Common Commercial Security Server Issues

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By Neal Bellamy, IT Director at Kenton Brothers

Common Commercial Security Server IssuesAlthough cloud-based systems are getting more popular, many security systems still have on-premise servers at their heart. Servers, like all electronics, can fail and will need to be replaced. Servers also need updating in many ways. Sometimes they can show signs of issues overnight, and sometimes more slowly over time. The overnight issues are easier to detect, but the slower failures can be harder to detect, so I thought I would share some things to look out for.

Video servers tend to be the most sensitive to component failure or being overloaded.

Video servers have the toughest job of all the security servers. They need to be able to connect to the cameras, pull the video stream off the network, process the video, and then possibly write it to a hard drive in near real-time. If any one of those processes struggles, the video may not be saved properly. At the same time, if cameras are being viewed, they need to be able to send the video to whoever is viewing them.

A sign that your video server needs help is when your video is “Jumpy”. Jumpy video is when the video appears to be choppy and does not play smoothly. Most video systems are recording at least 12 frames per second, so live and recorded video should appear to be smooth. It might not be as smooth as a movie or video game, but it should not have a very detectable jump between frames. Jumpiness is usually caused by an overwhelmed server, or some component, like a hard drive, has failed.

Another common issue is when logging into the security software becomes slower than usual. “Usual” depends on which software is being used, but it should be as fast as the day it was installed. Servers that turn themselves off or reboot themselves often, more than once a month, are also signs that they need help. If you sometimes can’t log in, but then can after waiting a while, the server might have just rebooted.

Sometimes it’s not because of a failure that your server needs attention, sometimes it’s just time.

Common Commercial Security Server IssuesServer software, like all software, can have security or feature updates. Server software like Windows, Linux, MAC OS, etc., needs to be maintained to have the latest features and security patches. Depending on the settings, security patches will download and install themselves, but if you’re not sure, you should check with your IT team.

All server software at some point will become obsolete and no longer be supported. At that point, you should at least have someone update your server to the latest version possible, or maybe even replace the server altogether.

There are some important Microsoft Windows end-of-support dates coming up this year. Windows 10, which has been around since 2015 will no longer be supported or have security patches being released as of October 14th, this year. Windows Server 2019 mainstream support already ended last year, it will not receive any feature updates, but will still receive security updates until January 2029.

Finally, it is worth mentioning since we are talking about servers failing… It is critically important to make sure your IT team is properly handling backups for your servers. Many companies get into a rut of seeing “backup completed” every day after the nightly backup, but then never checking if those backups can actually be restored. Talk to your IT team about the last time they tried to restore an important server from backups. The answer may shock you. Because the answer might be “never.”

If you are experiencing any of these issues or would like Kenton Brothers to come investigate the health of your server, please give us a call.

Specialized product alert: ‘Federation™’ of access control licenses

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By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

Specialized product alert: ‘Federation™’ of access control licensesFor those of you using Genetec™ access control systems… did you know that Genetec offers Federation™? Federated licensing in Genetec’s security solutions provides organizations with a flexible, efficient, and scalable way to manage and optimize their security licenses across multiple locations or systems, ultimately improving resource allocation and reducing operational costs.

Federation™ joins multiple, independent Genetec™ security systems into a single virtual system. With this feature, users on a central system, called the Federation host, can view and control entities that belong to remote systems.

Let’s look at an example scenario:

Imagine a large retail company with stores in different cities. Instead of buying separate licenses for each store, they can pool their licenses into a federated licensing system. During a busy season, the licenses can be dynamically allocated to stores with higher demand (e.g., larger stores, stores with more foot traffic), while during quieter periods, the unused licenses can be reassigned or saved for future use, thereby maximizing efficiency and minimizing excess costs.

Benefits

  • Cost Efficiency: No need to over-purchase licenses for every installation.
  • Flexibility: Easily allocate licenses based on real-time needs across different sites.
  • Scalability: As the business grows, federated licensing allows for easy integration of additional systems without significant changes to infrastructure.
  • Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and tracking of licenses across multiple locations.

Federation within the scope of Genetec’s security solutions refers to a system in which multiple, geographically distributed installations of Genetec products (such as Security Center, Omnicast for video surveillance, AutoVu for automatic license plate recognition, and Synergis for access control) share and manage licenses across different locations, but in a unified and centralized manner.

