Security technology is essential to any successful business. In order to operate to your full potential, you need to feel secure that your data, people, and spaces are well protected.
With a robust commercial security system, you can feel safe knowing that your security team has a well-rounded view of your facility and employs the best technology to keep you and your most important assets safe.
In particular, cloud-based security tech is the new popular choice for many companies. Cloud-based security technology is known to be a solid option for data storage, and is quickly gaining traction for its more flexible security system management, ease of use, and interoperability thanks to open API architecture.
Open APIs strengthen these already robust systems, and provide communication channels between technology for smoother integration.
With the potential to make every system integrative, even seemingly disparate systems, cloud-based security technology offers incredible opportunities for growth and scalability. With open APIs, security technology becomes more holistic and manageable, simplifying management.
What are open APIs?
Open APIs give developers access to existing software programmes so they can build and create code to facilitate communication between different technologies faster and easier. They provide the basis of the code to simplify and streamline the development process.
In short, open APIs make communication between programmes easier, allowing them to exchange data which enriches their functionality.
By providing their APIs for public use, security technology providers allow other companies to leverage system data to strengthen overall capabilities and become more powerful as a combined solution.
How are open APIs strengthening cloud-based security?
Open APIs are the future of security as they help security systems to achieve their full potential by allowing them to work together.
With open APIs, security systems from different providers can pass data along to each other, which helps them enrich their existing data. They help make security management easier and more effective to keep your business safe.
Facilitate integration amongst IoT devices
IoT devices have many capabilities that have been revolutionising the security industry in particular, but with the cloud, their potential grows exponentially.
You can leverage open APIs to integrate your IoT devices and allow them to exchange data. By receiving data from another device, there are new opportunities to enhance your workflow and strengthen the overall security posture of your system.
IoT devices can use data to make better informed decisions faster, creating more productive and accurate workflows in security systems. A video intercom system that has an open API like Openpath’s cloud-based option is a strong example of how integrating IoT devices facilitates better security.
By adding real-time video and access control data from a video intercom to visitor management programmes, user directories, and commercial surveillance systems, businesses can get a clearer picture of what’s happening from every angle of the business in a combined report.
Whether it’s maintaining detailed visitor logs for compliance purposes, or simply getting a better understanding of how people utilise building amenities, open APIs allow businesses to approach security holistically using best-of-breed technology from leading providers.
Once disparate systems are integrable
With cloud-based technology, no system has to stay separate anymore. Systems once deemed disparate can communicate effectively and work together to enhance their protection.
An example of two systems that have previously never worked well together is building management and physical access. If your access control system is connected with lighting and HVAC technology, your access control system could communicate when to turn on the lights or adjust the temperature based on occupancy and entry activity.
This is a strong alternative to motion sensors, which not only mean additional cost and installation, but also require people in an office or conference room to continuously move in order to keep the lights from turning off.
Combining access control and building management onto one platform also improves ROI, helping to reduce energy bills for your business, and gives you a more complete data set of usage over time.
This use case can also be extended to include elevator usage, parking garage activity, communications tools, and even office operations. The ability to connect any number of security and office management tools, and have them work together, paves the way for a smarter, more efficient workplace at every level.
Security is manageable everywhere
Another benefit of open-source software is that it allows businesses to adjust their security technologies to meet their needs.
Traditionally, only managed, on-premises systems allowed for this level of customisation, and only with the assistance of a dedicated IT professional onsite. However, some on-site systems now offer browser-based management to allow greater flexibility and control for on-prem security technology.
Taking it a step farther, leveraging open APIs and the cloud creates highly flexible tools that makes every security, management, and cybersecurity system stronger. With open APIs, your cloud-based technology can be made accessible remotely anytime, anywhere.
Without restrictions on when and where you manage your technology, you can adjust your system from any device, and address threats in real-time without making your way onto the site.
With an integrated cloud-based access control system, security teams can get notified of a potential issue as soon as it occurs via their mobile device, and check real-time activity logs and video streams. With the ability to trigger site lockdowns, send live video to first responders, or remotely adjust access permissions, security management will be easier and more efficient without compromising on quality.
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