Acre Security Consolidates Access Control Development (CTO Interview)

Published Aug 09, 2023 13:11 PM

While ACRE was built by a series of acquisitions, including Feenics, Matrix, RS2, and more, this resulted in 11 different access control codebases. Now, the company's CTO Darren Learmonth tells IPVM the company will consolidate and focus its development on an on-prem and cloud-based platform.

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In this note, we examine why Acre Security is doing this, how it is doing it, and how they plan to maintain and support the many other access control products it has going forward.

For context on Acre Security's business strategy, see:

Leading **** ***** & **-**** *******

**** ******** ** ******** ** * product, *******, *** **** ***** *** on-prem, **** ********'* *** ********* **** IPVM.

** * ***** ***** ****** *******, we're ***** ** **** *** ******* leading ********, ***** *** **-****. ****'** both ***** ** *******.

Legacy ******** **** **** *** **** **** *** ******* ***********

*** ***** *** ** *** **** to ******* ***** *******, ********* **** that *** ******** **** *** **** continue ** ** ********* *** ******* over *** **** *-* *****.

** *** *** ***** *** ** the ****** **** "***, **** ******* no ****** ******," ******* ****'* *** reality. * **** **** ********** *** from ******* ** ******* ****** **** in * - * ***** ****, I **** ***** ** ********* ******** updates *** ******** **** *** ******** used.

** **** ******** ** **** ******* and **** ******** ****, ** **** pace **** ******** ****** ** *** product ** *** ******* *********.

*******, ******* *********** ** ****** ***** will ** * *** ******** *** the *******, *** ***** *** **** the ****** ******** **** ** ******* to *** ******* ********, *** *** cloud/on-prem *******.

**** * ***'* ** ***** ** integrating ********'* *********** ** ***** ****** [into *** ****** *****]. * **** be *********** ********'* *********** ** ***** system **** ** **** ******* ********[*******].

** ****** **** ** **** **** to **** ********* ** ***** *** integrations, ***** *** ******** **** *** new **** *** ****. **** ****'** got ** *******. ****'** *** ** be ******** ** *** **** ******* product.

** ******** *****, ********* **** ***** might ***** ** ******* ******* ** legacy ******* ** ********* ******* ****. Otherwise, ** **** ** * "************* slowed *******" *** *** *******.

**'** **** **** ** * ****-**-**** basis ***. ** ** ** **** up **** ********* **** ** ***** differentiating, **'* **** ****** ***** ** be ******* ******* *******. ** ** come ** **** ********* *****, *** we **** ** ******* ** * behavior, ** * ******** ***** ** us *** ****, "* **** **** and *'* ****** ** ***********, *** I'd ****** **** [...]," ** ***** address **.

********* ********** **** ********* **** * choice, *** *** ******* **** *** force **** ** *******.

********* **** ** *** ******** *** is ********* **** * ******. *** current ********. **** ** **** ******** or ****** ** **** *******. **** have ** ** ****** *** ********, and **** **** ** **** * maintenance ********.

** ****'** ***** **** ******* * and **** ** ******** ** ******* 6, * ***'* **** ****. *'* going ** ********* **** ** **** there. ****'** *****.

Integration ** ****** ******* *** ********* *********

********* **** **** *** ******* **** "focus *** *********" ** ******* ****************/************ across ******** ****** ******* *** ********* management ******.

** **** **** **** [****** ******* and ********* *******] ************ ********** ****** the ****** ** ** *** **** to ***** **** *** ***** ** access ******* *** ******** *** *** also ************ *** * *** *** able ** ****** **** ****** **** organization, **** **** ** * ***** seamless ***********. [******** *****]

** *** **** ** **** ** integration ******* ** ********* ****** ***** we **** **** ** ******, *** an ****** ******* ******, **** **** will ** ******* ***. *** *******, first ******* ******* ***** ** *** morning ******** *** ********* ****** *************.

** *** *** * ***** ** Best *** ****** *** ********, ***'* be **** ** *** *** ****** of ********* ******* *** **** ****** fleet ** ****** ** *** ********* and ****'* ********* **** **** *** others *** ** *****, *** ** is ** *** *********.

Portfolio ************* / ********* **********

********* ******** ** *** ********* ****** the *******'* ********* *****. ** ********* his ****'* ******** ********** *** ***** portfolio *** *** *** ****** ***** the *******'* ********* **** ********* ******* a ********* "******** *****."

