Connect & Protect

Most installation problems are network problems. Most cyber risk sits between systems, not inside them. Connect & Protect is CMC’s core methodology - addressing networking issues both before systems are deployed and after they go live. Whether you are an integrator, a homeowner or a construction professional, the approach is the same. We ensure what is connected performs as designed and stays protected.

Connect & Protect: Commercial

  • For integrators, installers and distributors working across AV, security, UC and EPOS. A pre-install network assessment removes ambiguity before systems go in - protecting your margin, your reputation and your client relationship. Post-install cyber analysis ensures what has been deployed stays protected. CMC provides the independent technical layer that sits alongside your project.

  • A pre-installation network assessment carried out before any system is deployed. We review network capacity, bandwidth and latency, VLAN and segmentation requirements, device discovery behaviour, switch architecture, WiFi coverage and multicast configuration. The result is a documented infrastructure readiness report that identifies issues before they become installation problems - protecting your margin and your client relationship.

  • A post-installation cyber analysis carried out once systems are live. We assess protocol-specific vulnerabilities across Dante, ONVIF, SIP, KNX, BACnet and other connected technologies, verify network segmentation, audit access control and firmware status, test for lateral movement risk and establish an anomaly detection baseline. Findings are delivered as a prioritised cyber risk report.

Connect & Protect: Connected Home

  • For homeowners and their families. A properly connected home is one where every system works together seamlessly - and stays protected. CMC designs, specifies and coordinates connected home systems independently, with no ties to any manufacturer. We check the network before anything goes in and analyse the full connected environment for security once it is live.

  • Audio visual - whole home and multi-room audio, home cinema, distributed video, display and projection. Security - IP CCTV, access control, smart door entry, intruder detection, intercom. Lighting and automation - Control4, KNX, Lutron, scene control, HVAC integration. Networking - structured cabling, switching, WiFi, VLAN design. Building management - energy monitoring, EV charging integration, solar monitoring.

  • We begin with an independent system design — specifying every system on merit with no ties to any manufacturer. Before installation we assess the network to ensure it can support everything being asked of it. We then coordinate the individual contractors — AV, security, lighting, networking — ensuring every system integrates correctly. Once live, we analyse the full connected home for cyber exposure and deliver a clear report with recommendations.

  • Most connected homes are installed by specialists who never speak to each other. The result is systems that work in isolation, a network nobody has properly designed and security nobody has assessed. CMC sits above those individual trades as an independent consultancy - ensuring your home is connected properly and protected from day one. No manufacturer allegiances. No product bias. Just independent advice in your interest.

Connect & Protect: Architects & Construction

  • For architects, M&E consultants and construction professionals. CMC operates as a Connected Infrastructure Consultant - the equivalent of an M&E consultant for connected systems. We engage from RIBA Stage 1 through to post-completion, coordinating AV, security, UC, networking and building management as an integrated member of the professional team.

  • Stages 0–1 - Initial consultation, cable containment planning, M&E coordination.

    Stage 2 - Connected system concept design, network architecture, spatial requirements.

    Stage 3 - Developed system design, equipment specification, cost planning input.

    Stage 4 - Full technical design, pre-installation network assessment, tender documentation.

    Stage 5 - Contractor coordination, site liaison, commissioning support.

    Stage 6 - Post-installation cyber analysis, handover documentation, cyber risk report.

    Stage 7 - Ongoing consultancy, system health monitoring, future phase support.

  • Audio Visual - Dante, AVB/Milan, NDI, distributed audio, display and projection. Security - IP CCTV, ONVIF, access control, intruder detection. Unified Communications - SIP telephony, video conferencing, intercom. Networking - structured cabling, switching, VLAN design, WiFi, AV over IP. Building Management - KNX, BACnet, lighting control, HVAC integration, automation.

  • CMC operates as a complementary discipline to M&E consultants, not a competing one. M&E consultants design and specify mechanical, electrical and public health systems. CMC designs and specifies the connected systems that interface with those services - ensuring smart metering, EV charging, solar monitoring and building management systems connect securely to the broader network infrastructure. We coordinate with M&E at key RIBA stages to ensure both disciplines are aligned from the outset.

Get in Touch

Whether you have a question, an idea, or just want to say hello, feel free to reach out—we’re here to help.