The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way we view and use Access Control, accelerating the adoption of new technologies. In addition to securing and controlling access to and within premises, access control is now being used to help control the spread of COVID-19 through innovative Cloud and mobile solutions.
Following are some key trends to keep an eye on.
Mobile Access Control
The use of mobile based credentials is a natural evolution for the access control industry. The vast majority of the entire U.S. population uses a smartphone, most of which have it with them at all times. Comparatively, access cards are inconvenient and frequently forgotten or lost. Access cards, especially older technology cards widely in use, are typically unencrypted proximity RFID cards that can be cloned easily. Mobile credentials are much more secure and offer a convenient, secure, and more easily managed alternative.
Cloud-Based Access Control
As people get more and more comfortable with cloud-based technology, physical security is seeing a strong shift towards cloud-based access control. Benefits of cloud-based access control include reduced upfront costs, operational convenience, remote support and maintenance, improved security and features, easy multi-site management, and unlimited scalability.
Benefits of cloud-hosted access control:
- Off-site hosting of data
- Data protection and backup
- Cost-effective
- Improved security and safety
- Remote support
- Easier integrations
- Greater flexibility and Scalability
Multifactor Authentication
Multifactor authentication is more secure than single-factor authentication. It also helps organizations feel more comfortable using single sign-on because it greatly simplifies network access. Multifactor authentication is widely used by consumers when changing account passwords or performing online transactions.
Biometric and Analytic Technology
Access control biometrics have existed for decades, the adoption of which has been limited by high cost, accuracy issues, privacy concerns and other issues. However, with technology advancing, prices dropping, quality improving, and the emergence of COVID-19, it has become a viable access control technology. With advancement in facial recognition, thermal temperature detection, and analytics such as occupancy management and face mask detection, and the need for touchless access, biometric and analytics can be a cost-effective solution and has increased in use.
Subscription-Based Business Model
Traditionally, access control has been a hardware-sale driven business model, consisting of a capital expenditure for the on-premises installation of servers or controllers, readers, and access cards.
Updates need to be manually programmed and a staff is needed for operation and system management. On-premises systems also require maintenance and replacement at some point in the future as technology replaces older systems. A subscription-based access control operated from the Cloud gives end users the control and flexibility they need while system maintenance and updates are built into the cost.