Integration has become a defining characteristic of modern
access control management systems, which can now combine with other devices or systems to expand the access control’s functionality. This article discusses some of the top integrations that make the access control management system even more powerful.
Access control management systems have become more open. This is opposed to before when they were mostly proprietary – the management system only supports devices and hardware of the same brand. Yet the industry is trending towards openness, allowing users to integrate products and devices of their choice.
“We are proponents of open ecosystems and leveraging standards. Both the Access Control Manager (ACM) and Openpath systems from Motorola Solutions offer a wealth of third-party integrations and support for open-field hardware leveraging the wiring and hardware already found in many buildings. Both systems are built on open architecture, allowing them to integrate with other access control hardware, business tools and apps that people use every day, such as GSuite, Slack, Microsoft, Okta, Active Directory, and identity management systems or HR databases,” said James Segil, VP of Access Control at Motorola Solutions. “This makes it easier for organizations to streamline their workflow in order to provide their teams with meaningful insights into their security processes or incidents, regardless of what type of devices or browsers they use.”
“Generally, we see the systems becoming more open now, and support devices with the same protocols, like the Wiegand and OSDP readers. AMAG’s Symmetry solution is completely open and supports integrations with not only complementary products such as video and audio/intercom, but our access control and identity management systems now integrate with competitive access control systems. This provides our largest customers, who often manage multiple access control systems, with flexibility and the ability to save money and use one card for all systems,” said Gaoping Xiao, Director of Sales for Asia Pacific at AMAG Technology.
So what are some of the popular devices/systems that can well integrate with access control? We explore them below.
Visitor management
A major trend in access control is its
integration with visitor management systems. Such integration further ensures the security and safety of a building, which may be frequented by visitors, contractors, janitors and people with other roles.
“One of the latest trends in access control management systems is the consolidation of visitor management features into the access control system, because access control is no longer just for managing employees. Access systems themselves are now doing more visitor and contractor features, such as controlling how many people are in a space or how many are in the building per day. This is an important functionality because it enables an access control management system to tie into other health vetting systems and to expand the rules of who gets into a building,” said Rick Focke, Director of Product Management for Enterprise Access Control at Johnson Controls.
Body temperature cameras
Body temperature cameras have become popular, if not necessary, devices for end user entities amid and post-pandemic. Integrating them with access control can further contribute to
disease prevention and control. In an earlier interview, Bob Mesnik, President of Kintronics, said: “The thermal camera must be part of an entire system that allows the user to react to elevated temperature. The system needs to be able to prevent access to a secure area as well as providing alarm notification to the users. We recently introduced a version of a body temperature device that can be used with other door access control systems. The device not only detects elevated body temperature, but it also can block access to a secure environment if the person is not wearing a protective mask.”
Video surveillance
Integrating video surveillance into the access control management system still sees strong demand among users, who can instantly see the video of a problematic entry event. “Video surveillance integration into the access control system is still far and away the most popular integration for our customers,” Focke said.
“There is more use of open RESTful API protocols for ease of integration for access control to other systems. CCTV is an oldie but goodie. More interesting now are links to the AI analytics being added to modern CCTV systems and their software management platforms,” said John Davies, MD of TDSi.
Building management
Access control-building management integration is also gaining momentum among users. With such integration, building automation can adjust
HVAC and lighting accordingly in places that are not occupied. Further, employees usually have various data attached to them – their working hours and location of their seats, among others; a swipe of the access card allows building management to turn on the lights and HVAC in their seating area. This results in major energy savings, reduced cost and improvement of the building’s overall efficiency.
Elevator/parking
Integration with third-party elevator and parking solutions intends to optimize the time needed to reach to a certain floor as well as enhance the overall user experience. Once an access card is swiped at the parking lot, the employee or visitor can reach their predetermined floor from the elevator parking lot. This also minimizes contact with receptionist, which is important as people return to work from the pandemic.