Access Control System
Access control systems are based on the premise that issuing keys to all employees who need them is generally not cost-effective. Another premise of an access control system is that it would be cost prohibitive to rekey the facility should a key be lost. Finally, an access control system can limit employee access; allowing them entry only to areas in which they are authorized, or granting entry during certain times of day.
An access control system uses a means of verification, known as a credential, to allow a person to enter an area. The credential can be something that is known, generally a personal identification number; something that is carried, such as a card or token; or something that the authorized person has, such as a fingerprint or iris (the colored part of the eye). The credential is entered, swiped, presented, or scanned, and, after some level of verification, access is granted or denied.
Access control systems come with various means of operation and scope from a single door to many thousands of doors or alarms around the world. At the small end of the access control spectrum is the single door keypad at which a person enters a code that is mechanically or electronically verified. Most access control systems use a card-based credential, which is swiped or presented to an electronic reader to gain access. These systems can be used across just a few doors to many thousands of doors and sensors connected via the company’s computer network. The most secure access control systems utilize a biometric authentication process. Biometrics entails using something that is part of the person for verification of identity, such as fingerprints, hand geometry, vein pattern recognition, voice print, and iris recognition. Biometrics can be used as the sole means of verification, but are frequently used in conjunction with a card reader.