City of Madison
Identify. Authenticate. Control.
City of Madison Enhances Security with Networked Access Control
“dormakaba is always growing and making enhancements to Keyscan and Aurora. They took our wish list and developed the things we needed. They listen to their customers.”
Ken Ferguson
Information Specialist 3 and System Administrator
City of Madison
Fast Facts
- Located in Madison, Wisconsin
- 36 agencies at 20 sites
- Over 300 panels & 1,500 doors secured
Solution
Background
The city of Madison is comprised of a variety of building types. These buildings include engineering sites, streets buildings, five different police districts, 14 fire stations and government facilities, among others. The IT Department services 36 different agencies in 20 sites across the city.
Assets of the City of Madison, Wisconsin, are protected by a team of security and technology experts whose responsibility includes everything from assigning rights to software use to protecting taxpayer data to securing buildings and people, and more. When officials were unable to lock down a building during an emergency due to technical issues and the company who installed it said they could not provide on-site support for two days, Ken Ferguson, Information Specialist 3 and System Administrator for City of Madison, knew he needed to replace the system.
The Challenge
Ferguson was hesitant to replace existing technology without first testing any new system. He conceived a pilot program in which he would secure IT cabinets that were not already behind locked doors. He reached out to Integral Building Systems, Inc., a security integrator in Madison who had been working with the city on a cabling project, for recommendations.
“Pure chaos results if wiring closets are not secured,” said Ferguson. “I tested the new system on them with the intention that it would become the backbone for the network. That initial test has grown to over 300 panels and over 1,500 doors. It’s a major success story for us.”
The Solution
Keyscan Aurora software, with its many features and integration options, provides a single solution for access control with no limiting or expansion governors or recurring fees. It is ideal for any access application, regardless of application, size of complexity.
Once Ferguson chose Keyscan, he set up a support system within each agency of City of Madison. He and Kevin Judd (Co-Founder and Vice-President of Integral Building Systems) trained key individuals to run the system and provide basic troubleshooting. They then initiated widespread implementation.
The Keyscan Aurora Solution:
- Secure. Performance to meet demands
- Versatile. Ideal for any size application
- Control. Create schedules for who has access and when
- User-Friendly. Intuitive and easy to learn
- Support. Unparalleled training and on-site service
“I chose Keyscan for several reasons,” said Ferguson. “First and foremost, I knew it was secure. I also knew that even though the product is easy to learn, I had local support. I also liked that I could create schedules for access, which is especially important when it comes to providing access for first responders and the many areas within their buildings that have special access requirements.”
As each City of Madison department implemented Keyscan, Ferguson and Judd realized that each had different preferences about what to use as credentials. As a result, keypads, fobs, and ID badges are all in use.
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