Page 60 - Security Today, May/June 2023

Access Control Hybrid Access Control in Campus Environments By Kris Houle Only a few years ago, the idea of mov- ing to the cloud was met with guard- ed optimism. But today, the shift is becoming more of a reality. An increasing number of campus orga- nizations, whether corporate or higher edu- cation, are starting cloud migrations. Cloud- based video management systems are a popular starting point, but access control solutions are also becoming more popular. The benefits of cloud and hybrid systems are becoming better known. Why Consider a Hybrid System? There will always be a need for on-premises appliances. The trouble is that there can be more work and costs involved in maintaining the infrastructure. Getting ongoing IT sup- port, handling hardware and software updates, and optimizing device performance are resource-intensive tasks. Over the long term, all these things add up and can become too costly. In general, cloud-based or hybrid systems are more flexible, scalable, and cost-effective than on-premises systems. Cloud-connected sensors can be deployed anywhere with internet access and managed from a central location. You don’t need to have servers at each location. A cloud system also makes it easier for organizations to keep pace with changing technology. When you partner with a repu- table open-architecture software vendor, you gain access to security and feature updates as soon as they are available. And when new hardware innovations enter the market, your system is ready to accept them. A Cost-Efficient Solution for Large Companies Enterprise customers with large campuses are often slow to adopt new technologies. However, many are now recognizing that making the switch to a hybrid-cloud system allows them to realize cost savings. Choosing a hybrid-cloud approach to access control allows campuses to migrate slowly over time. They don’t have to undertake a costly and complex mission to rip and replace the whole system at once. Instead, campuses can begin by extending FAMILY STOCK/Shutterstock.com 16 campuslifesecurity.com | MAY/JUNE 2023 the functionality of on-premises, server- based systems by building a bridge to the cloud. This may entail adding devices with cloud-based software and storage or implementing cloud solutions at remote sites. They may run specific applications in the cloud while keeping others on-prem. With cloud systems, there are fewer physical server installations to deploy and manage. On larger campuses and in multi- site installations, the cost savings add up quickly. This is especially the case when you factor in the labor cost and IT resources required to maintain and update those servers. A hybrid-cloud approach allows you to reduce or even eliminate many of those expenses. If a company lacks the internal IT resources to effectively mitigate cybersecurity risks and manage complex computer systems, offloading some of these responsibilities to a reputable third party is often a solution. Cloud software manufacturers have dedicated teams devoting 100% of their attention to preventing, monitoring, and responding to cyber threats. In most cases, companies can also get better uptime from a cloud-hosted system than would be possible to manage internally. Unifying Disparate Systems On-prem systems are often installed and managed independently from each other. Access control is managed in one place, video monitoring in another, and so on. When you want to integrate or unify multiple systems, it can be challenging—especially when you’re working with multiple deployments or locations. A hybrid solution allows an organization to keep in on-prem appliances where required and introduce cloud components into the system as needed. The flexibility and scalability of the cloud simplify expansions. From a front-end perspective, nothing changes for the operator. They can manage all components, whether cloud-based or hosted on-premises, within one interface. Perhaps one of the most exciting aspects of a unified, cloud-based, or hybrid access control system is that it can go far beyond just locking and unlocking doors. It can collect data from multiple other sources to help with business operations. With a cloud or hybrid solution, the opportunity for unifying different data sources is amplified. In addition to connect- ing to access control and video monitoring systems, the system can pull in data from other devices. This includes temperature or humidity sensors used by building manage- ment systems, on-prem intrusion monitor- ing, or even information systems from human resources. Seamlessly interconnected disparate