Access Control System - Should You Bother To Install One?

By Alejandro Killmon


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.

Unlike physical locks, computerized access control technology is more sophisticated and therefore is less likely to be duplicated. Access control terminals are usually installed just beside the point of entry, be it doors or gates, to which a user can either enter a password, passphrase or PIN. Users no longer have to bring a physical key with them and it eliminates the problem of having lost keys.

Biometrics is a popular type of access control system and it is able to grant or deny a person access to a particular area by scanning certain personal features such as fingerprint and retina. This type of access control is indeed very common these days in any office setting because it is almost fool-proof and is really accurate because fingerprints and retina are unique to each person.

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.

Access controllers are usually either stand-alone or network-based systems. Stand-alone units have all the data and necessary components to be used by itself, while networked-based systems have a user database so that the credentials of people can be checked accordingly. The credentials used to gain access can be a keycard, key fob, password/passphrase, or unique personal features such as fingerprints.

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.

A good way of leveling up the security of your establishment or facility is by combining your access control system with an advanced surveillance system. This way you'll also be able to keep a close watch over all your operations and not have to worry about whether or not your personnel are doing their job properly or not. It's a critical area of internal control you should not overlook.




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