For many years now proximity readers have been king in the access control world. For almost as many years we have heard that smart cards and biometrics were “just around the corner.” 

When integrators talk to end users about “convergence” of physical and logical access control, the nature of that conversation hinges on multiple factors. There is no single definition of what that term means, and a government office will have a very different need than, say, a university.

The access control world abounds with the latest and greatest technology buzzwords: wireless; Power over Ethernet (PoE); near field communications (NFC); convergence; the cloud — to name just the top few. But are these the features end users are looking for in access control today? Are these the words integrators can use to close the sale?

News events in recent months, such as shootings at office buildings, college campuses and the tragedy at Newtown, Conn., have renewed interest in visitor management across the board.

Wireless is supposed to be easy, right? When it comes to access control, the answer isn’t a simple “Yes” or “No.” For an integrator, knowing when to use wireless, which product to use, and how to install it requires skill sets that fall at both extremes of the spectrum. But for those integrators that navigate those extremes, the payoffs can be big.

Electric locking options for doors are fairly straightforward. The main types include magnetic locks, electric door strikes, and electrified locksets. But when you look at a door, knowing which of those solutions will work best, is easiest and quickest to install, and will meet the customer’s requirements is an important skill for any integrator.

Cloud access control is not a new concept. Some companies have been offering it for decades. If this sounds surprising it is because cloud access is nothing more than hosted or managed access control, renamed.

Remember when an end user’s security director was the go-to contact for an access control sale and the information technology (IT) manager was brought in to consult on the network requirements? In the enterprise solution space, that model has turned on its head in the past couple of years.

Choosing a lens for a camera is not a new skill for integrators who have worked in the video space for any length of time. However, the parameters have changed. Some things have gotten simpler; others are more complicated.Choosing a lens for a camera is not a new skill for integrators who have worked in the video space for any length of time. However, the parameters have changed. Some things have gotten simpler; others are more complicated.