Page 56 - Security Today, February 2017

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10 Triggers for Transition The best times to upgrade access control technology
By Brandon Arcement
t can be difficult to decide whether and when to make the transition to new access control technology. Transitions are often delayed over budget concerns or because of wor- ries that the process will adversely impact productivity and workflow. Delays can be dangerous, though, as escalating se-
Merging Companies
Rapid Growth
New Building
Re-Branding
Risk Management
Organization Authentication
There is the need to adopt strong authentication throughout the
organization. Organizations may need to implement the highest
levels of security including strong authentication at the door.
This requires transitioning to an access control system that sup-
curity threats place increasing pressure an obsolete access control infrastructure. It is far more effective to be proactive rather than reactive when making decisions about upgrading to new and im- proved technology.
Company undergoes a merger or acquisition. At some point af- ter an M&A event, an organization will need to issue new cre- dentials. This presents the opportunity to merge what previously were disparate administrative and other systems, technologies and processes. The investment in new technology is often com- parable to the cost of integrating separate legacy systems, so this is the perfect time to migrate to a new, more secure, sophisticated and capable system.
At the same time, however, there are many positive reasons to embrace change. These include enhancing investment value, improving user convenience, and paving a more flexible path to future capabilities. The ability to embrace these more positive aspects of change requires an access control platform that can meet today’s requirements with the highest levels of security, convenience and interoperability, while enabling organizations to adopt future capabilities without disrupting the ongoing business operations.
The headaches of managing multiple cards and systems exceeds threshold of frustration. In the same way that an M&A event can trigger the need for access control system consolidation, so can a long period of rapid growth or the use of decentralized adminis- tration systems across multiple physical locations. Standardizing and centralizing management of secure identity ensures consis- tency, higher security and a more efficient use of resources.
These are the advantages of the latest technologies. Today’s systems enable decision-makers to preserve investments in their current infrastructure as they transition to new technologies and capabilities. Following are 10 common triggers for making the transition to new and improve access control capabilities.
There is a facility consolidation, additions or relocation. Any move or addition will generally trigger the need to issue creden- tials for the new location. Mass rebadging is much simpler to co- ordinate and manage using a single, centralized system, making it an ideal time to simultaneously re-examine access control across the entire organization.
Upgrading Cards
Going Mobile
Changing Requirements
There is a change to security requirements. An organization may
be required to increase its security because there has been new
legislation or regulatory requirements. Or, the organization may Security Breach
win a new client or acquire building tenants that necessitates an Ideally, organizations should upgrade before there is a problem, increase in security. Any of these triggers presents an opportunity but the reality is that sometimes it takes an unexpected event or to upgrade security at other locations, as well, as part of a larger security breach to move an organization to make the investment upgrade to a new standardized, centralized system. in a new access control system.
There is growing demand for combining many different access control applications on single card—and adding new ones in the future. Today’s contactless smart cards can be used for many dif- ferent purposes beyond opening doors, from time and attendance to secure print management and cashless vending. Administra- tion of these functions is centralized into one efficient and cost- effective system. Organizations also can seamlessly add logical access control for network log-on to create a fully interoperable, multi-layered security solution across company networks, sys- tems and facilities.
Company re-brands and triggers a re-issuance process. Any time there is a re-branding, companies generally purchase new ID cards for current employees and enough cards to onboard new employees down the road. Forward-thinking decision-makers use this as an opportunity to simultaneously invest in new access con- trol technology with the flexibility and advanced capabilities to carry them well into the future.
Employees increasingly want a mobile option. Today’s access control systems also enable organizations to upgrade their sys- tems to the convenience, flexibility and security of carrying mo- bile IDs on smartphones and other devices. Mobility transforms the user experience for a more convenient, trusted and secure digital world, dramatically elevating how users regard security by enabling them to confidently connect to and use more applica- tions, on the go, than ever before, with a single, trusted ID that can be carried on a smart device.
Risk management needs improvement. Organizations often face new, more stringent insurance requirements, or need to reduce their liabilities and associated risk-management costs. This can be done by dramatically improving security through a move from an outdated system to one that supports current standards.
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ports PIV, PIV-I and CIV cards, along with an easy path to com- pliance with government requirements, where needed.
SMART CARDS