Peanut butter and jelly. Soup and salad. Macaroni and cheese (unless they’re my kids) and the Fourth of July and fireworks. In life, some things just go together. 

You’ve probably seen it splashed across security company websites, pitch decks, and LinkedIn posts: “Unified Security.” It’s the physical security industry’s favorite hype spin today. Every security vendor wants you to believe they’ve cracked the code on integrating access control and video. Spoiler alert – they haven’t. 

Honestly, Most “Unified” Security Is Broken.

Most of what’s out there is more like a patchwork quilt than a tightly woven system. Here’s how it typically goes.

1. A video surveillance company tries to build an access control solution to bolt on to their video because ‘it’s just unlocking doors, right’? But then fails to deliver what the customers need especially given the complexity in access control installations, systems, standards and additional enterprise requirements. So for the 2-3 door customers, their solution works, but isn’t feasible for most customers. 
2. An access control company bolts on some OEM cameras and a lightweight NVR (network video recorder) having neither the talent nor expertise to truly manage video—especially in the cloud. 
3. Or they just partner with someone and call it a day. It’s like buying a sports car and realizing it’s got a lawnmower engine under the hood. 

Sure, it technically works. But would you trust it to protect your property? Will it scale to what you need now, and in the future? Is it stable and secure? Are you getting the best technology or chewing gum and bailing-wire solution? 

Take the First Two Approaches Above.

A video-first vendor decides it’s time to diversify, so they build (or acquire) a basic access system. You get slick footage but a clunky badge reader setup that looks like it was designed during the dial-up era. Flip it around and access-first players try their hand at video. The cameras are an afterthought, the UX is disjointed, and good luck getting real-time visibility that’s actually usable. And with both of these, they still have to find a way to bring it together for the end user in a way that makes logical sense. Typically, this integration is no better than a partnership integration with some available APIs…which means it’s not really built to be one seamless system for the end-user.  

And the Integration-Route Gang?

That’s where it gets fun. Two different companies, two roadmaps and two support desks. Maybe two different salespeople are pitching. It all equals one tangled mess. You want deep integration? Too bad – you get whatever functionality their handshake agreement allows. Which means you’re stuck with limitations, compatibility hiccups, and a constant game of “who’s responsible?” when things break. 

Now, Let’s Talk About How To Do It Right.

Kastle is different. We’ve been doing access control for over 50 years. And we’ve been in the cloud-based video surveillance game since 2012 with many patents in cloud-based video. That’s not a bolt-on.  

That’s an example of our innovative DNA on both sides of the fence that most others out there can’t compete with. 

Because we own both sides – access and video surveillance – we control the entire experience. One platform. One roadmap. One philosophy: get users the full story, beyond the door and do it in a way that removes the stress and burden of managing the system yourself. 

It’s not just about opening a door and just catching clips of someone at the door. It’s about seeing who’s coming in, verifying they should be there, and understanding the full story of what happened after they crossed the threshold. Did they prop the door? Tailgate someone in? Head into a restricted area? Fall asleep at their desk? Throw a party at the pool? You get the full story – video and access, stitched together like it was meant to be that way (because it was). 

This kind of connected intelligence isn’t a luxury – it’s how modern security teams demand security. You reduce risk, get smarter responses, and stop playing support ping-pong with three different vendors. And did we mention Kastle can do all this without replacing your existing cameras? That’s right – no rip and replace drama. 

Don’t Confuse Unified With a Closed, Proprietary System.

One fear folks have when they hear a unified security pitch is that now they are locked into a vendor with only their proprietary stuff.  At Kastle, we do not believe that. Others in the market lock you in with all their own cameras, readers, credentials, and software to give you a ‘unified’ security solution. We don’t. 

Kastle’s system is open and compatible to work with any type of reader hardware, nearly any video cameras out there and connect them to our end-user software system so the end-user has one place to go, one place to manage it all, without a major rip and replace of what they use today. This ability to work with what you’ve got, clearly stands alone in the physical security world – while at the same time delivering on the promise of a more unified approach. 

So next time someone tells you their access and video are “unified,” ask them who built both. Then ask if they talk to each other in more than just surface-level API calls. When you’re ready for real integration – the kind that sees beyond the door – we’ll be here. 

No duct tape required.