TDSi provides a wide range of products and systems that have been developed to allow educational establishments to enhance their security systems and realise a wealth of operational benefits.
In a number of recent projects, the company's systems have been specified and installed to provide a range of security, management and control advantages.
Portsmouth University
The University of Portsmouth is one of the UK's most respected modern universities and home to around 3,000 staff and 19,000 students. As part of a major redevelopment programme, the university decided to upgrade its complete access control system to a ‘Master and Slave' arrangement, connected via TCP/IP to a central server and with three separate client workstations. However with around 400 readers to replace and over 22,000 card holders to migrate, the change took place over a planned period, meaning that the legacy and replacement systems were required to work in parallel.
To meet both the University's ongoing operational and security needs, as well as the requirement for seamless migration, TDSi's smartcard technology was selected, with the company's MIFARE readers and cards, EX series network controllers and EXgarde software management system specified. This solution effectively accommodated both legacy and new systems, with cards incorporating Magstripe and MIFARE technologies issued to staff and students, allowing the University to manage the transition to the new system in manageable phases.
A fully featured access management PC software application, EXgarde provides the latest in software development and innovation in a single package with a user-friendly interface. Particularly suitable for applications in the education sector, EXgarde can be used to control thousands of doors at multiple sites with thousands of users.
EXgarde can be used to seamlessly integrate the many aspects of the security and building management system (CCTV, Fire, Intrusion etc) through a single database, and its application modules can be set up, administered and managed from either a single or multiple workstations.
Sheffield schools
Three brand new schools in Sheffield - Silverdale, Newfield and Talbot - all of which opened in 2009, are now benefitting from TDSi technology. Working closely with facilities management company Vinci Facilities, TDSi installed a complete access control system which included MIFARE® readers, MICROgarde 1 and 2 controllersand EXgarde management software. With staff and pupils at each school using the access control cards, the additional functionality of MIFARE® is also being progressively rolled out to provide cashless catering and library card services.
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| TDSi's network controllers and EXgarde software management system help keep Portsmouth University secure |
At Silverdale School, TDSi's Fusion software is also being used to integrate with the School Information Management System (SIMS) which holds pupils' information records. This allows single data entry for both systems, with for example information on free-school meals populating the MIFARE® cashless catering data. The system also allows groups to be established (for example sixth form pupils, staff, or science students) - each granted access rights to specific areas of the school within prescribed time frames.
Fusion and EXsync provide the ability to integrate seamlessly with existing systems. It can receive and act on changes in personal information from third-party security and information management systems - including Capita's SIMS and Gladstone's On-Record education systems - ensuring data across applications is consistent and up to date, reducing the risk of data inaccuracies as well as the cost of entering the same data into multiple databases.
Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Working with system installation specialists Frontline Security Solutions, TDSi equipment has been installed at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, providing an upgrade to the TDSi access control system that was first implemented in 2005.
80 MIFARE® sector readers have now been installed, replacing the original Magstripe system. The sector cards are programmed in-house by the School, and are being used for access control as well as progressively for cashless vending, library services, photocopying and printing by the 2,000+ students and staff, delivering true smart functionality. In addition, the latest release of EXgarde (Version 3) has been installed, together with TDSi's CCTV/ DVR and Fusion integration modules. Fusion allows the access control database to link directly with the School's enrolment database, enabling live, dynamic data entry to be achieved directly with EXgarde and eliminating the need for duplicated data entry.
TDSi uses MIFARE® smartcard technology to deliver a number of card and reader options to suit the specific requirements of different applications. All readers are suitable for internal and external installation; TDSi MIFARE® readers are available in reader and reader + keypad formats where dual verification may be required.
