15 Feb 2021

Openpath, a globally renowned company in touchless, modern access control and workplace safety automation solutions, has announced a new Video Management System (VMS) partnership integration with international cloud-based technology and software solutions firm, Cisco Meraki.

Access control capabilities

Openpath’s access control capabilities will be paired with Cisco Meraki’s industry-renowned cloud-based technology, including smart camera intelligence that delivers data and analytics, thereby providing insights that help users make smarter business decisions. Through an all-in-one security platform, designed for both video and access control, integrating security has never been easier.

The enterprise-grade features of both systems offer Cisco’s powerful global sales channel and customer base a solution for those who require a cloud-first security technology that can be managed from any location remotely and in real-time.

Moving to a cloud-based solution

Physical security needs have significantly evolved in the last decade, becoming more and more complex"

Physical security needs have significantly evolved in the last decade, becoming more and more complex,” said Bret Hull, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Cisco Meraki, adding “Our partnership with Openpath enables our end customers to use two complementary portfolios, rooted in shared beliefs of simplicity and security, while also helping them better secure and safeguard their infrastructure.

Moving to a cloud-based solution eliminates the costs associated with managing on-premise software and provides additional benefits to users, such as:

  • Enhanced Customer Experience: The integrated security platform combines two of the best systems together without having to compromise on features, performance and expert support across all aspects of the technology.
  • Heightened Security: Linking access activity with video footage enhances asset protection and awareness in any facility. The integrated dashboard helps both on-site and remote monitoring security teams to keep track of who is accessing a given space at a given time.
  • Remote Management: The comprehensive, cloud-based system allows organisations to manage their entire building security system from anywhere. From adjusting entries to accessing reports, to remotely unlocking the door, it’s all done in just a few clicks. Furthermore, the intuitive dashboard can support one or multiple sites, allowing for staffing flexibility and easy configuration and monitoring from a single pane of glass.
  • Find and Follow: With the combination of visual verification, accurate video search, real-time alerts all linked to access events, security teams can find people and follow them through the timeline of a security event as they move around a facility. This capability allows for rapid resolution in real-time of security situations and enhances audit and compliance reviews with easy access and accurate tracking.
  • Real-Time Alerting: Activating the alert functionality will ensure immediate notification for access events such as doors being propped open. Access event alerting will now include video footage to improve decision making for security teams and allow security teams to be mobile and cover more ground with less effort.
  • Enhanced Reporting & Analytics: Cisco Meraki’s cutting-edge video analytics and Openpath’s Bluetooth Low Energy technology enabled presence data to provide valuable insights and data to improve operations, reduce security risks, and predict future issues before they occur.
  • Wave to Unlock: With Openpath’s touchless Wave to Unlock technology and mobile credentials, employees don’t have to touch a thing to access the office. A quick wave of the hand is all it takes to unlock lobby doors, conference rooms, elevators, turnstiles and more.
  • Backwards Compatibility: Openpath can run on legacy wiring, reducing costs and time to upgrade any legacy system. Furthermore, Openpath will work with your existing badges and readers, integrates with existing directory services like Active Directory, Okta and OneLogin, and can run hybrid alongside any legacy access control system providing Cisco Meraki customers with deployment flexibility and an easy upgrade path.

Meraki and Openpath combined solution

The University of Virginia has deployed the Meraki and Openpath combined solutions to secure their research facilities at their Biocomplexity Institute. The integrated solution is extremely valuable for the security staff, as the cloud-based capabilities make it easy to monitor multiple sites with just one or two people from a single location.

The combination of Cisco Meraki and Openpath gives us an easy to access security dashboard"

The combination of Cisco Meraki and Openpath gives us an easy to access security dashboard from which we can monitor our sites and adjust our access privileges, hours of operation and work groups all remotely. This has come in handy with the latest COVID-19 workplace changes we’ve implemented,” said Andy Phelps, IT Director at the University of Virginia Biocomplexity Institute.

Smart, cloud-based technology

Andy Phelps adds, “I don’t have to hire a bunch of people to manage a complex on-premise system and we can monitor all of our facilities, track arrivals, departures, change permissions and troubleshoot alerts all remotely and in real-time.

It is more important now than ever that the organisations have flexible and agile platforms that can be quickly adapted to meet the security needs of today and tomorrow. Traditional, on-premise security systems don’t make this easy, but our smart, cloud-based technology does,” said Alex Kazerani, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Co-Founder of Openpath.

Cloud-controlled WiFi, routing and security

Alex Kazerani adds, “We’re thrilled to partner with Cisco Meraki, the industry-renowned company in cloud-controlled WiFi, routing and security to make the most integrated security platform available for the enterprise and look forward to continuing to build on these innovations to safeguard our joint customers.