What Is an Access Control System?
An Access Control System is a system designed to prevent unauthorized individuals from entering facilities accessible only to specific personnel. Additionally, it manages the entry and exit records of individuals who have accessed the premises.
These systems are commonly installed at entrances to facilities such as factories, research institutes, power plants, office building entrances, entrances to company offices within buildings, and commercial establishments like stores. Furthermore, they are individually placed at entrances to rooms where entry and exit restrictions are applied or where records of entrants need to be maintained within factories or offices.
Typically, these systems comprise door locks to restrict access, authentication systems to identify entrants and software to manage the entry and exit history of individuals.
Authentication systems commonly use cards or keys with recorded IDs, but systems employing biometric authentication methods like facial recognition, iris recognition, or fingerprint recognition are also prevalent.
Uses of Access Control System
The Access Control System serves various purposes, contributing to both facility security and efficient facility operations:
1. Security System
In its role as a security system, the Access Control System prevents unauthorized entry into facilities, records the names and entry/exit times of entrants, and maintains the safety of the premises. This helps prevent the unauthorized removal of confidential information or equipment.
In such cases, secured doors or gates are installed at facility entrances, and only those with the corresponding items, allowing them legitimate access, can enter. Security systems such as intrusion sensors, surveillance cameras, and automatic reporting systems are often integrated to address attempts at illegal entry.
2. Management System
The Access Control System, acting as a management system contributing to efficient facility operations, is employed in places like membership-based stores. It accumulates information about the entry and exit of people visiting the facility, providing valuable data for optimizing staffing levels, merchandise selection, and facility enhancements based on each day and time.
This information is utilized by facilities such as fitness clubs, golf courses, and resorts to send emails at appropriate times, aiding in marketing activities.
3. Entry and Exit Management System
In corporate offices or factory entry and exit management systems, integration with attendance management systems allows for tracking employees’ attendance. During events like the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the information from the Access Control System can be utilized to identify individuals who were present in the facility simultaneously with an infected person, facilitating contact tracing.
Principles of Access Control System
Firstly, the system registers profiles in a database containing the names, affiliations, and contact information of individuals authorized to enter. In facilities where access to rooms or areas is categorized, information associating individuals with permitted access areas needs to be registered.
In facilities where the Access Control System operates, locked doors or gates corresponding to access permissions are installed at entrances. Keys issued to authorized individuals include magnetic cards or IC cards with recorded IDs. Alternatively, biometric authentication methods like face recognition, iris recognition, fingerprint recognition, or using dedicated software and authentication information stored on smartphones as keys are also employed.
Authentication requires ensuring that keys are not forged and that there are no authentication failures. Systems utilizing biometric authentication particularly demand precision in the authentication process.
Access Control Systems may need to manage multiple entrances or facilities remotely. In such cases, a system compatible with wide-area networks is required, which could involve operating proprietary servers or using cloud systems. In either case, security management is crucial.
How to Choose an Access Control System
When selecting an Access Control System, ease of operation, reliability, integration with attendance management and customer management systems, as well as responsiveness during power outages, malfunctions, and emergencies should be considered.
This system becomes critical to everyone entering and exiting once operational. Choosing a highly reliable system is essential, as any malfunction or false operation of keys or authentication systems will require immediate attention. Additionally, considering the ease of registration and deletion of authorized entrants is important since these tasks will be ongoing while the Access Control System is operational.
Furthermore, when using information obtained from the Access Control System in attendance management or customer management systems, it is important to consider the ease of data integration between both systems.
Contemplating how to respond to malfunctions, power outages, or damage to related equipment due to events such as earthquakes or fires is crucial. This becomes especially significant for facility entrances in remote locations where facility managers are not nearby, 24-hour operational offices, factories, warehouses, or facilities requiring immediate response during emergencies.