Arm/Disarm and Isolate
In the GCXONE platform, Arm/Disarm and Isolate are two distinct methods for controlling when security events are processed, and understanding the differences between them is essential for efficient site management.
Arm and Disarm
The Arm/Disarm function is a high-level security toggle used to manage whether a site or device is actively reporting events to your monitoring center.
Key Characteristics
- Persistent State: When you set a device to Armed, it is enabled to send events; when set to Disarmed, it is marked as inactive for reporting. This state is persistent, meaning it remains in that mode until it is manually changed or triggered by a predefined schedule.
- Software Override: In our platform, this functions as a software-level override. Even if your physical hardware (like an NVR) is internally "armed," if the Genesis software is set to Disarmed, the platform will automatically skip processing any incoming alarms.
- Device-Level Control: Typically, Arm/Disarm applies to the entire device or site. It is generally not possible to disarm a single camera sensor while leaving the rest of the device active.
Isolate
The Isolate feature is designed for the temporary suspension of monitoring, typically used during planned activities such as technician maintenance or site loading.
Key Characteristics
- Mandatory Timeout: Unlike disarming, Isolation requires a mandatory duration parameter (such as 30 minutes, 1 hour, or up to 24 hours). Once this timer expires, the isolated entity will automatically "spring back to life" and return to its active monitoring state without human intervention.
- Granular Control: Isolate provides much finer control than Arm/Disarm because it can be applied to individual sensors (cameras), an entire device, or a whole site. This allows you to silence a single problematic camera while keeping the rest of the facility protected.
- Internal Rejection: When a sensor is isolated, the system will still "hear" the raw alarm signal from the device, but it will refuse to fetch images or run AI analytics. This prevents "alarm floods" from reaching your operators during maintenance.
Comparison at a Glance
| Feature | Arm / Disarm | Isolate |
|---|---|---|
| Duration | Persistent until changed | Temporary with a required timeout |
| Granularity | Applies to the whole device/site | Can apply to a single camera sensor |
| Automation | Often driven by fixed schedules | Usually triggered for on-demand events |
| Processing | Stops all AI and image fetching | Stops all AI and image fetching |
Understanding the Difference: An Analogy
Think of Arming/Disarming like a master light switch for your office; when it's off, the whole building is dark and stays that way until you return to flip it back. Isolating is more like a sleep timer on a television; you are specifically silencing one "screen" for a set amount of time so you can work undisturbed, knowing it will automatically turn back on as soon as the timer runs out.