**** * ********* ** **** *** as ***** ** ** ***. ** was **** ********* ** **** * lot ** *** ********, * *** of ******* ******* ** *** **** at ***** **** *** ****** *** customers *** ****** ***.

******** ***** *** **'** ***** **** portfolio *********** ** ***** ****** **** use ** *** ***** ** * have **** **% ** *** ****** global ********* ** *** ******** *** development **********, ******* ******* ******** *** pure *********.

*** * **** **** **% ** the ******** ** *** ********* ******* on * **** ******* *********. *** yes, *****'* * ******** *****.

********* **** **** **** ******** *** has *** ********* *** ** ******* managers.

**** ********'* ******* ************ *** **** ******** ***** *** solutions ********** ** ********, *** ** their ******** ***** *****.

**********, ** ***** ** ****[*** ******* solutions] *** *****, *** ******** ***** access ******* [******* ** ********** ***** names]. ** ******* ** ** *** Feenics **** **** ********** **, *** we *****'* **** **** ****** ** the ****** ***.

********* ********** ****, ****** **** ******** no ****** ********* ********** ****** **** as **** ******* ** ***; *******, they ***** ** **** ** "******."

** **** *** ******* *** *** coalescing **** *** ****. ** ***'* talk ********* *******, *** ** ***'* **** ***************. ** **** ***** ********, ** talk ***** ******. **'* * ****** cultural *** ** ******** ***** **** on *** ******* ** *** *** world.

******* ** **** ********'* ********* *****, Learmonth ********** *** *****' *********** ********* and **** *** ******** *** ******* be **********.

*** *********** ***** ** **** ******. And ** ***** ** **** ***** keep ******* ******** ** *** *********, we ******* *** * ****** **** way ** ***** ** *********** **** to ***** *******.

** ** *** * *** ***** product, ** *** ****** ******* ********* that **** ***** ******* ****** *** portfolio ***** ** ***** *****.

Code **** *************

********* **** **** ****** *** "********* focus," **** ******** *** ** ****** control **** ***** ** "********* **** super ***** ******** ** ******."

*** ******* *** *** ********** **** number ** *.*, **** *** * referring ** ******'* ***** **** **** and *** *.* ********* ** ****'* on-prem ******** **** ****. *** ******* plans ** *** ** **-**** ******* solution, *** **** **** ******* ** complete, **** ******** **** **** **** 1 **** **** ******* ***** *******, according ** *********.

** *** ******** *** ******* ******* on-prem, ***** **'** ******* ** *** lab ***** ***, ***** ***, ***** there *** **** *** ********* ********, then **'** ** ** * **** base.

*** ********* *********, ********* **** ** would **** ** ************ **** * code ****.

** *********, ***** ** * ******* collapse ** *** ********* ** **** it **** ****** ********* ** ******* small *** ****** *********** *** **** extend ******* *** **'* *** **** base. **'* ************** ** ******** ** that ********.

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

****** *** **** **** *** ******* consolidation, ********* ********** ** **** *** product *********** ** ** ******* ** Acre ********, ********* **-***** *********** *** more, *********** **** ** *** ******* they **** ** ******* **** *******, but *******, **** **** ***** *** product ******* ** *** ****** ***** issues.

**'** **** *** ** *** ***** some ****** ******** *********** ***********,not ******* ** **** ** ******* **** *******, Mercury *** *** ***** *** ** **** ******** ** ** * ******** ******, but like so many other vendors in our space, we **** *** *** ******* ******* ** ****** ***** ******. [Emphasis added]

**'* **** *** ** *** ****** to ***************. ** **** **** **** further ********** ******* **** *** ** and *** ******* **** **** **** very ******* ****** **.

CTO's ********** *****

********* ****** **** ******** * ****** ago ***** * *+ ****** ** HID's **** ** **********, **** *****'* CTO *************, *** * ***** ********* roles. ** ********* *** ********** ********* with ****, *********** ******, *******, *******, and **********.

