AMAG Access Control Company Profile

By Brian Rhodes, Published Mar 18, 2016, 12:00am EDT

In our 12th access control company profile, we examine AMAG Symmetry access control platform:

  • Comparing AMAG to their competition
  • Examining their management and client software
  • Reviewing their product and support costs
  • Covering their hardware and wireless support
  • Explaining their video integration
  • Detailing competitive weaknesses

Profile

Symmetry [link no longer available] is AMAG's access platform sold and supported by a global dealer channel. Symmetry is used by a variety of users who might use other VMSes and Intrusion Alarms, but do not typically need to integrate a diverse selection of other systems. For many advanced features, AMAG sells various add-on modules including intercom control [link no longer available], elevator controls, mustering [link no longer available], threat event mass notification [link no longer available], digital guard tours, in addition to its own VMS, a Salient OEM named CompleteView [link no longer available], and central intrusion management [link no longer available].

AMAG is owned by security conglomerate G4S with ~$9 Billion 2015 revenues and 600,000+ employees. In North America, G4S has 7 different business units specializing in security guards, systems integration, guard-staff, corporate security, investigations, and risk assessment.  AMAG is the core product and Symmetry is the base software platform for many G4S offerings [link no longer available].

Comparison Graph

The table below contrasts Symmetry versus relative competition based on common differentiation factors like system size, platform 'openness', ease of video integration, and how the product is sold or available:

Management ********

******** **** *** **** ***** management ******** ** **** versions. *** *** ********** with *** **** *********** and ******* *** **** access ******* ********, *** differ ** ******** *******, multi-site ***********, ****-****/********** *******. *** versions ******** **** ****** features **** ********** **********, door ********, *******, *** badge ********.  *********** ******* to ***** ************ *** intrusion ******* *** *********, but ********* ******* ********** modules. *** **** ******** is ********* ** **** different ********:

  • ******** [**** ** ****** available]:******** * ****** ******* 64 ******* *** * concurrent *******, ***** ********** as *** ****** ********.
  • ************ [**** ** ****** available]:******** * *** ** 512 ******* *** ******** Symmetry *** ********, ***** ********** ** the ****** ********.
  • **********: [**** ** ****** available] ******** '*********' *******, only ******* ** ******** design, ***** * **** SQLServer ******** ******* ** SQLExpress. **** ******* **** supports ****** ******** ************* ******* ****** (****)** *********.
  • ****** [**** ** ****** available]: ********** ** ********** *******, but **** ********** ******* of ****** ************ ** Enterprise ********.

Central ****** *********

**** **** * ******* server ** **** ********** software *** ****** *************. All **** ******* *********** with **** ****** ** push **** / ************* changes ** ******* ***********, or ******* ******* ****** information. ** ********** ******** is *** ** ********** panels, ******* ***** * Windows ** ***** ****** to **** *** ********.

Platform ****

******** ** ****** **** that * * **** entry ***** *** ****** about $***- $*** *** door. ****** ******* ***** 'per ****' **** ***** as **** ***** *********.

*** *******, ** * reader ****** **** ** IP ************* ***** **** ********** [link ** ****** *********], ***** ********, ** *********, 8******** **** **** ******* [link ** ****** *********] *** ********* ****** ******* [**** no ****** *********]***** ~$****, ** ~$*** per *******.  ******* **** ********** ******** ***** ranges ******* $*** - $750 ********* ** *** number ** ******* ******, but ***** **** ****** volumes.

** ****, ********** ***********, *** ********, ** ***** are *** ******** ***** can *** $*** - $500 *** ******* *** are ****** ******** ********** in *********** *** *********. ******* simple '****' ***** ***** when ********** ******* ******* are *****.  ********** ******** like *****, ***********, *** servers/workstations *** *** ******** but ******** ** *** system.  ***** ***** *** to *** ***** ****** cost ** *** ********* available.

**** ******** ** * ****** product, **** ** ****** public *********. ******* ******* is *** ******** *********, but *** ** ***** included ** *** ********* and ******* ********** ********. 

Ongoing *********** *****

**** **** ******* ********** (SSAs) *** *** *********, and *** ***** **** is ******** **** *** initial ********. ***** **** ***, renewals *** ********** ** cover ******* *******/********* *** to ****** ******* *** new *** ***** ******* like ******* ** *******.

*** **** ** *** SSA ** ******* ** a ********** ** *** MSRP ***** ** *** AMAG ******** ********* ** a ******, ******* ** 20% ** *** ****** value [**** ** ****** available].  **** ******* ******* an *** ** ********* at *** ********** ** the ********** ****** *** will ** ******* ******** updates.

