How Access Control Systems Work and Why Your Business Needs One
HOW ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEMS WORK & WHY YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS IT?
An Access Control System does exactly what its name implies – it controls access to specific areas of your building. It sounds simple enough, but how does it work and why would your business want to use it? In this article, we will walk through the basic operating mechanisms and protocols behind an Access Control System and then provide a few use cases on why your business might want to deploy this technology.
HOW DOES AN ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM WORK?
To better explain how an access control system works, we need to separate the logical side of the system from the physical side. The logical side contains the programming information that access decisions are based on. The physical side is the mechanism that allows the system to work. For our discussion, we will use a small HVAC service business as an example. This business has a front door, a rear door, and a locked parts and tools storage area. The Technicians report to the office daily at 7 AM and should enter through the rear door. The office staff reports at 8 AM and enters through the front door. The warehouse manager and service manager are the only ones allowed into the parts and tools storage room.
Logically, an access control system assigns each user a unique token. This token can be a card, key fob, Bluetooth-enabled device (cell phone), biometric marker (fingerprint, eye scan), and even a PIN code (not recommended). The user presents this token to the access control system when attempting to gain access. At the time of presentation, the system verifies certain aspects of the data in the programming table and returns a yes/no result. Specifically, the system validates three key metrics: valid token (user), valid location (door), and valid time. If any one of the conditions is not accurate, access will not be granted. In the example above, if a currently employed service technician attempts to enter the rear door at 6:45 AM, they will have a valid token, and a valid location, but an invalid time. Since all 3 conditions are not met, access will be denied.
Physically the system works through a series of electrical contacts and relays. On a magnetic lock (maglock), there is a constant supply of power to the lock to keep the magnet energized. When a valid token is presented, a relay in the control panel temporarily opens to break the flow of current, deactivate the magnet, and allow the door to be opened. The electrical current is returned after the relay timer expires and the door locks again. Other locks work in different ways, but the premise is the same.
WHY BUSINESSES SHOULD USE AN ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM?
There are numerous reasons why a business might want to use an access control system. The primary driver is safety and security, but other factors come into play. Some of the more common ones that we hear from our clients are limiting access, audits and tracking, and convenience and cost savings.
1. RESTRICT ACCESS
The primary objective of most access control systems is to restrict access to certain areas to certain employees. In our example above, HVAC technicians spend time on roofs, in attics, and crawling under houses getting dirty on the job. The owner would like to contain this to the warehouse space where it is easier to keep clean instead of having the technicians come into the front office. The owner is also interested in keeping tight inventory control of expensive parts and tools. Limiting who has access to these parts is one way to do that. Other businesses may need to prevent access to financial or health data (records), proprietary business data, controlled or dangerous substances, or other assets.
2. AUDIT & TRAFFICKING INFORMATION
Access control can provide audit & tracking information that can be used to verify data based on the token information. An employee showing up 5 minutes late every day can be verified by the time that their token was presented. Knowing when a person went into a certain area may be needed to track down other issues or information as well. Did the last person in put away all of the things that they were supposed to? Did the last person out turn off the lights? Audits and tracking can even alert you if someone tries to access an unauthorized area with an invalid token. When combined with a camera system, access control can provide visual verification of access-related events as well.
3. CONVENIENCE & COST SAVINGS
Convenience and cost savings come from not having someone monitor and admit employees and visitors through the main entrance doors. Many businesses no longer have a receptionist sitting at the front desk or would benefit from the ability of this staff member to be utilized elsewhere in the business. Access control can be tied into video intercom systems and allows you to buzz someone in without getting up from your desk. Managing keys for more than a few employees can be cumbersome. Locks must be rekeyed periodically if keys aren’t returned when an employee leaves and all existing keys must be reissued. If a key fits more than one door, this can be an expensive proposition over time.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT ACCESS CONTROL SYSTEM FOR YOUR BUSINESS
There are a multitude of options available in terms of technologies and capabilities. Much of the system architecture will depend on the types of doors in place at your facility, but certain aspects should be considered in the selection process. In advance of a conversation with your vendor, you should consider what you are hoping to accomplish with the system. Is it for the protection of assets, it is to limit access, it for an audit trail? Make a list of who needs access to what and when and that will be the start of the selection process.
What token type do you want – key fobs, cards, printed badges, or Bluetooth beacons? Most small businesses use fobs. Keypads are typically not recommended as a code can be shared easier than a physical token, and without video verification, you will be unable to determine if the actual owner of the code was the one to use it at the door. Biometrics can also be used for highly secure areas, but this typically requires the integration of separate databases for verification.
Video Integration – if you want your access control linked to video (strongly recommended for verification), you may want to consider a unified platform that is built to incorporate both access and video into the same user interface. This makes searching for records and controlling access much easier.
Guest Management – If your facility needs to regulate access to certain areas for visitors, including maintenance, delivery, volunteers, or other needs, you should choose an access control system that has guest/visitor management capabilities embedded in the platform. This would enable guests to be invited to the platform and provide them with credentialed access for fixed periods to the areas selected.
When you are ready to talk in more detail about your access control needs, we’re here to help. TCI has over a decade of experience designing and installing state-of-the-art access control systems for our clients. If you would like to learn more about Access Control systems and how they might benefit your business, Contact Us for access security and control services in Virginia today.