** ***** ** **** ******* ** four ******. * ***** *************, *** * **** ******************* **'* *** ** **** ********, then * **** ************.********* ** *** ** *** ******* that *** *** *** ** ****** a ******* *** * ********, *** then * **** ***************. [******** *****]

********* ***** **** ** ** *** focused ** ********** ***** ******** *** other * ******* ** *** **** few ******.

*'* ** * ****** **** ***** for *** ***** ***** ***** ***. And ** *** *'* ******* ** technology *** ****'* *** *** ******* consolidation *** ******** **** ** *** front.

********* **** ********* **** ********'* ***** on **********, ***** ******** ***** *** on-prem *********.

**'** *** **** ******* ** ***** product ******* **** **'** ******* *** hat **, *** ****'* ***** *****. When * *** ***** *****, ** have **-**** *********, *** **** *** details ***** ** ****** ***, ** have ** **-**** ******** **** ** going ** ** **** ********** ******* of *** *** ** *****, *** because ** *** *** ** *** control **.

***********, ********* ********* *** ****** ** bring * *** **** ********* ** Acre ******** ** ******** ** ******** requests.

**** *** **** ** *** ********* complain ***** *** **** **********. *'** just ******** ******* ** *****, * UI/UX ******, *** *** **** ************** go ******* ***** ******* ***** ********** from ****'* **** [*** ********* ****], how *** **** *** **** **** become ****** **** ****** ************** *** same.

** ********* **** ********* ******* *** look **, ** *** ******* *********, you **** ** **** ** *** that ** ** **** ******* *** I **** *** ** *** ** because * ********** **** **** ***** product.

********* **** **** *** **** ********* modernization ** ***** ***** ********** *** Acre ******** ******* *****.

** **** * ***** *** **** interface **** ** ***** ********, ********* look *** **** **** **'** ******** going ** ****** ** * *** key ********* *** ******* **** **** in *****, *****.

**** **** *** *** **** *** new ** ******* *** ** ******** only ****** ** * ***** ***, but ****** ** **** *** ******* for ****, ** **** ** **** beautiful **** ******** ********** **** *** feel *** ** **** **** * new *** ********** * *** ******** to ***** **** ** ****** *******, as **** ** **** ***** ******* that *** *** **** ** **** quickly *** * ***** ******* ** for ** ********** ** *** ******** a ********** ******.

********* ********, *********** **** ******** ** "key" *** *** ******** ********* *** not ********** ********, *** ***** *** company *** ********* **** * *********** testing ************.

Security ** ********* ***. And I think that *** ******** **** ********* *** ********* ****'* *** ******** ** *** ***** and so we've ********* ** **** * *** ******* ************ *** ** *** ************** ******* *** ****** so that we have the highest standard including a strive to get to 27001 ISO in our product by the end of this year. [Emphasis added]

******* ** *** ********** *********, ********* said **** ******** **** ***** *********, disruptive ********** ******** ** *** ******.

*** ***** ********** ****** ** ** it *********** *** *******. ***'** ***** see ******** **** **** *** **** us **** **** ****** **** ** a ****** ***** ***********.

Migration ****

** ******** ** ***** ** **** Security's ***-******* ****** ******* *****, ********* said **** *** ******* ***** ****** migration. ** **** ********* ** "***** the ******** ** *** ****" *** stated **** **** ** * ******** differentiator *** *** ****, ******* *********** they **** "****** *** *** ** talk ** **".

*** ******* ******** **** ** **** about ********* **!******? **** ***** ****** ************? **** ***** ************? *** ** ** ******* ** migrate ***** ******? ** **** * very ****** ****** *** **** ****** isif *****'* ******** ******* ** *** ****, ***** ** ******* ***** ** **.

We'll ****** *** *** ** **** ** **. And in fact, that's a huge body of work right now. So that customers like USPS with thousands and thousands of doors and their massive SMS infrastructure will be very easily able to migrate with a little bit of our help and leave *** ******** ** *** ****. And we thinkthat's * ******** ************** *** **. I think very few others could achieve that. [emphasis added]

********* **** **** **** ****** ***** how ** ***** ** ********* ******* management ****** *** **** ******** ********* with * *********** *********.

**** *** **** ** *** *** some ********* **** ** ***** *******. From **** ********* * *** ********* information **** * ******* **** ** knowledge. ***** ** ** ********** **** has ** ********* *** ***** * super ***** ********* ** *** ** his ** ********* ******* ******** ******* into ***** ** ********* *******.

