Access Control Systems

At their most basic function, access control systems provide or deny the ability to enter a building, facility, or gated area. A number of components can be utilized in these control systems. The typical system allows or denies a person's physical entrance. Their ability to enter an area may be dependent on payment or authorization. Basic controls that we encounter on a daily basis include turnstiles, such as what you would see with an underground subway system, or a card swipe lock, which requires a programmed card to bypass. Other components include parking gates, doors, elevators, and other physical barriers. These types of access control are common sights.

Many businesses and industries are increasing their use of access control systems, particularly those that utilize badges and card swipe locks. These provide greater access control to areas that may contain personal information, like patient records at a doctor's office or a student's dorm. These systems are essential in ensuring the protection of both people and sensitive information.

Historically, the first access control systems were basic locks and keys. However, locks can be picked and keys can be replicated. Digital types, in association with close circuit television systems and DVR/NVR recording, allow you to not only allow entrance to certain individuals, but to also monitor that those are the people entering.

More technically advanced access control systems utilize digital computer technology that resolves the limitations of a simple lock and key. Entrance can be limited to only those who have the card with the appropriate entry credentials.

Continental Access provides you security systems that are useful for any industry or need.

Continental Access is a company that sells security systems. They specialize in high-tech access control systems that keep unwanted visitors away from sensitive areas. Those who wish see the systems available for purchase should visit http://www.cicaccess.com

Do You Apply Access Control to Your Home?

Sure you do, whenever you lock your entrance door before leaving, even if you
may not have heard this name before.

Access Control is the term used generally to indicate all the provisions that
can be deployed to deny free admittance to a building, to an apartment, or to the
content of a safe.

The purpose is to make sure that only people having the right or the clearance
required for getting through can in fact cross the threshold.

Essentially the same procedure, however simplified, takes place when you open
the entrance door of your home with one or more keys. You don’t leave it unlocked,
even when you are at home, do you?

Unfortunately not always a locked door is a guarantee against burglary and theft.
Burglars need not look for the right key. They may use other means to force and
destroy the door without bothering with the lock.

Why a sturdy door with a solid lock should however be in place? Mainly for deterrence.
One should always convey the notion that it will take burglars too long to crush
the door down, longer than what they may be willing to spend in the task.

When the arms are full of parcels it maybe a nuisance to open a door with keys.
In the dark it may be hard to locate the keyhole, unless you use a key ring with
a small light included. Furthermore keys can get lost or stolen and copied, and
then locks have to be changed.

Therefore, to limit the bother and to save on workforce, new means were devised,
especially for institutions where employees have frequent need to go through controlled
entrances but where keys would be a burden.

The most used means are plastic cards, possibly with a name, a photo and a magnetic
strip to be inserted in the controller slot. A code to be typed on the keypad may
or may not be requested.

Voice recognition systems are operated hands free, a feature that may be welcomed
sometimes. They are smart enough not be cheated by recorded voice.

The ultimate devices for individual recognition are biometric identification
units. Every person has individual traits different from those of anyone else. Those
most used are fingerprints and iris scans (the colored ring of the eye). A catalog
of prerecorded data, relative to all authorized persons, permits to screen rapidly
crowds of people even in busy airports.

In order to anticipate emergencies when large numbers of people must evacuate
a place for safety in a hurry, emergency exits with one way locks have to be prepared,
to be easily opened from the inside.

In conclusion one should know enough of Access Control to be able to select practical
and proven provisions for the security of every place one is responsible for.

Elia Levi is a retired engineer.

He built a website to assist with a step-by-step Guide to understand, design, select
and set up, all by yourself the best and least expensive Surveillance System for
your Home Security. Read more on the subject of this article at

http://www.1st-diy-home-surveillance-guide.com/Access-control.html