Any Major Changes In Core Access Control Technology In The Past Decade?

So what about no on site servers or software in the case of cloud access control?

What about the departure from serial panel to panel communications to remove data loops thanks to IP panel communications?

What about the larger push into biometrics from token based systems?

What about the adoption of Bluetooth credentials?

What about the options for ODSP or Onvif A as new board level and function control?

Just a few things I've seen in the last dozen or so years that I've been doing access control compared to older legacy technology I've worked on prior to these systems.

I would consider these significant changes in that timeframe:

1. IP/Wireless based 'Edge'/ Standalone at the door controllers have become mainstream, compared with serial/ panel based controllers stored in closet locations.

2.  Broader use of PoE power, as noted in PoE Powered Access Control Tutorial. This may progress even further with Higher Power PoE 802.3bt Ratified.

3. The continued development and growth of OSDP vs. Wiegand and Clock & Data.

4. The awareness that 125 kHZ credentials are not secure, noted in the continued migration in 13.56 MHz formats, as we track in Favorite Access Control Credentials 2018.

5. Mobile-based credentials using BLE, NFC, or Apps were not common, but many vendors are supporting or have launched their own examples in the last 10 years.

The impact of these may not outwardly impact access control's primary function of opening doors, but the individual updates they address fundamentally change system design or use.

Does that help?

Thanks to all for your response. My focus was on "core architecture" which comprises of "Access point - network switches - controllers - main controller - software"

As I mentioned in my first post, YES, there are lots of improvements and advancements. But do we call them moving to next "generation"? 

From the responses, I tend to agree that there are few improvements which can be called MAJOR advancements like PoE power, secure channels, IP, cloud adoption etc. Thanks again for these inputs. 

I would look at something like:

1. Adopting complete IP based solution where controllers may not be needed. The data travels from access control LAN point to data center directly through enterprise IP network.

2. Remove dependency of number of access points connected to controllers and so on.

3. Build smartness in the access point

4. Seamless integration between access control point and nearby door or camera or sensors or LPR.

5. Freedom of using "any type, anywhere" access points. I should be able to use iPad as access control using face detection and conventional access point with card at other place within same enterprise.

4. Have software defined controllers / access points.

Many of these are available with few vendors in some way. But these are not yet common. We are still living at the mercy of OEM to give us new feature in next release.

Finally we have potential to deploy fully encrypted data from Card to Operator workstation Interface, which has to be a major step in Access Control core functionality.