Allegion Acquires Isonas

By: Brian Rhodes, Published on Jun 29, 2018

Isonas failed to 'revolutionize' access control as they regularly claimed.

Now, nearly 20 years after their founding, they are being acquired by mega access control provider Allegion.

Why did Isonas fail to 'revolutionize' access control? Where do they stand competitively? What can Allegion do with them? In this note, we examine these questions and provide analysis.

Isonas ***********

******** ********* **** ******' 2017 ******* *** **** $6 *******, ***** **** for ****** ** ***** in ********, **** ** the ********** ***** ****** control ******.

**** ** ******** **** many ********* ** ******' *******, as * ******* **** $2+ ******* ******* *** a $* ******* ****** capitalization, ** ** * fairly *************** ****, ** financial *****.

Previous ***** / ******** *******

**** ****** *** ******** ** ******* equity **** ******* ******* ** ****, *** ****** resulted ** * ***** shake-up ***** *** ******* essentially ***-**-***** ****** ******** and ********** ******** *** drove ******* ********** ** ****** **********/*********** ****** ************ ** * ******.

Competitive ***********

**** * ********** ***** of ****, ****** ****** a **** ** *********** readers, *******, *** **** controllers **** *** ******** with **** ***** ******* and ******* *** ***, *** * ********** 'single *****' *******.

********, *** ******* ********** a **********'****' **** ** ******** ********* ****** **** ******' ***'**** ******' ********** ************ ******** **.** *** smartcard ******* *** *******, *****-***** *******. 

******* ****** ***** ****** the **** ****, **** a ***** ****** **** controller******* ~$*** ******, ***** ** ********** combo *** **** **** ********** ***** ~$***.

Failed ** '***************'

***** *** ******* *** **** ******** IP ********* ****** ** a ******* **************, ** recent ***** *** ******* ** increasingly ****** ***** ***********.

** *********, **** ******* controllers *** *** ********* ** find. *** *******, ** alphabetical *****, **** *****/*****,***-******* ** ******,*** **** ***, *** ******* **-* ** **** * ***.

******* ****** ******** ****** is *** '*****' ******/********** design ***** ****** ************ to ***-*********, ********** ****** and **** ******* ************ due ** ****** *** ********** both **** ** *** unsecured **** ** ** opening.

******, **** ******, ********* the ******** ******** ** potentially ******* ****** ************ ** ******* ** optional ********* *****, *** ********** ** simultaneously ****** *** ******* and ********** ** ** opening ** * ****** knocks **** * ****** is ********* *** *********** a ************* *** ****-******** openings.

Isonas' ********* *** ****** ********

*** ********, *** ****** acquisition ***** ** **** as * ******* ******/***'* *** ** ******* Security** ** '****', ***-***** access ******* ******** ************.

********,****** ****** * *****-***** access ********** ********** ******* **** ***, including * ******/*****-***** ******** that ****** *** ************ marketed ** ****** *****, potentially ** * ********** commercial ********** ** **'* existing ********, *** **** commercial****** *** ********.

 

Competitive ****** ** '********'

******,******' ******** ******* ** 'open' ********, *********** ********* ***** *** firmware ** ** ********* and **** **** ***** access ********** ********, * business ***** **** ***/ ******* ******** *** ***** **** *** decades ** ****** ******** partners **** **+ ****** vendors.

*******, ***** ********** *** pivot ** ***** **** overall ******** ** ****** hardware ** * *** party ****** *** **** modest, ********* ******** *********************** ********* ******** *******. Despite *** **** ******, Isonas ***** ** **** '******* leading ****** ******** *** final ******' ** *** partner *********** ************* *******.

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

*** ***** ******* *** Isonas **** *** ******** acquisition ** ********'* ***** size, ** ******** ********** in *** ************:

********’* ****** ********, *********** expertise *** ******* ************* are ******** ** ******* expand *** ***** ** ISONAS ********** *** ******** its ******** *** ******.

******** ****** ********* ** able ** ************* **** Isonas *** ******* ****** by ********* ** **** its ******** ***** *********.

*******, ****** *** ***** Allegion ******* **** ********* Isonas *********** ************, ** expect ****** ** ****** a ***** ******* ****** in *** ********.

Poll / ****

Comments (16)

Frantz Mathias

06/29/18 12:38pm

Hi

Early adopter of ISONAS here so opinions and comments could (should ? :)) be construed as biased.

Before almost everybody else they had IPat the door. For those coming form the IT/Integration side of the business they were gold. One CAT 5/6/7 drpo at the door and you had access control plus you added your maglock/electric strike and you were done. They were not inexpensive but they worked. No big unwieldy cable or Power supplies or limitations a PoE switch , AT 5 and all you needed was a doors. it is good and does work. Simple product line sturdy reader/controllers. Lot of features , stability. It works with server down. No central controller needed for it to work .. When connectivity to the server resumes so does logging and updates.. Cna hold data for months of transactions with server down...It leverages IP and make thing easy for the installer.

