Top 5 Access Control Problems

•Published Jul 21, 2014 04:00 AM

Here's what integrators say are their 5 top problems with electronic access control:

High cost
End-user knowledge
Lowball Competition
Complex Doors/Hardware
Low System Turnover

Inside, integrators explain in-depth about what these issues here, how it impacts them and what they do to handle this.

Open ***** *********

** ******* *********** ** ***** ******** response **** *******, ****** **** ***** them ** ******** ****** / *** options. *********** ***** ***** **** ***** of ******** ** ***** ********.

*********

*** *** ***** ***** *** *** key ******** ****** ** *** *******:

** *** ******** **** ******, ** share *** ***** ******** *** ******** they ******* *** ******* ****:

**** ****

**** **** **% ** ***** *****, the ******* ******** ***** ** *** ***** ** controlling * ****. ********** *** ***-***** who **** ***** ********* ** ******** access ******* ******, *** ***** ****** of ******* ********, *** ***** ****** to ******* ****, *** *** ********** when ********** ** ********** ***** *** keys ******* **** ** ********. ************* for *** *********** **********, **** ***** not ******* *** ***:

"** **** **** *** **** *** a ****** ** ****** **** **** people ******* ** **** ** ** there ** **** ******* *****. ******* just * ****** ** *** **** there ** *** **** ** *** server, ********, *****, ********** *****, **** hardware, ***. ** ********** ******** ****** up *** ****. ** *** ******** sees **** ** **** ** *** them **** ******* *** *** ***** in **."
"**** ** *** ****."
"****. ****** ****** ***'* **** ** pay *** **. **** **** ***** cutting *** *** *** ********, ***** then ***** ** *** **** ** sell *** ******** ** ***. ***, the ******** ****** *****'* ****, **** just **** ** *** *** ****** amount."
"********* **** * ******** *** **** want ** *** *** * *********. When * ****** ***** ** *** budgetary **** *** * ******* ****, they ******* ******."
"*** ** ** ** ******* *** right *** ** ******** * ******** wants **** * ***** **** *** accept."
"*** ****. **** *** *********** **** button ***** ******* *** $*** ** so *** **** ***** **** ** all **** ** ** **. *** required ******** **********, ******, ***. *** considerably ** *** **** *** ********* there ** ******* *****. **** **** the **** ****** *** **** ***** using ** **** *** *** ***** in *** ******."
"**** *** ****. **** ** **** that *** **** ** ****** **** another, ********* ******* **** ** **** as*********** *** *** ***'* ********** *** work ****** ****** *** ** ***** systems ******** **** **** **** ** to."
"********** *** ******** *** **** ** worthwhile. ******** **** *** ******** ******* for *** ********. ***** ** ******* exciting ***** ** *** *** *********, often * ******** ** ****. ********** difficult ** **** **** **** ****** in *** ****."

** * ******-**, ** ***** *** same **** ** *********** "**** ** your ******* ****** ** ****** *******?" to *** *** **** ***** *********** typically ****** ** **** ** *** systems. ****** ***** ******* ** ** released ** *** **** *****.

***-**** *********

*** **** ****** ******* ** ******* customers ** ******** ********** *** ********, operation, *** ********* ** ****** *******. When ********* **** ** ********** ******* of *** *** ****** *** ** used, ** ** **** ********* ********* solutions ***** ** *********, *** ****. Educating ***-***** ***** **** *** **** to ****** ********* ***** ******** *** important:

"*** ******** ********* ** *** ******** - *** ********** (**********) ***** **** that ** *** *** *** ********** between ******* ****** ** ********."
"******* **** *** *********** ******** ** keys *** *****. ****** **** ** thick ** *** ** ****** * high ******* ****."
"**** ** ******* [*********] ** **** the ********** *** ** ***'* ** based ** *** *****'* ************."
"********* ***** ***'* **** **** **** want, ** ****."
"******* *** ******** ** *** *** added ***** *** ******* *** ******** to ********** **** *** **** ** the *********** *** ** * ******** of *** **** ** *** ****/ strike ********."
"*** # * ** ********* *** *** users."
"******* ** * ****** ***** * comprehensive ******** **** [*** ***] *** access ****** ****."
"** **** ******* ********* *** *****. How **** **** ******** ****** ***** one **** ****?"
"******* ******* ** ******** ************ & end-users ***** **** ** ********** & manage **** **** ****. *****'* * lot ** ****-******* **** *** *** most ***** *****."