******** **** *******

*********, ******** ******** *** major *****-***** ******** ******* series: **** ******. ****** Symmetry ******** **** ********* Salto, *** *** ******* version (**) **** ***. *** company ***** ** **** plan ** ******* ******** AD ****** ***** ***** this ****.

********** *******

**** ************* *** ******** its *** **** ** proprietary ********, *** ****** ******* for *** ***** *********** like *** *****, *** Edge, ******* ******** ********, and **** ***** **** controllers.

**** ****** * **** number ** ******* **** match *** ***** ****** [link ** ****** *********], including:

  • **-**** **** **********: **** *** ****, PoE ******* ********** ***** it's *** ******** *** provides *** ** ** pass ******* ** ***** devices. ******* ** ~$***, similar ** ***** *** price ** ** *** Edge *** (******* ~$***) or **** ***** (******* ~$550).
  • ***** **** **********: **** ***** ****** controls ** ** ** doors, *** ** ****** or ******* *********. ******* ranges **** ~$**** - $3500 ********* ** ****** of ******* ******, *** is ******* ***** ** the *** ***** *****/**** (costing ~$**** - $****).

** *******, **** ****** this ******** ********* ** *** party *******. *** ******* drawback *** ******** ** the ******** '******** ***********' of ***** ********** ****** a ****** ** ******* which ****** '********' ******** of **** ******* *** dealers, *** ** ******** are ********* **** ******** they ** *** *** a ******* ***** *** adding/changing ********** ********.

Reader *******

******** ********** ****** ******** is *****. ***** **** supports *** **** ******* protocol, *** ********** ** for * *********** ******** named ****. ******** **** not ******* ****.

****'* **** ******** ***** with ******** ******* ****** [link ** ****** *********] readers, *** ****** ******* supports *************, ********** ************* that ****** ****** ******** not ******** **** ******* alone. ******* *** **** to *********** *******, ******** supports *** ****** ******* [link ** ****** *********] and ****-***** ***** *** card ******* [**** ** longer *********] ** ****.

** ***** ** ***********, reader ******* *********** ****** all ********** ***, ******, and *** ******* ** 125 ***, **.** *** Smartcards. **** **** ******** * range ** ********* ******* from ******, *** ******, Entertech/Suprema, *** ***.

Video ***********

******** ******** ~** *** integrations [**** ** ****** available], ********* ********* ****:

  • *********
  • *****
  • ********
  • *****
  • *****

****'* *** ***** ******* includes ** *** ** Salient ************ [**** ** longer *********], **** ****** compatibility ******** **** ******* brands *** ******* ****** [link ** ****** *********] *** is *** ***** ******* * **********.

** ***** ** *********, video ****** *** ********** as ******** ** *** access ******* ***** ******, including *********** ******* *** door ******** ******. *** default *********** *********** ****** recordings ** ** ******** by ****** ****** (**: 'forced ****') ** ** system *** ****** (**: individuals ******** **** * specific ****) ** * tight ****** *** **** in **** *********.

No ***** ********

**** **** *** ***** a ****** ******* ** Symmetry, ******* ******* ** local *******. ***** ********** users *** *** ** configure ***** *** ****** to ** ******** ********** using *** ******** *** client, ***** ** ** factory ****** ****** ** preconfigured ******** *********.

Remote *** *******

*** ******** ******** * ****** app *** *** *** Android ***** **** ******* that ******** ***** ****** features **** ********** **********, live **** *******, *** alarm/event *********, *** ******* live ***** *********** **** - ** **********.

**********

*******, ****'* ******* ******** are ***** ** *********** hardware ******* *** ******* integration *******. ** *******, taking **** ******** ******* is *** ** ****** for **** *******, ** it ******** ********* ******** hardware *** **** ** significantly **** ********* **** if ******* ******** ** other *** ***** ******** is ****. ****, **** end-users *** ** ****** to ********** * *** proprietary ******** ******, ******* limiting *** ************* *** AMAG *******.

** *******, ****'* ********** on ****** ***** ********** is * ******** *** the *** ******, ***** serverless ** ******** ********* are ***** **** *********, like ********* ******, ******** ******** ***, ** **** ***** *******.

*** ****** ** ****'* restricted ************ ******* ****** dealers ***** ** ** issue *** **** ********. Symmetry ****** ******* *** well-developed ** **** *****, especially ** ***** *******, but ***** *** **** support ******* ******* ** just * *** ***** choices.

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