Commend announces beta release of world’s first Software Intercom Server

Salzburg-based Commend, the leading worldwide provider of security and communication solutions, has released the eagerly awaited beta version of the world’s first purely software-based Intercom Server to selected customers and providers for trial purposes.

Software Intercom Server: The first of its kind

With the beta release of the Software Intercom Server, Commend is setting a milestone in the development of modern Intercom systems. So far the intense data streams could only be handled by specialised, high-powered hardware servers. From now on, Commend customers with appropriate IT infrastructures have the additional option of operating their highly available secure communication lines by way of the new ‘virtual’ Intercom Server.

Johannes Helminger, Product Manager at Commend, explains the key advantage of this new approach: “The required virtual server environments are by default equipped with very powerful security and fail safety mechanisms. The Software Intercom Server uses them very effectively to ensure the absolute reliability and high availability that are essential for our (( our customer’s )) security Intercom connections.”

“We test for the best”

The Software Intercom Server has already passed a series of sophisticated technical quality tests – in addition to several trade fair appearances – with flying colours. Now Commend is kick-starting the first live beta tests at selected customers’ sites. Helminger is proud of the achievements of his highly motivated team of developers, who are looking on with interest and confidence as their ‘baby’ is completing its first ‘live’ beta tests. “The software is running very stably and reliably already,” comments Helminger, and with a smile he adds: “Now it’s all about fine-tuning, true to our motto, ‘we test for the best’.”

Market Premiere in June

The first serial release of the Software Intercom Server is scheduled for June this year. This will mark the fulfilment of many a customer’s wish for an Intercom solution that spares them the need to install special hardware while being able to utilise their existing, highly available virtualisation IT environments with all their benefits.

The Software Intercom Server will run in the latest versions of VMware® and Citrix® environments (currently VMware® vSphere™ 5 and Citrix® XenServer® 6). This means it will support the two by far most common server platforms, which represent a total market share of more than 80 per cent. Both VMware® and Citrix® offer license-based high availability options, from which Intercom users can benefit as well. “High Availability” ensures that in the event of a server failure a standby server takes will take over in a matter of seconds. VMware® also offers an even more convenient solution: its “Fault Tolerance” feature ensures a smooth, uninterrupted switch-over to the standby server, so that Intercom users will not even notice the fault.

About Commend

The protection of people, buildings and values require highly integrated Intercom systems that are 100 per cent secure. As technology and market leader in professional Intercom solutions, Commend is a successful international provider to industrial and commercial enterprises, airports, public transport operators, car parks, hospitals, and penal institutions. High-tech functions such as dynamic background noise cancelling, OpenDuplex®, Audio Monitoring, Loudspeaker/Microphone Monitoring, as well as global IP Intercom networking solutions make Commend an indispensable supporter of business success for users and operators worldwide.