***** ***** ** **** *** ****** some ****** **! *** **** *******. I'll **** **** *********** ********* **** the ********** *** *** **** *** get ******* ****. ** * ***** goes ******* *** *** ******, ** can **** **** ******** ****** ** the ****** ** **** *** ****** whether ** *** **** **** * truck ** ******* **** ** ********* remote.

** **** **** ** *** ** insights **** **** **** **** *** respect **** *** ******* * ****** view. **'* ***** ** ******* *** of ********** *** ********* **** * don't ***** **** ***** ****** ***** do.

********* ********* ******* ******** ** *********, including ******** *****, *******, *** ********.

* ***** **** ***'** **** ** kind ** * ***** ***** **** of ********* ***********. ***** ***** **** we're ******** ** **** *** ******** that *** **** ** *** ****.

There's ** ******* ******** ****, especially for products like SMS. Yes, *** ** ** * ************ ***** *** **** ** **** *** *** **** *** ************ *****. You get an always **-**-**** ******** **-**** ** ** *** *****. You have the latest *** *****, you have arguably a much **** ****** ******** **** *** **** **-****. And the other driver that we're seeing in the marketplace is ISO 27001. [Emphasis Added]

** ******* ******** ** ****** ***** **********, ****** **** ***** **** *** cloud ** * "******" *** *** firm.

**** *** **** ************ **** **** driven ** *** *** *****. * led ** ******** ******** ***-**** ******* that *******.And *** ******* *** ** *** ** ***** ********** ** ** *** ********** ** *** ***** *** **** ******* **-**** *** ** **** ** ***** ** ** ** ********** *** * ****** ** *** *** *****.

********* ***** **** ********* ** *** new ****** **** *** ******* ***** utilization *** *** ******** ******* ********** to *** *****.

*** ****** ******* ***** **** **** in *** ***** ** ** **** than * ******* *** ******* *********.

*** *** **** *** ***** ****, that ******** **** ******** ** ******* as ** **** *** *** ***** forever ** **** ******** ** *** people ** *** *** ** *** building *** *** ******** ** *** the ******** *** ******* ***'** *** up. ** **** ******** ** ******* logs ***** ** **** **** ***** the ***** ** *** *****.

Pricing & *************

**** ******** ***** ******** *** ******* of ** ****** *********** ******** *** its **-**** ****** ******* ***** *** a ******* ************ **** **** ******-** support *** *** ***** ******** (*******), according ** *********.

********* *** **** *******, ******** *******, ability ** **** ** ********* ** get *******, **** *** **** ** be ** * *********** ******** *** it's ** ****** *********** ********.

**** *******. **'* ****** **** *** price ** *** ******. ****. ****, of ******. *****.

Acre ********'* ******* ********** ********

********* **** **** ****, ****** *** consolidating ********** *** ****** ******* *** intrusion *********, *** ******* ***** ******* its ******* ********** ****** ********** ***** they **** ***** ***** ********* ** separate *********.

******* **********, ** ****, ******* ********, a ******** ******** *****, ****** ******** ** ******. *** fortune *** **** **** *** ********* who *** *****-****. **'* * **** complete *** ********* ********.

** ***** ******* ********** *********** ** ******* ********-********-****. **** **** ** ******* ******** the **-***** *** ****** ******* ***** *** ********** *** ***********.

*-****** *** **-***** ******** *** ****** ships, ***** ****** *******, *** ******* that *** **** * ****** **** 2000 ******** **** ** *** **** lever **** *** * *** *** you've *** ** *** **** *** back **. **** ******** *** ** be ***** ****, ***** ******** *** tailored ** **** **** ****** **** wants, *** ********** ************ ****. **'** both ***** ***** ** **** *******.

Outlook *** **********

********* **** **** **** ** *** no ********* ***** ** ***** **** Security *** **** ******** ** **** the ******.

***** **** ** * ****** ** control ** ****. **** *'** **** to ** **** ** **** * am ** ******* *** ******* ** what ** ***** ** *** *** team **** * **** ****** ** that * ***'* **** ** ******* that ****** ** *******. * **** on ****** **** ******* ** **'* very ****.

********** * **** ********* *** ************* numerous **** ***** **** * ** an ********* *** ***** ********* ********. However, ***** **** ** ******** *** challenges ** *** ************** *************. ** remains ** ** **** ******* **** Security's *** ********* **** *** ******** lead *** ******* ******* **** *************/************ phase.

