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New software boosts Controlsoft

Controlsoft has released its latest software package of the KeyMaster range. New features will include SQL databases instead of the MS Access databases that are presently in use. This new release is currently in the test phase at a large installation and will be available to the market by December 2004.

KeyMaster Plus, developed with medium to large access control systems in mind, provides for almost unlimited numbers of employees, access zones, access groups, user groups and visitors. The numbers are in fact limited only by the operating system and hardware configuration. Regardless of the size of the database and the number of controllers, the system can scan 10 000 digital inputs every 200 ms without impacting more than a negligible 5% on CPU utilisation.

The philosophy behind the design and development of KeyMaster Plus was to produce a product that would address the needs of the end-user. While KeyMaster Plus is a proven product with an open architecture, installers will be able to configure the system exactly to the requirements of the end-user. Using an easy-to-use graphical interface, the installer can drag and drop icons representing doors, zones, readers, digital I/O points, etc. For high-rise office buildings the KeyMaster Plus system is ideal, as different user groups can be defined according to companies, with general access to shared areas, such as canteens, recreational facilities, etc.

The software assists the installer in dealing with site-specific customisations that are typically required on large installations. Using the Action-Wizard the installer is able to configure actions based on events that occur in the system. Actions can be linked to events to control anything from activating a camera to starting a timer or displaying a message on an operator console. This flexibility helps engineers and integrators to streamline interfacing between access control, asset tracking, CCTV, biometric technology, alarm and other security subsystems.

Complementing KeyMaster Plus is the latest release of FrontDesk which, while expanding the capability of reception personnel to handle visitors, also allows staff to access the full database and determine the exact location of any employee within the building complex (or to report that they are off-site). The built-in Wizards walk operators through a simple sequence of tasks, including issuing of visitors passes. Using a video camera (with frame grabber) and a printer, each visitor can be provided with a personalised card whose validity and access areas can be customised. The system can also be configured to capture a voice sample of the individual. Once entered into the KeyMaster Plus system the visitor will be tracked for the period of validity of the permit and the zone which the person is in can immediately be determined from a pop-up window. If required the access level can be configured to one in which the visitor must at all times be accompanied by a specified employee and the FrontDesk operator can re-assign the access level of a visitor at any time.

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