Open Options Hosts Consultants for First-Ever A&E Summit in Austin,Texas

Open Options Hosts Consultants for First-Ever A&E Summit in Austin, Texas

  • By Sydny Shepard
  • Oct 17, 2018

Open Options, a leading provider of open platform access control software, hosted the company’s first A&E Summit for security consultants in Austin, Texas this past weekend. I had the pleasure of attending the summit and getting a more in-depth look into the company and their product offerings.

The Open Options team planned a full weekend of networking, session speakers and open discussion. Announced at the event were new and improved products including new HD Series Enclosures, DController, Open Options’ IP-based intelligent door controller, and the new NSC-200 sub-controller, which now opens from the front and allows users to connect direct to hardware with strain relief fittings at the opening.

The company also did a full demonstration of its DNA Fusion software, which has intuitive features and a user-friendly UI. Open Options’ Professional Services/Engineering Manager William Murphey took the group of consultants through some exciting features such as customizable reports, mass edits of personnel access, direct commands, environmental customization and, my favorite, graphic maps.

Murphey explained how an organization can take advantage of graphic maps, which allows users to see their solution on one screen at a glance. This view gives users up-to-date information on open access points, data on users, and alarm status. DNA Fusion also integrates in a “Lockdown” button that efficiently works to facilitate a lockdown, locking doors immediately.

At the A&E Summit were several guest speakers, including Ian Kilpatrick with Kemper Development Company, who spoke about the Open Options integrations that span five city blocks in Lincoln Square in Seattle, Wash. The area includes hotels, corporate buildings and retail space. Kilpatrick explained how the company used Open Options to integrate in ThyssenKrupp for elevator features, such as Destination Dispatch and utilized DNA Fusion for custom reports that enabled auto email to a distribution list for analysis and archiving.

Also speaking at the Summit was Guy Grace, Director of Security & Emergency Planning at Littleton Public Schools in Colorado. Grace addressed the growing need for campus security and explained to consultants how he has used Open Options to develop a unified solution on his campuses. Grace stressed the need for protocols to correspond with security technology and spoke about the ease of use when working with DNA Fusion.

“Access control is the back bone of the entire physical security system,” Grace said when speaking about the importance of the Open Options solution and its many integrations. Grace and Littleton Public Schools specifically integrate in their access control, VMS, wearable panic devices and more into their DNA Fusion Software.

Chris Verde from National Instruments stressed the need for a unified solution on their corporate campuses all around the world, including six international campuses and six branch offices in the U.S. that all host thousands of readers and hundreds of controllers. National Instruments was able to take advantage of Open Options and their partnership with Mercury Security to develop exactly what they needed to keep their locations safe and secure.

Consultants and Open Options team members also spoke with each other in-depth about how they view the security industry, the biggest trends they see, the biggest problems they face and the frustrations they need help overcoming. While it is hard to solve all the security industry’s problems in just one day, this group got really close.

As I have always believed, a weekend with Open Options is a weekend well spent. Learn more about their solutions and products at www.ooaccess.com.

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Empowering and Securing a Mobile Workforce

    What happens when technology lets you work anywhere – but exposes you to security threats everywhere? This is the reality of modern work. No longer tethered to desks, work happens everywhere – in the office, from home, on the road, and in countless locations in between. Read Now

  • TSA Introduces New $45 Fee Option for Travelers Without REAL ID Starting February 1

    The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) announced today that it will refer all passengers who do not present an acceptable form of ID and still want to fly an option to pay a $45 fee to use a modernized alternative identity verification system, TSA Confirm.ID, to establish identity at security checkpoints beginning on February 1, 2026. Read Now

  • The Evolution of IP Camera Intelligence

    As the 30th anniversary of the IP camera approaches in 2026, it is worth reflecting on how far we have come. The first network camera, launched in 1996, delivered one frame every 17 seconds—not impressive by today’s standards, but groundbreaking at the time. It did something that no analog system could: transmit video over a standard IP network. Read Now

  • From Surveillance to Intelligence

    Years ago, it would have been significantly more expensive to run an analytic like that — requiring a custom-built solution with burdensome infrastructure demands — but modern edge devices have made it accessible to everyone. It also saves time, which is a critical factor if a missing child is involved. Video compression technology has played a critical role as well. Over the years, significant advancements have been made in video coding standards — including H.263, MPEG formats, and H.264—alongside compression optimization technologies developed by IP video manufacturers to improve efficiency without sacrificing quality. The open-source AV1 codec developed by the Alliance for Open Media—a consortium including Google, Netflix, Microsoft, Amazon and others — is already the preferred decoder for cloud-based applications, and is quickly becoming the standard for video compression of all types. Read Now

  • Cost: Reactive vs. Proactive Security

    Security breaches often happen despite the availability of tools to prevent them. To combat this problem, the industry is shifting from reactive correction to proactive protection. This article will examine why so many security leaders have realized they must “lead before the breach” – not after. Read Now

Most   Popular

New Products

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises.