IP access control moves beyond door control solutions, evolves into new roles and applications

Rapid expansion of access control into new roles has been fuelled by panel-less architecture

Our world has changed and our industry has changed with it.  Data now rules, and the network is king. The Internet of Things has driven customer expectations in how data is received and can be acted upon. Advances in panel-less pure IP technologies have allowed our customers to redefine the applications of access control.

These two colliding forces have put us all in the business of managing access points and delivering real-time data… any access point, with new types of data. Traditionally, access control solutions have always been restricted to securing entry and exit points as well as securing access against unauthorised entries. We, as leaders, can no longer think in “doors”.

Innovation in access control technology

Technology leaders and analysts agree there will be over 25 billion connected devices in use by 2020, creating a $4 trillion revenue opportunity. In access control this now means that we must use open platforms to share information at a rate that we have never experienced. Hospitals, farms, ambulances, warehousing, mining, and manufacturing all have needs to control relays to improve efficiency, safety and security.

Access control is being expanded from doors to cabinets, heavy machinery, vehicles, and production lines. Farms are using traditional access control technologies to solve problems from feed distribution to fuel pump access. Access control is becoming a tool to solve problems that were not traditionally in our domain.

Rapid expansion of access control into these new roles has been fuelled by panel-less architecture. IP enabled access control systems have been reduced to a single reader-controller device that has the capability of panel systems in a centrally managed, fully distributed architecture. Constant power can be provided via Power over Ethernet delivering as much as 600 mA for locks and other devices. Local decision keeps the access control network running, even if the network goes down. These advances result in faster install, greater scalability, and a less expensive overall proposition. 

Healthcare applications and beyond

The benefits of a distributed Pure IP, panel-less, architecture combined with the desire for control, operational efficiency, and safety are driving us all to think about access control as more than “doors”. A prime example of this new way of thinking about access control includes the way it is now being used in the healthcare industry. With the help of Carstens, Inc, the industry’s leading provider of wall-mounted workstations, authorised users can now open locked cabinets and other access points throughout a healthcare facility with a single swipe of their card.

This powerful healthcare solution is revolutionising the industry. The WALLAroo,® Carstens’s new wall-mounted workstations are available with the advanced security of Pure IP access control technology. The simple topology of a single reader-controller device powered by a standard category 5 cable makes this solution viable. This technology can be found on medical cabinets and mobile carts throughout a myriad of healthcare facilities and helps to better secure medication distribution, critical supply storage and patient data and prevent any mishandling or unauthorised access.

Adapting to growing needs

The clarity of Charles Darwin applies to us all when he said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives but the most adaptable.” Each of us need to challenge ourselves to augment our historical product lines and way of thinking to seize new opportunity for our businesses. Providing customers the choice for Pure IP access control or the traditional solution allows your business to evolve as IP technology continues to the edge.

As we move forward into 2016, the saying it’s not just about doors will continue to become reality.  As technology continues to evolve, so will the applications of access control. From securing remote sites to medical cabinets even underground mines, the gateway to possibilities is endless and will continue to grow for years to come.