How Blank Rome’s Access Control Changeover Was Built in (a Little More Than) a Day
Find out how The Protection Bureau swiftly and seamlessly migrated law firm Blank Rome to a new multisite solution.
Kyle Petersen of The Protection Bureau (blue shirt) and Blank Rome's Rob Weaver.
Converting 1,000+ Cardholders
A month before the conversion, The Protection Bureau provided a full day of training for Weaver and his security team in which they learned the system, and went over troubleshooting, maintenance and badge creation.
According to the end user, they found the Symmetry access control software easy to grasp and use.
“We had the technical expertise to convert the database and provide classroom-style training in-house,” says The Protection Bureau Database Engineer Mike Becker. “However, one of the more difficult aspects of the undertaking was being able to schedule and coordinate with our subcontractors that were involved in some of the work for us, and getting everything completed within the client’s timeframe.”
Cloning the environment took a week of reprogramming hardware components using the old system as a template. All cardholders and access levels were migrated from the old system to the new platform. Once the transition was complete and Symmetry software online, The Protection Bureau manually programmed all the site locations, including each controller, reader, input and output.
“We had to work closely with Blank Rome’s IT team to get the new IP information for the panels, remote workstations that we were installing and to get the new server online,” says Petersen. “They were a critical part to the success of this project. They also teamed with us to resolve port issues when panels would not immediately connect to the new system.”
The integrator and end user carefully timed the card export to coordinate with business operations. The card export involving more than 1,000 cardholders took just a quick day-and-a-half, and the staff didn’t notice the seamless changeover.
“The whole project went very quickly,” says Weaver. “There was no downtime and no data reentry; all the data was converted over for us. The reporting capabilities are easy to use and provide the data I need.”
Success on Grand Scale
Despite its depth of experience, Blank Rome represented the first large-scale Symmetry SR Retrofit opportunity for The Protection Bureau.
“This was the first conversion of this type that I had worked on,” says Petersen. “One of the major challenges was getting all the programming completed and a new server online before any of the panel conversions happened, so that downtime was minimal to the access system.”
The integrator handles ongoing monitoring and servicing of the system, utilizing partners in remote locations as needed. And its team of database specialists remains on call as warranted.
“From our standpoint, the entire project just went beautifully,” says Ladd. “We had to tweak one or two small things, but nothing major. It’s hard to keep two systems operational at the same time, but thanks to the AMAG solution it is virtually a plug-and-play process.”
Compared to its prior access control system, the end user says the new platform system is easier to use, generates better reports, provides Web clients and facilitates more flexible ways to access the system. Between the justified faith placed upon its integrator and enhanced functionality of its new access solution, it’s no wonder the customer is beaming.
“The Protection Bureau managed the database conversion well and converted it quickly,” says Weaver. “Not just any integrator can perform this type of conversion. We are always pleased with the level of service we receive from them. The entire staff is top-notch. They are knowledgeable about the product, they help us on the spot and we have a very positive ongoing relationship.”
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About the Author
Scott Goldfine
Scott Goldfine is the marketing director for Elite Interactive Solutions. He is the former editor-in-chief and associate publisher of Security Sales & Integration. He can be reached at [email protected].
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