How CDW fast-tracked security operations across 50+ sites
CDW is a leading IT solutions provider with over 50 global sites and distribution centers. Discover how unifying physical security transformed incident response times, badge provisioning, and evidence collection—driving smarter, faster operations.
The company
CDW is a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions to business, government, education, and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. Headquartered in Vernon Hills, Illinois, CDW operates over 50 sites including three distribution centers. When it came time to modernize their physical security operations, CDW’s internal Global Security team drew upon firsthand experience. They wanted to standardize on a unified security platform, leveraging the same integration expertise they use to support clients.
The challenge
CDW’s Global Security team sought to streamline its complex, multi-faceted security landscape of legacy technologies and disparate systems. The organization had multiple access control, video, and alarm systems that didn’t optimally integrate well with each other. This was further compounded by the acquisition of several companies with their independent security platforms. The lack of standardization created operational bottlenecks, impacted response times, and increased the risk of errors.
The solution
One central view of corporate security
The team manages video, access control, intrusion, intercom, and other sensors all from Security Center. Built-in video analytics and automation helps them to respond more effectively to incidents and alarms.
Decentralized access permissions
ClearID™ helps CDW manage user access by issuing or revoking permissions based on roles or schedules. Authorized individuals can also grant access permissions to the people and spaces they oversee.
Collaborative work management tools
Teams no longer spend time chasing down emails or people when handling or assigning tasks. Genetec Operations Center informs team members, offers step-by-step workflows and logs the whole process.
Valuable business insights at hand
CDW uses data to support distribution center operations and decisions. For example, they use people-counting analytics to check that all staff have left before shutting down buildings at night.
“With Genetec Security Center, we’re now working smarter and more efficiently. We’ve been able to scale, improve response, and take on more responsibilities without an additional workload.”
Adam Smith, Global Security Manager at CDW
Results
"What made Genetec stand out was its unified architecture, scalability, and ease of use— for both operators in the field and system administrators managing the infrastructure,” said Smith.
The new unified platform replaced nine previous systems, dramatically improving response time, data integrity, automation, and operator efficiency. Day-to-day tasks like intercom response went from minutes to seconds, and evidence collection that once took days is now completed in half an hour or less. Automation also streamlined other tasks, such as badge provisioning and visitor verification.