What are the specifications for on-prem based solutions and what VM environments are supported?
https://kb.imron.com/en/article/74-new-article
For cloud-based offering, who are you using for your datacenter and where are they located?
UnityIS is cloud agnostic and can use any provider.
Hardware: Based on the website and the A&E specifications you support a large selection of control panels from Mercury controllers, Azure Controllers, HID VertX EVO and EDGE EVO, and ZKTeco USA. This is a large selection of hardware. What drove the desire to integrate the various pieces of hardware? I assume some of this is due to your partnership with Z9 Security.
We started with the development of a Mercury and Bosch drivers. Later expanded to include HID and Axis based on customer demand. The benefit to having multiple drivers is that the customer does not have to replace hardware and can expand with whatever hardware they desire. We began working with Z9 during the pandemic when many manufacturers were experiencing supply chain issues. Z9 provides us with integrations to Atlas and Azure.
Out of these hardware platforms which would you choose and why?
Each of the hardware platforms has their own set of features and benefits. Mercury has a large install base, but has not kept up with features and security. Azure is feature and security driven, and is best suited for mid to enterprise level access control. Smaller sites with smaller budgets and less feature requirements should consider using Atlas.
From the Azure standpoint it is my understanding that the controllers run on-board applications. Can you run UnityIS as an embedded solution on the controller for an on prem / borrower-based solution without the need for an appliance or server.
At the moment we cannot run UnityIS on Azure but that is something that will eventually happen.
Using the IC2 as my controller I can have up to 32 RI2M when connected via the network. I would use the IO168 for various other applications as needed. Do you support the full line of Azure hardware and both RS485 and Network (PoE) for all panels?
Yes, the full line of Azure hardware and both RS485 and Network (PoE) are supported.
Are the inputs and outputs on the IC2 and RI2M panels able to be programmed for any purpose or are they hard coded to a door / reader? As an example, I may be using this as a general card reader indoors with reader, rex, contact and lock. In my design and idea, I need greater flexibility and the ability to use all inputs and outputs as needed. As an example, the RI2M has two reader ports. 6 inputs, and 4 outputs. I have drafted various versions of how I would use this panel in some applications. Just the inputs and outputs would be used for various triggers and actions.
All inputs, outputs can be mapped and assigned accordingly, using Door Definitions which will allow you to assign or unassign door locks, door contacts, and REXs to various outputs/inputs.
If you can use these inputs / outputs as needed, is it possible to create a template and then reuse that template.
Yes, there is a way to create hardware templates, that will respect custom Door Definitions.
Do you have threat levels in your software? Based on the threat level of the system the access control system performs in a restricted mode.
By creating Triggers and Macros various threat levels can be created. A Trigger can represent any event with specific properties and a Macro can be a series of actions that take place.
In an open campus environment with various buildings that students enter and exit between class changes this requires the doors to unlock and lock during the class change. How many intervals per time zone can you support on Azure hardware?
12 intervals per Time Schedule are currently supported.
For schools they have a planned schedule which may require schools being closed for holidays, or early dismissals. These events are planned and can be scheduled in advance so the access control system can restrict access when the school is closed. Do you have a calendar within the software where these events can be entered into the system at the beginning of the year and based on the calendar event date and time the access control system functions as programmed.
Yes, UnityIS has a feature called Day Scheduling which allows schedules to be setup for a specific day of the current calendar year. This functionality is host based.
Schools have plenty of unplanned events such as delayed openings, and early dismissals due to weather. Can you quickly modify the operating schedule to accommodate these last-minute changes? Example a calendar method that you can select the start date / time and end date / time.
Yes, this can be done in Time Schedules.
