Four Considerations When Selecting an Access Control System

This week’s blog features an article from our partners at Aiphone about what to consider when choosing an access control system for your business.

An access control system is an essential security tool that enables people in businesses, schools, and other entities to restrict and manage access for individuals looking to enter a specific premises. Depending on the specific needs of the business, it can be a mandated security solution, helping to protect everything from sensitive information stored in data rooms or infants in a maternity unit, to an everyday system that manages access for employees in a corporate office or faculty in a school.

Regardless of the location for the access control system, selecting the right one can be a challenge for organizations of all types and sizes. There are many different factors that should be considered before investing in an access control system, including ease of use, scalability, adaptability, and integration capabilities.

Four Considerations When Selecting an Access Control System

Ease of Use

When selecting an access control system, one of the most important considerations is ease of use. Not only should the access control system be easy for users—who are looking to gain entrance into an entire building or specific area—but also for the system administrators. How will users be added or removed from the system? Is the software and desktop application to manage this task intuitive for the administrator? Does the access control system offer a mobile application for remote management capabilities? Finally, does the system allow the administrator to easily customize access levels, permissions and alerts without relying on the expertise of a security systems integrator to set up or manage?

Scalability

As an organization grows, it’s critical to ensure the systems in place can evolve as business needs change. For an access control system, this means the ability to easily scale up to add more badge holders or more secure entry points as a business grows. Take for example a start-up company that may be rapidly expanding its employee headcount and footprint in an office space. As the company moves from 25 employees, to 50, to a few hundred, the access control system should be able to grow with these additions. So too should its ability to add more door controls, especially as a company builds out more office space or adds new areas that need increased access control measures.

Integrations

Security shouldn’t operate in a silo which is why each component of a security system, including the access control system, needs to integrate with other solutions. Chief among them is surveillance, which when paired with an access control system, can provide valuable information when the system detects a forced door alert or multiple entry fail attempts. An integrated surveillance system can be prompted to send a video clip of these attempts. The security administrator can then identify whether the attempts were from an employee who forgot their badge, or an unknown individual who may have malicious intent.

Another integration capability that pairs well with access control are intercom systems. Intercoms provide a reliable communication tool, enabling front desk staff to screen visitors before permitting an individual to enter a lobby. When integrated with an access control system, the intercom provides another layer of security, by requiring those entering a premises to communicate through the intercom before proceeding to badge in. It also serves as a valuable communication tool in the event that an employee’s access control credential is not working properly. That employee can then use the intercom call button to request assistance.

Adaptability

Another important consideration is whether the access control system is adaptable or versatile. This means that the system can be used for multiple environments or configured and reconfigured to meet specific or changing needs. A mixed-use building may need to restrict access to certain sections based on the type of tenant. A commercial tenant would have access to certain floors where offices are located, while a residential tenant may only be permitted to access residential floors or residential amenities.

In addition, high-security areas that require biometrics authentication require an access control system that can integrate with this capability. While this functionality may not be needed immediately upon installation, it’s important to consider whether this capability can be leveraged in the future.

Selecting an access control system is a critical decision for any organization. End users should carefully select their access control system and take into account ease of use, integrations, scalability, and adaptability to ensure the system can grow and evolve to meet future needs.

Types of door access control system hardware

Deployment size

Before settling on any door access system hardware, the scope and intended size of the deployment must be carefully considered. If an installation is only intended to secure a singular entry point, the overall requirements of the network will be very different to a site requiring multiple readers for access-controlled doors.

Reliably securing one door can be achieved using a local single door access control system in which all processes will be performed natively within the entry reader. However, deployments with multiple hardware units may require a networked system where all readers communicate via a centralized control platform.

Generally speaking, the larger door security access control systems become, the more beneficial security teams will find the operation of an interconnected networked door access system to be.

By installing and managing a wireless IP door access control system, admins are able to:

• Easily add or remove entries from the system 

• Adjust permissions and door access controls remotely 

• Integrate readers with existing building systems 

• Develop security responses informed by multiple readers

Though these key safety features will be beneficial to larger deployments like commercial offices or residential apartment complexes, a small retail store with only two entry points may have little use for such comprehensive security requirements, so a single door access system will be more cost-effective.

Installation considerations

How an intended access-controlled door system is to be installed should also be considered before choosing which hardware units to purchase. For example, if a property has existing hardware installed, new systems should be backward compatible with these devices and be capable of connecting to existing wiring infrastructure. If existing door access systems are too outdated to function alongside new technology, a full rip-and-replace to more modern controlled entry systems may provide better return on investment in the long run.

Owners of newly built properties will have far more flexibility. A wireless access control system may be desired to reduce the need for costly and time-consuming structural work, or a standard wiring system may be chosen featuring several inputs/​outputs to ensure that new hardware can be easily installed when necessary. Consulting an access control installer will help teams to make these decisions.