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Friday, January 24, 2014

Take Charge Of Your Facility With Access Control Systems

By Judi Brenaman


An access control system is a technology that helps in controlling the entrance to a particular building, facility, or any secure area. Businesses and industries of all sorts have incorporated access control to make sure that only authorized people are able to access restricted areas. It is a good way of increasing not only the security of an area but also its privacy as well.

In the past, entry and exit points are secured with different types of physical locks, but the problem with these is that the keys used with them can easily be duplicated. By using digital access control technology, access can be granted via a terminal that accepts passwords, passphrases, or PIN. This eliminates the need to bring physical keys that are susceptible to getting lost.

One of the more popular type of technology used in an access control system is biometrics. It is labeled as so because it makes use of distinct features of a person such the fingerprint and retina. And since everyone will have unique patterns for these, it is an accurate way of ensuring that only authorized people are given access to certain areas in the building or facility.

With the help of an access control system, it would also be possible to hire less manpower for securing entry and exit points in a building or facility. Access control technology also provides an efficient way of tracking time-ins and time-outs of employees. With this setup, it makes it easier to minimize the occurrence of fraud, especially since there is not much manual intervention.

An access control system is primarily made up with three main components and they are the physical barrier, the access controller/reader, and the credentials. It is the physical barrier that actually prevents access to a specific area or entry/exit point. Many facilities today have doors with electronic locks while main entry/exit points are secured with a turnstile, all of which are managed by the access controller.

An access controller can be a stand-alone system in which all the important information and credentials are stored within the unit itself. Networked access controllers make use of a database system to verify the credentials of a person requesting access. Credentials can be a key card, password/passphrase, key fob, or a distinct personal feature such as a fingerprint or retina.

There are also some problems associated with using an access control system and one of the most common is when an unauthorized individual follows another that has been granted access to a particular area. This is commonly known as tailgating and other risks like this can be kept at bay by laying down specific protocols and ensuring that the system is always working efficiently.

It is also possible to link an access control system with a surveillance system so that they can work together in strengthening the security of your building or facility. This is an important part of internal control so that your operations run smoothly and run into as few problems as possible. It helps to ensure that your personnel are doing their work properly and are not involved in any fraudulent activities.




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