Integrated Security Solutions

Choosing the right integrated security hardware

1. Dedicated servers for VMS and access control

Video management software like Milestone XProtect and access control platforms like Inner Range's Integriti are built to run on dedicated hardware, not share a general-purpose server with something else. Dell's PowerEdge range here comes pre-configured for exactly that - the right CPU, storage and network throughput for the software it is running, sized to camera count or door count rather than guessed at.

2. Control room workstations

A workstation like Dell's Precision 3240 is built for reviewing multiple camera feeds at once - quad-monitor output and enough graphics performance to decode several video streams without stuttering, which a standard office PC is not specified to do.

3. Fire detection

A conventional smoke alarm, like Honeywell's 4-wire range, reports back to the panel as part of a zone - the panel knows a zone triggered, not which exact device. An addressable fire system, using modules and manual call points like Honeywell's addressable range, reports the exact device that triggered, which matters more the larger or more complex the building.

4. Fire notification

Once a fire system detects something, it has to tell people - a conventional sounder, a strobe for areas too loud for an audible alarm to carry, or a warden intercom phone for staff coordinating an evacuation. Which combination is required is set by the building's fire safety certification, not by preference, so check with whoever holds that certification before substituting one type for another.