Picking the Package

Because more software packages are available in the marketplace than suppliers selling them, the next trick will be to determine which product will work best for you. Decision- making in this area should be based on the answers to a series of questions focusing first on the environment in which the system will be deployed and the uses to which it will be put.

Important considerations should include the number of doors requiring control, the number of people receiving access and how frequently the system will need to be adjusted at each location to accommodate personnel changes.

The answers to such questions will indicate the type of software required. For example, a system controlling an access point with 1,000 users will need to be highly robust and scalable. Do not hesitate to ask the supplier whether the system can be upgraded and what the cost would be.

Integration can influence the purchase decision. If a client wants to add a video component or a graphics package that allows for remote viewing of a facility’s access ports via a computer monitor, will one or both enhancements require the use of a totally different software platform? If the answer is yes, then such a software system may entail additional expense.

Another key concern is the issue of remote locking. In the majority of access control applications, all the data required for entry is input at the point of access – a card is swiped, a key is pushed, a biometric reading is taken and the door unlocks and opens.

However, occasionally clients may wish to open the door and keep it open from some other location. Others may opt for CCTV or some similar method of visual monitoring.