Editor: Lennart Alexandrie key to smart buildings “This is not to imply that companies should not store data on-premises, but ensuring data redundancy makes for an excellent insurance policy.” Easier Installation With on-prem access control, companies often rely on abundant hardware to connect their various access control applications to one unified system. More often than not, this turns out to be costly and time-consuming, according to Ross Wilks. “With a cloud-based system, companies can save time and money by avoiding tedious installations by linking their devices to the cloud. By connecting on-premises hardware and software to the cloud, access control installations can be made faster, easier, and more convenient overall for everyone involved by avoiding tedious maintenance and updates. Instead of halting day-to-day operations to update system software, companies can update everything all at once from the cloud, providing a smooth, seamless transition for workers and visitors alike.” Sustainability Furthermore, Ross Wilks claims that organisations looking for longevity, sustainability, and environmentally friendly solutions in their security infrastructure should seriously consider the cloud. “Cloud solutions have been proven to help reduce an organisation’s carbon footprint. Besides the numerous benefits for both users and integrators, organisations that embrace cloud computing and storage solutions can decrease the emissions of running applications. In some instances, this can be reduced by 90% compared to using on-premise solutions,” he says. Simple Integrations “Integrations make the world of access control go round,” states Ross Wilks. He says that the ability to quickly and effectively integrate other valuable, highly sought- With cloud-based computing and storage solutions, emissions can in some cases be reduced by 90 percent compared to using local access control. after pieces of software into your hardware or the ability to make a piece of software compatible with hardware from other companies is a trait that genuinely sets highquality organisations apart from the rest. “Due to the nature of the cloud, it is much easier to integrate access control software into other systems, such as surveillance systems, intercoms, touch screens, and various other applications. Virtually any device with access to the Internet can be made to access the cloud, so it’s no surprise that cloud-based access control integrations are quick and easy compared to traditional access control integrations. But it is important to make sure that the hardware is compatible with the cloud provider’s solution beforehand”. Customisation Options While cloud apps are easy to figure out and are generally user-friendly, that doesn’t mean the cloud is a ‘one design fits all’ solution. “Given the nature of most cloud applications, it can be reasonably easy to customise the user interface, depending on the app. But more importantly, security personnel can customise the system itself. With the proper credentials, administrators can grant and revoke permissions, create varying levels of access for specific staff members and visitors, and develop notifications and alerts when activity is detected in the building,” says Ross Wilks. “ With an on-prem access control system, making such changes would be tedious and time-consuming, but on the cloud, it takes a few clicks and the proper credentials to tailor the approach to your liking.” Scalability Finally, the cloud provides endless options for scalability. For instance, what if an organisation has multiple sites? With on-prem solutions, this can become a problem, as numerous access control systems would need to be set up individually, each operating independently of one another. “This can be time-consuming, as well as costly. However, with the cloud, access control systems in multiple locations can be managed and operated remotely from the same device, virtually anywhere, on any device”, states Ross Wilks and adds another important advantage. “By switching to a cloud-based solution, organisations don’t have to rely on IT team members to correct all system malfunctions, given that providers can maintain the systems at their end, allowing IT workers to focus more on hardware problems at their respective building”. With a cloud-based system, businesses can save time and money by easily linking their devices to the cloud. Security News Every Day – www. securityworldmarket.com de te k to r i n te rna t i onal • 2 5