Intelligent Vertical Solutions: Security Trends and Business Opportunities at the Access Control Opening

On Monday, Dec. 18, as part of the SIA Webinar series, a webinar titled Intelligent Vertical Solutions: Security Trends and Business Opportunities at the Access Control Opening covered access control technology trends which are impacting several vertical markets and revolutionizing the concept of the access control “opening.”  Speaker Mark Duato (ASSA ABLOY) discussed how developments in access control technology coupled with advances in IT infrastructure have opened exciting new possibilities for security professionals focused on various verticals.

The webinar covered the following topics:

·         Technologies such as mobile credentials, IoT and cloud services and how they deliver unexpected value to implementers of intelligent access control systems across many verticals

·         How healthcare, multi-use resident and retail professionals are leveraging advanced security technologies to meet changing business requirements

·         How high-security verticals such as institutional, government and data center protection are implementing innovative access control strategies to accomplish their business goals and meet compliance requirements

Duato stated the single most dynamic market trend effecting the industry is IoT. As the IoT has emerged, it has become not only important to communicate between users but also important to leverage technology devices to capture that date and provide services to customers.

By 2020 there will be over 50 billion connected devices, 4 billion connected people, $4 trillion in revenue opportunity, 25+ million apps, and 50 trillion GBs of data. The question is how do we manage that data and what are the innovations that help us do that in the security space.

Many companies within the security industry are serving different vertical markets with different types of solutions. Generally, there are a few vertical markets that are heavily affected by innovation:

·         Education

·         Government

·         Healthcare

·         Hotel & hospitality

·         Industry & Utility

·         Mixed-Use

·         Office & Corporate

·         Public facilities

·         Retail

·         Residential

Demands vary widely between customer segments, but ASSA ABLOY has solutions for all types of doors in a range of environments. We work with architects, authorities and major end customers to create and offer the best security solutions for all kinds of door openings.

Airports, hospitals, offices and private homes have different security needs. Accordingly, the security solution for each door is adapted to the door’s location and how it will be used.

Major customers include airports, commercial institutions and hospitals, with many people passing through daily.

Small and midsize customers are characterized by the customers’ need for professional advice and installation. This need is mainly met by specialized distributors and installers, such as locksmiths.

Most consumer sales are replacements or upgrades of existing security products. The typical private consumer needs extensive advice and help with installation.

Identity/Mobile Credential Evolution

The identity and credential evolution which began with the key and cylinder but there are some disadvantages to high security key when you don’t have great control. Then there is the traditional access control credential which has gone through many modifications from extremely high credentials.

The security of the identity, and the security of the credential continue to be of critical importance in the security space, which has led to develop certain types of technology to minimize the risk of identities being stolen for access control.

Smart connected devices are decentralizing security

One of the major market impacts within the security industry is that end users recognize they can control their security but would like to minimize the cost of traditional infrastructure.

Security by obscurity

·         Rigid

·         Expensive

·         Closed architecture

Security by standards

·         Flexible

·         Less expensive

·         Open architecture

Duato stated that standards drive security applications, and create a subset of products and solutions that are sensitive to secure networks without the heavy lift of the system architectures that we [security industry] are used to.

Physical Security: School Attack Resistance

Many Districts/Schools speak of a Castle & Moat deployment strategy, where their priorities in order are:

1.       Property Perimeter

2.       Visitor Vestibule

3.       Exterior Openings

4.       Interior Openings are frequently addressed last because of the quantity of doors and complexity of choosing a solution

Some of the things that are affecting what happens in the constructions phase:

·         Public pressure

·         Little funding

·         NFPA 2018 influences

·         Mechanical, standalone, hardwire, wireless

·         Lockdown

Security Continuum

Beyond Traditional Security: Retail (Intelligent Key)

Intelligent Keys offers customers the ability to move away from a mechanical solution with low security to a near real-time solution. This solution offers many benefits of an on-line access control system at a fraction of the cost.

The use of Intelligent Keys allows the provision and de-provision clearance rights which will create access control clearance on the key. Every transaction is stored on the key and inside the cylinder where the key works. Intelligent Keys capture additional data that can be captured in the cloud.