Federated licensing

Key Concepts of Federation™

  1. Centralized Management: Federated licensing allows administrators to manage and allocate licenses from a centralized location. This means that licenses do not need to be tied to a specific server or installation. Instead, they are stored and managed in a federated pool that can be accessed by different systems across various sites.
  2. License Pooling: Organizations that have multiple installations of Genetec solutions at different locations can pool licenses together. This gives flexibility in distributing and reallocating licenses based on real-time needs, making it easier to optimize the use of available licenses across the network of installations.
  3. Efficiency and Cost Savings: Instead of purchasing separate licenses for each individual location, federated licensing allows for a more efficient use of licenses. For example, if a particular location isn’t using all its licenses, they can be allocated to another site in need, leading to cost savings and better utilization of resources.
  4. Scalability: Federated licensing supports scalability. As an organization expands or needs to add more cameras, devices, or systems, additional licenses can be integrated into the federated pool without the need to modify individual systems or installations.
  5. Cross-Site License Sharing: Organizations with multiple sites or regions can benefit from sharing licenses between them, making it easier to scale the system and meet fluctuating demands across various locations.
  6. Simplified Compliance: With federated licensing, organizations can also ensure compliance with licensing agreements without manually tracking licenses for each installation. Genetec’s system can track the overall license usage, making compliance easier to manage and reducing the risk of under- or over-licensing.
  7. Cloud-Enabled: In some cases, federated licensing can also be integrated with cloud-based systems. This enhances the flexibility of license allocation and management, especially when dealing with installations spread across wide geographical areas or multiple time zones.

Kenton Brothers is happy to assist you in advancing your uses of your access control systems. Let us know how we can help!

Let’s discuss ‘Anti-passback’: What is it and what can it do for you?

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By Gina Stuelke, CEO of Kenton Brothers

Advantages of Anti-Passback in Access ControlIn our continuing series of educational posts, we love sharing the layered capabilities of access control systems.

Anti-passback is a security feature in an access control system that prevents a user from passing their access credential (like a key card or mobile badge) to another person for unauthorized entry. It requires users to “exit” before they can “re-enter” and enforces a logical sequence of “in” and “out” events to prevent fraudulent or unauthorized use of credentials.

Capabilities

Prevents Credential Sharing

  • Purpose: Ensures that access cards or credentials aren’t passed between individuals to bypass security.
  • Benefit: Stops unauthorized access by enforcing that a badge used to enter must also be used to exit before it can be used again

Enhances Occupancy Tracking

  • Purpose: Keeps accurate logs of who is inside the building or specific areas.
  • Benefit: Useful for emergency evacuations, audits, or real-time occupancy monitoring (e.g., for energy efficiency or space planning).

Supports Compliance and Safety Protocols

  • Purpose: Helps meet regulatory or internal policies related to controlled access.
  • Benefit: Assists with compliance in industries requiring strict access monitoring (e.g., data centers, pharmaceuticals, finance).

Deters Tailgating and Piggybacking

  • Purpose: Discourages people from entering secured areas by following others without scanning a credential.
  • Benefit: Strengthens per-person authentication, especially at critical security points.

Improves Audit and Incident Response

  • Purpose: Maintains a more accurate access log history.
  • Benefit: Allows faster and more reliable investigations when security breaches or incidents occur.

Enables Logical Access Pairing

  • Purpose: Links physical access to logical access (e.g., network login).
  • Benefit: Ensures users are logged into systems only when they are physically present in the building.

Increases Operational Control

  • Purpose: Forces users to follow defined traffic patterns (e.g., enter through the main lobby, exit through designated doors).
  • Benefit: Helps manage crowd flow, security checkpoint coverage, and staffing.

Reduces Risk of Occupancy Overload

  • Purpose: Limits the number of people in a given area at any one time.
  • Benefit: Useful for high-security zones, labs, or rooms with occupancy limits (fire code, clean rooms, etc.).

Industry Segments

Here’s a breakdown of how different commercial industries apply anti-passback:

Corporate Office Buildings

  • Use Case: Preventing employees from “buddy-badging” others into secured areas.
  • Example: Employees must badge in and out of a high-security R&D lab or executive suite.

Data Centers

  • Use Case: Enforcing strict audit trails for every entry and exit.
  • Example: Technicians cannot badge into a server room unless they’ve properly exited previously, helping ensure tight compliance with SOC 2 or ISO 27001.

Manufacturing and Warehousing

  • Use Case: Managing time and attendance and ensuring safe evacuation procedures.
  • Example: Workers badge in at the start of a shift; anti-passback ensures only present workers are recorded in the building for safety drills or emergencies.

Education and Research Institutions

  • Use Case: Controlling access to restricted labs or testing facilities.
  • Example: Students or researchers must badge out of clean rooms before they can re-enter, reducing contamination and enforcing accountability.

