Physical security
Physical security is IT with legal requirements. Our team designs and installs access control, cameras and alarm systems, and connects them to the network and identity systems they depend on.
Our team designs and installs access control, cameras and alarm systems, and connects them to the network and identity systems they depend on. The first questions are practical: who needs which door, how long video is kept and who may view it.
Physical systems are computers on the network, so we secure them like computers: separate segments, updated firmware, unique credentials and logs. Our experience with multi-floor offices and coworking buildings shows in the details, such as member access, visitor handling and doors that fail safely.
What we do
- Door access control with reader and controller installation
- IP camera placement and coverage design
- Video storage sizing and retention settings
- Alarm and intrusion integration
- Camera network segmentation and hardening
- Badge lifecycle tied to HR changes
- Remote video access with logging
- Firmware updates and health monitoring
We place cameras, size storage and set retention and logging together, so the system is useful when it is needed. Access rights follow the same joiner and leaver process as digital accounts.
Physical security connects to Managed IT for the network and power, to Cybersecurity for camera hardening, and to the offices and buildings we have managed.
Leading platforms we work with
- Axis Communications
- Genetec
- Verkada
- HID Global
- Avigilon (Motorola Solutions)
- Milestone Systems
- Honeywell
Platforms and practices
- Access control
- Video management systems (VMS)
- IP cameras
- Alarm systems
- Avigilon
- Door controllers & readers
References
- Axis: describes itself as industry leader in video surveillance
- Genetec: describes itself as leader in unified physical security software
- Genetec: Omdia and Novaira Insights rank it global leader in video management software (vendor release, Oct 2024)
- Genetec: Omdia access control report, #2 global position (vendor release, Nov 2024)
- Axis Communications: calls itself the industry leader in video surveillance, founded 1984 (vendor page)
- Verkada: describes itself as an early pioneer of cloud-based physical security (vendor page, not a ranking; Verkada stays unverified)
Sources last checked .
Product names are trademarks of their owners and are listed to describe our experience; they do not imply endorsement or partnership.
Frequently asked questions
Direct answers to the questions we hear most. Something else on your mind?
Send us a messageWhich vendors do you work with?
Examples are Axis Communications, Genetec and Avigilon, as experience and not as partnerships. We choose equipment for your site.
Can you connect access control to our identity system?
Where the product supports it, yes.
How long should camera footage be kept?
Long enough to investigate an incident noticed late, commonly 30 to 90 days, unless a law, insurer or contract sets a different period. Storage is sized from camera count, resolution, frame rate, codec and motion, then retention is set to match. Footage under legal hold is exported and kept separately.
Why put cameras on a separate network?
IP cameras and door controllers often run old firmware and weak defaults, so a compromise should not give access to your business systems. A dedicated VLAN with firewall rules allowing only the recorder to reach the cameras limits that. We also change default passwords and keep firmware current.
What happens to door access during a power or network outage?
Controllers store credentials locally and keep working offline, and locks are set fail-secure or fail-safe depending on the door and fire code. Battery backup keeps readers and locks up for a planned period. We document each door's behavior so there are no surprises.
How do access cards and badges stay accurate?
By linking badge issuance and removal to HR events, so leavers lose access the same day, and by periodic reviews of who can open which doors. Lost cards are disabled immediately. Audit logs of door events help investigations.