Re: Opinions on alarms systems configured/monitored over IP network

["Aegis" <lordaegis@xxxxxxxxx>]

"Pat Coghlan" <info@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:wfA0e.36554$nK.1264804@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Do you know if the systems you mentioned (plus Lenel) have the following
> capabilities:
>
> - 4-state alarms (active, inactive, short, cut)
> - ability to search database objects (alarm points, cardholders etc.) for
> matching strings
> - canned and customizable reports
> - configurable user permissions (monitor only, configure objects)
> - warm or hot standby server

I know AMAG and Hirsch does... I'm not familiar with Lenel... Can't remember
if Northern supports 4-state, but it has the rest...

The only thing special is the warm/hot standby server, but just about any
system can do that... It's an IT thing, not necessarily a system thing. I
can do that with two Windows boxes running Half-Life 2 (game) if I wanted
to. It's a matter of syncing the drives between two networked boxes (pretty
much emulating a RAID configuration, but with two boxes instead of one). I
would have to rig something for the automatic COM port (panel communications
route) switching, but that wouldn't be too hard. If using networked panels,
this would be even easier. Some systems may have this feature built-in,
especially Enterprise class systems, but since it can be built fairly easily
I wouldn't classify it as a major selling point.

>
> -Pat
>
> Aegis wrote:
>> "Pat Coghlan" <info@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>> news:DCe0e.24519$nK.941320@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>>>I'm surprised no one has mentioned (knows about) the Summit eNT product
>>>from Edwards Security (http://www.edwards.ca).
>>>
>>
>>
>> In your original post, you indicated you already knew about that product
>> and asked for other product opinions.
>>
>>
>>>Of course, the website doesn't offer any useful information about the
>>>Summit eNT product, I just discovered.
>>>
>>>This is an enterprise product, providing ONLY alarm
>>>configuration/monitoring/reports and access control.
>>>
>>>As you indicated, most other companies really haven't focused on the
>>>security side of things.
>>
>>
>> Very close to 100% of those companies would disagree with you.
>>
>> Just about every access system provides what you have decribed earlier:
>> - receive active alarms
>> - configure alarm inputs/relays/zones
>> - administer cardholders
>>
>> AMAG, Hirsch, Casi-Rusco, Kantech, and even Northern have all of these
>> abilities.
>>
>>
>>>Jackcsg wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>"J. Sloud" <jsloud2001@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
>>>>news:ah7141d4r2mnuajl8tun7tqf29hb9l552e@xxxxxxxxxx
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>On Tue, 22 Mar 2005 16:54:04 -0500, "Jackcsg" <nospam@xxxxxxxxxx>
>>>>>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>Few Enterprise solutions are
>>>>>>listed for fire, and I'm not just talking monitoring it, that's a
>>>>>>whole
>>>>>>other issue, but the actual devices, installation.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>A EST3 Synergy system would be one I'm familiar with.  Not only will
>>>>>it do access/ fire/ ba/ cctv but it will also interface via Lontalk to
>>>>>a host of other systems enabling true integration.
>>>>>
>>>>>Jack, what else out there will do the same?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Well there's only a few. More and more of the big access boys are
>>>>getting on
>>>>board with things like BacNet, Modbus, Lontalk, and some deeper PLC
>>>>Integration. Probably out of all the complete systems I've seen I'd have
>>>>to
>>>>say Andover Controls has some pretty decent stuff. Embedded servers are
>>>>just
>>>>starting to gain momentum, and the programmers are flooding the fields
>>>>now
>>>>with creativeness. The problem for most is, there are so many protocols
>>>>out
>>>>there, where do you focus? And who are/is your client. These
>>>>technologies
>>>>mostly get born, as you know, from Government dealings. I've been
>>>>seriously
>>>>focusing on these embedded servers because there are a few which cross
>>>>with
>>>>multiple protocols, and communications. I know Siemens uses products
>>>>similar
>>>>to Andover Controls, and more and more big clients are looking at the
>>>>single
>>>>package. But....it's not all in house...yet. Electricians are getting
>>>>involved and finding a big niche.
>>>>MDI for a while in the early 90's also focused a little attention at
>>>>going
>>>>down that road as well. As far as I know, MDI was the first Enterprise
>>>>Platform to be UL listed for fire, where others followed only in the
>>>>monitoring side of things.
>>>>Johnson Controls and Honeywell are probably the most known, through name
>>>>recognition, but again, neither are total in house solutions.
>>>>AMAG now has a BacNet interface, and along with a DMP interface, so they
>>>>are
>>>>also a good consideration.
>>>>I think Lenel and Radionic's also have an Integration Package. I don't
>>>>know
>>>>where Lenel is on the PLC side of things, but the two owners (founders)
>>>>can
>>>>right some serious code.
>>>>That's only the security side of things....Turn to the PLC side of the
>>>>world....there are hundreds of companies with OAS, PLC Integration and
>>>>Automation. None of them have really focused on the security side of
>>>>things,
>>>>there's too much money in Industrial Systems.
>>>>
>>>>
>>