Healthcare Facilities

  • Use Case: Securing medication storage or surgical zones.
  • Example: Staff cannot re-enter drug dispensary rooms without properly badging out — this ensures individual access is logged and traceable.

Commercial Real Estate (Shared Workspaces, etc.)

  • Use Case: Preventing non-tenant access in shared environments.
  • Example: Tenants or contractors cannot “lend” badges to guests or friends to gain unauthorized access

Using Anti-Passback to Acclimate Employees Back to the Office

Anti-passback can be a strategic tool to help ease employees back into office routines while reinforcing attendance, accountability, and a sense of structure. Here’s how it can be thoughtfully used for return-to-office (RTO) efforts:

Reinforces Routine and Presence

  • Benefit: Employees scan in and out each day, re-establishing regular work habits and physical presence.
  • Tactic: Use the entry/exit data to support hybrid schedules — e.g., ensuring employees are present on their designated in-office days.

Supports a Trust-But-Verify Approach

  • Benefit: Encourages autonomy while gently enforcing accountability.
  • Tactic: Managers can use reports to confirm that team members are showing up consistently without intrusive check-ins.

Helps With Space Planning and Resource Allocation

  • Benefit: Anti-passback data shows how many employees are in the office and when.
  • Tactic: Use this insight to adjust cleaning schedules, security staffing, HVAC needs, or shared desk booking systems.

Encourages Safe Occupancy Monitoring

  • Benefit: Promotes a sense of security for employees concerned about overcrowding or emergency preparedness.
  • Tactic: Let employees know their presence is logged for emergency evacuation and space management purposes — not micromanagement.

Integrates Seamlessly with Wellness or Perk Programs

  • Benefit: Pair office attendance with perks (e.g., free lunches, parking passes, wellness credits).
  • Tactic: Trigger incentives based on verified in-office days via anti-passback logs (e.g., “badge in 3 days this week, get a coffee gift card”).

Reduces Badge Sharing in Hybrid Environments

  • Benefit: Prevents employees from “gaming” the system by having a friend badge in for them.
  • Tactic: Makes it clear that presence tracking is tied to legitimate entry/exit behavior, not just one-time check-ins.

Builds Data for HR and Facilities Team

  • Benefit: Provides objective usage metrics over time.
  • Tactic: HR can use this data to tailor RTO policies, and Facilities can monitor office re-engagement trends by team or department

Tips for Effective Implementation of Anti-Passback Features

Use Hardware That Supports Directional Logic

  • Install entry and exit readers at all controlled points.
  • Pair with turnstiles or optical gates where feasible for enforcement.

Define Logical vs Physical Anti-Passback

  • Hard Anti-Passback: Denies entry if proper exit hasn’t occurred — strict.
  • Soft Anti-Passback: Logs a violation but allows access — good for training or early adoption phases.

Set Grace Periods or Exceptions

  • Allow for system errors or emergencies by permitting admin override or setting time-based resets (e.g., after midnight)

Use with Video Surveillance Integration

  • Cross-reference access logs with video footage to verify compliance and investigate tailgating.

Combine with Mobile Credentials or Biometrics

  • Reduces badge sharing even further.
  • Encourages personalized access — especially valuable in high-risk zones.

Train Users and Security Staff

  • Make sure everyone understands how anti-passback works.
    Provide clear signage and onboarding to avoid frustration.

Communication Tips to Ensure Success

  • Frame anti-passback positively: as a way to ensure safety, comfort, and fairness, not as surveillance.
  • Communicate clearly with employees about why it’s being implemented and how it benefits them.
  • Provide self-service tools so employees can view their own access history and flag inconsistencies.

If you need help implementing Anti-passback technologies in your access control systems, we are here for you. Give us a call!

Enlightened Security: The single greatest defense in a security system.

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By Baer Halvorson, Security Systems Engineer at Kenton Brothers

Enlightened Security: The single greatest defense in a security system.Randomized Control Experiments are considered to be one of the most effective ways to study cause-and-effect relationships. This method helps minimize biases by randomly assigning participants to either a treatment group (which receives the intervention) or a control group (which does not), ensuring that any differences between the groups can be attributed to the intervention itself, rather than other variables. This method is the gold standard in several major industries like medical intervention, psychology and more.

In 2018, working alongside the Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice, the New York City Police Department, and the New York City Housing Authority, a research team called The Crime Lab, carried out a six-month randomized controlled trial at nearly 40 public housing developments with high crime levels. Half of these developments were outfitted with new, temporary street lights, while the other half remained unchanged.

