Systems integrator Preferred Technologies Inc., Houston, has integrated the intelligent networking capabilities of LifeSafety Power’s FlexPower® iSCAN (Supervision Control Access Notification) SmartPower system to Genetec’s unified security platform called Security Center. Preferred Technologies, known as Pref-Tech, first demonstrated the capabilities, custom-engineered by the firm’s software developer Mark Roland, during InteropFest at ISC West 2015 in Las Vegas and has since implemented the integration successfully at numerous customer sites.

Both Pref-Tech and LifeSafety Power participated in InteropFest, hosted by the Security Industry Association, Alexandria, Va., and along with other leading manufacturers showed live demonstrations of access control and power devices incorporating Open Supervised Device Protocol™ (OSDP).

LifeSafety Power demonstrated how its FlexPower™ and NetPower™ solutions foster critical interoperability of networked power solutions across enterprise access control systems through implementing OSDP and Simple Network Management Protocol-applied communications.

Pref-Tech has taken those capabilities further into real world specifications in the field, integrating LifeSafety Power’s iSCAN remote monitoring alerts and communications so that specific information on power solution health is shown on the Security Center Graphical User Interface (GUI), indicating deep integration of LifeSafety Power with Genetec’s GUI. This capability puts all integrated system information on a single interface, including power solution status, alerts and ongoing connectivity.

Shaun Castillo, President of Pref Tech, said one of the biggest overlooked but most critical features is the ability to monitor power solutions over the network.

“We created the integration with LifeSafety Power solutions through the development of a custom task inside the Genetec GUI,” Castillo says. “Now, you don’t have to go to a separate browser to manage power supplies. You can view and configure everything within Genetec’s Security Center. It’s all in one place, which is important to the service provider and the end user.”

Castillo says that not only does this unify solutions for Pref-Tech’s customers, but it helps the company differentiate itself by satisfying a need in the marketplace few systems integration companies can provide. Pref-Tech is a Genetec Unified Elite Partner and has deployed the interface in nearly half a dozen customer sites. The company also makes the interface available directly to other value-added resellers.

Joe Holland, co-founder and vice president of Engineering, LifeSafety Power adds that critical monitoring applications with full integration are the future of the industry and help systems solutions providers offer new, additional services to customers as well as generate additional recurring monthly revenue.

The flagship FlexPower iSCAN series provides intuitive network status and reporting capabilities. Those features include: operational fault status; power supply output; battery charging voltage; battery charging current; and fire alarm input. In addition to the ability to automatically schedule regular status reports, the installer can complete diagnostic servicing and battery load tests remotely, saving the cost of on-site servicing.

LifeSafety Power is a leader in Smarter Power Solutions and remote monitoring services, providing modular AC, DC, and PoE power systems that meet the growing needs of the life safety industry.

The FlexPower™ and NetPower™ product lines are high performance, network-connected, power management systems listed for access control, fire alarm, intrusion, CCTV and mass notification applications. LifeSafety Power, headquartered in Mundelein, Ill., has won five industry accolades, including a 2014 NPS award; Security Sales & Integration (SSI) magazine’s 2014 Top 30 Technology Innovations; and Security Products magazine’s 2011, 2013 and 2014 New Product of the Year Awards.