Flexible, Expandable IP/Hybrid Camera & Recording Systems for Offices & Businesses

You can buy security cameras anywhere. But to have a truly functional, robust surveillance/recording/monitoring security camera system for your office in Oak Forest, IL, you need system design, installation, programming, and integration with your data network from someone who truly understands both. Don't get sucked into contracting services from a "camera installer" for whom IT networks are just a sideline or vice versa.

For decades, Andromeda has served the IT/Security needs of small-to-medium sized organizations like yours in the greater Chicagoland IL/Indy area. We have cultivated expertise in both the data network "brains" as well as the camera/access control/alarm/communication "arms and legs" of office systems and have years of experience integrating these together for a diverse cross-section of businesses, municipalities, and other associations/organizations.

Your timing for creating or expanding a current security camera surveillance system could not be better. There is no longer a need for an expensive, dedicated system to monitor your premises. We also provide great options for expanding an older security camera system with better/newer analog and digital technology without scrapping what you might already have! By leveraging your existing IT network for your security camera system(s), Andromeda can save you time, money, and lots of headaches with efficient integrated systems that can do more than you probably imagined: real-time alerts, automated responses, and more.

Security Camera/Surveillance/Recording Systems -Oak-Forest, IL 60452

We are a certified Panasonic Network Camera Installer. We utilize the latest in IP Video Camera technology, which allows the cameras, DVR recording and viewing all to be performed on your existing computer data network. This allows you to use your existing investment in your data wiring and data systems and extend that network into the security camera/webcam arena.

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Panasonic Cameras and Recording Software

• Panasonic manufactures over 20 different types of network video cameras. The following are some of the features that are available:
  Wireless
• Outdoor
• Power-Over-Ethernet (PoE)
• Digital and Optical Zoom
• Very High Resolution
• Low Light, Night Viewing
• Motion and Thermal Activation
• Full Pan, Tilt, and Zoom with Scanning Presets
• 2-Way Audio with Microphone and Speaker

The ability to record and later playback is an important and necessary part of any video security system. There are many options available; from on-camera memory sticks to a full-blown, searchable recording system capable of storing months worth of video from all your cameras. The viewing software is very user-friendly and easy to use.

Andromeda Technology Solutions will work to understand all your needs and provide a solution that exactly fits those needs, and allows for future growth if necessary. Our attention to detail will ensure you receive a system that you will be 100% happy with.

Applications

There are many types of applications where it pays to see there, when you cannot be there. Here are just a few types of oranizations that have benefited from our security camera systems:

• Parking Lots
• Daycare / Nursery School
• Construction Sites
• Car Dealerships
• Retail Stores
• Restaurant / Franchise
• Self Storage
• Hotel / Motel
• Multi-unit Residential

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Flexible / Programmable / Expandable Surveillance Systems

You can start with just a few cameras and expand the system as you grow. It is very easy to add security cameras to the system, without throwing away any of your initial investment.

There are options to synchronize recordings with your POS receipts, so you can exactly match the video recording with an individual receipt transaction.

The wide variety of camera types and camera options make the system extremely flexible to fit almost any application.

We can also setup remote access for you to view live video or search through recorded video, from any remote location with Internet access. You can keep tabs on your business without having to be there.

Integration: Get The Most From Your Security Systems

How does Integrated Security work?

How does Integrated Security work?

Integrated Security works by allowing you to program a multitude of responses—both in the Cloud and as control back to external hardware—based on any number of triggers from external hardware regardless of origin/type (cameras, access sensors, alarm fault sensors, motion, smoke, temperature,...)

Why is Integrated Security better?

Why is Integrated Security better?

This allows the entire system and designated human responders to more accurately assess the detailed nature of a security event and respond in the most precise/appropriate manner, virtually eliminating undue responses to false alarms.

