Q1. Brief us about Matrix Comsec.
Matrix was founded in the year 1991 as a product development and marketing company. Our initial products were Telecommunication products, consisting of PBX and Media Gateways. We were always exploring opportunities for expanding our business. Security domain made perfect sense because of its adjacencies to our existing Telecom business on all three dimensions - technologies, channel network and end customers. We started working on Security solutions from 2007. Diversification was relatively easy for us. We started by first adding Access Control and Time- Attendance solutions. Later on, we added IP Video Surveillance solutions. Currently we are focusing on four business domains - IP Telephony, Access Control, Time-Attendance and IP Video Surveillance. Matrix is indigenous in all its core business activities including R&D, manufacturing, marketing, sales and technical support. All Matrix products are indigenously designed at the Matrix R&D Center. We market our products under the brand name Matrix through 1,000+ channel partners across India and overseas. We work hand-in-hand with our channel partners and system integrators during pre-sales, sales, installation and after-sales support.

Q2. Do you have a particular agenda, any case study that you would like to highlight?
Coca-Cola Secured its Manufacturing Units at Pirangut and Kudus, Maharashtra, India with Matrix Biometric Device

Project Highlights:
Application: Access Control
Users: 1500+
Devices: 40+
Location: Kudus and Pirangut, Maharashtra, India
Credential Type: Fingerprint (with Optical Sensor)
Industry: Manufacturing

Company Profile:
Coca-Cola's history began in 1886 and since then it has emerged as one of the most valued brands with a net worth of $74 billion. The company owns and markets more than 500 beverage brands across 200+ countries. Over the last 23 years, ever since its re-entry in 1993 in India, the company has gone on to establish an unmatched portfolio of beverages. The Company along with its bottling partners, through a strong network of over 2.6 million retail outlets, touches the lives of millions of consumers. Its brands are some of the most preferred and most sold beverages in the country.

Challenges:
Coca-Cola has established its manufacturing units in Kudus and Pirangut, Maharashtra, India and was looking for biometric solutions to secure their premises. Coca-Cola required individual servers at both locations. Their prime requirement was to restrict unauthorized user entry into secured area. Moreover, they required user punch i.e. events for both the locations separately. However, shortage of power supply ports at both the locations was a major problem. Providing separate power for door lock, biometric device and exit switch was a concern. Coca-Cola was in search of a solution where the basic requirements of user events as well as power issue for devices are solved easily.

Solution Offered:
In order to overcome the challenge Matrix offered individual software platforms that act as a server for both locations Kudus and Pirangut. In order to resolve the challenge that shortage of power supply port presented, Matrix offered its premium range of biometric device which itself offers power to door lock and exit switch. Thus, Matrix biometric solution helped in solving both the challenges faced by Coca-Cola.

Solution Diagram:
COSEC biometric devices have the capability to supply power to door locks and exit switch/reader from the devices itself.

Results:
• Restrict Unauthorized Users to Secure Premises
• Reduction in Cumbersome HR Tasks
• Accurate Maintenance of User Data

The Products

Product	Quantity	Description
COSEC DOOR FOP	40	Fingerprint and Card based Door Controller with LCD, Keypad and USB
COSEC CENTRA ME	1	Application Server Platform with 500 Users and Expandable up to 1,000 Users for Basic Access Control and Raw Event Data
COSEC CENTRA LE	1	Application Server Platform with 1,000 Users and Expandable up to One Million Users for Basic Access Control and Raw Event Data

Q3. The Security skills gap to be in the news every week. What measures need to be taken in government and industry to address this?
Terrorism is undoubtedly a major issue in India. The key challenges are to ensure enhanced security to identify the scenarios that lead to security breach and define the roles and responsibilities of industries and in taking the liability to secure our country. However, the government is also taking all necessary measures to counter the incipient threat. Still, a holistic approach needs to be adopted by government.

