Systems and most of all information systems invade our personal and or business lives. This simple overview could be used to understand some basics about systems and their place in an organization.Technically speaking, any (information processing) system has a user-interface, a database to store the information that is to be managed and an engine the process the information.Functionally speaking, an information systems is used to support a business process.
If the systems supports the business process directly the systems could be categorized as an operational system, if it supports the business process indirectly it is better categorized as infrastructural or supporting system. If your phone (PBX) system is used to channel calls from clients it is directly operational, otherwise it supports the organization indirectly. This example shows that (in some cases) a system can harness both.In the area of operational systems there are three main variants: A system dedicated to production. In this case the information system directly assesses the manufacturing process and holds information about parts and requirements, where they are located and indication of quantities to be used. The main goal of such a system is to increase the quality and reduce the time-to-.market. Obviously there are many different types of production systems.Another area of operational systems is distribution and exchange. This is another wide area dedicated to handle existing products and services: delivery, distribution, but also storage. The delivery of a financial order from a client to the stock-exchange could be typed as such a sub-system.The third area of operation systems deal with client interaction. Sales systems are mainly concentrated around client information. This is information about the client, but also about possible prospects, contact information – how to contact them and through what medium or channel – but also information about products and services they hold, or such details as the product that has been ordered, but not yet delivered.Support systems is another broad category including a balanced score card, a data warehouse, business intelligence, resource management, financial reporting systems, billing systems, etc, etc, etc.Al these functional components together could be pictured as a systems architecture that serve a specific business goal. One system could excel in either one of the sketched functions or hold many of them in the same device.This system view described above serves in general any organization or business and comes in handy when this business is affected by a possible change. For example the one where a new system – the PDA – is introduced in a restaurant. The new system will have to communicate and cooperate with existing systems and will influence the (new) organization.

Wireless Vs HardwireThis is an ever-growing debate within the security alarm industry; both sides have their opinions as I have mine. Since starting KeepSafe Systems, I have never installed a wireless security system. There are several reasons starting from appearance, reliability and sustainability to never having the need to and always finding a way to get a wire where it is needed.Appearance is a large concern of many homeowners. Although transmitters have gotten smaller over the years, wireless security systems involve the installation of boxy transmitters around your doors and windows. Wireless security system supporters will often tell horror stories of holes drilled throughout your home or wires stapled all over your walls. Yes, I have seen these types of installations, for the most part, they are done by inexperienced or lazy technicians who prefer wireless security systems. Although some wire runs can be difficult and very occasionally require surface runs, there is no excuse for sloppy workmanship. Pick your security alarm installer very carefully; often the small business owner will take more care in ensuring the quality of the installation.When it comes to the reliability of security systems, hardwire will always be the more reliable of the two. Wireless security alarm supporters of course will say “modern wireless security systems are supervised”, basically this is passing over the pitfalls of the technology and adding a feature to tell you when the technology fails. This inevitably runs into expensive and time wasting service calls, equipment replacement and potential false alarms. One need only look at the cordless phone to see the pitfalls of the wireless technology. Sure they are great when you first purchase them, however, age and interference take their toll and sooner or later you have a paperweight with buttons and an LCD screen.Sustainability is potentially the most expensive reason for choosing hardwire security systems over wireless. I can’t even begin to count the changes in wireless security technology and frequencies used since getting into the business back in the late 80’s early 90’s. Even the wireless security system supporters will tell you that technology is always changing (Except they use the word “advancing”… it sounds better in advertising). So how do wireless security system “advancements” affect the owner of a wireless security system? Easy, say for example you were the unfortunate victim of a wireless security system sales person in 1995. Chances are if one of your motion detectors fails you will be hard-pressed to find a replacement. Simply put, you will now have to purchase an entirely new security system (Control panel, detectors, keypad etc) which depending on the size of your security alarm system will cost you as much and possibly more than if you would have installed a hardwired system to begin with. So in all fairness, I feel I should tell you what is in store for you if a hardwired detector fails. Simple, you replace the detector. Hardwire detectors are simple switches and most hardwire security system detectors are interchangeable regardless of the manufacturer.Another factor within the realm of sustainability is the cost of upgrading. Back to the system installed in 1995. Yes there have been significant changes in security alarm technology since then. In the hardwire security system world, these changes are mostly in the area of convenience, aesthetics and features. If all your detectors are in working order, upgrading a hardwire security system simply involves changing the control panel and keypad(s). This is generally a fairly easy process and is substantially less expensive than upgrading a complete wireless system.One last consideration in choosing hardwire security systems over their wireless counterpart is the selection of detectors. Although you can retrofit almost any hardwire detector to a wireless system, there are far more choices of detector types in hardwire. Take for example Carbon monoxide, water, natural gas, propane, vibration… and the list goes on. Wireless security systems are generally designed around the average security need of the consumer. Since detectors are not interchangeable across manufacturer lines, it would be financially unfeasible for a wireless security system manufacturer to create wireless detectors for every conceivable need. Even in the spectrum of standard detectors, there are some manufacturers who have extremely reliable detectors that only work on hardwire systems. Choosing a wireless security system can often result in you having a detector less suited for your particular application. Once again the average security need factor comes into play.Inevitably, the choice of whether to have a wireless or hardwire security system installed is entirely up to you. In fact, your only choice may be wireless. Hopefully I have given you some information to help you along with your decision. If you have any questions, or would like to have KeepSafe Systems install or monitor a security system in your home or business, please feel free to visit us at http://www.keepsafesystems.ca/ or if you prefer real human contact I can always be reached at 604-874-8772.KeepSafe Systems installs services and provides alarm monitoring services for security alarm systems in the Vancouver area of the Lower Mainland Fraser Valley British Columbia

#EANF#