ONVIF, the US-based standardisation initiative for IP-based physical security products, reports the final release of Profile A. That covers access control configuration as a standard interface for access control clients and expands the configuration options of ONVIF conformant access control systems. The release marks the first open specification that allows for the mixing and matching of access control devices and clients within a system, facilitating interoperability for multi-vendor projects.
ONVIF Profile A covers daily access control functions for granting and revoking employee credentials, creating and updating schedules and making changes to access control privileges within the system. Profile A adds to interoperability within the access control market by increasing functionality and system management functions at the client level, for configuration of credentialing, scheduling and access privileges through the Profile A-conformant client interface.
Per Björkdahl, ONVIF Steering Committee Chair, pictured, said: “Profile A is a significant development for the market because it provides a pathway for integrating together access control panels and hardware with management software from different manufacturers. This pathway for integration also provides future-proofing of an access control system, as it allows another manufacturer’s access control management software to be installed in the future, eliminating the need for a hardware ‘rip and replace’ scenario.”
According to ONVIF, the interoperability established by Profile A allows end users and system installers to make hardware and software choices based on functionality and performance, and will also bridge the gap between legacy hardware and new software if both are Profile A conformant. The new Profile further enables integration between access control and IP video management systems when combined with Profile C for basic access control and Profile S for video streaming.
Profile A has been available in release candidate status to provide industry review and feedback before final release. ONVIF circulates a new profile first as a ‘Release Candidate’ for at least six months, allowing members and stakeholders a final review. When that process is complete, the final profile is published and members can test their products for conformance to the final version of an ONVIF Profile.
About ONVIF
Founded in 2008, ONVIF (Open Network Video Interface Forum) aims at interoperability for IP-based physical security products. It has a global member base of established camera, video management system and access control companies and nearly 8000 Profile conformant products: Profile S for streaming video; Profile G for recording and storage; Profile C for physical access control; Profile Q for out-of-the-box functionality and the new Profile T Release Candidate for advanced streaming. Visit: www.onvif.org.
