C H A P T E R 3
A unified physical security platform consists of a suite of products developed as one unit. It means you can turn different systems on or off, but you can't break connections – because there aren't any. A unified solution is built from the ground up to consolidate all of the data that you gather, so you can easily and efficiently manage security policies, monitor events, and run investigations.
said that unification reduced their infrastructure footprint
said it improved maintenance costs
said it reduced maintenance time
Deploying a unified server infrastructure means that you only have to learn, configure, upgrade, and back up a single software suite. This makes installing and managing a unified platform easier than an integrated system. Access is also easier as you can manage the system through a single application, regardless of the number of servers or technologies. Then, with this connection, you can access all the services offered by the system as the data is stored in one central location.
A unified platform with open architecture means that your core physical security products are unified and you can also add the functionality or data you need to the system from other products. You’re free to choose from a long list of hardware and software tools that can extend your platform and still be able to see and manage everything from a single interface.
A unified platform provides a single user interface for multiple security applications. As a result, switching from one application to another is seamless. This means that you can easily and efficiently move from one security task to another, saving time and energy and improving security.
said they saw a major improvement in event detection
said they saw major improvements in response times
saw major improvements in the time needed to gather evidence and other relevant information
Since events and alarms are managed by a single server infrastructure, a unified system offers event correlation by design. By correlating access and video events, for example, you can quickly validate a cardholder’s identity when an access event occurs, to ensure the authenticity of their credentials. Event correlation can also significantly reduce response time by filtering out false alarms.
A unified system is easier to upgrade and maintain than an integrated solution because it has a single software platform. Instead of upgrading multiple systems, an integrator only has to upgrade the platform, saving time and simplifying maintenance. It also minimizes system downtime during upgrades.