Government officials have installed surveillance products but implementation and the correct method is what they are lacking at. Surveillance is used more as an analysis tool rather than using it as preventive security. Intelligent Video Analytics are embedded in Video Surveillance for foolproof security through which the whole surveillance for government can be enhanced and future threats can be prevented.

Q4. What role or initiative does Matrix plays in Smart Cities Mission?
After focusing on villages for 60+ years, it is refreshing to see the government focusing on our cities. Smart City is a an excellent concept covering all the dimensions affecting our lives including air, water, noise, traffic, sanitation, health, safety, recreation, etc. It is impressive and motivating to see the cities and their administration and citizens working wholeheartedly on such comprehensive and transformational projects. No wonder, these cities are slowly and steadily but surely metamorphosing from squalid urban sprawl to well managed modern cities. We and our system integrators are working closely on offering IP Video Surveillance solutions. Matrix has designed a modular and scalable centralized video surveillance management system that meets demanding needs of city surveillance.

We supply many products to government and semi-government organizations. For example, Matrix is a preferred supplier for Aadhar based student attendance system in one large Indian state. Matrix also supplies telecom equipment to defense including Indian Army, BSF, CRPF, Air Force and Indian Navy.

Q5. What part does the security and telecom industry have to play in India vision for MAKE IN INDIA?
Make in India will build manufacturing ecosystem in India. GST will simplify indirect taxes on goods and services. This will make it very easy to move products and services across the country, bringing huge efficiency dividends. Similarly, policies on export promotion encourage companies to invest and develop export business from India.

Q6. Matrix is winner of many national and international awards for developing innovative products. What role does your R & D team plays in order to enhance the product?
Matrix is one of the few indigenous R&D companies having independent design capabilities in hardware, engineering, embedded software, applications software and mobile applications. The R&D of Matrix has more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to the development of new products. Matrix R&D is the foundation of its growth and substance. The R&D team designs products conforming to relevant international standards. Matrix makes substantial investment in R&D tools and equipment for latest technological upgrades.

Q7. How Far the matrix satisfy the objective to provide rich understanding of solutions to customers. How does your Technical support and service give their best and understand the customer need?
We work very closely with our channel partners in all the areas including marketing, sales, supply and support. They benefit from cutting-edge technology, field proven solutions, marketing-sales- technical trainings, solution design assistance, presentations and sales calls help, immediate supply, technical support during installation, technical help during customer complaints and efficient and cost-effective RMA services. From end-customer perspective, Matrix channel partners and SI manage all first-level support in the field. They contact Matrix for any issues they could not resolve. We operate a 24x7 support center to help our partners resolve field issues promptly. For RMA, we ensure four days turn-around time for repair-and-return of any hardware product whether in or out of warranty.

Q8. What are your tactical and strategic aims for the coming years?
We aim to offer new solutions and products to consolidate our presence in the targeted markets. In the physical security domain, we will continue focusing on People Mobility Management solutions including Access Control, Time-Attendance and IP Video Surveillance. In Telecom, Matrix will strengthen its Unified Communications and Convergence solutions. Our vision is to build Matrix as a world class Security and Telecom solutions and services company, operating all over the world.

Q9. Matrix Latest innovation in security & telecom industry?
All Matrix products are indigenously designed passing through various product development stages. With more than 40% of its human resources dedicated to development of new products, Matrix R&D is the foundation of its growth and sustenance. Matrix has launched cutting-edge products like Video Surveillance solutions, Access Control, Time-Attendance, IP-PBX, Unified Communication Server, Universal Media Gateways, feature-rich User Terminals, Convergence solution, VOIP Gateways and GSM Gateways. Matrix is committed to keep pace with the revolutions in Telecom and Security industries. With excellent technology support, foresight and understanding of the ever changing market requirements, Matrix has developed a wide variety of solutions that are both user and business friendly.