The software was the weak point. Original versions were stable but FUGLY. Something only a techie could concoct and sell and use ...  Real users could never fall in love with the software but the darn thing worked.  They came up with an abomination called EasyWeb2015.. which was everything but easy .. flaky as ... whatever .. then they came with PureAccess. They have now a real serious product  with PureAccess and the already and alwways good to very good hardware . ISONAS now seems to have an idea to where they are headed. if they are properly handled by Allegion, the product has a path to serious Axis-like sales in the Access Control sector. All that IMO YMMV..etc...

 

Me

Undisclosed Integrator #1

06/29/18 12:52pm

Yes, your part about the IP readers being an open 3rd party option for ACS integration, i.e. Allegion will be able to provide the resources needed to ensure the Isonas IP readers are like Mercury boards and can be integrated into mainstream ACS systems from multiple vendors.

I wonder if the Allegion ownership will eventually lead to a change in the manufacturing of the Isonas products, which are currently touted as "Made in USA".  They will need the get the unit cost down in order to really make this thing work.

 

Avatar

Brian Anderson, CPP®

IPVMU Certified | 06/29/18 02:26pm

Very cool concept but, I couldn't get past their readers that looked like 1980s tech.

Avatar

Clint Hays

Rasilient | In reply to Brian Anderson, CPP® | 07/02/18 01:42pm

Their newer line (RC04) look much better.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

06/30/18 03:23am

Have worked with Isonas (the old software and reader / controllers) we just ripped out the last system recently. I personally was never a fan and the software was horrible. The concept of trying to be open I understand but I personally don’t see this a business model that will be successful. If you want open hardware you use mercury which has been proven and provides a greater base of vendors if you should choose to switch software.

On the other hand we are a Allegion business partner and do a fair amount of work with the NDE and LE locks integrated into access systems.My first thought was this would provide a cloud based software that could provide online wireless capability which is not the case with engage.

Avatar

Fabian Muyawa

LONTECH SYSTEMS
IPVMU Certified | 07/08/18 08:46am

ISONAS appear to align well with ALLEGION'S channel initiatives and add new technologies to ALLEGION  portifolio. Having edge- computing technology that provide innovative access control solution.

Undisclosed Integrator #3

07/09/18 02:43pm

The weak point of Isonas has always been that they are a proprietary solution( hardware and software). Unless they can get broader support by the AC software manufacturers, they will remain a niche solution since Axis, Mercury and HID already are. Allegion might be able to do some bundling with their other product lines but still will limit the growth. 

Undisclosed Manufacturer #4

07/09/18 06:13pm

I am under the impression that Allegion may have acquired them primarily for their IP. Evidently, ISONAS licensed some element of their technology to Allegion for the NDE product. Not sure, but several years ago when Allegion was first revealing the NDE product, there was something there, provided by ISONAS.

Avatar

Rick Caruthers

Galaxy Control Systems
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #4 | 07/09/18 06:18pm

That is exactly what we are being told, not interested in panels and software only the IP Reader. Being an integration partner with all the flavors of the Allegion locks we are always concerned when our vendor partners acquire companies that compete. We will certainly watch this closely in the months to come and see how this all shakes out.  

Avatar

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #4 | 07/09/18 06:29pm

I'll ask Isonas about this, but it is worth mentioning that ISONAS is a wired network IP device and NDE is wireless, so I'm not clear on what the mutual technology is.

Avatar

Rick Caruthers

Galaxy Control Systems
In reply to Brian Rhodes | 07/09/18 06:36pm

It may not even be for the NDE or any other wireless lockset, keep in mind they do have a line of readers, Aptiq...

Undisclosed Manufacturer #5

01/28/20 09:36pm

I just got a call from an end-user stating that "I need to change my Isonas access control platform because it is now end-of-life"

Has anyone else heard this?

Avatar

Clint Hays

Rasilient | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #5 | 01/28/20 09:52pm

Sounds like it's an old hardware system that was running DB Crystal which has been EoL'ed.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #5 | 01/28/20 10:07pm

The older RC-02 readers (which stopped being made a good number of years ago) are not supported by Isonas' PureAccess software in either form (Cloud or On-Premise). As Clint said, the older EOL'd software (Crystal Matrix or DB Crystal) that does support RC-02 (and older) Isonas readers is no longer supported by Isonas Tech Support.

If an end user has only RC-02 readers along with the EOL'd software, then they are indeed running an orphaned system ... but there are still quite a few smaller end users that just keep cranking along until something breaks ..... and then they are in the place you have described, i.e. need to replace the system.

Customers with RC-03 readers and newer have options and can keep on keeping on with the RC-03's with a firmware update. No need to replace those as they are still supported, but I don't get the impression that this reader will continue to be manufacturers a whole lot longer as more customers either start out with the RC-04 readers, or upgrade from RC-02's to RC-04's.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #5

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #5 | 01/28/20 11:20pm

thanks everyone for the info

Undisclosed Integrator #1

01/28/20 10:15pm

A note I forgot to mention: Upgrading to the RC-04 readers from anything made before that allows the use of mobile credentials, i.e the RC-04 readers have BLE, which is useful.

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