Page 24 - Security Today, May/June 2025

A C C E S S C O N T R O L
Deploying in a Hybrid,
Cloud Environment
By Kris Houle
evolving. Traditional on-premises systems come
The way organizations manage access control is
with high IT and server requirements. At the same
time, fully cloud-based solutions may not meet the
needs of every facility.
Hybrid-cloud access control bridges the gap, giving businesses
the best of both worlds—combining on-prem infrastructure with
the fl exibility of cloud-based management. As companies em-
brace multi-site security management and cost-saving initiatives,
hybrid-cloud access control is becoming the model of choice.
Many businesses are shifting toward subscription-based mod-
els for cloud services, reducing the fi nancial strain of major server
and IT infrastructure investments. Hybrid-cloud access control
enables businesses to modernize security systems at their own
pace. While cloud services follow an operational expense (OpEx)
model, hybrid solutions often retain a mix of OpEx and capital
expense (CapEx), allowing organizations to balance upfront in-
vestments with recurring costs based on their fi nancial strategy.
For security, fl exibility, and scalability, hybrid-cloud access
control is the ideal solution for most organizations. By combining
on-prem security with cloud capabilities, businesses can modern-
ize systems at their own pace.
ADAPTING TO A CHANGING WORLD
Cloud options for video management began years ago. Security and
IT teams who experienced the fl exibility and ease of remote manage-
ment for video began to want the same benefi ts for access control.
However, there was not a strong drive to invest in replacing legacy
systems. Access control is capital-heavy, with a lot of hardware.
A hybrid-cloud model changes that equation. It allows busi-
nesses to modernize security infrastructure to take advantage of
the most important benefi ts of cloud technologies without having
to rip and replace an entire existing system.
Leveraging cloud services can also reduce the burden on IT
teams to maintain infrastructure. In a traditional on-prem sys-
tem, troubleshooting, system setup and commissioning needs to
be done at a local level. This is especially the case when managing
multiple locations and multiple systems with a complex architec-
ture. Cloud solutions simplify this.
With hybrid-cloud, security teams can update access permis-
sions across multiple locations from anywhere, reducing response
times and improving effi ciency. Automatic updates are pushed to
the system to keep it secure and compliant with evolving industry
standards, which frees IT teams to focus on more important tasks.
There’s a common perception that cloud security is weaker
than on-prem, but in reality, leading cloud providers invest heav-
ily in cybersecurity, offering real-time monitoring, encryption
and automated patching. In highly regulated industries, a hybrid-
cloud model can provide enhanced security by allowing busi-
nesses to retain local control over sensitive data while leveraging
cloud-based analytics and automation.
On-prem, cloud, and hybrid deployment models each have
their place. None is intrinsically ‘better’ than another. Work with
your systems integrator to consider factors like compliance re-
quirements, remote access needs, and availability of resources.
Then choose the model that is best suited to your situation.
A hybrid-cloud access control model is practical for most or-
ganizations because it provides the fl exibility to choose what stays
on-prem and what moves to the cloud. For example, many orga-
nizations manage critical security devices, such as door control-
lers and badge readers, locally. User management, monitoring,
and analytics may be moved to the cloud for effi ciency.
Here are a few things to consider when selecting deployment
options.
Easy of use and remote management. When choosing a hybrid-
cloud access control system, ease of use and remote management
should be top priorities. With the latest cloud-managed solutions,
IT teams no longer need to be on-site for every update or main-
tenance task.
Difference between IaaS and SaaS. When evaluating cloud
access control solutions, it is important to distinguish between
infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and software as a service (SaaS).
IaaS solutions host access control software in the cloud, but busi-
nesses remain responsible for managing confi gurations, updates
and security. SaaS, on the other hand, eliminates much of this
burden by providing a fully managed service where the provider
handles updates, security and maintenance. Hybrid-cloud solu-
tions can combine elements of both, allowing businesses to cus-
tomize their level of control.
Cybersecurity prioritization. Whether you choose an on-prem
or cloud solution, ensuring strong cybersecurity practices is imper-
ative. Choose a provider that prioritizes security from the start, not
as an afterthought. Every deployment type should include encryp-
tion, network segmentation, and proactive security monitoring.
Scalability and fl exibility. Considering the scalability of the
system is key. Some access control providers require proprietary
hardware that locks customers within their ecosystem. Selecting an
open architecture solution gives you much more fl exibility to gradu-
ally upgrade your hardware and software as your business changes,
without the expense of having to rip out and replace legacy systems.
Businesses should carefully evaluate whether their chosen pro-
vider allows for open integrations and data portability. Even if
a system supports existing hardware, some cloud providers limit
interoperability through restricted APIs, pro-
prietary data formats, or costly migration fees,
making it diffi cult to switch providers in the
future.
Kris Houle is a product line manager, Security
Center SaaS, at Genetec Inc.
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