How to Use Vision Portal Integrations: Access Control

Default Vision Portal experience

In the Vision Portal, use the left menu to select the MV camera network you want. Browse and select cameras to view, create and review video walls, and manage exported footage.

The left navigation pane shows a mini-map and a list of all cameras in the network. Use the search bar to enter a name or tag to find a specific camera. When you select a camera, its stream appears in a focused view on the Video Player.

The Video Actions menu at the top right lets you manage motion events, exports, and the sharing of video clips or streams.

The Video Timeline at the bottom of the Vision Portal helps you search for historical video or motion events.

Camera view with Access Control Integration enabled

After enabling Access Control Integration in the Vision Portal, use the Video Timeline to search for past Access Control events.

The Video Actions menu at the top right now includes an option to manage Access Control events. Opening the Event details drawer shows detailed information such as event description, access groups, timestamp, and more.

Navigate to Access Control > Activity log to search for and review all access control events for the selected camera.

Navigate to Access Control > Controls to remotely control access to associated doors. To remotely grant access, select the Allow access action button.

App selection and API key registration

To get started:

Navigate to Organization > Configure > Integrations and select the partner application. 

After selecting the app, follow the setup prompts specific to each partner application. (unique to each partner application) The following sections provide more details. 

App permissions

Permissions for Access Control features are adjusted within the app integration view, after adding the application.

• Read mappings of cameras to doors (required)
• Read door, user attributes, and Access Control events (required)

Each Access Control Integration requires default read-only permissions for user, door, and controller access event types, though naming may vary by partner application. These permissions are displayed in a read-only state to inform administrators that this behavior applies to all Vision Portal users by default.

• Issue commands to Access Control devices - on/off (off by default)

Administrators can enable or disable remote door unlocking for all users with camera viewing permissions. This is a global setting and cannot be assigned to specific users or groups.

Genea Security

For additional information, refer the Genea Security ecosystem partner application page in the Cisco Meraki Marketplace.

Removing an app integration

1. Navigate to Organization > Configure > Integrations and select the integration. 
2. On the configuration details page, select Remove in the top right and confirm the action when prompted. 

This action is irreversible and will require a complete setup and configuration to use the integration again.

API Key management best practices

An API key is not a unique one-to-one application mapping, and anyone with access to the key can use the key to perform actions granted to Meraki. Avoid sharing or storing API keys in plain text, in accessible locations, or through email or SMS. Use cloud-based password managers to securely manage and share API keys. 

Navigate access events on the timeline

The camera timeline lets you do the following:

• Play or pause video
• Move forward or backward by frame or 10-second interval
• Adjust video playback speed when viewing historical footage
• Adjust the time resolution to view a window of 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours, 12 hours, 1 day, 3 days, or 1 week
• Adjust the visibile time period forward or backward according to the current time resolution
• Return from historical footage to the live view from the camera. 
• Download a screenshot
• Switch to larger viewing modes, Theater or Fullscreen, for improved focus

Orange bars on the timeline indicate periods of detected motion. Hover over these bars to view the motion recap image for the corresponding time.

The timeline now displays Access Control events alongside video navigation controls and motion detection data. In the single camera view of the Meraki Vision Portal, Access Control events appear as blue circles below the orange bars for motion events.

Hover over these Access Control events on the timeline to view a quick view of the Access Control event information.

Access Control event information may vary based on the integration partner and event type.

Select an Access Control event on the timeline to open the Event Details drawer, which displays detailed information about the event.

View Access Control events in the activity log

The timeline displays access control events, and you can also review the events in a list under the Access Control > Activity Log drawer. Select an event to view detailed information. Quick links to key resources such as users, doors, and controllers in the access control partner's application help you review and manage events.  

Access control event information may vary based on the integration partner and event type.

Unlock doors remotely

If someone needs help entering a facility, select the Allow Access button to remotely unlock the door. You can use remote unlocking for common situations such as the following: 

• An employee who forgot their badge
• A delivery person who needs entry to deliver mail and packages
• A maintenance worker who arrives for a service call at a remote building or substation
• A parent or guardian who picks up their child after hours

As this button is available inside your camera view, you can review the live or historical footage and verify that the person should have access before you remotely unlock the door for access into a secure location.