Triggers:
• Motion in ...more

I.S. Responses:
• Discontinue ...more

Triggers:
• Door opening ...more

I.S. Responses:
• Selective lock ...more

Triggers:
• Zone fault ...more

I.S. Responses:
• Set/Reset ...more

Triggers:
• Manual Pan/Tilt/Zoom signals to designated cameras
• Overrides of any current Access Control statuses
• Set/reset Alarm status

I.S. Programmable Responses:
• Alert Central Station
• Email/text alert to owner/designated responders
• Pop appropriate camera feed(s) to all responders
• Release of appropriate cameras to manual control

Integrated Security works by allowing you to program a multitude of responses—both in the Cloud and as control back to external hardware—based on any number of triggers from external hardware regardless of origin/type (cameras, access sensors, alarm fault sensors, motion, smoke, temperature,...). This allows the entire system to more accurately assess the detailed nature of a security event and respond in the most precise/appropriate manner, virtually eliminating undue responses to false alarms.

AndroPedia Tech Library

As part of our service, it is important to keep our client-partners well informed on Security Camera system developments, news, and best practices. Here is just a sampling of typical items from our AndroPedia^SM library archive:

Professional integrated security systems are important to every business. We’ve shared the different features burglar systems provide that have nothing to do with a break in , the top five reasons you should replace your traditional lock and key with an access control system, and other educational materials over the last few months. Many times, customers consider security systems as separate components:

• Security Cameras
• Access Control
• Burglar Systems

With integrated security your solutions can work together to improve security, reduce risk and even improve productivity. That being said, we’ve decided to dedicate the next few Security Blogs to this topic.  Thru our next blog posts, we will be covering different scenarios/features that can be maximized with integrated security solutions.

Integrated Security – It Does A Whole Lot More Than You Thought

Environment Regulation – your burglar system can be equipped with special temperature sensors that will alert you if specific areas – a server room for example – exceed or dip below assigned parameters. This can save you from a great deal of hardware trouble and headache. Imagine though that with integrated security you can take this concept to an entire office building or warehouse. With integration, you can set up your facilities to monitor activity via security cameras and configure automatic lighting, heating or cooling settings for when people are present/absent. This can reduce your utility costs greatly and is an eco-friendly option for your business.

Improved Productivity – increased productivity is something everyone benefits from both personally and professionally. Traditionally, employers depended on security cameras or time clocks to monitor productivity. This was a start but hardly a way to collect data or truly motivate staff. These days software can be integrated that monitor’s user activity via the network. Keystroke logging software, web traffic logs, firewalls and other software applications can track productivity. On top of this, the data gathered show user/department trends, and any number of additional data points a company wants to gather. While some employees may grumble at the idea of close monitoring, this data can be a way for business owners to dole out promotions, bonuses and other rewards.

Visitor Management – with integrated security, visitor management for professional buildings and residential buildings is managed with software and closely monitored. No more sign in sheets, lost badges or calling up for an escort/permission (of course you can still do these things if desired). Integrated security reduces labor requirements and demands while also increasing security and protocol. A proper solution can automatically register visitors, print passes, give instructions on where to go and alert appropriate staff/persons of visitor arrival. There are even components that can be used to manage traffic flow within a facility to avoid wandering (both by foot and behind the wheel).

The post Integrated Security – It Does A Whole Lot More Than You Thought Part 1 (2 Part Series) appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

Security cameras have many uses at your business. They can be used to deter crime, monitor employees and ensure safety on your premises. Cameras can also be used as a piece of a larger integrated security solution with software add-ons (i.e. facial recognition, temperature maintenance etc.) or equipment integration such as access control with visual intercom capabilities.

As technology advances and companies look to integrate different devices cameras will be able to do even more.

All of this in mind, your professional camera system is an investment in the security of your business and you want to get your money’s worth out of it.

On average, a professional system has a life cycle of approximately 5 years. This life cycle can be significantly shorter due to extreme weather conditions (if the cameras are outside) but new technologies are improving exposure thresholds every year.

There are many things you can do as the equipment owner to ensure that you get a long and dependable life out of your security cameras.

