Proprietary or non-proprietary hardware? That is the question. Okay, Shakespeare didn’t know anything about access control. But for companies in the modern era, the non-proprietary vs. proprietary face-off is one of tremendous consequence.
A major benefit of non-proprietary access control hardware is that it gives customers the option to change software whenever they want, without costly ripping and replacing. But Genea has expanded the benefits of non-proprietary hardware beyond this standard.
Now access control teams can create “if-then,” input-output rules for their Mercury Security hardware with event-based access control groups. See how these features reduce emergency response times and make teams more efficient.
Contents
1. Why are Input-Output Rules Important?
2. What are Event-Based Access Control Groups?
3. Problems with Proprietary
4. Plan for a Flexible Future with Mercury
Why are Input-Output Rules Important in Access Control?
Genea Security uses Mercury controllers as the “brains” of the system. Controllers decide who may pass into a given facility and transmit data back to the access control software so system administrators can make decisions. For example, if the data shows a door held open, the administrator can manually investigate or pull up a live security video feed to collect more data.
Input-Output Rules allow an automated response to occur, thereby saving system admins time from manually responding. Input-output rules have two parts—a trigger and an action. The trigger defines the event, while the actions are the steps that follow. The process happens in an “if-then” sequence. Once a trigger occurs, the actions commence.
For instance, if a door is forced open, then an action, like an alarm sounding, might occur. With Genea Security, admins create their own input-output rules. These provide a faster response time, something especially helpful in emergencies.
What is an Event-based Access Control Group, and How Does it Help?
To take input-output a step further, administrators can group multiple doors to react when a trigger occurs. This is called a Monitor Point Group. System administrators can customize their Monitor Point Groups to create automated event-based responses.
Consider a school or hospital with a breached front door. The system administrator had already set the input-output rule so that “if” the front door is forced open, “then” the doors adjoining the lobby to the hallways lock. Consequently, the perpetrator is prevented from gaining access beyond the lobby.
Event-based access control helps administrators plan for unpredictable wrongdoings. By customizing and grouping multiple alarms, access control systems and their administrators can respond more fluidly and precisely when trouble arises.
Problems with Proprietary Hardware
Imagine buying a new smartphone, taking it home, excitedly unboxing it, only to realize the charging cable isn’t compatible with your old charger. To make matters worse, the correct charger costs more money. This type of risk happens with proprietary access control.
Software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers like OpenPath and Brivo use proprietary systems, meaning for the software to function, customers must rely on the providers’ specific hardware.
Conversely, non-proprietary companies like Genea, give customers the option to change software providers should they choose without ripping and replacing hardware. While the former may be alluring because of the upfront cost, over the long run, proprietary hardware comes with significant risk and little reward. This is why proprietary hardware is more of a problem than a solution:
- Rigidity– Proprietary hardware locks users into one software system.
- Changes– When new security threats emerge, customers can’t pivot to different software.
- Rip and Replace– To make system-wide changes, proprietary customers must uninstall their hardware and replace it with a non-proprietary version. This can lead to costly system downtime and vulnerability to security threats.
Plan for a Flexible Future
From the growth in remote work to high employee churn, the future of the workplace remains uncertain. With so much volatility, companies must find flexible ways to operate. Only by choosing non-proprietary access control hardware will teams remain agile enough to address future threats.
Learn more about event-based access control and non-proprietary hardware from Genea.
