 OnGuard In-Depth: Advantages of a web-based client architecture
With the latest release of OnGuard, Lenel began its initial foray into web-based clients. Previously, all OnGuard clients were “thick” clients, which meant that the desired software client had to be installed on the client machine. With the new breed of clients, that installation is no longer required. Using the web-based clients, you can now log into web-based applications from any computer that is running Microsoft Internet Explorer and has access to the internal network. Although the web-based applications are viewed through a web browser, that doesn’t mean that anyone on the Internet can view them or attempt to log into them. Operating these web-based clients still requires that a connection be made to the OnGuard server, which means that the computer running the web-based application must have a connection to the corporate network. This network connection can be made through a virtual private network (VPN) connection or by being hardwired into the network. Using a VPN connection, the web-based applications are accessible from almost anywhere, yet are as secure as the traditional “thick” clients. Just like the thick clients, logging into these applications requires a username and password that is configured using OnGuard System Administration. The web-based clients use an n-tier architecture as well as the .NET framework from Microsoft.
OnGuard currently has two web-based application modules, VideoViewer and Area Access Manager. These modules have been included in OnGuard in thick client form for years, but are now also available in a web based client that features a redesigned and more user-friendly interface.
The web-based VideoViewer allows live and recorded video to be easily viewed in a browser-based environment. The web-based VideoViewer is perfect for a user who simply needs the ability to view cameras, and doesn’t require the ability to view any other field hardware or alarm information that would be available from OnGuard Alarm Monitoring. Using the web-based VideoViewer, a security director can log on to his computer from anywhere, make a connection to the network, and view video in an emergency situation at any point in time The web-based VideoViewer is included in all versions of OnGuard free of charge.
The web-based Area Access Manager application provides the functionality to assign access to readers under the user’s jurisdiction. Web-based Area Access Manager works well in multi-tenant office buildings where there is one OnGuard system for the entire facility, but each tenant company wants the ability to assign and remove access to readers contained in its area of the facility. Another potential application is a university environment in which a professor has responsibility for a laboratory and regularly provides access to a constantly-changing group of lab assistants. The true value of Area Access Manager comes in transferring access control authority to the individual mangers who are responsible for groups of readers. No longer do you have to send a request to the OnGuard system administrator to grant a specific cardholder access to a specific reader. That capability is now placed in the hands of the manager of that area of the facility.
Going forward, OnGuard will begin to feature more web-based clients, but the option of using the traditional thick client version will still be available. Looking ahead to the end of 2007 and the beginning of 2008, Lenel plans to bring out a web-based visitor management client to complement the existing thick visitor management client.
For more information on this topic, please contact: productmanagement@lenel.com |
