What is an access control system?

The word access control (AC) refers to a mechanism for limiting access to certain information or locations. Through the rapid development in technology, this form of security system has become an inextricable part of our daily lives, as it is widely used in corporate sectors and other technical settings.

IP-based access control is gaining rapid popularity in the security industry due to its simplicity and other useful features. It is one of many types of access control systems that includes smartphone based access control, physical access control, and so on. Because of the widespread availability of internet connections and IT-based businesses in any part of the world, this form of access management has become relatively simple to introduce in a specific workplace.

Why migrate to an IP-based access control system?

Migrating from a legacy Access Control System (ACS) to an IP-based ACS makes it easy for businesses to run, extend, and customise their physical access control infrastructure. It also enables them to take advantage of modern ACS features such as powerful multi-site management and Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology, as well as achieve considerable cost savings in their Total Cost of Ownership (TOC).

A good migration necessitates proper preparation and thought. To begin, a consistent set of migration priorities must be established to ensure that an organisation selects an IP ACS solution that is configured to adapt over time while reusing as much of the same security architecture as possible. Then, before starting to schedule a migration, an organisation must assess the current structure in order to ascertain the migration's costs and timeline. Finally, an organisation must work with a systems integrator to complete a series of steps in order to achieve a smooth and efficient integration.

Concrete Reasons for Migration

●    Move away from proprietary wiring and equipment by using IP technologies to standardise their access control infrastructure.

●    Reduce the number of failure points and streamline device control and maintenance by bringing intelligence to the gates.

●    Simplify future infrastructure extension and modification, lowering the overall cost of ownership significantly (TCO).

An organisation may also take advantage of newer functionalities not possible for legacy or more conventional programmes for an IP-based approach. As a result, the decision to move cannot merely be based on a functional substitution of one device with another, but must also consider how to take advantage of the latest ACS functionality provided by IP-based solutions, such as:

●    Effective maintenance and control of several sites.

●    Expanding the number of doors counted across a network.

●    PoE door controllers and more sophisticated hardware options are available.

●    Moving to a single card for all platforms using global cardholder control.

●    Use Microsoft Active Directory to automate cardholder and access rights administration.

●    Making use of cards that have logical and physical protection

Using IP to connect third-party solutions.Traditional physical access control devices are now getting more difficult to maintain and run, resulting in a significant rise in the TCO of the device. If legacy ACS modules near the end of their useful lives or begin to malfunction at a rising pace, the costs of maintaining those devices and locating appropriate replacement parts skyrocket.

Furthermore, the costs of leveraging a legacy infrastructure made up of proprietary hardware and software will be higher because an organisation has less alternatives for system parts and is unable to take advantage of newer, less costly technology that has new and valuable benefits.

Finally, legacy devices are more expensive than IP ACSs that support PoE to link and power all IP door controllers, readers, and door locks over a common Cat5e/Cat 6 cable since they usually work by supplying separate power to each card reader and lock. PoE controllers even lower TCO by using IP networks for both connectivity and electricity, lowering wiring and labour costs, and as PoE technology advances, these controllers would be able to support much more power demands at the door, such as more efficient locks.

Security is an important function to be appropriately taken care of in this dynamic environment, and the security sector is now evolving with the introduction of emerging technology.With its effectiveness and various beneficial features, IP-based access control systems have become important for both optional and mandatory access control systems.