Matrix Security and Telecom solutions have won many international awards for their superior aesthetic and reliable engineering. They are specifically designed for demanding enterprise applications using cutting-edge technologies and components for enhanced performance for years. Mentioned below are our recent introductions:

COSEC VYOM: It is a smartly designed cloud based system that uses services deployed on a cloud server. COSEC VYOM promises more achievement with minimum resources without initial investment. It reduces the cost of assets needed in the form of hardware, software and network devices. It is specifically designed to provide cloud based Time-Attendance and Access Control solutions that offer a superlative range of suppleness in attendance policies, integration and report generation.

Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance System: Matrix has launched its cutting edge Fingerprint and RFID Card based Aadhaar Enabled Time-Attendance Terminal - COSEC VEGA FAXQ. Matrix expands its Time-Attendance portfolio to meet the functional requirements for employee time tracking system of Government organizations. COSEC VEGA FAXQ is the first embedded Linux based Aadhaar enabled biometric device registered on AEBAS Server. This device offers unique advantages in terms of connectivity, technology, usage, environment and ease of use. This device supports fingerprint as well as Mifare smart card as credential.

COSEC FMX10: Matrix COSEC DOOR FMX10 is a high performance door controller with multispectral sensor technology. It reads both - the surface and the subsurface of a finger producing more accurate image even when the finger surface features are difficult to read due to dirt, overuse, age or tough environmental conditions. Powered by a high speed processor and fingerprint detection algorithm, DOOR FMX10 is specifically engineered for high security applications including Defense, Airports, R&D Labs, Banks and Industries such as Mining, Construction and Heavy Manufacturing for their access control and time-attendance needs. This unique identification process outperforms all other fingerprint sensors and offers robust and reliable biometric information of the user.

Bluetooth based Access Control: Matrix "Your Mobile is Your Identity" offers Bluetooth technology based identification of users. This technology allows users to open doors by simply pairing their mobile's Bluetooth with the inherent Bluetooth of the door controller. The users will be required to pair their device only once after which, they will be able to gain access by merely twisting their mobile phones in the vicinity of the entry/exit point.

Matrix SARVAM UCS: The Unified Communication Server is engineered to meet the Collaboration, Communication, Messaging and Mobility of the modern enterprises. Matrix is a pioneer in providing best IP-PBX Phone System for Enterprises since 1997. Recently, Matrix has taken a technology leap and moved a step ahead by launching Unified Communication Servers. Unified Communication server combines features of IP-PBX system in addition to mobility, collaboration and messaging features. With IP at core and on-board voicemail functionality, the solution caters to the needs of the modernistic enterprises. SARVAM UCS ENT is a server software which runs on ETERNITY MENX/LENX - The next-generation hardware platforms. The next-generation platforms support up to 99 VOIP (SIP) trunks, 64 GSM ports, 8/24 T1/E1 ISDN PRI ports, 32 ISDN BRI ports and 128 Analog trunks with up to 2,000 UC users, 128 digital users and 512/1296 Analog users. SARVAM UCS ENT is a future-proof solution with seamless connectivity to all pervasive legacy and new generation wireless telecom networks like POTS, ISDN, T1/E1 and GSM/3G.

Matrix VARTA: Powered by SARVAM UCS, the Mobility Extension offers employees with the flexibility of accessing their features of desk extensions from their handheld terminals. Offering features differentiated in three categories such as Essential/ Professional/ Collaboration, the mobility application takes communication convenience a notch higher for the mobile employees. The UC client offers real-time features such as Video Calling, Presence Sharing, Instant Messaging, Drag-and-Drop Conference and BLF Keys (up to 600).

Q10. If you had one minute to tell the learners about the information security industry security industry as career option, what would you say?

Security industry as a career option could prove to be a great stepping stone. There are a lot of career options in the security industry in the market today. It ranges from door controllers to CCTV operators, or transit driver to the secret investigators, from which the one suiting your interest can be chosen. For anyone willing to pursue his career in the security industry, it is necessary for him/her to have interest in public welfare and customer care.

For more information visit:
www.matrixaccesscontrol.com