Low-Priced ***********

** *** **** **** ** **** cost *********, *** *** ****** ** low **** *********** *** ***** ******** that **** ************. ** **** *** findings ** *** ******** ********** *********** ****** ****, ******* ******** ******* **** **** potential *********** *** ***** ******* ** do *** **** ******* *** ***** bad ******** ******:

"***** ******* ******* ** *** ******."
"***** *** ********* ** ** **** that *** *****, *** ********."
"********** ********* *** ******* ********* ******* into *** ******** ********** *** ****** with ******** *** ********."
"***** *** * *** ** ******* **** ***** ******** **** ** ** ** hard ** ******* ******* **** *** most ********* *** *** ************* ****** to *** ****** * ****** ********** system ** **** **** ****** *******."
"*********** **** ******* *********. ** *****'* been **** ** ******** * ******** owner **** *** ******** *** *****."
"***** *********** **** ******* ********."
"***** ******** ******* ***** *******."
"*** **** ********* *********** (*** **** China)"

Door ************

***** **** ******, *** **** *** be ******* ** ******* ******** *** safely. *********** ****** ***** *********** **** complex ********** **** ***** **** *** be *********** *********** *** ****** ** not ********. ***********, ****** ************* *** maintaining **** ****** ** *********** *** be * ********* *** **** *********** installers:

"************ ******** *****. **** ********* ** do ** ***** *** ****."
"*********** **** **** ******** **** ** specified ** **** ********** *** ********* by ******** ******** **********."
"******* **** **** ******** ***** **** best *** ***** *****. *** ***** a *********, **** ******** ** ** weak *****."
"**** ************ ** *** **** ******* hassle, *** ********* *** * ** not *** * ****."
"********** *** ********** **** ******** ********* is ****** *** ********."
"*********** **** ***-******* ******** *** ****** doors."

** ******* **** ***** *** ********** hardware ** * **** ***** *** you, ***** ***** **** ****** *** Resources *** ****:

********** **** *****
**** *** ***** ********* ******
********** **** ********
***** ***** *** ****** *******
********* *** ***** **** ** ******** Lock
************* *** **+ **** *********

Low ****** ********

** ** ***** ** *** ******** ** ********** ****** ******* ******* ****, ****** ******* *** ********* **** for * ****** ** ****** ****** being ********. **** ***** **** **** the ******* **** ** ******, ********* existing ********* ** *** ********* **** do *** ***** ******:

"******* ***** **** *** **** **** likely ** ****** *** ******** *** to *** ****** ** ***** ** the ******* ********** **** *** * lifespan ** ** ***** * ***** and **** **** * *** ***, usually **** ******."
"****** ** ****** ******** *********** ***/*******/*** Legacy *******."
"*** ****** **** *** ***** ******** to ****** ****."
"********* ****** **** **** ******** ******** systems, ****** *** ***** **** ** sell."
"**** ***** ** *** ******* ****** clients ******** ** ******. ** ***'** spent * ***** ** ***** ** your******* ******** ***** *******, *** **** want ** ***** **** **********. ** you've ***** * ***** ** ***** on * ***** ** ******* *** client ***, *** ***'* **** ** go **** ** **** **** *** tell **** **** ***** ******** *****'* necessary ***** ***. ** ***'** ****** used ** **** ****** * ***-******* (hilariously *********) ********* ** ********** ** whatever, ***'** ******** ***** ** ** a ****** ************* **** ** **** API **** **** *** *** ***** your *** *** ****."