Results from the study showed that there was a 39% reduction in index crimes (murder, rape, burglary, motor-vehicle theft, etc.). This percentage deduction in the world of criminological studies is an extreme result in deterring crime. While studies will show video surveillance and alarms reducing at a rate of 30-60% this is often attributed to one or two specific crimes, like robberies or burglary. 39% across all index crimes is a significant reduction and should be something that security consultants lead with.

Hardening Your Property With Lighting

If you are looking to harden your property (commercial or residential), even if you currently have a security system in place, you should consider adding lighting in areas that you might see activity. There are a couple of ways to implement lighting onto a property.

Triggered Lighting

Integrating lighting into something like motion or as a trigger to an alarm is a very effective way to create the appearance of presence. Motion lighting can often be very effective in giving the appearance that someone has turned the light on and caught the threat in the act. This extra bit of psychological strain on an attacker can cause them to instinctually flee the scene.

Lighting can also be activated by a triggered alarm; for example if the front of a property is being breached and a shock sensor goes off because the intruder is trying to kick in the front door, having an alarm trigger the lighting in an office to turn on, or click upstairs lighting on in a house can be a very effective way to deter an attempted intrusion.

Area Lighting

Parking lot lighting and adequate lighting around the property can help assure that threats or attackers can’t lie in wait or find a dark area to access the building from. Lighting around the property also gives surveillance cameras an advantage by bolstering the field of view, pushing visibility that much further. Landscape lighting can be the means to this end without sacrificing aesthetics.

Getting a consultation from a security integrator and taking their lighting recommendations to a landscaping company can be one way to assure that you are hardening a site without making it look like a prison.

Dynamic Lighting

There are also creative ways to use lighting to accomplish specific needs and provide solutions to a site. For instance you can use zoned threat-based activation in perimeter response lighting. This is where instead of just using motion sensors or alarm-triggered lighting, you can layer lighting activations to respond dynamically based on detected movement.

For example, motion on the outer fence line activates perimeter flood lights, moving closer to the building, additional higher-intensity security lights activate in stages, creating an escalating deterrence effect. Strobe and pulsing lights can also be used as a deterrent, whether that’s on the outside of the building to act as a natural surveillance and pull eyes to where the intruder is, or in interior situations to confuse and cause panic in an intruder.

Using different colors to communicate what is happening, using up-lighting at entrances to make it difficult to see in, but easy to see out and integrating lighting into building automation, access control or video surveillance are all ways that lighting can be used to strengthen a security system.

Let’s Talk Lighting!

Light is one of the most underrated and most research-proven, effective ways to deter criminal activity on a property. Access control, intrusion detection and video surveillance can all be improved when integrating these systems with light. When pondering on how to strengthen the security around your business or home, consider first if adding light can deter the criminal. We can help you lock in your lighting security solution. Give us a call!

The Rise of AI in the Physical Security Industry

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By David Strickland, Vice President of Kenton Brothers

The Rise of AI in the Physical Security IndustryAt Kenton Brothers Systems for Security, we are always focused on Innovation. We have a great saying: Innovate or Die

The physical security industry is undergoing a major transformation as artificial intelligence (AI) becomes an integral part of surveillance, access control, and threat detection systems. AI-driven security solutions are enhancing the effectiveness of security personnel, improving response times, and reducing operational costs. As organizations seek more proactive approaches to risk mitigation, investments in AI technology continue to surge across various sectors, including corporate enterprises, critical infrastructure, law enforcement, and public safety.

According to market research, the global AI spend in the security market is expected to reach $71 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of over 23%. Major players in the industry are investing billions in AI-powered surveillance, access control, and cybersecurity solutions, recognizing the immense potential of these technologies to reshape security operations.

AI-Powered Video Surveillance

AI is revolutionizing video surveillance by improving object recognition, behavior analysis, and real-time anomaly detection. Companies like Hanwha Vision and Axis Communications are embedding deep learning algorithms into their cameras, allowing for advanced analytics such as facial recognition, license plate recognition, and suspicious activity detection.

Traditional security systems often rely on motion detection, which can trigger numerous false alarms due to environmental factors like shifting shadows, animals, or weather conditions. AI-powered analytics refine this process by differentiating between routine activities and actual security threats. By leveraging neural networks and machine learning, AI can accurately identify threats such as unauthorized intrusions, abandoned objects, or aggressive behavior. As a result, security teams can prioritize real incidents and respond more efficiently, minimizing downtime and improving security operations.

Additionally, AI-enhanced surveillance systems can integrate with law enforcement databases, allowing for real-time identification of persons of interest, missing individuals, or stolen vehicles. This level of automation significantly enhances the ability to act quickly in high-risk scenarios.

