SGSE expands its catalog of intrusion panel integrations within Milestone Systems (hereinafter Milestone) to include the UNii series intrusion panels from the Alphatronics brand, which has a strong global presence in the electronic security market.
The image below shows the set of manufacturers whose intrusion panels are currently integrated into Milestone, thanks to SGSE’s developments.
Deployments with Alphatronics UNII system
The UNii is designed to make it easy on yourself. Thus, the UNii consists of one system that can be used in all situations. The advantage? No overcrowded warehouse, always the right spare parts on hand, fits every project and far fewer training hours.
Ease of use has been central as one of the key principles in the design of the UNii. We understand that installers and end users need a security system that is intuitive and easy to operate
Other salient features include:
- Uses one hardware
- Always Grade 3
- A maximum of 4,096 inputs
- Wired and wireless
- Cloud service with data analytics
- Predictive maintenance
- EN 50131 certified
- EN54-21 certified
UNii alarm system
This range consists of different products such as UNII 32, UNII 128, UNII 512 with different configurations, all with the same functionalities and simple methods of interaction with the users.
- Modular Grade 3 alarm system based on one hardware
- Standard 8 inputs (inputs) and expandable to 512
- Up to 64 wireless detectors (Grade 2)
- 16 keypads, 32 access readers, 2,000 users
- Automatic detection of bus components
- Secure DESFire access control readers.
- Language selectable by user
- Integrated IP dialer, optional up to 2 4G modules
- Up to a maximum of 5 RS485 buses
- Redundant configuration for high-risk objects
- Switchable in clusters of up to 8 PBXs and 4,096 inputs
- mySmartControl app (iOS and Android)
- Unique bus integration of the UNii fog fog machine
Deployments with UNii
The UNii alarm system is a flexible security solution that can be customized to meet the unique needs of your clients. Thanks to its Grade 3 certification and modular design, the UNii can be used for all applications, including residential, office, high-risk and government agencies.
What sets UNii apart is that the alarm system is based on a single hardware platform. This allows the number of inputs to be expanded from 32 to 128 or 512 without replacing the hardware. With expansion, the central equipment at the customer’s location no longer needs to be replaced. The UNii is designed to facilitate quick and efficient installation. The housing is structured in a way that cable and conduit pathways can be easily introduced from the rear without the need for standoff spacers.
Modular alarm system
The UNii is particularly characterized by its modular structure. With a single hardware, it’s possible to customize the alarm system according to the customer’s preferences. Inputs can be easily expanded to 128 or 512 inputs, and different modules can be added to the configuration. Additional features such as redundancy, linking up to 8 control panels (clusters), or specific integrations can be added through one-time licenses.
Redundancy and clustering
The UNii can be easily linked to a second control panel, creating a redundant installation. This means that the system remains operational even in the event of a bus line break or failure of one of the control panels. This provides customers with 24/7 assurance of a functional installation. This redundancy is particularly beneficial for higher-risk settings such as jewelry stores, distribution centers, courts, or simply homes. With a single UNii, 512 inputs can be detected. If one control panel is insufficient or if the installation is distributed across multiple buildings, the UNii can be easily expanded into a cluster. Up to 8 control panels form a single installation, with the user still able to control the system from one location.
Integration with Milestone
As the integration is bidirectional, the operator within Milestone can not only monitor the status of the intrusion system but also interact with the intrusion panel from the Smart Client through the commands enabled in the context menu of each incono or through specific actions on the panel by means of rules.
Products and firmware versions supported in integration
This SGSE software development allows the integration in Milestone of a large number of products from the UNII families, as detailed in the table below, as well as the supported firmware versions.
UNii intrusion panels |
||
UNII1000A and UNII2000A series |
||
UNii 32 ver 2.16.00 |
UNii 128 ver 2.16.0 |
UNii 512 ver 2.16.0 |
Integration architecture
To integrate the UNII intrusion panel with Milestone it is necessary that both the panel and the server with the Milestone software platform are connected via the Ethernet network.
Commissioning
The UNII intrusion panels establish Ethernet communication with the Milestone Xprotect platform, which contains the SGSE plugin that manages the panels by implementing the protocols designed by Alphatronics through the manufacturer’s API.
It is therefore necessary to configure the credentials of the user account of the panel and the data relating to the IP, port so that the plugin communicates correctly with the intrusion panels.
Registering one or more UNII intrusion panels associated with your «Site» is very simple as you only have to enter your user, password, IP, port, etc., as shown in the image below.
Click save to store your connection data in the Plugin.
If it is successful, the available records that correspond to each subtype of device connected to the panel will be retrieved
In brief, the steps are:
- Connection name/Panel.
- IP address.
- Communications port.
- User pin.
Configurations
Inputs
The SGSE plugin allows to automatically collect the configuration of the inputs of the Alphatronics intrusion panel, representing on the Smart Client maps the specific icons of each of the inputs shown in the images below to significantly facilitate the operator’s task.
We will see that a tree has been created with the groups of elements obtained when the plugin connects with the system.
