Selecting your solution integrator:
New home construction for commercial
buildings, condominiums and single-family dwellings offer a variety of options for mid-sized to upscale square footages. The advent of "through the house"
or structured cabling systems for Internet/LAN connectivity, home theatre and security systems, home automation
cable, and satellite/DVD have made "only phones, non-networked
PCs and power installations" a thing of the past. Growth will certainly continue as multi-media services
flow down to new construction and it is now a minimum requirement to
protect your investment. This evolving trend has necessitated the creation of active distribution equipment for a wide variety of services throughout
your home and office. The application of the latest technology and design
concepts insure future expansion capabilities. While there are
number of "integrators" you can choose from there are
several important questions you should ask::
What is the primary business focus
of the integrator?
Services are offered by
builders, electrical contractors, or friends who knows how to run a
cable. In structured cabling solutions and home automation there are
a number of codes and unique requirements that relate to this
technology. In addition to the hardware, you are primarily paying
for the knowledge, experience and continued educational focus of the
integrator.
Who is responsible for the
final solution?
You are building your dream house or
an office building and
you contact an architect and builder. Your focus is on two key items
(1) your immediate needs and (2) costs. You mention that you would
like to someday have a home theater and computer wiring... The builder
says that is fine and they will have the electrical contractor or
one of their employees "run the wire". There is little
consideration at this point in terms of the equipment you will use
or other controls you may need in the future. You have now become
the system integrator. Later, you realize that you would like to
have a security system and call a security company. You now have 4
different structured cabling systems in your new home (the builder
included the phone wiring with the initial proposal) with no central
controls. Well at least you saved money or did you? Providing an
internationally standardized Structured Cabling System and
consolidating cable-delivery methods for all the systems can reduce
initial construction costs for the cabling infrastructure of a
modern intelligent building by up to 30 percent. The traditional
cost of your investment can be thought of as 11% for construction,
Financing 14% (unless you pay cash), future alterations 25% and
operation 50%.An SCS solution gives the structure an inherent
ability to respond quickly and cost-effectively to your changing
needs, which impacts the cost to occupy the space. In some cases,
additional construction expenditures for the SCS or BMS, such as
devices to optimize the use of power consumption, may be necessary
to reduce the operational expenses. However, the costs for
cabling-related changes can typically be reduced by 25 to 40
percent—with possible savings of up to 60 percent—for a new or
renovated facility when using a total systems integration approach.
Do you want a complete solution?
Many integrators offer a specialized
or partial solutions focused on home theater, networks, security,
phones, and home controls. You frequently end up with the job of
selecting specific equipment or taking the recommendation of a
specialized vendor. In that case it is your responsibility to insure
the technical components work together and meet specific
requirements. Integrated Information Systems offers a partial or
complete solution based on your needs and budget. We can provide all
infrastructure, controls, routers, switches, security sensors,
cameras, servers, phone systems, software and consumer equipment
such as plasma HDTV theater systems. Our most important offering is
to work with you and enable your home or office for future expansion
as your needs change.
How do I know the integrator has
the knowledge and experience to protect my investment?
Ask about Certifications, Licenses and Insurance. There are
specific state requirements for security systems in addition to the
fact that not all liability coverage includes security alarm
systems. On going certifications represent a cost of time and money
for the integrator but provides the knowledge to install and support
the product. At Integrated Information Systems, we are active
members of leading industry technical associations and place an
emphasis on certifications in the industry. Refer to our
"About" page for more detailed information.
We look forward to the opportunity of working with you.
Integrated
Information Systems, Inc. Phone: 919.488.5000
Fax: 919.488.5005 fax EMail: info@iisysinc.com
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