The Access Control Puzzle

In fact, access control can mean so much more than just simply locking and opening doors and barriers automatically. Good access control should be unobtrusive and efficient and if well planned, can provide a number of benefits to organisations wishing to increase site security. A recent survey by a recruitment resource in the US showed that staff safety came ahead of the more traditional benefits offered to employees, including bonuses, and share options! If you are thinking about implementing an access system or improving an existing one, then it is worth giving the matter serious thought. Effective access control is a considerable investment but it will help to protect ones current investments such as staff, laptops and other expensive hardware.

So where does one start to look for a system that is going to meet your organisation's criteria both for the present and the future? The first stage may be to step back and see what systems are already being used successfully within the work place. If staff are already clocking in and out for payroll purposes or cashless vending is provided, then, it may be that the card / token being used is suitable for an access system. In general there are three main identification technologies being used today, these being the bar coded badge (yes they are still around!), the mag-stripe badge and the proximity card / tag which can embrace the smart card technologies. The bar coded badge is simple to produce and cheap, but not very secure. Proximity media is more expensive but more secure. Choose a system provided by a company that understands the ever increasing card technologies that are now becoming available. Biometrics for very secure areas are becoming more widely used. Make sure that an access system can work with them.

Look at your existing network infrastructure. Most companies have a LAN and telephone network. A good access system should be able to make use of these, indeed larger institutions with multiple sites spread Nationwide or Worldwide may be all linked to the Head Office via a WAN or Intranet. Why not have your access control centralised and make use of this facility?

Reliability and system robustness must be high on the agenda. Ask some 'what if' questions. The network goes down, inconvenient to say the least, but will the access control continue to work? It should do! What happens if power is lost? Do you lose site security as well? Of course you shouldn't but… If somebody does try to force open a door, or even just prop it open with the fire extinguisher during warm weather, will the system report and log the events? If it doesn't, then keep on looking.

Any system should be simple for the staff to use but provide the flexibility required by management to give access rights to some staff but not others. It maybe that during a normal working day, access control is not required and staff are free to come and go. The access only comes into effect outside normal working hours. Will the system deal with temporary staff and visitors? It's all possible!

Does your organisation already have a CCTV system, produce its own corporate ID badges, or use payroll applications? Will any proposed access control system integrate with existing systems to share information? It should do, without having to have bespoke software commissioned.

These are only some of the questions that you should be asking. Don't lock out any of your options when it comes to choosing your Access Control supplier. For a system that will grow with your organisation, provide value for money and give reliable and uncompromising service, talk to Feedback Data, let them help solve the Access Puzzle!

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