Here are our Top 5 Tips to Prolong the Life of Your CCTV Professional Camera System:

1. System Updates/Patches

Unless you’ve opted for a cloud based solution, your cameras connect back to a physical recording device at your facility. Professional recording devices are now more like a PC or a server. They require regular updates/patches to help improve functionality, decrease bugs and resolve issues.

2. Dust Your Recording Equipment

Your recording equipment will most likely be mounted on some kind of rack in an area where you keep the rest of your IT equipment (like your server, router, phone equipment and other hardware).

3. Regular Testing of Recording Functions

It might sound a bit foolish to say you should regularly be checking your footage or regularly confirm that your cameras are working but when there aren’t regular incidents or needs to check footage, it can be easy to forget you even have the cameras at all (maybe you won’t completely forget but you get the idea). Obviously, they last thing you want is for an incident to occur and realize too late that your cameras are malfunctioning or your recorder isn’t working properly. We would suggest adding regular testing of your equipment to your maintenance schedule.

4. Clean Camera Lenses

Just like regular testing, it is important that you check and clean your camera lenses regularly. You never know what might get on them. Additionally, make sure to clean up foliage around your cameras to avoid blocked views. It is smart to clean camera lenses at least once a quarter if not more.

5. Semi-Annual Professional Service/Checkup

There are many small things that can happen to a professional camera system that are best left for professional technicians.

• Wiring issues
• Corrosion
• Faulty Equipment
• Port Forwarding
• System Audits (verification of views, users, permissions, updates)

We would recommend that you have a professional technician come on site at least twice a year to perform maintenance and checkups – hopefully from the same company who installed your equipment. At this time they can handle all of the above and possibly even more.

A quality professional camera system is an investment. They aren’t cheap but the protection and security they give you are well worth the expense. If you take proper care of your system, it will service your needs for years. Additionally, it makes sense to look into service packages your vendor offers to maintain a system before you even install it. Many companies include all of these services for a reasonable monthly fee.

Give us a call and let’s see what we can do to prolong the life of your system today!

The post Tips to Prolong the Life of Your CCTV Professional Camera System appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

According to a new report published by Spiceworks, nearly 90 percent of businesses will use some type of biometric technology for authentication by the year 2020.� In fact, some 62 percent of companies already use biometrics in some form, with another 24 percent stating their intention to do so within the next two years.

The particulars break down like this:

• 57 percent of companies using biometric authentication use fingerprint scanners
• 14 percent use facial recognition
• Five percent make use of hand geometry recognition
• Three percent use iris scanners
• Two percent use voice recognition
• Two percent use palm-vein recognition

There are only a handful of companies that provide biometric solutions. Of those, Apple dominates the space, providing 34 percent of fingerprint scanning solutions and 14 percent of facial recognition solutions.

The rest of the market breaks out as follows:

• Lenovo Fingerprint Manager is used by 13 percent of companies that utilize biometrics
• Samsung fingerprint readers are used by 13 percent
• Microsoft's Windows Hello (face login) is used by 13 percent
• Android's Face Unlock is used by seven percent

As widespread as biometric adoption has been, only 10 percent of CIOs felt that biometric solutions were secure enough to be the sole means of authentication.� IT security professionals have reached largely the same conclusion, with just 23 percent of them thinking that biometrics could replace traditional text-based passwords within the next two years.

The two biggest hurdles they see are the relative lack of transparency provided by biometric solutions providers about flaws and vulnerabilities discovered in their systems, and the lack of transparency around the biometric data collected by vendors.

Peter Tsai, a senior technology analyst at Spiceworks had this to say about the report: "Many IT professionals aren't convinced biometrics can serve as a secure and reliable replacement for the standard username and password combo.� Unless technology vendors can address the security issues and privacy concerns associated with biometrics, the technology will likely be used side-by-side in the workplace with traditional passwords or as a secondary authentication factor for the foreseeable future."

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