GE Forcefield Integrated Security Management

GE’S Forcefield is an integrated security management platform designed to provide serious control and management of GE’s Challenger security system. GE’s Challenger is one of the most widely used security systems in Australia and New Zealand.The development of Forcefield has brought functionality previously only available in the most advanced enterprise systems – essentially serving as a link between multiple Challenger panels either on a LAN or via WAN. A particular attraction of Forcefield is that it leverages legacy Challenger panels, building them into a globally networked solution with the least possible additional investment. In essence, Forcefield is a multi-node device able to network 32 Challenger panels to 5 workstations. If this is not enough for your needs Forcefield has the ability to expand to support 256 Challenger panels and up to 40 workstations – enough for the largest organizations. The rugged Forcefield unit is an industrial PC that incorporates a computer with storage as well as its own power supply. The Forcefield unit is heavily finned in order to disperse maximum heat while doing away with fans that over the length of an access control system’s life are certain to fail. This reliability is needed so Forcefield units can be installed in the sorts of out of the risers and electrical cupboards access control techs are used to dealing with. Toughness is not limited to the physical. GE has deployed QNX as a number cruncher for Forcefield, not Windows which is out of its depth in real time networked applications like this one. GE invested significant effort in getting round the challenges of carrying QNX from Forcefield to the network.Challenger panels port directly to the Forcefield unit and a thin client operates on the workstation PC in order to deliver seamless Windows integration. Managing a large number of sophisticated Challenger security systems is made simple using the intuitive Forcefield graphical interface. Every operator or site can have their own tailored permissions and controls to provide simplified and secure system management. Central to its operation is the fact Forcefield is scalable from a single site to a multinational deployment providing the network architecture that is critical to seamless real time multi-site and multi-user operation. Important too, is the fact workstations can be tied to particular areas combining multiple Challenger panels, allowing full partitioning for large and complicated commercial or industrial sites. In all, up to 4 customers can share a Challenger and Forcefield allows for this partitioning. Other features supported by Forcefield include auto backup, archiving, template reporting, door access reports, card access reports, maps, graphics, dynamic icons, event switching and plenty more. In keeping with the networked nature of Forcefield, there’s provision for a hot standby node to give total reliability and high level integration that allows Forcefield to tag images in DVR memory so they can be linked to access events. Fact file:GE Forcefield features include: * Integrated Photo ID * Advanced alarm monitoring * Thin-client network architecture * Flexible operator permissions and menu options * Powerful reporting features * Automatic triggering of predefined functions based onsystem events * Real time graphic display * Door Monitor allows selected doors controlled on aworkstation basis * System backs to external storage devices via NFS orCIFS * Door lock override feature * Guard tour feature provides time-based checkpoints forpatrol staff * Distributed in Australiaby Direct Alarm Supplies.