InstaAlert Engine™ — Network Architecture Guide

InstaAlert Engine is not a new system to add to your network. It's the orchestration layer that makes your existing systems work together. Your network stays the same. Your devices stay the same. We add the intelligence that coordinates them.

1. The Problem: Siloed Systems, Complex Networks

Today's campus infrastructure is fragmented. Each system — safety, facilities, AV, research — operates in isolation with its own network segment, management console, and vendor. Making them work together requires custom integrations, firewall rules, and ongoing maintenance.

Traditional Campus Network Architecture

Multiple VLANs, firewalls, and zero coordination

Fire Panel

Door Controllers

PA System

Displays

HVAC

Research Equipment

↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓

VLAN 10 - Safety

Fire

Doors

VLAN 20 - Facilities

HVAC

VLAN 30 - AV/Research

Displays

Lab

↓ ↓ ↓

FIREWALL RULES

↓

Vendor Console A

Safety only

Vendor Console B

Facilities only

Vendor Console C

AV only

The Result

6 device types. 3 VLANs. 3 vendor consoles. Complex firewall rules. Zero coordination between systems.

2. Before & After: The InstaAlert Difference

BEFORE InstaAlert

Fire Panel

↓

VLAN 10

↓

Firewall

↓

VLAN 20

↓

Door Controller

Complex topology
Firewall rules per device pair
No location awareness
Vendor lock-in

AFTER InstaAlert

Fire Panel

Door Controller

↓ ↓

InstaAlert Engine

API + Location + Capabilities

↓

Coordinated Response

Devices just need internet
One API, all devices
Location-based routing
Vendor agnostic

What Changes (and What Doesn't)

Your network stays the same — no new VLANs, no topology changes
Your devices stay the same — no hardware replacement
Your vendors stay the same — they integrate with InstaAlert API
What's added: One orchestration layer that coordinates everything

3. Logical Architecture: Where InstaAlert Fits

InstaAlert Engine — Logical Architecture

The orchestration layer between triggers and endpoints

Trigger Sources

Fire Panels

Webhook / API call

Panic Buttons

IoT trigger

SOC / SIEM

Cyber events

BMS / Sensors

Facilities events

Admin Console

Manual trigger

InstaAlert Engine

REST API Gateway

Campus Graph (Location Hierarchy)

Capability Router

Event Processor

WebSocket Server

Webhook Dispatcher

Audit & Logging

Response Endpoints

Display Screens

WebSocket

PA Systems

Webhook

Door Controllers

Webhook

HVAC Systems

Webhook

Mobile Apps

Push / WebSocket

Triggers

Any Source

→

Routing

Location + Capability

→

Endpoints

Any Device

4. Campus Graph: Location-Based Routing

InstaAlert uses a hierarchical location model called the Campus Graph. Every device registers its location, and the routing engine uses this to determine which devices participate in each event.

Campus Graph — Location Hierarchy

The magic behind location-based routing

State University

Tenant

│

Main Campus

Campus

Medical Center

Campus

│

Engineering Hall

Building

Science Center

Building

Hospital Wing A

Building

│

Floor 1

Floor

Floor 2

Floor

Floor 3

Floor

│

Lab Wing

Zone

Office Wing

Zone

│

Screen 101

Device

PA Zone 1

Device

Door Exit A

Device

HVAC Unit 3

Device

How Routing Works

Event: Fire alarm in Engineering Hall, Floor 2
Routing: Find all devices in Engineering Hall Floor 2 with capabilities: display_alert, audio_output, unlock_door
Result: 4 screens show evacuation map, 2 PA zones announce, 3 doors unlock — automatically

5. What This Means for Your Organization

🔌

No Forklift Upgrade

Keep your existing network, devices, and vendors. InstaAlert sits on top.

🔗

One Integration Point

Vendors integrate once with our API. No point-to-point connections.

📍

Location Intelligence

Route events based on where devices are, not just what they are.

⚡

Reduced Complexity

No more VLANs per system, firewall rules per device, or custom integrations.

🔒

Multi-Tenant Secure

Each organization is isolated. API keys control access.

📊

Complete Audit Trail

Every event, every device action, logged for compliance.

The Bottom Line

InstaAlert is the missing layer between your network infrastructure and coordinated action. Your network gets devices connected. We make them work together.

6. Summary: The Orchestration Layer

Your Network. Your Devices. Your Vendors.

Our Orchestration Engine.

InstaAlert doesn't replace anything. It's the application-layer routing engine that turns your collection of siloed systems into a coordinated campus infrastructure.

Network

Unchanged

Devices

Unchanged

Coordination

Added