want to connect. Our Controller manages its battery and happily works without external power or a network for as long as it can. Without network you can't configure it or see who is at the door, but if they have been authorized the door will still open. The Controllers talk to our server (we're an ASP model) so other than the little board a the door there is no "panel". All management, configuration, monitoring and upgrading is done over the network. The Controller calls out to us so there are minimal firewall/network issues to deal with. Users monitor and manage their doors on our web site, so it doesn't matter if the doors are spread across 20 POP sheds or in the same building. Naturally, you can define groups of doors and groups of users and map all kinds of schedules and permissions between the two. You can do ad hoc remote unlocks and scheduled uplocks. If the network is connected it takes about 3 clicks of the mouse and about 15 seconds to disable someone's access to a door. The web app will also let you know if a door is off network.
Right now you can't get this wonderful system, but soon