Predictive Threat Detection and Incident Prevention

One of the biggest advantages of AI in security is its predictive capabilities. AI algorithms analyze vast amounts of historical data to identify patterns and predict potential security breaches. By integrating AI with physical security measures, organizations can take preventive action before incidents occur, reducing risks and enhancing preparedness.

For example, AI-driven behavior analytics can detect unusual activity in high-security areas, such as loitering near restricted zones or unauthorized access attempts. Advanced AI models can factor in variables like time of day, frequency of movement, and crowd density to determine whether an individual’s behavior is suspicious. Security systems can then issue alerts to personnel, allowing them to intervene before a breach happens.

AI-powered analytics can help in monitoring large-scale events such as concerts, sports games, and public gatherings, identifying crowd surges or potential stampedes in real-time. This proactive approach allows security teams to take action before incidents escalate into critical situations.

AI in Access Control Systems

The Rise of AI in the Physical Security IndustryAI is also reshaping access control by introducing biometric authentication, intelligent access policies, and adaptive security responses. Facial recognition, fingerprint scanning, and iris detection—powered by AI—are replacing traditional keycards and passwords, offering a more secure and frictionless experience for employees and visitors.

AI-driven access control systems can adapt to evolving security threats by learning user behaviors and flagging anomalies. If an employee suddenly tries to access a restricted area at an unusual time, the system can trigger additional authentication steps or alert security personnel. These AI-powered systems can also integrate with databases to enforce blacklists and whitelist protocols, enhancing perimeter security.

Additionally, AI-enhanced access control can be used in conjunction with workforce management, allowing for more efficient tracking of employee attendance, automated credential revocation for terminated employees, and secure remote access for approved personnel.

AI-Driven Robotics and Drones

The deployment of AI-powered security robots and drones is becoming more common in large-scale facilities, such as airports, warehouses, and corporate campuses. These autonomous systems can patrol designated areas, analyze footage in real-time, and even interact with potential threats using voice commands or alerts.

Security robots equipped with AI can identify suspicious behavior, recognize unauthorized personnel, and conduct temperature scans in high-risk areas. AI-driven drones, on the other hand, provide aerial surveillance, offering a broader perspective of security perimeters, which is particularly useful for securing large or remote locations where manual patrols are less effective.

Furthermore, these AI-powered security agents can work around the clock, reducing the need for human patrols while maintaining a consistent level of monitoring. Some of the latest models are equipped with environmental sensors that detect hazardous materials, making them valuable assets for critical infrastructure protection.

AI and Cybersecurity Convergence

As physical security systems become more connected, the risk of cyber threats increases. AI is playing a crucial role in bridging the gap between physical and cybersecurity by identifying vulnerabilities and mitigating risks in real time. AI-driven security platforms use behavior-based analytics to detect unauthorized access to surveillance networks, monitor unusual login attempts, and prevent data breaches.

AI-enhanced threat detection software can scan large amounts of data to recognize malware, ransomware, and phishing attempts, protecting security infrastructures from cyberattacks. By integrating AI with both cybersecurity and physical security systems, organizations can establish a more holistic security approach that safeguards against both digital and physical threats.

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platforms and Security Orchestration, Automation, and Response (SOAR) solutions are increasingly using AI to correlate events across different security layers. This ensures a more comprehensive security posture by automatically identifying, prioritizing, and responding to both cyber and physical security incidents in real time.

Future Outlook: The Growth of AI in Security

The integration of AI into the physical security industry is only expected to grow. Market analysts predict that investments in AI-driven security solutions will continue to rise as businesses, government agencies, and critical infrastructure providers seek more efficient ways to protect assets and people.

As AI technology evolves, new applications such as real-time audio threat detection, emotion recognition, and AI-enhanced forensic analysis will become more common. AI will also play a key role in autonomous security decision-making, reducing the reliance on human intervention and improving response times in emergency situations.

Future advancements in AI will also lead to more sophisticated autonomous security solutions, including AI-powered facial recognition gates for seamless access control, smart city surveillance integrations, and advanced threat prediction models that adapt in real time.

AI is Reshaping Physical Security

AI is reshaping the physical security landscape by providing smarter, faster, and more accurate security solutions. From advanced video analytics to predictive threat detection, biometric authentication, and AI-driven robotics, the industry is embracing a new era of security innovation. Organizations investing in AI-powered security solutions are not only improving their defenses but also setting the foundation for a future where security is more proactive, adaptive, and intelligent than ever before. The rapid evolution of AI in security is setting the stage for a safer world, where threats are detected before they occur, and response times are reduced to a matter of seconds.

Please give us a call to explore the ways AI can help your physical security systems, policies and procedures.