Page 60 - Security Today, October 2018

Physical Access Control Transformation
It has been estimated that by 2020, 20 percent of physical access con- trol solutions will be shaped by mobile technology and cloud archi- tectures. Early adopters such as universities and co-working spaces are now even moving to “mobile-only” access-control system models due to the benefits around integrating numerous applications into a unified mobile experience.
First, cloud-based platforms will ensure identity-aware, seamless and more consistent service delivery and user experiences while im- proving how identity solutions are delivered. For example, bridging biometrics and access control has been challenging in the past, be- cause it requires a trusted platform designed to meet the concerns of accessibility and data protection in a connected environment. These barriers can be addressed through a secured and connected cloud ar- chitecture that can remotely manage all readers and users (including onboarding, template loading and enrollment activities for supported authentication modes).
Second, cloud platforms will provide the backbone for quickly adding complimentary applications like secure print, virtual photo ID, and vending as well as other access control use cases and emerg- ing permission-based transaction capabilities yet to be developed. These platforms also give organizations greater flexibility to upgrade their security infrastructure, scale it as they grow, improve mainte- nance and efficiency, and get the most out of their investments. Key among these is a location services platform that delivers high-value data for a host of new applications and capabilities.
A third benefit of multi-tenant cloud platforms is the opportunity to adopt new, more flexible subscription models that could enable users to more easily replenish mobile IDs if their smartphones are lost or must be replaced. These models have the potential to stream- line forecasting, budgeting and reporting while pushing mobile cre- dentials from a product-based model to more of a service-based ap- proach (which also helps organizations move cost from a CAPEX budget to a “pay-as-you-need-it” OPEX line item). Mobile ID sub- scriptions have the potential to be transferrable across an organiza- tion’s employees, and they can be more convenient for administrators to register multiple mobile IDs across multiple devices—whenever they need to and without having to place replenishment orders.
Another example can be seen in cloud-based ID card issuance platforms that give users the option for hardware, software and other resources to be leased and their costs bundled into a service offering billed on an annual or monthly-installment basis. The service model not only cuts multiple layers of program costs but also makes it eas- ier for administrators to scale the card office to accommodate future technology capabilities or changing volume demands.
Finally, cloud-based access control will be accompanied by sim- plified development environments that are designed for easy integra- tion into vertical solutions. This will fuel innovation and a new way to look at workplace design as the convenience of mobile apps is married to the power of insights derived from data analytics (from both location services and access control devices that are connected throughout the workplace). The result: a more intuitive and seamless service delivery, better workflow planning, regulatory compliance, re- mote hardware configuration, predictive access control system main- tenance capabilities. This is in addition to other exciting new opera- tional advances that will benefit the entire access control chain—from application developers to end customers.
Enabling a New Chapter in Physical Access Control
Millions of installed physical access control devices are poised to be- come a global cloud platform for trusted workplace innovation. They first must be connected to the cloud and supported by software devel- oper kits (SDKs) and open application programming interfaces (APIs).
tionality will be embedded in access control panels as app extensions. With these IoT connections, access control systems will deliver real- time data to the cloud, which will facilitate remote diagnostics and a more predictive approach to system maintenance and help protect against emerging vulnerabilities.
The complexity of reader configuration will be dramatically sim- plified: no longer will it be necessary to guess at the current reader configurations or make manual and time-consuming changes to them. Cloud-connected readers will enable remote inspection or changes to the reader configuration and updates to reader firmware.
These cloud connections will also enable access control systems to join advanced smart building solution set through cloud-based monitoring applications that deliver robust analytics capabilities used to proactively pinpoint and troubleshoot potential system failures. The applications will also monitor secure connections between access control peripherals and trigger firmware updates to address potential cyber threats.
With a cloud connected hardware foundation in place, there will also be a faster, more simplified path from design to deployment, transforming how products and solutions are developed, marketed and scaled across the enterprise, as well as how they are adopted and used. Developers will shift from having to create an entire vertically integrated solution to simply layering an app experience on top of an existing access control infrastructure already connected in the cloud and made easily available through APIs and SDKs. This will fuel market-making opportunities as new players are attracted to the space beyond traditional physical and IT security integrators, result- ing in a richer and more vibrant development community focused on bringing to market new and innovative solutions. This community will be supported by new kinds of tools and services for integration enablement and support as compared to the traditional physical ac- cess control marketplace (see Fig. 1).
Fig. 1. The industry will migrate to a new kind of developer model in which an ecosys- tem of partners is supported by enablement tools and other support and assistance aimed at helping them succeed with their integrations and go-to-market strategies.
With this model, the industry will move beyond siloed security and workplace optimization solutions to simplicity, scalability and universality of mobile apps that can be downloaded anywhere across a global footprint of millions of compatible physical access control system endpoints that are all connected in the cloud and IoT.
The relationship between PACS technology suppliers and their integration partners will also evolve. A growing developer commu- nity will be able to access a comprehensive offering of integration en- ablement services, access control cloud services, engineering and IT/ operations resources, sales and pre-sales support, and other customer care support (see Fig. 2).
An Early Adoption Path
Among the most attractive early adoption paths for leveraging cloud
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To enable these connections to cloud-based services, IoT func-
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