·         Simple installation

·         No wires

·         Update access rights with simple phone app

·         Updates occur anywhere, anytime

·         Upgrade existing hardware-no investment loss

Intelligent Keys in the Cloud

1.       Access Control

a.       Schedules, Users and Rights

b.       Audits of transactions

c.       Revocation

d.       Report Data

Traditional Online EAC Hardware Solutions

Traditional online access control solutions are still very effective and the best way to manage high speed and high traffic access control data.

·         Hard wiring for power and communication

·         Heavy infrastructure costs (TCO)

·         Ideal for high security or complex electrified openings

·         Usually requires access control panels and interface devices “above ceiling”

IP-Enabled PoE Access Control

Power over Ehternet locks leverage existing PoE infrastructure to reduce components and minimize energy usage:

·         IEEE 802.3af Class 1 rated, requiring less than 3.84W peak and less than 2W in standby mode

·         Use 86 % less energy than a traditional electromagnetic locking system

There are sustainable benefits to using a PoE integrated lock as opposed to a traditional access control device, which will save the customer significant money in their enterprise.

Commercial Wireless Infrastructure Choices

The perception of wireless is that all are created equal, however the reality is different. There are open architecture wireless products and solutions which leverage existing WIFI infrastructure and then there are more traditional proprietary wireless solutions which allow the use of a more conventional access control architecture for security.

In the security industry, [we] like to have two sets of solutions to meet the specific needs of the opening for our customers.

One recommendation to end users and integrators in the marketplace today is to really understand the benefits of one verse the other as opposed to assuming all things are created equal.

WiFi

·         Lowest total infrastructure cost

·         Ideal retrofit solution

Aperio

·         Broadest range of locking devices

·         Global solution

Higher Education University Physical Trends

One of the largest vertical market today, for wireless technology for access control, is the higher education market because they are typically door dense environments and there is demand because it is important to supply security to the students that attend schools.

·         University IT management making physical security decisions

·         Credential continues towards mobile

·         Complicated access privileges managed from a single seat

·         Leverage WIFI locks on dorm rooms

·         Academic access control is different

o   Security versus convenience

·         Student experience – frictionless- is a major factor 

Sustainability Priorities

Duato explained, sustainability is becoming a natural part of what we do. We are still new to this and we learn every day; but here’s what we are working on so far.

1.       Resource, energy consumption and carbon emissions

2.       Water and waste management

3.       Health and safety performance manufacturing

4.       Supply chain sustainability performance

5.       Sustainability performance in supply of products and solutions

Duato explained this is an example of the work we’ve done at almost every manufacturing site in the US. We examine data for reductions in water, water, energy, and over all carbon footprint, and then we make improvements based on that data. We want to develop innovative products and can only tell the whole story of sustainability if these innovative products are manufactured in facilities that follow the same guidelines.

When have you ever head of a lock being manufactured by renewable energy? 4.5 acres of solar array powers this facility on 20% renewable energy. This will be 50% renewable energy by the end of 2016.

Products also manufactured in LEED certified buildings!

Expanding Healthcare Openings

The definition of an opening is changing in healthcare.

·         Affordable, wireless access control to locations where audit control and monitoring are becoming increasingly critical

·         Cabinets, lockers, and drawers

·         Use existing ID badges

Duato continued that narcotics require an audit trail and can be expensive to secure! Could also be used for sensitive areas like chemical storage, important documents (HIPPA) etc.

Enterprise/Data Center

In the enterprise security space, no longer is it good enough to have high security to get into the data center. The end customers today, for compliance reasons, want to be able to control who comes and goes from each individual rack. Additionally, there’s a whole platform of both wireless and hard-wired rack solutions, that are non-traditional openings, available to the market to help serve customers better.  

Multi-Family/Mixed-Use

Duato explained, when you think of the different property types that can benefit from data-on card technology with Yale Accentra. Think of those that have very door dense, or “floor dense” environments with both common area and resident access doors. These can include apartments, condos, mixed use buildings, Assisted living facilities, even privatized student housing.