Intercom product firm Commend UK has launched Software Intercom Server, designed for virtual IT environments.
The new Software Intercom Server (SIS) seeks to meet the needs of ‘virtualisation’ and able to achieve the same functionality as its hardware equivalent but for a lower initial investment and reduced operating costs. SIS was shown for the first time at IFSEC.
Commend also reported interest in its range of analogue, digital, IP and ‘virtual’ technologies. Alongside its ‘core’ intercom systems – from ‘Help Points’ hardware to the latest visualisation software, it also showed how SIP technology can be harnessed to take advantage of IP networks.
Greg Gregoriou, Managing Director of Commend UK, says: “We recognise the continued convergence of ‘traditional’ security and IT,” he explains, “and how the strategic direction of our business and the industry needs to reflect current and future thinking.
“Those who have already introduced ‘virtualisation’ – the ability to store data ‘virtually’, anywhere in the world, and without the need for a dedicated hardware Intercom server – understand the flexibility it provides and the benefits it brings, especially since ‘rack space’ is now becoming an important issue.”
However, as Greg is keen to stress, this does not mean the end to the stand-alone server: “There are also benefits in having a dedicated Intercom server on-site, not least in the additional levels of management and control that they can provide. We believe that being an early adopter of ‘virtualisation’, whilst still being able to deliver the traditional model, provides our customers with the best of both worlds, so they can choose what is most suitable to their needs and requirements.”
Also new for IFSEC was Commend’s digital voice over IP (VoIP) recording device – the G8-VOIPREC – that the company describes as maintenance-free and requiring no external connections or wiring. Fully integrated within the Commend IP Server, this solid state Digital Voice Recorder (DVR) offers 55 hours of recorded audio per Flash card. These recordings can then be transferred from the card to free the space again to reuse, thus allowing for longer recording. It is according to the makers suitable for emergency situation audio recordings.
A number of other innovations were also exhibited, including Commend’s AF Series of amplifiers, which can interface seamlessly with any Commend intercom solution where additional PA (Public Address) functionality is required. This could be seen alongside its new generation visualisation software ComWIN, which provides the front end to security and communications systems. It can be custom designed and integrates with all outputs including gates, doors, lighting and heating, and supports the integration of most cameras to give the operator a picture of events on site. Incidents can be colour coded to indicate their level of priority, and they can even be programmed to flash or generate noise to focus the operator’s attention. ComWIN allows operators to remain informed and in charge of events, and provides the insight required to react instantly to an emergency situation.
Greg adds: “In terms of innovations, our portfolio continues to expand. “Well-known for our high-end, high-technology capabilities, we will be using this expertise to develop new solutions to appeal to an even wider market and at different price-points.”
Commend is this year celebrating 42 in the UK security market. Since the launch of the UK operation, Commend UK has sold more than 50,000 systems.
