Avigilon Access Control 2017 Examined

Published Nov 01, 2017 14:33 PM

For more than 4 years, Avigilon has been in the access control business, since their May 2013 acquisition of RedCloud.

Since then, Avigilon has shifted from leading with super megapixel (i.e., 'The Best Evidence' tagline) to being a mega-scale patent licensor to their competitors and aggressively promoting video analytics (e.g., their appearance search).

But what happened to access control?

Avigilon certainly still offers it but how much better or worse has it gotten?

In this note, we review the state of Avigilon's access control and its competitive positioning to major competitors like Lenel and Genetec.

Four ***** *****, ** ***** *******

***** ****'* **** ** *** ** **** *** ******** *** *** **** ************* changed *** ******** *** **** ***** hardware *************, ********** ******** ********, *** appliance ** ** ***** ****** ************.

******, *** ******* **** **** ***********. Avigilon *** ********** *** ******* *********, tightened *** ******* *********** **** ********'* VMS, *** ***** ******* *** * number ** ******** **** ******, *** has *** ***** ******* *** *** party ***********, ********* ***** ** ****** accessibility, ** ********** ********'* ***** ********* into ****** ******** **** ********* ** Tailgate *********. 

******* ****** ************, ** * ****** **** Avigilon **** **** **** *** ** one ** *** ******* ******* ** '******* growth' *** *** *******, *** **** many ******** ******* **** ******** ***** by ******* *** *******'* ****** ******* too.

****** Access **** ******* '******'

****** **** *********** [**] **** ***** **** ****** *** rumors ** ******* **** ****** ** the ** *** ******** *****. ** specifically ***** ** ******** ****** **** support ** '******* ****' ** *** changed ***** *** **** ******** ******** **** ******* ** * leading ********.  

******** ********* ** ****** ******* ********** is ********, ******* *** *******'* ***** on ****** *** ******** *** **** support *** *** ********, *** ********* support ***** ****** ***** ** ********* and ******, ********.

** *****, **** ****** ******** ******* for *** ********* ****** ******* ******** hours ** ***** ********* ** ***********, and ** *********** **** ***** ** less **** ** ******* **** ******** we ******.  *** ***** **** ***** by ********* *****, *** ******* ** Lisbon ***** ******* *** ******.

New ******* *********** ****

***** *** **** ****** ** ***, Avigilon *** ******** ******* ***** *** video ********, ********* ** ****** ******* *** * ********* *********** ******, *** ** *********** ******* ** improvements ** ******.

* *** ****** ** *** ******* muted ******* *********** *** *** *** the**** ******* ** ****** ******** *** Terry *****, ***** *********/******* ** ******** **** was ******** *** ****** ***. ****** ******** noted *****'* ******* *** * *********** loss *** *** ******** *** ******* development. *******, ***** *** **** **** 3 ***** *****, ******** *** *** taken ********** ***** ** ******** *** loss *** ******* *********** *********.

Added ******** ******* *******

***** *** **** ********** ****** ******* has **** ****** *** ********* ******* for ******** ********, ********* ******* ** non-critical ***** ***** ********** ** *** expensive ** ******* *** ******* *** traditional ***********.

*** *** ******** ******* *** *** major ******** ******* ****** **** ** Western *******, ********* ****'* ****** *** ******** **-***, **-***, *** *** ****** *****. *** ******** ** ***** locks ***** ** ************* ***  **** comprehensive ****** ***** **** ******* ***** previously *********** ** ********* ********** ****. 

Specific **** ***** *****

** ******** ** ******* ******** ******* support, ******** *** ***** ******* *** two ******** ******** **** ******, ********'* European ***** **** *********** **** *** **** ******'* ****** ******.  ***** *** *********** ** **** dimensions, ****** **** ********, *** ************ availability, ********** ******-******** ******** *********** *************** in *** *********.

Where ******** ****** ****

******** ** ******* ****** ******* ***********, ACM *** ******* ******* ****:

  • ******* *****: **** ****** ******* ********* ******* support ***** ********** ******** ************. *** Enterprise ********** **** ******** ***, *****, Milestone, **, *** *******, *** **** video ********** ** *** ********* *** controls *** ******** *** *******.
  • ** ***** ******: ** ******** ***** ****** ******* is *******, ******* ********* ***** ********** or ******* *** **** ***********. ***** ACM ** ******* ** * ******-**** ******** ******, **** ****** **** *** ******* video ***********, ************* ** ******** ********, and ** ******* ** ** ***** maximum.
  • ** ****** ***: ************, ****** ***** ** ****** phones ** ******* **** *** ******* to ****** ******* ** *** ***.  ACM **** *** ***** * ****** management ***, *** ** ***** **** field ****** ****** ****** **** ** configured ******* ******** *** ***** ******* and *** ***** **** **********, ******* DNS, ** ****** ****** *** ** VPNs.

