Business Security Systems Introduction
Business Security Systems Basics
Business Security Systems Features
Choosing a Vendor and the Central Monitoring Station
Business Security Systems Cost
Business Security Systems Tips

Alarm Systems

If you would like more than just the basics, there are many different options to “beef up” your business security systems. For a burglar alarm system there are a few different features to choose from. One is a back-up system. Most alarm systems offer a 24-hur back up that takes over in case your phone line goes down. Usually a radio or cellular backup system will send a signal to the central monitoring station to alert them the phone line is down. A back-up battery system is a great idea in the event your electricity goes out; you know your security system will still be effective. If your company relies on VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) it is important to have a back-up system because not all alarm systems are compatible with regular phone systems.

Two-way monitoring is another feature to look into. This is helpful for false alarms. Once the alarm is triggered, the central monitoring station can instantly communicate with your company. The security keypad also acts as an intercom system and the central monitoring service can help asses the situation.

Another great feature for alarm systems is a tracking feature for who has opened and closed the main entrance of your office. One way to do this is to have a supervised system that will alert you of who armed or disarmed the system, as well as what time this all happened. You can also have the central monitoring station notify a point of contact if the system is left off. If a supervised system isn’t for you, you can choose to have the alarm system keep track of when the alarm is armed and disarmed, but for any other inquires you would need to call the central monitoring station yourself.

Business fire alarm systems are more complicated than home fire alarms. This is due to the strict guidelines enforced by the National Fire Protection Association. Because of this, it is a great idea to have your alarm system company take care of your fire alarm needs because they can help you stay within these guidelines.

Card Access Control Systems

A proximity card is a choice to consider when looking into access control systems. These cards gain you access by placing the card anywhere from one inch to three feet from the sensor. You can add photo IDs to your cards and go as far as creating a car tag, which will allow an employee entrance to a parking lot without the driver getting out of their car. If your company already has employee ID cards that have magnetic strips or bar codes, you can implement those cards and save your business some extra cash.

Smartcards are slowly making their stamp on the access control system industry. These cards carry larger amounts of information which include employee records and even spending account balances. Though the costs are still a little high ($2-$10 a card and terminals can cost over $500) they are getting some good publicity and may have increased popularity in the future.

Video Surveillance

Choosing the right video equipment for your business can be complicated. There are many different options to choose from when looking into video surveillance. One choice to consider is what type of camera signal you would like. A charged coupled device (CCD) camera has an analog signal while a digital signal processing (DSP) camera converts the signal to digital. The biggest difference between these two options is picture quality. If you don’t need to monitor your video closely, you might want to choose a CCD and save yourself some extra money.

Another thing you need to look into is the size of the camera. Most are usually between 1/4” and 1” in size. Keep in mind a bigger camera doesn’t automatically mean a better picture. Also take into mind:

* What lenses you would like to use
* What quality resolution do you need
* The location of the camera or cameras
* If you need the camera to pan, tilt or zoom
* If color or black and white images are best

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