SaaS in Electronic Security

Overview

I’ve been designing and implementing security solutions for a long time now. Naturally, I have my personal biases with specific systems and products. For example, never trust software named “babyware,” and beams work great for about a year… and then they become false alarm production machines.

I pride myself on not letting those biases dig too deep into my design choices. My goal is to use the best-suited product or solution for my client’s needs. If the design calls for an Inception, I’ll use an Inception. If it calls for a Protégé, I’ll use a Protégé. My clients pay me to give them the best solution for them, not to give them whatever I can get on sale or because I know a specific supplier’s father-in-law.

I say all of that to say this: I focus on solutions over products. To further our understanding of the different products, today we will talk about three different solutions that are breaking into the SaaS (Software as a Service) business model. If you don’t know what SaaS is, think of services like Netflix, Office 365, and Xero. You pay a subscription, and you get access to a software platform. In the background, the company hosting the service pays for all the servers, upgrades, cybersecurity, and upkeep.

Importance of SaaS Systems in Modern Security Infrastructure

This is where the importance lies for enterprise-level security systems (or Evidence Collection Systems, ECS for short). Historically, for multi-site systems, you need to host a physical server somewhere. This is how Integriti, Tecom, and Protégé GX work.

The server systems have the ability to expand, bend, and create a seamless experience where one user can swipe out of their building in Melbourne, fly to Brisbane, swipe into a different building there with the same card, and all of the logs and controls can be managed from a single app/program.

However, who pays for the server upfront? Who is responsible for the server upkeep? Who is hosting the SQL server and running the database backups? Who is responsible for the cybersecurity and what is the emergency response should the server go down? I think you get my point: it’s a large amount of time, effort, and money to upkeep these systems properly. The server (which can be upwards of $40,000 AUD for a proper setup with licenses, hardware, service agreements) is just the initial cost. The ongoing costs for services, labor, and upkeep add up. Oh, and throw on a $20,000 AUD cybersecurity insurance cost on top of that as well.

Brief Introduction to the Three Systems: Protégé X, Gallagher SMB, NX Witness Enterprise

There is now a better way. Protégé X and Gallagher SMB have moved into the SaaS space for multi-site access control and physical security. You get all the benefits of an enterprise system, but you replace all of the downsides with a simple subscription cost. On the camera and ECS side, NX Witness Enterprise is also advancing into the game. Their cloud VMS system replaces your old enterprise VMS (I’m looking at you, Milestone…)

Gallagher SMB

Overview and Features

For the access control and alarm side, let’s start with the Gallagher SMB. It is a more accessible and lightweight version of the Gallagher Enterprise system. This new system is compact, easy to install and set up, and allows you to control multiple sites from a single Gallagher app (nicely hosted in the cloud by Gallagher).

There are a few items we need to touch on before we move on to the positives with this system. There are some drawbacks that still push integrators to use multiple Inceptions or Bosch systems over the Gallagher.

First, it is entirely mobile-based. There is a reason for this and some cool benefits, but it also comes with some unfortunate drawbacks. The main one we found for day-to-day use is adding large numbers of users. It’s basically impossible with the app at this point. Meaning you will need to add each user one at a time (if you have 1,000 users… this can be extremely painful).

Second, it still doesn’t have lift (elevator) support. This is coming, but currently not in the system. This means that the system is instantly removed from contention for jobs that require access control on lift systems.

Finally, there is no API support. You simply cannot connect other systems (your active directory, other management systems, automation systems) through high-level programming. My team specifically writes APIs for system integration, so for us, this was a deal breaker in a lot of projects.

However, there are some cool things as well! We can begin with the web portal for the installer, which works great. The app is also smooth and works quickly. On top of all of this, you don’t host the server at all. It is completely covered by Gallagher.

Next, the mobile-first design is done really well. With your subscription, you get unlimited mobile users. You add them in on your app and then they use their app to swipe at doors, arm the system, and do everything else you used to need PIN numbers or Swipe Cards for. Even the keypad is just a spot where you can hold your mobile phone up, and your phone becomes the keypad.

