The Connected Cloud -- December 2024

News Articles

December 12, 2024

The Connected Cloud -- December 2024 [Show All]

THE CONNECTED CLOUD
News & Feature Updates

DECEMBER 2024

New! Dashboard View -- Everything on ONE screen

The brand-new Dashboard view, selectable from the Monitor menu, displays: Cameras, Tasks, Arming Areas, Zones & Sensors, Doors & Outputs, Lights, HVAC Thermostats, and Recent Activity all in the same place on the same screen. It will appear as the first option in the Monitor menu if the user has permissions to view at least two of these types of items, not including tasks.

The dashboard allows viewing of everything in the same place but it is limited on how much information of each type it shows. If more results are possible, this will be shown as a count in the header. Selecting the View option will show the full results in a popup screen.

The Dashboard Options allow for temporary configuration options to change the layout tiling from 1x1, 2x2, or 3x3, and toggling certain item types from view.

The Dashboard Settings allow for user specific preferences for configuration options to become permanent.

BOSCH B/G 3.15 Firmware Now Supports User Group Schedules & Holiday Index Management!

User Group Schedules with Bosch B series and G series control panels with firmware version 3.15 now support complete management. The user groups are used to define time parameters to authorize access for personnel.

Holidays are now also included in the same firmware support for complete management of up to 8 holiday indexes. Holidays are used for exceptions in User Group & Custom(SKED) Schedules.

New! ESSENTIAL Service Fee Structure -- Simple One-Time Base Fee

Connect ONE is offered in three service levels: ESSENTIAL, ESSENTIAL+, and PRO (refer to chart below). The ESSENTIAL service level is now billed at a nominal one-time base fee with no recurring fees unless additional services are subscribed such as door access reporting or non-alarm zone status logging, for example.

The ESSENTIAL service is a great option for your small commercial, with only a few employees, and residential clients. They will receive all the benefits of a powerful, convenient, and easy-to-use cloud service without associated recurring fees, unless additional services are subscribed.

The pricing structure is designed to give integrators additional project possibilities and the flexibility to introduce smaller customers to the cloud system without recurring monthly charges. With ESSENTIAL service, users have access to a robust cloud-managed platform that serves their needs today and grows as future requirements change - without having to reprogram systems and retrain technicians or end users. For example, if they require additional reporting requirements or unlimited users, they can step up into one of the next service levels, where a monthly recurring charge would apply.

“This new fee structure will help get more customers comfortable with Connect ONE, with the ability to expand the basic service into additional capabilities,” said Dan Simon, Managing Partner of Connected Technologies. “Security integrators can compete with some of the free apps on the market and can change the application as necessary. Other apps are bare-boned and don’t allow for expansion, often putting integrators in the position of starting over with a new interface.”

Maximize your upsell potential, ONE Application to start and easily upgrade with more features as your customers' needs expand!

Pricing has been updated in the Connect ONE Price Guide, available in the Dealer Portal.

Recent Usability Improvements

Customer Management Portal

Reporting -> System Code List -- Unique Option: A new system code report has been added which can show unique codes across multiple sites / systems in one list. This report printout filtered to unique codes can give an easy-to-read overall view of all credentials globally in the associated systems.
Single Sign-On Improvement: The single sign-on interface has been improved for cases without an external application dashboard provided by the Identity Provider. Now the Connect ONE provided single sign-on (ACS) url can be used for direct login in these cases.

Dealer Administrative Portal & System Updates

Proxy Camera Connections via the Access Expander VPN Network: Utilizing the optional Image Proxy Service for IP cameras, connections to the cameras can be established via the Access Expander VPN network which eliminates the need for incoming ports open in the customer's network and also allows for cellular connectivity options.
TIP: Check the Configuration page for the Device as it includes recommended programming for the particular product and firmware version.

SimplifyWithConnectONE.com Website

Training Videos: We've added additional training videos to our website and we intend to continue to add more topics as well as updates for others. https://www.simplifywithconnectone.com/training

Give Us the Challenge...

We love hearing from our Dealers with requests from their customers to help solve challenges.

Please contact us and give us the challenge, we may be able to design something for you, and together we can watch your company reach the potential you always knew was possible.

Send us your feedback

Stay Up-to-Date

We will continue to include the enhancements in this newsletter, past newsletters may be viewed from the "News Artcles" tab on our website.

We also post the enhancements to our "Company" page and "Group" page on LinkedIn, as well as to the "Feature Blog" tab on our website.
Please contact us for your invitation to join the "Group" on LinkedIn.

Also, be sure to review the Home tab on the Connect ONE Dealer Site as this will contain many helpful Sales Sheets and Technical Guides.

We encourage you to visit these sites to stay up-to-date.

Working hard to Simplify all your System Integrations,
The Staff at Connected Technologies.

For more information regarding Connected Technologies™ or Connect ONE®, please visit www.SimplifywithConnectONE.com or call (866) 976-3520.

Connected Technologies, LLC., Monument, CO 80132-1266

See What Others Are Saying...

