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Dallmeier, Gallagher and AcoustAlert integrated

Six project-orientated IT and software specialists met in PE this month to work through and implement the Dallmeier and Gallagher new concept integration from Dallmeier to Gallagher, and Gallagher to Dallmeier in what is dubbed as “source to third party and third party to source integration”.

This new model of integration or ‘mixture’ is known simply as ‘CASi’ or Complex Adaptive Systems integration. This is where individual subsystems work together to produce a result equal to more than the square of the individual sub-systems without losing their (the individual subsystems’) unique features, performance and identity.

The group of six took this a step further to mix in the unique features of Modular’s AcoustAlert perimeter detection system to further enhance the CASi and value modelling of Dallmeier’s SeMSy video management systems and Gallagher’s Command Centre access and alarm management platforms.

This new model of integration is unlike previous concepts of PSIM (Physical Security Information Management) integration where one software suite provides a platform created by middleware developers to manage multiple unconnected security subsystems and devices in a partial manner.

Cliff Rose from Modular says this is ground-breaking concept engineering designed to deal more conclusively with emerging complex security problems which includes perimeter detection, alarm management and video verification, and tying this up with advanced situational awareness (ASA) options. The interoperability of primary systems like Dallmeier’s SeMSy and Gallagher’s Command Centre ensures that the reliability of these platforms and the years of development are fully optimised, more than if they operated on their own.

From left to right: Cliff Rose from Modular Communications, E.P. Smit from Dallmeier Germany, David Mossop from Gallagher.

E.P. Smit from Dallmeier Germany says that because all Gallagher events are logged and can be expertly linked to video footage, this enhances the search and reconstruction of video evidence to produce a conclusive video archive of Gallagher event-driven activities. Within SeMSy footage is bookmarked and linked through Pguard which is Dallmeier’s event and incident logger. All Gallagher event conditions are available within SeMSy though an OPC bridge and interface server giving the client the ability to link any access or intrusion alarm within Gallagher to any video footage or sequence in Dallmeier.

Technical manager David Mossop from Gallagher says that the New Zealand office implemented the Dallmeier ActiveX integration options which provides video verification for any alarm or activity event within Command Centre. On its own, the Gallagher Command Centre is a powerful software solution designed to help manage access control and intrusion detection on your site. This is now further enhanced with the corresponding video verification footage which allows for an intuitive operator response.

Dallmeier’s local representative from Johannesburg, Riaan Kruger, was also part of the six-man CASi team along with Nic van der Walt, Modular’s operations director, and Sidney Paton, Modular’s software engineer responsible for the AcoustAlert software development and integration. Modular has been a Dallmeier international partner for more than 20 years and is also certified in the Dallmeier SeMSy VMS support programme run from Germany.

“The AcoustAlert (PIDS) interfaces directly into SeMSy through a common point userinterface or directly into Gallagher I/O control to give the user application flexibility of the whole integration process,” says Rose. “We see this integration of world leading products as positioning Modular to compete for larger integrated projects in the justice and correctional services sectors as well as the renewable energy, rail, and private sector industrial and commercial markets.”

“The joint integration work we completed here once again highlights a key feature found in all Dallmeier technology: its easy connectivity with and interoperability across different platforms. In an increasingly networked world, this is a decisive factor as customers often demand cost-efficient but nonetheless highly reliable solutions for existing systems to integrate with technology upgrades,” says Smit.

Modular’s offsite control room activities remain a key business area and is also under constant development as technologies evolve and user requirements become more specific with measurable results.

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