Also, it is a compact little powerhouse of a system. One cabinet can do up to 10 doors on one site. Compare this to Inception’s four doors or Protégé’s two doors, and you can see how it scales (up to the 10 doors) with the most value per dollar spent. It takes up less real estate on your wall and does all ten doors without feeling like you just don’t have enough room with the cabling in the cabinet. Finally, it does what we talked about up front. It allows you to control access and security on multiple sites with a single user list… all from your phone (which, let’s be honest, is probably attached to you now).

Protégé X

Overview and Features

Where the Gallagher SMB is locked down and compact, the Protégé X gives you an expansive system that allows you to grow and integrate other systems with almost no limitations (we’ll talk about the one big limitation below). The system is based on the Protégé WX controller. However, it is compatible with all the Protégé GX expander modules. This means that you can grow and build the system the same way you would a Protégé GX server-based system, simply without the server.

Let’s quickly address the hiccups we have found with the system. First, although the system is insanely expansive, there appears to be a 10,000 user limit on the WX Controller hardware. We have personally received some feedback from the manufacturer that there may be workarounds for this, but currently, that is the limit. This means that if you need more than 10,000 users, you are pushed back into the Protégé GX and Integriti product range.

Next, ICT sells the product directly in Australia with the current cloud servers based in the USA. This has a few drawbacks. First, there are no suppliers for hardware based in the state. The staff is amazing and will do what they can to help you out in a pinch, but hardware is limited outside of Melbourne. For the server, this means that you will get lag spikes on occasion. The server issue should be fixed with a new AUS-based server in 2025.

Finally, the pricing has changed a lot over the last two years. It does appear that they have settled on a pricing structure now for the SaaS services (mostly based on door counts), but in the short history of the system, the pricing structure has changed multiple times.

The benefits of the Protégé X though… this is where it shines. Firstly, it can take over a full Protégé GX site and remove the need for a client-hosted server or VM completely, with only a few specific situations where you would prefer to leave in the GX. You can do the complete swap over while only changing out the Protégé GX controllers. All of the other modules will just stay and work without a physical swap to new hardware.

Second, the API is available and ready for you to use. We did find it to be a bit clunky in certain aspects, but we were able to connect multiple different third-party systems to it and send and receive data (user lists, access levels, access reports). If you want to do high-level integration with a cloud system, this is really the only choice at the moment.

Next is the web interface. We may have a few ‘suggestions’ on how to make it feel a bit more consistent with the WX and GX interfaces, but you can do everything you need to do here. You want to add 1,000 users in bulk? Done. You want to create a temporary PIN number for a contractor and send it to your induction system? Done. You want to update the schedules on your gates? Done. You want to arm the area the cleaners forgot to arm when they left while you are sitting in bed on your laptop? Done. You get the point, it does everything you need it to.

Finally, there are the mobile credentials and the ICT specific interface. It isn’t as cost-effective as the Gallagher SMB version, but the system comes with some credentials thrown in, and the additional ones are about the price of your traditional FOBs or Cards. The benefit here is that the ICT Mobile Credential web interface is the best one we have used so far. It even beats out the HID system (which is the world leader in access control readers and cards) by a country mile.

All of that with the ability to link hundreds of sites and thousands of doors together on a cloud server that you don’t have to maintain or host, while controlling it from a single web login or app? This is why this system is currently our preferred SaaS system for almost all situations.

NX Witness Enterprise Video Management System

Overview and Features

Let’s switch from Access Control to Camera Systems real quick. VMS systems (Video Management Systems) are a bit funny. Even though you’ve been buying the software, building the server (or VM), and doing all of the system upkeep… they still charge you per camera license and some of them (again… I’m talking about you, Milestone…) will even charge you every year for the privilege of using the software you already bought on the hardware you purchased in the environment you maintain and keep working. It’s honestly ridiculous.

NX Witness is trying to use the SaaS system to add some value to this setup, and we couldn’t be happier! For us as integrators and consultants, it’s about time.

Here’s how the new NX Enterprise works. You will still need an NX Witness system on each site. This will handle the recording, so the footage stays local and not constantly streaming out your internet connection (if you don’t know why this is important, message me and I can explain it in a different article).

