Choosing the Right Access Control System 

 

‍With so many different systems available, it can be difficult to know where to begin. What are your options? What are the pros and cons of each system? And most importantly, which system is right for you? 

The choices are numerous and are largely dependent on what level of control you require to secure your site. 

Physical security is typically “the measures put in place to safeguard physical assets of an organization”.  The most common example of protecting a physical asset is safeguarding a building from unauthorized access.

The measures to prevent this include installing readers at every entry point of a building to ensure that every individual entering the building has the proper authorisation

The Readers are a choice of Biometric, Smart Card enabled reader and hands free Smart Phone enabled apps on your personal Smart Phone

The readers connected through the System controllers will then control and certify  each person  gain entry or exit  to a controlled access point. This can be a simple one entry point control or a large Enterprise Wide solution  with many doors being enabled and controlled.

Choosing the Right Access Control System 

Your options when choosing a access control system

When choosing a system there are a number of options open to you:

Reader Technology

  • Biometrics – the technology includes Fingerprint, Facial Readers, Iris and Wave. If you require a secure operation to ensure that the correct person presenting their credentials to the reader is in fact the authorised person then Biometric technology is the correct technology to deploy, your choice would be touch Technology (fingerprints) or Touchless Technology (Facial, Iris and Fingerprint Wave)
  • RFID – Highly secure and encrypted Smart Cards and Long-Range Readers are available
  • Smart Phone Enablement – By enabling a licensed App on your smart phone and deploying Smartphone enabled readers on site, your phone can be used  to gain access to your place of work as a hands free  option

Software

The available software for setting up and providing management and reporting of your Access Control system range from a simple single door entry system through to a highly functional and sophisticated Enterprise system. These Enterprise solutions will typically support not only Access Control, but also fully integrate other systems onto one platform such as CCTV, IoT, Intrusion, Intercom and Workforce Management solutions

You’ll want to consider how many employees will be using the system, and how many doors/entrance points you need to control. Beyond that, you should consider how user-friendly the software is. Will your employees be able to navigate the software with ease? Or will they find it complicated and frustrating? Is the software easy to update? Is it compatible with other systems? You’ll want to make sure the software you choose is as user-friendly as possible. You don’t want your employees to dread logging in and using the system.

Do you want to have the Software installed on your Premises, on your Servers and pay upfront for it or would you like to enter into a Software as a Service option where the software is setup in the Vendors Cloud and is then enabled as a Web Client on your premises for Management and reporting purposes.

There are many advantages for this which include enhanced security of all data, Disaster Recovery planning, enhanced support by local as well as international technicians, having the latest security patches applied, and backups and replication of your system taken care of.

Find the Right Suppliers

There are a number of suppliers offering a wide range of systems. However, not all suppliers are created equal.

 

Why choose Complete Business Services Africa?

Complete Business Services Africa delivers World Class, Workforce Management and Access Control Systems from Industry-leading solution providers to the Southern African market.

We are located at Rietfontein, Muldersdrift, Gauteng, 2194a, South Africa. Send us an email at info@completebusinessservices-africa.com for more information. Our business has a history of delivering premium solutions in the Workforce Management and Security industry over many years.

We have been active in the business for more than 30 years, with experience delivering work force management and security solutions. We have worked on several jobs, including retail, healthcare, manufacturing, hospitality, call centres, pharmaceuticals, and infrastructure.