Open migration

The key benefits of migrating to an open architecture access control system by Nick Smith, Business Development Manager at Genetec

The access control market has undergone a major transformation in the last decade. The arrival of new technologies has given organisations a greater choice of components, allowing them to do more with their access control systems (ACS). Some organisations, however, are still holding on to outdated ACS technology. In part, they’re afraid of the costs associated with migrating and opt instead to pour time and money into maintaining their legacy systems.

Protect your business

A unified ACS can do more than simply lock and unlock doors. It can protect an organisation’s people and assets more effectively and can help improve business operations and decision-making capabilities.

It can give organisations access to new insights that helps them improve operations, especially when relevant data is aggregated and displaying dynamically through intuitive dashboards. These dashboards are fully customisable and combine live devices with reports, charts, and histograms in one central location. This means security teams have a unified view of events happening on site or within systems at a single glance.

By tracking key indicators and information, dashboards put events into perspective. For example,

designing a dashboard that tracks active alarms alongside other metrics, including the number of patrons waiting in a security line, can warn security operators when a situation is escalating. This helps organisations to identify potential issues before they become problems, and to make better decisions aimed at improving every area of operations.

The real cost of legacy systems

Legacy systems were designed to address an organisation’s needs at a specific point in time. As needs change and technology advances, they can lag behind. Some legacy systems limit an organisation’s ability to integrate new technologies, including wireless locks and mobile credentials, into its physical security system.

An older ACS can also require constant upgrading and support just to keep working. Parts for these older systems can be difficult to find and are frequently costly. And, when an ACS is proprietary and heavily integrated into a physical security system, this can further increase maintenance costs.

There are also limited options for supporting outdated software and hardware. Unfortunately, this can lead to operational inefficiencies with an overall negative impact on productivity.

Increasing ROI by going beyond the door

To avoid the long-term setbacks associated with closed systems, organisations need an ACS that will evolve with their ever-changing needs, provide solutions that go beyond the door, and allow them to move to the cloud with confidence. With a flexible, open ACS, organisations can address current requirements and evolve their systems with new technologies as their needs change.

An open ACS provides the ability to scale up through additional hardware integrations, bolt-on software modules, and open software integrations with thirdparty products. Choosing an open ACS solution enables organisations to customise their systems by selecting hardware that addresses their specific security objectives. It can also save time and money by enabling them to reuse existing hardware instead of migrating to an entirely new system.

Legacy systems are no match for today’s cybercriminal

With the average cost of a data breach being US$3.9 million in damages, it’s never been more important for organisations to be educated on the risks associated with legacy systems and the advantages that a new cybersecure access solution can offer.

Access control systems are a powerful infrastructure tool that tend to be overlooked as a potential target for cyberattacks. If a cybercriminal breaches a legacy ACS, not only can they open and close doors without

permission. They also have the potential to access restricted areas and gain control over any system that is connected to the network.

Once a network has been breached, all data becomes vulnerable, including sensitive information stored internally. In order to protect their data and networks, organisations need an ACS that is secure from server to credential. In addition, they also need an ACS that will help them comply with industry regulations, especially those related to cybersecurity and authentication. Here again, choosing a system that can be adapted to meet evolving requirements is crucial.

Conclusion

Maintaining a legacy ACS is time-consuming and expensive. It can expose an organisation to new threats, including cyberattacks, and can’t keep up with changing access control needs. Open access control solutions provide an easy path to modernisation. The flexibility of an open architecture solution allows organisations to grow their ACS as their needs change. This empowers them to continually enhance security and generate greater return on their investment.

For further information please visit www.genetec.com

Nick Smith