Network Monitoring™
In today’s
competitive alarm market, Central Alarm, Inc.
with the DMP product line offers many significant advantages
over other products on the market. This DMP application note
discusses some of the important areas where DMP stands above
the competition.
Features:
Network Monitoring™ offers a significant advantage for
both central stations and alarm customers in terms of cost,
speed, quality of service, and security. DMP leads the way in
network alarm communication with the hardware and software you
need for Network Monitoring. All DMP Command Processor™
panels can communicate with a central station using any data
network communication.
Benefits:
Savings— Using an existing full-time
data network connection, LAN/WAN, or POS network, you can avoid
the costs of an additional phone line, as well as any long-distance
charges between the panel and the central station.
Speed—
Central stations gain an advantage through Network Monitoring
speed. Dial-up alarm transmissions average from 5 to 45 seconds.
The typical time required for a Network Monitoring alarm transmission
is approximately 50 to 70 milliseconds. This translates to much
faster alarm message processing and, as a result, a higher quality
of service for customers. When every second counts, Network
Monitoring allows the fastest possible response to fire, panic,
or duress alarms.
Quality
of Service— Network Monitoring allows central
stations to offer an increased quality of service to customers.
Because Network Monitoring communication requires only a matter
of milliseconds, more accounts can communicate with the receiver
in a short period of time.
Security—
While you hear about the threat of viruses and hackers on the
Internet, DMP Network Monitoring is not vulnerable to most of
these hazards. Much of the traffic on the Internet today relies
on applications that run on servers, such as mail servers and
web servers. Network Monitoring uses small and very efficient
message packets that travel on the Internet backbone, bypassing
other Internet servers running vulnerable applications. Additionally,
because panels and receivers are single-purpose devices, they
cannot download computer files or run scripts that would put
them at risk of acquiring a virus or make them susceptible to
a hacker.
In case
of failure, Central Alarm utilizes a guardian
product that automatically transfers data from our primary data
source to our secondary source with out interruption of service.
In case of a receiver failure the secondary receiver automatically
takes over without human intervention.
Important
information regarding Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or
Digital Phone Service.
What
is VoIP?
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) allows you to make telephone
calls using an Internet connection instead of a regular telephone
line. Cable companies, telecommunication companies and independent
providers offer these services.
How
does VoIP work?
VoIP converts the voice signal from your telephone into a digital
signal that travels over the Internet. You can make a VoIP call
from a computer, a special VoIP phone, or a traditional phone
using an adapter.
How
do VoIP effect security systems?
Most alarm system control panels communicate with monitoring
centers through the traditional analog telephone line.
With unapproved
VoIP carriers, there maybe a reduction in alarm communication
reliability and performance. Most likely there will be a signal
reduction or no signal at all in alarm communication. The ability
for our monitoring center to receive an alarm signal may be
particularly impacted if there is a power outage or if there
is a problem with your Internet provider for example. VoIP will
not work and your alarm system will not be able to make an emergency
call if it is triggered.
