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 Woodridge, 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 -Woodridge, IL 60517

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:

It’s no secret that smartphones, tablets and cloud services are changing the way businesses operate in 2018. Data from Pew Research Center – 95% of adult Americans now own a cellphone of some kind and 77% of those phones are smartphones.

Of these smartphone owners, a recent study from App Annie indicates that on average, a smartphone user spends over two hours daily using apps in their phone. There are a bunch of interesting stats:

• An average person has 60-90 apps installed on their device
• On average a smartphone user opens at least 9 apps a day

You can look at this more in depth here.

You can use your smartphone to access documents on the go, check in with your team and collaborate on projects – so why not apply that same availability and accessibility to your integrated security?

Read on to discover three ‘game changers’ you can take advantage of when you connect your smartphone and integrated security.

1. Smart Phone Badges for Access Control

Keyless entry is becoming more and more standard in professional buildings. It can streamline payroll, secure a building or section of a building and gives peace of mind among many other benefits. Traditionally, this technology has meant a reader at specific doors and key fobs or badges that allow/deny access once swiped. There can be issues with this though such as employees sharing key cards/fobs or losing them etc.

Within the last few years, access control systems have added the ability to scan smart phone devices for entry into buildings. With special programming and hardware the access control reader can use your smartphone just like a fob or keycard to grant or disallow access to your facility.

2. Remote Access via Smartphone for your Camera System

When it comes to cameras and recording equipment things have come a long way from recording footage to a hard copy of a tape. Recording equipment used to have restrictions on where you could view footage. Realistically, most installations involved cameras installed that hooked up to the recorder which also hooked up to a PC in a specific location. You could only view footage from that one PC.

Good thing those days are history!

CCTV Camera systems are now viewable from many different locations. You can install viewing software on your home PC, your laptop, your tablet and your smartphone. This means that when you are out of the office on business or when you want to see what’s going on at the office after hours, all you have to do is pull out your smartphone and open the software app.

From there you can view footage, zoom in and check things out easily.

3. Remote Access & Control for Integrated Security Solutions (Access Control & Burglar)

Whether you are out of the office regularly for meetings or just gone for the evening it is stressful to wonder whether your alarm system is armed or whether someone accidentally left the back door open.

With today’s integrated security solutions and remote accessibility via smartphones/tablets, you don’t have to let those worries keep you up at night. You can arm and disarm your building with the touch of a button.

You can also lock and unlock doors at your facility.

When all of these features are put together you are able to see what’s going on at your office from your phone. You can lock and unlock doors when needed – say if an employee needs to get in after hours. You can also arm or disarm your burglar system from anywhere.

You’re basically unstoppable . . .

But really, integrated security and your smartphone are a match made in tech heaven. For more information on smartphone features and integrated security give us a call at (815) 836-0030 or send us an email at Contact@WeNetwork.com. We’d love to hear from you.

The post Integrated Security And Your Smartphone – Three Game Changing Features You’ll Want To Implement appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

Professional Camera Systems– Which Security Camera’s Right For You?

So you’re interested in professional camera systems for your business . . .

There are many different variables to consider:

• Locations – Inside, outside?
• Purpose – Are these cameras in place to deter theft? Monitor a parking lot? Watch a production line?
• Lighting – Do you need them to capture footage at night? Are there any lights around that might impact image quality or maybe a complete lack of a light source?
• Accessibility – Do the cameras need to be out of reach? If they are outside, is there space to attach them to the building?

These are just a few things to consider and there are many more.

That being said, one major factor can impact all of these and is one of the first things you should consider.

Analog or IP Professional Camera Systems?

That may sound like another language but for the most part, the difference boils down to how a video signal is delivered.

Basically, Analog cameras turn video footage into a format that is received by your recording device (DVR) and displayed on a monitor or television. IP security cameras send their footage over cable or wireless and the footage is decoded by a network device. Essentially, IP security cameras run on a network and the system is more like an extension of your IT infrastructure while Analog professional camera systems are a separate type of technology.

This may sound confusing but at the end of the day both systems can get the job done.

As always, our goal is to take the complication out of technology and provide our customers with a solution that simply works.

That being said, here are some simple pros and cons for both systems that should help you figure out which is right for you.

