Networking Access Control

Nov 1, 2007 12:00 PM, By Ray Shilling

You are a security director for a major national retail chain with more than 250 geographically distributed stores. You recently hired a regional security manager, Sue, who will be responsible for 50 stores in your Northeast region. It is Friday afternoon, and your assistant reminds you that you have to provide Sue with a way of accessing more than 400 doors and gates in your facilities by 8 a.m. on Monday. Five years before, in the same situation you would have needed to dispatch orders several weeks ago to make sure that the disparate systems at each of the 50 locations were programmed manually. Today, you can perform the same task with just a few clicks of your mouse while sitting at a desk 800 miles away from the nearest store.

Five years before, in the same situation you would have needed to dispatch orders several weeks ago to make sure that the disparate systems at each of the 50 locations were programmed manually. Today, you can perform the same task with just a few clicks of your mouse while sitting at a desk 800 miles away from the nearest store.

The solution is network-based access control systems.

With the advent of access control over Ethernet, the days of manual programming at each door controller are gone. By using the power and ubiquity of the TCP/IP network combined with systems with the intelligence embedded at the door itself, hundreds or even thousands of access points can be programmed with new employee stats and card key codes in minutes. By streamlining this process, companies can systematically add employees, or at a moment's notice keep a recently fired employee from accessing vital secure areas of an operation. These capabilities in access control mark the next wave of a technical evolution in the security industry. Businesses are now being offered a major advantage in design that will streamline operations, thus saving time, effort and money along the way.

This latest progression in the security industry is not unlike what has taken place in the video marketplace. Over the past decade, the VCR has given way to the remotely accessible DVR, and analog CCTV cameras are yielding market share to their more flexible IP-based counterparts. Network-based access control, while lagging a few years behind these video trends, is following the same evolutionary path toward modernization.

Simply put, with the prevalence and ease of installation of IP networks, any technology that historically used a proprietary cabled-communication protocol is subject to being retired in favor of an open-standard Ethernet solution.

Why go wireless?

With the performance advantages and cost-savings of IP network-based access control systems clearly defined, the next step is testing this new technology on an upcoming project.

But what about those remote installations that are a long distance from the nearest network drop or are too challenging or cost-prohibitive to wire in place?

The answer is to deploy a wireless network connection.

Simply comparing a hard-wired cabling solution to a wireless network alternative — especially over a long cabling run at places such as tradeshow venues, airports and large retail stores — can yield significant cost-savings.

If we take a look at the cost of individual hardware components, the labor to install the system and the disruption of service for the business while pulling cable, the case for a wireless installation for long haul connections is quite dramatic. Here are three key points to consider:

• Hardware components: The hardware components for a wired system include the cable itself, multi-port switches and other network connectors. These costs are similar to the cost of the wireless radio hardware, so there may be no significant cost-savings when comparing just the hardware alone.

• Labor: Labor costs climb significantly when wiring long cable runs, often costing hundreds or even thousands of dollars. By contrast, installing an intelligent wireless device at the door or gate can usually be achieved for just a few hundred dollars in labor. Furthermore, when attempting to rewire a functioning office location or an older corporate building, often the work will have to be done after hours and may require pricier overtime rates. When considering the cost of labor under the variety of these circumstances, the return-on-investment (ROI) is much more dramatic.

• Disruption of service: The disruption of service is often a significant issue for many facility managers. In an airport that is open for business 24 hours per day, having a crew pull cable to a door or gate could be quite disruptive. In the case of installing a gate access control solution, trenching to install cable across the parking lot or facility yard would usually have to be performed at night. The trench would also leave an unsightly scar, which is never desired unless other utilities are planned concurrently to justify the cut-and-cover operation.

So, when does a wireless access control solution make the most sense? In many cases, a wireline network connection (Cat-5/Cat-6) is a viable and consistent option under short-range situations, but it is not always available at all of the locations required in a facility. Therefore, wireless alternatives are increasingly being considered to deploy these Ethernet devices. Often they are more cost-effective in situations in larger buildings where more than 100 ft. of cable needs to be installed or when connecting gates at remote locations within a facility.

Installation considerations

An important consideration in any successful deployment is understanding selected radio frequencies, as well as the possible sources of radio frequency (RF) interference in an area. Once understood, a game plan can be developed.

There are numerous network design methodologies and system architectures that can be followed when building a wireless network. The three wireless Ethernet network topologies most commonly used today are: mesh networks, point-to-multipoint (star) networks and point-to-point bridges. Specifically, the more complex the system, the more important it will be to have real-time access to a wireless network expert with the right tools and training for the job. For example, wireless mesh networks, while powerful and flexible, often require considerably more advanced training to install and maintain than simple point-to-point backhaul or hub-and-spoke multipoint systems.

In most cases, the preferred platform solution to deploy is a long-range point-to-multipoint wireless Ethernet radio that provides a low-cost platform to connect to and activate IP-based card readers at the doors or remote gates.

For a wireless access control installation to be successful, however, there needs to be the right technology available, including a network-based Ethernet-ready access controller board with an RJ-45 plug and a viable power source. In most modern facilities, power is readily available at the lighting fixtures, however, if installing the system at a remote gate, where grid-power is not available, a solar array will be required to power the access device, the radio and the gate mechanism.

The manufacturer of a product suite should be willing to back up their products with free or low-cost technical support for the duration of the installation process and beyond. In some cases, with very complex network designs, it may even be necessary to add a maintenance contract to the project budget to ensure that on-site support and/or repair are available as needed.

The next step in access control

The future of access control communications is undoubtedly the TCP/IP network, and wireless technologies extend the reach of these networks.

Looking ahead, as access control systems continue to be deployed via a network, there will come a day when one computer will be the central server embedded with the knowledge to manage thousands of access points — even for nationwide or global operations. A single hosted server installed with third-generation software, and loaded with all of the access control rights and privileges in a global operation, will communicate directly (via wireline or wireless connections) with intelligent devices embedded at the door system…all with a few clicks of the mouse. The current state of the practice is evolving rapidly, and clearly for the better.

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Ray Shilling is the vice president of sales and marketing at AvaLAN Wireless. He can be reached at rshilling@avalanwireless.com.

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© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

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