Ian Povey

“A wealth of information creates a poverty of attention.” So said Herbert A. Simon, American Political Scientist, Economist, Sociologist, Psychologist, and Professor. I heard that quote at the Avigilon presentation at IFSEC, repeated by Ian Povey, Avigilon’s director of product marketing and product management. He used the quote to support the need for more (accurate) video analytics. In other words, without analytics, there is so much video information that the operator’s attention is lost within minutes, so an end user’s whole security stature breaks down. It certainly relates well to video analytics, but what a great quote for so many things in our modern world! Aren’t we all flooded every day with more information than we can ever process? In the security market, there are more cameras than ever, more alarms, more data points, more security threats, more, more, more.  No surprise therefore that we turn to companies like Avigilon to help us out. Their presentation at IFSEC told how they do just that. In addition to new video analytics capabilities (a consequence of their acquisition of Video IQ earlier this year), Avigilon also promoted the idea of an end-to-end system that can help security end users deal with the “wealth of information.” The fast-growing manufacturer touted new, closer integration between their new Access Control Manager (ACM) product, which they embraced (and then rebranded) with their acquisition in 2013 of Red Cloud Security. The browser-based system, available in Enterprise, Virtual or new Professional versions, now allows access control alarms to be associated with video and managed either within the ACM system or inside the Avigilon Control Center video software. How alarms are managed is completely configurable and customizable between the two systems. In addition to greater functionality, Steven Lewis, Avigilon’s ACM senior product manager, also offered an economic argument for use of an end-to-end solution from one manufacturer: “Since it’s all our products, we don’t charge extra to bring them together. Many manufacturers have a fee associated with connecting with another manufacturer’s system, whether it’s access to video or video to access. When you use our products, there isn’t any additional fee for integration. It’s even less expensive and works better than those other integrations are ever going to.” About functionality, he continues: “You can choose how you respond to events. The reality is we have hours and hours and hours of boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Something happens, what do I do? You need there to be a process that you know what to do. You don’t have to think. It pops up and tells you, it gives you the data, it gives you the instructions, and then you respond to that. When something happens, then people respond and they’re not trying to figure out what they’re supposed to do.” That’s a good way to get anyone’s attention.

This latest version extends the reach of Avigilon's access control offering with a wider range of applications Avigilon Corporation ("Avigilon"), a leading global provider of end-to-end security solutions, recently introduced the latest version of its Access Control Manager (ACM) platform to its innovative product portfolio. One of the most open and scalable access control products in the security industry, ACM 5.2 provides an IT-friendly solution for organizations of all sizes. This latest version extends the reach of Avigilon's access control offering with a wider range of applications and enhancements that includes the introduction of the Access Control Manager Professional appliance and a deeper integration with the award-winning Avigilon Control Center (ACC) video management software. "Small to medium-sized projects with 32 doors or less make up a large portion of the worldwide access control market. Our latest version of ACM provides broader capabilities that enable us to better serve this segment of the market," said Ian Povey, director of product marketing and product management, Avigilon. "In addition, the enhanced integration with our ACC software creates an even more powerful and streamlined end-to-end solution. Through our global sales channel, we're helping organizations of all sizes around the world manage their sites more effectively and become more secure." Access Control Manager Professional  Access Control Manager Professional supports access control installations of up to 32 reader licenses, to address the physical security needs of small to medium-sized sites. Intuitive and easy to use, ACM Professional simplifies security with a cost-effective, all-in-one appliance. Delivering powerful performance, ACM Professional is ideally suited for compact spaces and requires minimal power or IT infrastructure. Access Control Manager 5.2 also features a strengthened integration with the Avigilon Control Center software, deepening Avigilon's end-to-end offering Avigilon Control Center Integration  Access Control Manager 5.2 also features a strengthened integration with the Avigilon Control Center software, deepening Avigilon's end-to-end offering and enabling end-users to create a comprehensive security solution. Users of ACM and ACC can seamlessly monitor both video and access control events and alarms through a single platform, enabling quicker response times and more efficient management of building security. Avigilon's Alarm Gateway technology allows users to intelligently manage and map alarms between both systems. With the added ability to link alarms to identity profiles stored in the system, administrators can create specifications, unique to their organization, for a deeper level of security. Availability  Access Control Manager 5.2 will be demonstrated at booth G950 at the IFSEC tradeshow in London, UK from June 17 to 19, 2014 and will be available for order worldwide in July 2014.