Nortek Security & Control has introduced the Linear ProControl embedded network appliance and access control ecosystem. According to the company, the Linear ProControl product portfolio now includes everything an organization needs for comprehensive security and access control, from one to 256 doors, including secure remote access out of the box via the Remote Management Console (RMC).
Linear ProControl with RMC encompasses an entire commercial security and access control management ecosystem. The integrated back-end opens up a variety of revenue streams through enhanced support and RMR services. Elevator control, anti-pass back, threat level/lock down, partitioning, custom reports, administrative audit trails, and an array of video, viewing and other features can be securely managed on or offsite through the intuitive RMC dashboard.
The solid-state design of Linear ProControl lowers total cost of ownership for dealers as there are no moving parts. Multiple at-a-glance status indicators, graphic floor plans, an event log, and a video verification window can all be monitored simultaneously through the user interface. Because the remote management license is included, users can also securely manage the ProControl system with a mobile device with no client and database license fees, and no need for dedicated PC workstations
“There are very few embedded access control solutions that offer a truly secure pipeline for remote management,” said John LaFond, vice president, integrated systems, Nortek Security & Control. “Linear ProControl directly addresses key stability and security issues dealers are facing with cloud and PC-based solutions, plus it opens up new opportunities for RMR and attachment sales to broaden the lifetime value of every customer.”
Linear ProControl appliances come pre-loaded with the Remote Management Console and dealers receive a year of free connectivity with each installation. An alternative to other provider’s port forwarding and virtual private networks (VPN), the RMC enables easy and secure remote access to the Linear ProControl web server, even if the device is located in a private or mobile network behind a router or firewall.
RMC connectivity within Linear ProControl is based on an extension of the HTTP protocol with key exceptions, the company says. In traditional HTTP connections, the client (web browser) is responsible for opening a connection and sending requests to the equipment’s web server. With RMC, however, it’s the Linear ProControl appliance that establishes the HTTP network connection, using its RMC app to open a more secure connection to a dedicated server called the RMC Server. Since the RMC Server simply forwards HTTP requests, without storing any critical data, the RMC service does not introduce any additional data security or privacy risk.
