Protecting Council buildings and assets across Edinburgh, a central Control Room is to be created in the New Parliament District of the city. This will be linked via an IP-based network delivered over a combination of microwave wireless links and fast broadband connections to each of the monitored council properties located around the city.
That network will be backed by a new mobile response team, trained and equipped to respond to alarm activations and incidents across the Scottish capital.
i-Comply’s V-TAS Pro platform affords seamless CCTV command and control via an integrated virtual matrix and screen driver suite, access control, intruder alarm handling, dispatch-desk guard tour, lone worker monitoring and key/asset tracking – all sharing a single, normalised database.
Optional plug-ins for extensive integration
Extensive integration to Edinburgh Council’s existing third-party manufacturers is achieved via i-Comply’s optional plug-ins, including Honeywell Galaxy alarm panels and Stanley PAC access control systems.
Within V-TAS Pro, i-Comply will provide secure, distributed 30-day archiving of high-quality video based on Instek MatriVideo NVRs.
After a comprehensive audit of the existing security infrastructure deployed within the City Council-owned property stock, and a lengthy tender and proof-of-technology process, security director Frank MacFadden was able to secure six-figure funding for an extensive programme of investment from the City authorities.
Significant return on investment
MacFadden believes that his strategy for effective deployment of Edinburgh City Council resources will show a significant return on investment in the medium term.
He explained: “Our existing infrastructure is based on stand-alone analogue technology, and is rapidly approaching the end of its useful life. At the same time, we want to maximise the original investment made by the Council in this equipment, and required a future technological route that would leverage that wherever possible.”
MacFadden wanted a non-proprietary, hardware agnostic means of integrating existing analogue equipment into a new IP-based infrastructure, and found all of this in the V-TAS Pro Application Integration Platform.
Breadth of application software
“This is a complex project and I wanted to work with a technology company who could provide a reliable, effective solution and not simply anchor the authority into its proprietary technology,” added MacFadden. “i-Comply’s core product offers the breadth of application software we needed. This ethos, coupled with the skills and experience necessary to deliver the vision, all within budget, means we feel safe in their hands.”
The completed project is set to provide Edinburgh City Council with an ultimate level of operational flexibility and a projected return on investment within 18 months.