ACM **. *******

**** ******** ** *******, ***'* **** significant *** ***** ** ***** ************ support. ************* **************** ****** *** ***** **** * single ********, *** ** ***** ********** and ******** *** *****. *** ********* option *** *********** ***** **** *** is *** ********'* *** ***.

** ********** ** *******'* *********** '***** initiatives' ********* ************ **** ******* ******** ***** ****** *******, *** ***** **** ***** ****-***** servers *** **********. *** ***** ****** provides ******* ******* * ***** ****** for ***** ** *****-**** ******* **** can ** ********* **** * ****** central ******* ******** **** ******** *****. 

ACM **. *****

** *******, ***** ****** **** ************ for ********** ******* **** ***, ************* reducing ****** *** ****** ********* **** existing *******. *** *******, ********'* **** of ******** *** ********* **** *** is ****** ** ~**, ***** *****'* ********** ******** ******* (****) ****** **** *** ********, ********* ****, lighting, ******** **********, *** ******** ********** platforms *********** ** ***. *** ***** size ** **** ** ********* * benefit ** ****** ******* ******** ** diverse ****** *********. ***** ******** **+ *** platforms ** ******** ** ***'* ***.

**** *****, ******** *** ******** ******* ******** ********, *** ***'* *** ***** *********** is *********** ****** **** ***** *** support ** ***'* ***** ********** ******.

Comments (11)
MM
Michael Miller
Nov 01, 2017
  • Avigilon Only Video: Most access control platforms support several video management platform integrations, but ACM only integrates with Avigilon ACC.

 

FYI: 

 

Also as of 6.4 door events get pushed directly to ACC rules and alarms without the Vidproxy/alarm gateway software.   I would think soon after that we will see door control from ACC to ACM! 

 

(5)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Nov 01, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Thanks, I'll clarify in the post. 

Also, Avigilon told us that they expect ACM door controls in ACC6, so that is likely coming.

MM
Michael Miller
Nov 01, 2017

Yup very soon ;)

 

(2)
MM
Michael Miller
Nov 01, 2017

Brian Avigilon has also added biometrics to ACM which I didn't see in the report. 

 

U
Undisclosed #1
Nov 02, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Dedicated Micros integration?  

I didn’t know a DM driver even existed at all, aside from Mike Newton himself of course.

(2)
JF
Jim FitzGibbon
Nov 03, 2017

Bosch B series and new G series panels are also integrated.

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Nov 05, 2017

The web interface is really clunky and is the only option.  It would be best if Avigilon would have the ACC interface team sit down with the ACM team to figure out how to merge the interfaces.  Why does one product (ACC) function primarily through a fat client while the other (ACM) focuses solely on a web client?  ACC has a web client as well but the two will not integrate directly and in my experience is rarely used.

 

It really looks like their two product lines are heading in opposite directions.  The combo sale is the only way I can see Avigilon driving growth on the access control side with dealers who have access to Lenel, RS2, S2, etc.  Personally, I am less concerned with Avigilon matching features with Lenel than I am Avigilon making the two products one whole package that could be bundled without 1/2 of the bundle causing complaints. Feature parity can be worked on later.

Look at how quickly Avigilon integrated the VideoIQ analytics into ACC for an example of what could be done.

(2)
MM
Michael Miller
Nov 05, 2017

As of ACC 6.4 ACM is directly integrated into ACC which means you add your ACM system to ACC and then you can link doors to cameras.  You can then push door events to rules and alarm in ACC without any other software.

ACC 6.6 adds door control from ACC to ACM like you requested. 

I do agree with the whole Linux vs Windows and Thick vs Web Client is too different messages to be sending to customers but from what I am seeing ACC/ACM is coming together.  My hope is ACM will be used for configuration and standalone access only setups and ACC will become the front end interface for users when deploying video/access systems.  

I will say the system is very stable and reliable.  We have a number of systems deployed and the system just run without issues even with 100+ doors at multiple sites. 

In my experience customers do like the Web Browser access as they don't need any client licenses and can access/manage the system from any device with a browser. That being said I would love for the ACM interface to look more like S2 and Brivo.

Pricing is also been very favorable compared to other systems like Lenel, RS2, S2, etc.  No recurring fees and no client licenses with ACM. 

(2)
(1)
GK
Geoffrey King
Nov 06, 2017

I couldn't agree more.  It's a shame Avigilon hasn't done more with this product since the acquisition.  At that time, I assumed they would invest wholeheartedly to compete with Genetec and other "traditional" video companies that wanted a piece of the access control business.  Fast forward to 2017 and I hardly hear of Avigilon ACC (and their US HQ is literally right down the street from me), whereas Genetec has been killing it on access control.

(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Nov 06, 2017

 I hardly hear of Avigilon ACC

Geoffry, do you mean ACM?  We have not only installed a ton of large ACC systems, they are also the dominant player on large-scale projects in our state.  Genetec is present as well, but barely.

GK
Geoffrey King
Nov 06, 2017

Oops!  Yes ACM, not ACC.