What are Access Control Technologies?
Access control technologies are systems that make it possible for an authority to oversee and control the access others have to areas and resources of certain facilities or computer information systems.
For systems that utilize access control technologies to operate, a credential must be presented to a data reader. This reader then forwards the information of the credential to a high security processor which acts as the control panel. This control panel takes the code the credential provides, compares it against an access control list, denies or grants the request, and stores a log of the transaction in a database.
The user of access control technologies will provide one of three types of credentials to attempt to authenticate their access to the resource. These three factors (types) of authentication data include: memorized information by the user (such as a PIN or pass-phrase), something in the user’s possession (a smart card, for example), or a physical part of the user (such as a barometrically measured fingerprint).
What are the benefits of Access Control Technologies?
Increased security is one of the primary benefits of access control technologies. The management of payments, tickets, authorizations, checkout stations, bank accounts, and other resources can also be greatly assisted by the implementation of access control technologies.
Many access control points can be improved by the integration of access control technologies. Those include: doors, parking gates, turnstiles, elevators and other physical barriers where electronically controlled access can be granted.
What are the applications of Access Control Technologies?
There are many applications of access control technologies for a variety of industries. Administrators of physical structures may use access control technologies as a secondary layer of security for the buildings.
The entrance to a building, room or property can be restricted using access control technologies to administrate it. An access control vestibule is an application of access control technologies in which persons carrying weaponry can be detected prior to entering a facility, thereby reducing the risk of an armed takeover.
Electronic key management or item control is another example of access control technologies, which allows for the management of the location and possession of mechanical (physical) keys or small assets.