*** **** ** ********* ** ********* provider *********, ********* ***** **** ** keep ******* ********* *********** ***** ***** obsoleted ** *** ****** *** *** cost ** *********** ** **** *** high ** ****.

Comments (11)

John Honovich

•Jul 21, 2014

IPVM

If high cost and low priced competition are 2 of the biggest problems, then who are the budget vendors in the access control that are being used? Is there an equivalent to Dahua / Hikvision and their re-labelers in access control?

Michael Budalich

•Jul 21, 2014

Genetec

In reply to John Honovich

I feel like companies like Keyscan/Paxton are the Dahua/Hikvision to the Access control market. I don't know if the others on here would agree, but that is my opinion.

Brian Rhodes

•Jul 21, 2014

IPVMU Certified

In reply to Michael Budalich

I do not agree.

There is not a corresponding Dahua or Hikvision for access, but if there were it would be someone substantially involved in the OEM business like Mercury Security or ZKTeco.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

•Jul 29, 2014

In reply to Brian Rhodes

ZK is different from Mercury because IMHO ZK has its own ZK-branded product selling on the market while Mercury is purely an OEM vendor

Mario Fernandez

•Jul 24, 2014

I am really surprised that some integrators actually entertain the idea of removing the DPS and REX devices from access control systems in order to reduce cost.

If you are not monitoring the status of a door, you no longer know if that door has been forced open, left open or compromised any other way allowing for anyone to access the space. By removing those devices you effectively have lost control over that door; therefore, you no longer have an "access control " system. All you have is a card reader and credentials that tell you who "unlocked" the door, not if the space is secured.

IMHO there are alternative methods to reduce cost without compromising the primordial function of a system.

joel rakow

•Aug 10, 2014

Educating end user administrators has long been a thorn in the side of access control integrators. ActivAdmin introduced professionally designed and produced online video tutorials for Lenel and AMAG. These tutorials are available via a subscription price of $500 per site with unlimited training for unlimited people. Both Lenel and AMAG manufacturers actively support the purchase and sale of these tutorials. Integrators can resell the training or have customers buy direct. ActivAdmin will configure the training to be available from integrator's web site with the integrator's logo prominently displayed.

Visit try.stevethesecuritygeek.com to see a sample and to register for a trial.

Reactions:

John Honovich

•Aug 10, 2014

IPVM

In reply to joel rakow

Joel, thanks for sharing that.

Here's a video from that Lenel training:

I agree there is value in having this, I am just confused why Lenel doesn't just give this away for free? Why place barriers to get end users effective on their product?

This reminds me of the Roktain guy telling me that you had to buy the 'testing' manual separately from the Roktain dummy for an extra $499.

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(1)

joel rakow

•Sep 16, 2014

John, thanks for your comments. There is a way to understand why Lenel is NOT a good source for end user training of their product. Here are some insights and thoughts I believe shed light on this matter:

-Microsoft has never produced good training or help documents for end users. The culture inside a software company is too different from the end user community for them to communicate well enough to prepare effective instruction for the non-technical person

-Lenel has excellent training for integrators and technical administrators

-Lenel has a responsibility to be complete and accurate in explicity detail

-None of the above insights will help Lenel people to develop or manage appropriate end user training for 80% of the their end user community, who are substantially non-technical, have little or no interest in anything beyond "doing the tasks required of them"

-In developing end user training for software, we consider: a) The tasks that 80% of the administrators perform 80% of the time; b) One single method to perform that task that is both readily teachable and does cause problems elsewhere; c) Organizing the instruction to develop the specific skills using the fewest words in the shortest time; d) Enabling repetition when needed on demand

-We see your #2 concern for integrators as an opportunity across all software-driven building controls that are sold by integrators (a.k.a. value added resellers). Access control happens to be the lowest hanging fruit among all building control systems.

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