However, you will not pay for the camera licenses for the site NX server. Instead, you will pay for the camera license on the cloud-hosted platform. This cloud server is hosted by the manufacturer and is a true SaaS server (like the Gallagher and Protégé we spoke about earlier).

On the Enterprise Cloud Server, you connect your site recorders, create all of your users (one location to manage them all), and it even acts as the user interface. For my IT admins out there, this means that you no longer have to install and upkeep software on your users’ computers. They simply web browse your cloud server, log in with the credentials you set up for them (2FA is available), and just use the cameras right there.

We are truly excited to see this solution grow and to hopefully have more camera manufacturers follow the trend. As the world gets more familiar with SaaS items (no doubt you use Xero, HubSpot, Monday, Netflix, etc.), the benefits of not having to be your own IT/Server specialist are becoming more and more apparent.

Comparative Analysis

Feature Comparison Between Protégé X and Gallagher SMB

Leaving the VMS system to the side for the moment, let’s do a quick final comparison between the Protégé X and the Gallagher SMB.

Ease of Purchasing: The Gallagher SMB is easier to get a hold of. Several Australian suppliers carry the system (Seadan is maybe the biggest). With Protégé, you need to purchase it directly from ICT (the manufacturer).

Simplicity of Installation: The Gallagher SMB is also ahead here. It basically already comes put together. You just slap it on a wall and cable it in. The Protégé is far more modular, and you have to do some pre-planning with it.

Integration and Expansion: The Protégé X is the most flexible cloud-based access control system on the market… and it isn’t even close. The Gallagher is specifically designed to not be flexible (and thus secure). The Protégé also allows you to add an unlimited number of doors to a system, far surpassing the 10 from Gallagher.

Pricing: This is an odd one… To start with, the Protégé is actually the cheaper option (which we were a bit shocked by). However, when you hit the 5-10 door count (on a single site), the Gallagher becomes more cost-effective. But, when you hit 11+ doors, the Protégé becomes so cost-effective that you can get the cost lower than an Inner Range Inception (which is amazing).

User Interface: They both win here in different ways. The Mobile App from Gallagher is better. There isn’t even an argument there. However, the web interface is subpar and the Protégé web interface is a full-feature portal. Both have camera system integration as well if you like that in your access control UI.

Technical Support: Both companies have great technical support. It’s a bit easier to reach the Protégé team as you will work directly with them. For Gallagher, you will go through your supplier first and then be escalated to the manufacturer team. Once you get to the right people though, they are all very knowledgeable and have helped me with every question/problem I’ve thrown at them.

Future Trends in SaaS Security Systems

How These Systems Are Preparing for Future Challenges and Opportunities

CES 2025 had an interesting quote from the CEO of Microsoft. He predicted that the SaaS model of business applications could collapse in the coming years due to AI agents being introduced into software. This has the potential to be very true. However, with the systems we talked about, you are not only replacing some simple logic (most SaaS systems fall under the ‘create, read, update, delete’ model and don’t do much else) but also replacing large amounts of server hardware and upkeep on the back end.

By moving into the SaaS models for multisite access control, security, and camera systems, you are deciding to delegate the server side of these systems to people who know them better than anyone (the people who make them).

This allows you to focus on what you do best. I can speak from personal experience on this. Having run a nationwide Protégé GX server with thousands of doors, users, and mobile credentials… running the server was the hardest part. Keeping the software up to date, making sure the firewall and OS are patched and updated, replacing existing hardware as it becomes obsolete—the list goes on and on.

Conclusion

Final Thoughts on the Significance of SaaS Systems in Electronic Security

In conclusion, I believe the SaaS model works extremely well with Access Control and VMS systems. You will not need it in every situation, and it is important to find an expert to help guide you through the solutions that really fit what you are trying to accomplish. However, for multisite systems specifically, this is a great solution. It is secure, kept up to date, and allows you to control your multiple systems from a single application or website.

If you have any questions regarding the subject matter we went over today, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I would love to hear from you and help you with your journey into electronic security and SaaS.

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