Access Control: It’s not just cards and keypads
Not too long ago Access Control meant having your keys, giving someone access meant giving them a copy of the key, and if the setup was truly sophisticated, then there were individual keys and a master key.
As great and reliable as that system was, it left much to be desired:
- Scheduled Access
- Revoking Access Privileges
- Preventing Key Duplication
- Revoking Access for Lost Keys
- Granting Temporary Access
Keycards
Keycards were a revolutionary invention. Whether Wiegand, magstripe, punch-hole, or the latest in proximity cards and RFID, locking systems have been transformed into Access Control Solutions. For the first time ever personnel who had their access privileges revoked didn’t have to surrender their keys to be physically barred from entry. Lost keys were no longer a problem. Neither was unauthorized key duplication. The system administrator could activate and deactivate cards at will.
Now schedules could be created limiting entry to particular days and specific times of the day. The system could even be left open during business hours and only require credentials after hours. Personnel could even be issued with one time use (disposable) cards which expired after a specific amount of time.
The systems even expanded to a point where multiple facilities could be managed from a central control facility and the same credentials (card) would allow access to multiple, geographically diverse locations.
The latest versions even host the information off-site in a cloud solution alleviating the client from having to maintain their own computer systems to manage the access rights, and allowing rights management from the convenience of a smartphone app. Contact us for more information…
Pinpads / Keypads
By shifting away from cards to individual employee pin codes Access Control Systems were able to simplify access management by alleviating the need to distribute keycards, and deal with lost or broken cards. Contact us for more information…