Time and attendance: By using the IC2 or RI2M I could have a clock in reader and clock out reader at designed locations. We are often asked about this for two different reasons. The first is the school wants to know what teachers are signed in / out and pull a report to find out who has not signed in by a specified time in the AM. In this case we want a report of who has not signed in that day for a specified period. This report would generate a list of teachers who have not signed in and the school can get a teacher to cover the class. In this application it is not used for payroll. The second scenario is that the facilities manager wants to know when his employees are clocking in and clocking out. In this application they want to know what time they got to work and what time did they leave. Others may want the total number of hours per day. This is your typical T&A reporting by day clock in, clock out time and total number of hours worked daily. Can you support both applications and reports?
Yes, our Attendance Reporting can do both scenarios and more.
Visitor Management: For the education K-12 market this is generally simple and consists of visitor’s name, type of person (Contractor or Visitor) Driver’s license scan, background check / sex offender check, print badge. Do you support this with the background / sex offender check?
Yes, we have a Visitor Management feature that will support visitors and notify/restrict visitors on a BOLO (be on the lookout) list.
Some K-12 schools that have a large amount of student pickup at the end of the day need a quick way to verify the person picking up is approved to pick up the student or students. Typically, this information is in the student information system. Do you have integrations with SIS systems? Essentially a parent or guardian would come in and present their license to be scanned or an access control credential. This would provide a picture of the parent or guardian for identification matching and check the SIS system to verify if the person is approved to pick up the student or students. If approved, it would clearly state approved and if denied it would clearly state denied. Upon a denied event a push notification could be sent to the school administrators or resource officer, so they are made aware of the event as this could lead to a hostile parent or guardian. Typically, there is a camera in the office so with video you could associate the video feed with the notification. The objective is to speed up the process without sacrificing accuracy. In NJ this is the dominant SIS system. https://www.genesisedu.com/
Yes, we can integrate to this.
Video Surveillance: From what I have found online you have integrations with a number of video surveillance platforms. Out of the ones that you list, Hanwha Wave would be the one that applies to us the most. From what I saw on the website you are pulling the live video and recorded video stream into UnityIS and a list of features from within the UnityIS platform. For the typical application I’m looking for a few items. The first is upon a door forced, or door propped condition, I want an alarm generated in the software with a pop-up window of the recorded video at the time of the alarm, and then be able to quickly switch to the live video. In this situation I typically have a local door alarm sounder / strobe that is activated via relay output to provide a visual and audible alert. The second would be an activation of a lockdown button or panic button. I want an alarm generated in the software with a pop-up window of the recorded video at the time of the alarm, and then be able to quickly switch to the live video. Upon these events do you have the ability to send a push notification to the UnityIS iOS and android mobile app with the associated recorded event and live video?
With all of our video integrations you can view live and recorded video and associate any video camera to any access control device. Should an access control alarm occur, a window will popup showing the location of the alarm along with links for live and recorded video that is associated to the alarm. All of this can be done from the mobile app as well.
Per the website you have Digital Watchdog and Hanwha Wave which are OEM versions of Network Optix. Have you looked into OEM Network Optix and building it into the UnityIS so you have the full feature set of the VMS but as a true unified platform from setup to management. https://www.networkoptix.com/powered-by-nx
Yes, we have looked into this option and can offer it.
I have seen Rhombus mentioned in an IPVM demo and within your specs. Do you see yourself integrating to the Hanwha OnCloud solution that they will be releasing. https://hanwhavisionamerica.com/oncloud/
Yes, we will be fully integrated with the Hanwha OnCloud, once it is released.
Does the UnityIS software have any video management capabilities or does video require partner integration?
No, all of our video functionality is done via partner integrations.
Does the UnityIS on-prem and Cloud version look the same and have all the same features and capabilities?
Both UnityIS on-prem and cloud are identical and use the same web based interface.
I see that Assa Abloy IN120 and IN220 are listed as supported. Does UnityIS support Assa Abloy Aperio?
Yes.
Does UnityIS supports Allegion AD300, AD400, and NDE / NDEB, and LE / LEB products? I know on the Allegion Alliance page IS2000 shows the AD300 / AD400.
Yes, all are supported.
Do you support an integration with Salto Space or KS and their wireless lock portfolio?
At the moment we do not support Salto Space or KS, but this is on our roadmap.