Forging New Access Integrations Thanks to the Cloud, IoT and a Mobile-First Mindset

By Jeff Perri
President and COO, ProdataKey

Trends, Topics and Technologies

With more than 4 out of 5 Americans now owning a smartphone, it’s no surprise that mobile is becoming the platform-of-choice for commercial software developers. And, while the demise of the PC is unlikely to happen in the near future, an increasing number of security solutions are coming to market with a mobile-first interface – one that bypasses the need for a PC to fully support installation, administrative and end user needs. For this, we can thank the cloud and IoT, which have allowed developers to move the majority of their applications’ processing onto powerful cloud servers that communicate seamlessly and securely with our smartphones.

Just as the transition from analog to IP ushered in a new frontier of integration options for security solution manufacturers, the same is happening once again with the move to mobile and the cloud. Cloud-to-cloud integrations are easier for developers to implement, integrators to install, administrators to manage, and end users to access. The IoT has introduced an unprecedented number of devices and systems that are open to integration development – including those not traditionally part of the security space. Access control promises to be a big winner in this new, mobile-first environment.

That’s because our need for access – to get into places – is daily and non-negotiable. In a commercial environment, all employees are typically registered as system users – something not true for most other electronic security systems. As mobile credentialing becomes the norm, access control apps on your phone will replace cards and fobs. That makes it a logical hub from which to develop integrations. These may include seamless integrations, within a single interface, as well as separate platforms with interactive functionality.

We’re already seeing “outside-the-box” integrations between access control and facility and property management, not only in commercial spaces but also in multi-tenant residential properties. Integrated apps can be used to adjust lighting and temperature when employees enter areas of a building, provide time and attendance to HR without requiring employees to “clock in” and generate “smart” badging for visitors that permits access only to authorized areas.

Integration with emergency life-safety and communication systems can facilitate more effective lock-down procedures, while integration with mustering applications can aid in rescue and recovery operations. In multi-tenant residential applications, integrated apps can pop open doors to public areas, enhance the visitor experience when using intercom/buzzer systems and offer home automation controls for individual apartment units. For residents with medical monitoring devices, integration with electronic access systems can automatically unlock their apartment door to admit EMS workers, in case of an alert.

The mobile/cloud platform also benefits traditional integrations – particularly access control with video management – offering deeper connectivity and enhanced capabilities. Until recently, the typical access/VMS integration has simply allowed users to view a camera clip associated with an access control event from within the access control platform. The next generation of integrations benefit from two-way communication between systems. For example, a security guard who receives a notification and video pop-up showing someone is approaching a gate can now pop open the gate from within the VMS interface. Even better, he or she can do this from a mobile phone while patrolling the property.

Or, let’s say the security guard wants to search the VMS for all video clips of a certain type of event, such as every time an access credential was denied or a door was propped open. Deep, two-way integration makes this possible, offering a new level of forensic capabilities.

Of course, any conversation about the future of access control would be incomplete without acknowledging the game-changing impact 5G is about to have. Once systems can have connectivity from anywhere, without reliance on WiFi, the sky’s the limit as to where we’ll be able to implement creative, integrated solutions. Oil rigs, trains and trucks, temporary work sites: installation and integration can happen anywhere. And 5G’s ability to deliver highly reliable, low-latency communication will make integrations with critical life-safety systems all the more desirable.

Access control, like all security technologies, is evolving to leverage the possibilities of our growing, mobile-centric society. An abundance of integrations that promise greater convenience, along with enhanced security, are about to change the way we think about access control platforms and what they can do.