Comments (11)
Avatar
Brian Rhodes
Aug 09, 2023
IPVMU Certified

Regarding this comment:

The obvious question will be what about the Access It! people? What about the DNA Fusion people? What about the SMS people? How do we upgrade or migrate those people? We have a very simple mantra and that mantra is if there's hardware screwed to the wall, leave it exactly where it is.

To be clear, Feenics, RS2(Access It!), and Open Options (DNA Fusion) are all Mercury Security based now in-situ. I appreciate the nod to preserve customer/end-user investment in hardware, but the onus of interoperability majorly falls to a 3rd party (HID) rather than Acre.

SMS (formerly Schlage, Vanderbilt, Geoffrey) is not Mercury Security based, and the support of that hardware is a different problem.

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UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Aug 10, 2023

The biggest thing I think they have to tackle here is doing database conversions from one to the other. If their goal is to consolidate onto a single platform (Feenics), then that would be the thing I'd expect them to have available and to handle for us, as an integrator. Even if there's a professional services charge to do so, I'd hope we can get them database exports from whatever other ACRE system we're looking to convert and let them put it up in the instance for us.

Good point about SMS - I'm curious of how that's going to work and if they add that hardware compatibility into Feenics to accommodate it.

Avatar
Mark Roberts
Aug 10, 2023
Acre Security

Your thinking is logical and aligned with how we are approaching this.

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JB
Jason Borgschatz
Aug 18, 2023

SMS is both Mercury and SMS Hardware, their software's supported both. The question is what will other OEM software companies or Acre do to earn that future business? Who will invest in how to take over some or all of that equipment? So what if the board they saved by flashing dies in a month the purse holders get to say how they saved money. Too many software OEM's claim interoperability by saying they use Mercury yet lack any customizable programming of those devices and blame Mercury because they only wrote their code based on what Mercury "already does" vs applying their own code to take advantage of glaringly obvious misses in the base code. The question really is what will the competition do to give the customer some relief in a conversion (eating cost on some board replacements doesn't relieve the labor costs to gut and replace vs being able to take over a board)? Punishing the customer for investing in something that worked well for them many years ago doesn't seem like a winning sales strategy either. Everybody loves a "DEAL" or savings. The first to offer a customer to not have replace even one device or a few will win. RS2 offers takeover\flashing of some SMS original hardware so it can be done if someone spends the time, but will they.

Avatar
Mark Roberts
Aug 09, 2023
Acre Security

Hey Brian, good clarification point, thank you. Mercury has a published API which its partners use to talk with those Mercury controllers. It is in our wheelhouse to support that protocol in our products, which we do.

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Avatar
Rick Caruthers
Aug 10, 2023
Galaxy Control Systems

"Customers who want support, software upgrade, ability to call us abilities to get patches, they now need to be in a maintenance contract and it's an annual maintenance contract."

I love it when I see this in writing. Our tech support team has no visibility into the SMA billing process and does not know whether a partner has paid or not. Tech support should be open for all systems that are installed.

These type of policies always drives people away.

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JH
John Honovich
Aug 10, 2023
IPVM

Other side: this is expensive to provide and valuable to the customer.

If companies can provide this free of charge, more power to them. Not objecting just pointing out the challenge in doing so.

Related ZK Teco USA Diminishing Tech Support

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Avatar
Rick Caruthers
Aug 10, 2023
Galaxy Control Systems

It seems to be the norm with most Mercury based companies to shut off support if you are not paying SMA. When you have limited margins on hardware you are forced to make money on the software and support fee's.

I fully understand the reasoning behind this and am glad that we don't fall into this category and won't even when we add the Mercury to our offering. Support for everyone!!

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UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Aug 10, 2023

Do you think anyone at ACRE has considered how they will take over any systems that are using AXIS A1001 hardware? (DNA Fusion)

Avatar
Mark Roberts
Aug 10, 2023
Acre Security

Yes we have.

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JC
Jason Crist
Aug 11, 2023
IPVMU Certified

I was relieved to see Feenics be the winner here, I’ve been a little concerned since the takeover and combining of lines. I’ve been with Feenics for quite a while now and been more than satisfied.

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