Analog Professional Camera Systems

Benefits –

• Budget Friendly – an analog system is often the less expensive option.
• Variety & Custom Design Options – Analog systems tend to be easier to customize. With a large variety of camera styles and functions, these systems answer your unique needs and if you believe that your job requires some specific or unusual surveillance components, analog may be your best option.
• Dependable Technology – analog systems have been around a very long time and as such, have many software and hardware compatibilities. If you want a camera system that can integrate well with other technologies, it is important to look into compatibility before choosing anything.

Disadvantages –

• Security risks – these days we have to consider cyber security and while the probability of this happening remains low, the analog signals cannot be encrypted which means that someone else could get their hands on our signal.
• Certain features missing – While most anything you are looking to do are possible on analog systems, there are limitations. Digital zoom is one example. For images that you will need to zoom a lot and maintain clear images, analog may not be your best option.

Image quality limits – One of the most well-known drawbacks of digital systems is that the image quality is not always as clear as the IP alternative. If a crystal clear image is something you are after, it is best to consider all variables, desired zoom, PTZ requirements, face recognition, lighting etc.

IP Professional Camera Systems

Benefits –

• Less signal interference/higher security – As this is a different type of signal run on a network, there is less likelihood for signal interference. Also, these systems are able to encrypt and further secure data. This means higher security and less risk of intrusion into your security system.
• More remote access possibilities – it should be stated that today’s analog systems have remote access capabilities and software but IP systems have a large array of options for remote viewing. PC, laptop, smartphone or tablet, all are places you can review your footage.
• Wireless options – because these systems can use your existing infrastructure, they don’t always need heavy wiring and can often take advantage of wireless technology. This gives you more flexibility for system design at times.

Disadvantages –

• Higher costs – IP cameras can run a large range of prices. It isn’t abnormal to pay a thousand or even several thousand dollars for a single camera depending on the specifications. On top of this, if your network doesn’t have proper setup, you may need to invest to get things up to speed.
• Bandwidth requirements – as with anything on your network, you are adding demand to your bandwidth. With this in mind it is important to make sure that you don’t need to increase your service. Will adding the security system to your network slow things down in the office? Make sure to discuss this with your vendor and your service provider.

With the different options on the market for security cameras, it is important that you consider your unique needs and compare them before purchasing any professional camera systems. Don’t allow a vendor to push you any one way without exploring the different technologies and how they fit your business.

A vendor who can supply both IP and Analog systems is a great place to start.

Andromeda has professional teams and representatives available to help you discuss your project and provide you with plans for the system that fits your needs; IP, Analog or even a mixture of both.

The post IP Or Analog? The benefits and disadvantages of both professional camera systems appeared first on Andromeda Technology Solutions.

You probably aren't familiar with the name Ata Hakcil. He's a computer engineering student who recently conducted one of the largest password security surveys currently available.

To conduct his research, he collected a number of username and password "data dumps" from the Dark Web and analyzed the passwords he found there. Hakcil was able to analyze a massive collection of more than a billion passwords, looking for trends and commonalities.

IT Security Professionals have long known that password security is an area of persistent weakness that leaves companies of all shapes and sizes exposed. Hakcil was able to measure and assess just how bad that problem is. What he found was depressing.

The most commonly used password in the collection he analyzed was simply '123456,' which appeared in his dataset more than seven million times. It is the most widely used password in the world. Put another way, a staggering 1 person in 142 was found to have used that simple password. As you might suspect, that is laughably easy for a hacker to guess using the simplest of techniques.

In addition to that, Hakcil discovered that the average password length is 9.48 characters, which isn't great. Given the password referenced above, is better than you might have guessed.

Other relevant and intriguing statistics culled from this study include things like:

• Only 12 percent of passwords include a special character
• 29 percent of the passwords reviewed used alphabet characters only
• 13 percent used numbers only
• Given the above, fully 42 percent of all the passwords in the dataset were vulnerable to quick "dictionary style" attacks that would allow a hacker to gain access with minimal effort.
• The most common 1000 passwords unearthed by this research accounted for 6.607 percent of the total, which gives hackers a long list of low hanging fruit to work with.
• With the most common 1 million passwords, the hit rate is 36.28 percent. With the most common 10 million passwords, the hit rate is 54 percent. This makes most networks incredibly easy to breach.

If you're wondering why we keep reading about so many high profile data breaches month after month, the results of this research go a long way toward explaining it, and that's unfortunate.

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