Cure8 is the only company with the proven ability to plan and execute installations of both security and networking from start to finish for cannabis businesses throughout North America.
Why would you want to work with a vendor that handles both security and networking? For several reasons, some less obvious than others.
Security and Networking Systems Are Connected
Many aspects of physical security systems depend on a fast, reliable, professionally-installed, monitored, and maintained commercial-grade network. IP cameras, alarm systems, and access control are typically wired in to the local network and internet, allowing for these systems to be centrally monitored and managed.
Networks also have to be secured to prevent bad actors from being able to gain access to physical security infrastructure. With access, they could potentially shut down cameras, use the cameras to plan a burglary, open locked doors, disable alarms, etc.
It also works the other way – networking infrastructure has to be physically secured to protect against theft and tampering. Your network rack should be lockable, and mounted in a secure, restricted-access room.
Less Vendors to Deal With
Vendors are supposed to save you time by taking on the tasks you don’t want to handle yourself, but each vendor also takes time to find, vet, negotiate with, sign off on, and manage.
You also have to consider the fact that with each vendor you bring on, that vendor may also partner with other vendors – camera manufacturers, software companies, low voltage cable installers, etc. Good, ethical companies partner with other good, ethical companies. If you have a single vendor for both security and technology, now you have access to a full network of quality vendors and solutions to depend on.
Consistency
Because security and technology are so connected, it helps to have a single company handling them from the beginning, starting at the planning stage all the way through implementation and management.
For example, in the application and planning stages, if you have two separate vendors for security and networking, there’s often a lot of back and forth between the two and the client, agreeing on details, re-dos, getting the client’s approval at each step. It adds a lot of needless complexity to the process.
You also if possible don’t want to involve non-executing vendors in the planning stage that can help you put together an application, but can’t actually implement security and technology systems themselves. This can result in situations where a system that looks good on paper can’t be effectively executed on, or where the exact plan is unclear, resulting in misunderstandings, mistakes, and delays during the installation phase.
When it comes to the facility buildout, it’s even more important to have a single vendor for security and tech, since there are already so many different vendors to coordinate (construction, electrical, internet access, product inventory, etc.), everyone is working on a tight schedule, and each delay can push everything back.
Your electrical or internet company doesn’t show up on the right day, for example, and now suddenly your security and networking company can’t install anything, and you need a surveillance system in place to start bringing in regulated products or materials, and your inspection has to be pushed back along with your opening date.
Cannabis Industry Experience Is Rare – And Important
Few security or networking services companies have experience in the cannabis industry, and even fewer can handle both security and networking. Only Cure8 has shown the ability to do it effectively throughout both the US and Canada.
Industry experience is important for a vendor for a lot of reasons, which we go into here. The cannabis industry has a lot of unique security and technology requirements, and the cost of not meeting those requirements is high. You want a vendor that has been through the process before and isn’t using you as a Guinea pig.
Beware Security Companies That Do Networking as an Afterthought
Some security companies that service the cannabis industry include networking as a minor part of their security setup. By not putting security and networking on an equal level, they show that they don’t really understand the importance and complexity of networking and IT.
As an example, see our article on the way cannabis security companies use the Ubiquiti Dream Machine product. This is a consumer-grade product that doesn’t belong in any business, especially a highly-regulated one, and the only reason they install it is because it’s easy, and its lack of monitoring and cybersecurity features don’t bother them because they aren’t properly managing your networks anyway.
Getting Cannabis Security and Networking Help from Cure8
Cure8 plans, builds, manages, and scales turnkey, all-in-one security and networking systems for cannabis businesses. That includes point of sale systems, surveillance systems, alarms, access control, local networks, and more. To see how much Cure8’s integrated approach can save you, reach out now for a quote.