Below are some of the most prominent icons and their statuses:
Each item’s icon reflects its current state according to the legend below.
| COLOUR | ICON | MEANING |
|
Green |
 |
The panel is idle, but no sections are armed. |
|
Orange/Green |
 |
Panel Idle with some sections armed |
|
Grey |
 |
The plugin does not communicate with the dashboard, so it does not know its status, or the panel is disabled in management. |
Table 1. Colour logic that applies to icons associated with panel.
| COLOUR | ICON | MEANING |
Green |  | The output is on |
Green |  | The output is off |
Grey |  | Unknown |
Table 2 Colour logic applied to icons associated with alarm relays.
| COLOUR | ICON | MEANING |
Green |  |
The input is idle, but no sections are armed |
Red |  |
The input is alarmed |
Orange |  |
The input is armed |
Blue |  |
The input is bypassed |
Dark green |  |
The input is open |
Grey |  |
Unkown |
Table 3 Colour logic applied to the icons associated with the inputs.
| COLOUR | ICON | MEANING |
|
Green |
 |
Idle: This is normal operation. |
Red |
 |
Alarmed: The section is alarmed |
Orange |
 |
Armed: The section is armed |
|
Grey |
 |
Unkonwn |
Table 4 Colour logic applied to icons associated with Sections
Events: Alarms and rules
Alarms
When intrusion events occur in the panel (detections, section arming, section disarming, etc., the plugin will inform to Milestone.
With these events, and depending on their origins, we can define custom alarms in Milestone.
Five steps to create an alarm
1.- Add a new alarm
2.- Enter a name
3.- Select the trigger in the combobox by selecting an Alphatronics event «Alphatronics Plugin Events».
4.- Select one of the event types (Arming section, Bypass input, …) for example. Panel disconnected
5.- Select a panel or several panels if you have them and you need them.
Events
As with the definition of alarms, we can use the events of the plugin to define automated rules in Milestone linking the intrusion with any other Milestone integrated technology present in the installation. This way, when an intrusion event occurs in the UNII panel, such as, for example, the detection of an intrusion in a section, we can carry out any of the multiple actions that the rules engine allows us to do: activate a digital output, play an audio message, pre-position a PTZ camera, send an email, etc.
User roles
In all those installations where we want to introduce a restriction on the action on different devices related to the user’s role, this integration depending on the roles of the different users is possible thanks to the integration developed.
It is very easy in the security section select a role and at the bottom of the Roles information block select Alphatronics Plugin, expand the whole tree and select the element or elements on which you want to apply the properties (Input 1).
Actions on the UNII intrusion panel from Smart Client
But the interaction with the Milestone rules engine does not stop here, it also allows us to interact with the intrusion panel itself as a result of any event that may occur in Milestone, including user-defined events that can be triggered from the SmartClient, from the WebClient and even from the Mobile Client.
The actions that can be performed on the panel are the following:
- Clear alarms on the panel.
- Reset the panel.
- Get the status of the panel.
- Arm a section.
- Disarm a section.
- Activate / deactivate an output.
- Bypass an input.
- Unbypass an input.
In this way, for example, we can activate one of the panel outputs when a certain event occurs in Milestone.
Alarms configuration
This plugin has significantly simplified the configuration of the alarms.
Select the imput you want to relate to a camera(s) and then choose the camera(s) to relate and you are done. A configured input alarm will produce an alarm in the Milestone system alongwith its associated camera(s).
Operation and user interface
From the Milestone Smart Client we can see the status of the different elements of the intrusion deployment: the panel itself, the sections, the inputs and the outputs (actions).
| ITEM | STATUS | ICON |
Panel |
Idle |
|
Armed |
 |
|
Partial arming |
|
|
Alarm |
 |
|
Unknown |
|
|
Sections |
Idle |
|
Armed |
|
|
Unknow |
|
|
Input |
Open |
|
Idle |
|
|
Armed |
|
|
Alarm |
|
|
Bypass |
|
|
Unknown |
|
|
Outputs |
On |
|
Off |
|
|
Unknown |
|
But not only can we see the status of the elements, but we can also interact with them by right-clicking on their icons.
Depending on the type of element we click on, the contextual menu will allow us to perform certain actions.
If we right-click on a panel icon we can:
Panels
- Clear alarms on the panel.
- Reset the panel.
- Get the status of the panel.
Sections
if we right-click on a section icon we can:
- Arm section
- Disarm section
Inputs
if we right-click on a section icon we can:
- Bypass an input
- Unbypass an input
Once the inputs have been bypassed, we can verify that this action has been carried out correctly by observing that the icon of the bypassed input has changed color; it now appears in blue.
Outputs
if we right-click on a section icon we can:
- Output On.
- Output Off.
The output statuses will be dynamically shown in the planimetry.
Status details
If we hover over an element (panel, input, section, etc.) and right-click on it, a contextual menu will appear where we can select the Status Details function.
Selecting Status Details displays a window with precise information about the five latest events that have occurred on the selected item.
In the following video, find the setup, rules, and alarms configuration in the Alphatronics plugin in Milestone.
Integrate your Alphatronics UNii intrusion panels with Milestone using SGSE’s plugins.
