Security Digest

How Open Standards Provide Future Flexibility

Open Standards Provide Future Flexibility

The security and video systems at your facility are an investment that can provide protection and value for many years. They are also cost-effective — the costs of perimeter intrusion detection and video surveillance systems are far lower than those stemming from serious security incidents (theft, vandalism, interruptions to operations, and liability).

Choosing the right technologies from the right vendors when securing your site is important. To get the most out of your investment, select products that support open standards and interfaces. Why? Because open standards enable future options and more flexibility, ones that protect your investment in an ever-changing world.

 

Perimeter security for the long-term

Senstar perimeter intrusion detection sensors have long service lives (in fact, one of our early systems is still in active use after 30 years). Security and alarm-reporting systems may change, and new additional capabilities may be required. Senstar protects your investment in perimeter security by offering a range of integration options and open interfaces. We offer certified integrations with industry-standard security systems and our gateway software includes a free, open API. Fall-back connectivity via on-board relay outputs or ASCII over TCP/IP are other options.  

Perimeter security for the long-term

Choose the cameras you want 

Closed, proprietary video surveillance systems may seem a quick and easy fix for an immediate problem, but what happens if your security requirements, infrastructure, or operating procedures change?  Even modest changes can dramatically increase the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and limit your options — new, higher performance cameras may be unsupported, and substantial annual fees and forced upgrades will continue to apply pressure to your budgets. 

Senstar is a member of ONVIF, an open industry forum that provides and promotes standardized interfaces for effective interoperability of IP-based physical security products. Our open, enterprise-grade video management and common operating platform, Senstar Symphony, supports ONVIF Profiles S and T. Senstar Symphony is continuously tested to ensure compatibility with visible, low-light, and thermal cameras from all major manufacturers. This means you can pick the best cameras for your needs as well as replace or add new ones as required. If a model of camera is no longer available, a newer version (ideally with improved performance specs) can be dropped in. Senstar Symphony is licensed on a per-camera basis, so you pay for only what you need.  

Senstar Symphony includes built-in high-performance video analytics optimized for security applications, including outdoor people and vehicle tracking, license plate recognition (LPR), tamper detection, and face recognition, to name a few. Senstar analytics can be moved easily from one camera to another, providing you with the flexibility to address changing needs in the future.  

If you want to take advantage of third-party analytics included on individual cameras, you can do that as well. Senstar Symphony supports ONVIF alerts, which enables it to receive camera-based events. This ensures multi-vendor compatibility and lets you deploy solutions that receive the benefits of both server and edge-based solutions. 

 

Interoperability with other systems 

The Senstar Symphony Common Operating Platform provides a unified interface for viewing video, access control, and security events. Supporting open interfaces, it can coexist and communicate with other systems: 

  • RESTful API – Enables developers to build applications to extend the functionality of and integrate third-party products with the Senstar Symphony Server. 
  • ONVIF Server – Generate video streams and ONVIF alerts for other video systems. This enables you to take advantage of high-performance Senstar analytics like sensor fusion while maintaining your investment in existing systems. 
  • OPC Server – An industrial communication standard, Open Platform Communications (OPC) support enables Senstar Symphony to communicate with microcontrollers and industrial devices. 

Interoperability with other systems

A vendor you can trust 

Part of Senstar’s longevity is a result of emphasis on working closely with our technology partners, other manufacturers system integrations, and end-customers to ensure our sensors, management software, and integrations meet the highest levels of performance and quality, both now and for years to come.