"We have been deploying and migrating customers from site-based client servers to the cloud with very positive feedback. One of our customers, a senior housing facility, likes to have one platform to manage both access control and integrated alarm detection. We can administer different levels of access permissions through the cloud for the customer or they can do it on their own. Having an integrated system--access control, security, CCTV and temperature monitoring and control is important."
--Toby Stevens
Sales Manager for Ace American Alarm Company

"Whether it’s a commercial office, retail, storage, or multifamily development, the incredibly versatile Connect ONE has allowed me to gain the flexibility needed to confidently meet the demands of those development markets."
--Ryan Christen
Sales & Systems Engineer at Vialarm Security

"We want to make sure our suite is secure and the staff is safe. We are looking at upgrades in the future and with Connect ONE you can scale the solution up and tailor it to meet your needs."
--Frank McDonough
Director of Information Systems for Security Industry Association (SIA)

"We rely on Connected Technologies for technical and customer support. We have requested software and feature upgrades for our customers and if it’s possible it happens within 24 hours. We use Connect ONE in our own business and the reporting features are outstanding."
--James Lee
President and partner at Alarmguard Security

"Connect ONE is very user friendly, it saves me time administrating building security. Managing our employees is quick and easy since only a single entry is required to grant both security and access privileges."
--Julie Cerqua
Administrator of Wauconda Library

"Because we serve national accounts across the country, when they acquire other locations or add facilities we can bring them online quickly without having to completely replace the infrastructure or conduct extensive programming."
--Matt Harrison
Vice President of Operations at Federal Protection

"Our biggest challenge today is disparate systems that don’t work well together. Connect ONE gets them all to communicate."
--Ken Kocher
President of Force Security Solutions

"Flexibility is all part of the beauty of using a cloud-based management platform. My customers can manage it themselves from their smartphone app if they like. They can set their own schedules and we configure the Connect ONE GUI. If there’s an emergency or other response required, the superintendent or management can use their smart device for access. It’s all part of the Connect ONE app, which we use for many office and multitenant buildings."
--Gary Davis
Principal and Owner of Alarm Specialists

"Having the ability to see when employees are coming in for work really adds value. But the best feature by far is the ability to lock down all the doors from my computer or phone in the event of a lockdown drill."
--Matt VanEffen
Principal of Holy Cross Catholic School

"Our company is in a rural area, we have been frustrated with long drives and expensive service calls to support legacy computer software and systems. Now with a simple to use dealer web portal, Connect ONE allows us to eliminate expensive service calls by supporting our customers remotely with just a simple login and a phone call that takes only a few minutes. Connect ONE is our biggest added value - profitable RMR for my company. My customers only need to learn one easy to use interface for their business and home."
--Jeff Kesterson
President of NightWatch Security

"Our customers benefit from strategic partnerships like we have with Connected Technologies and all the possibilities it brings for loT connectivity."
--Rick Cadiz
Vice President of Sales and Marketing, IPVideo Corp.

"We’re excited to be working with Connected Technologies to offer this service to our dealers, whose feedback has been extremely positive as they continue to add customers."
--Tom Mechler
Regional Marketing Manager for Bosch

"We had an incident after the system was installed that validated the importance of having this safeguard. With the system we were able to make sure a former employee could not get back into the suite, which was simple to do with ScanPass Mobile Credential."
--Kris Kehler
CEO at Deby Pay Pro

"Connect ONE provides exciting enhancements to the ELK M1 with expanded user support, schedules, and event history. This enhanced capability adds value and convenience, giving installers an edge and opening new possibilities in a variety of commercial markets."
--Amy Strickland
Marketing Design Manager at ELK Products

"Connect ONE offers a simple, scalable solution that complements the Aperio offering perfectly. This integration will offer dealers and end-users a highly flexible solution for comprehensive access management."
--Mark Duato
Executive Vice President, Aftermarket at ASSA ABLOY Opening Solutions Americas

"Thank you for listening and making the feature available so quickly! I really enjoy working with Connected Technologies."
--Dan Osborne
Project Manager at Schmidt Security Pro

"Connect ONE was paramount in allowing Phoenix to offer a service that is truly connected across platforms. The company is unique in the respect that they operate with software that can be edited and modified—without having to wait years to get it."
--Eric Burroughs
Vice President at Phoenix Security Systems Inc.

"Connect ONE’s ability to simplify integration with a wide variety of technology really presents an opportunity for DW Dealers to provide complete solutions."
--Patrick Kelly
Director of IP Video Solutions at Digital Watchdog

"Initially, we toyed with the idea of developing our own cloud-based system, but we sent a technician to look ‘behind the curtains’ at the Connected Technologies solution and I was excited about the possibilities for my customers, especially the many school districts we serve."
--Michael Martin
President of Martin Systems

"Our company is in a rural area, we have been frustrated with long drives and expensive service calls to support legacy computer software and systems. Now with a simple to use dealer web portal, Connect ONE allows us to eliminate expensive service calls by supporting our customers remotely with just a simple login and a phone call that takes only a few minutes. Connect ONE is our biggest added value - profitable RMR for my company. My customers only need to learn one easy to use interface for their business and home."
--Jeff Kesterson
President of NightWatch Security

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