printer friendly version

Access data for business efficiency

In all organisations, access systems are paramount to securing people, places, goods, and resources. These systems verify the identities of people seeking access using credentials such as ID cards, smart cards, or biometrics. Traditionally, these systems were installed on-site and provided valuable services over the years.

Nicolas Garcia

Today, they are being migrated to hybrid systems that use both on-site and off-site technologies, like SaaS (Software as a Service). Hybrid systems are easier to deploy, maintain, and scale. They deliver significant added value to users at a much lower cost. This is simply not possible with traditional systems.

While identities are checked, hybrid systems are effective at collecting useful information, such as user identities, the date and time of the attempt, the result (successful or unsuccessful), and associated metadata. Metadata is secondary information associated with transactions and devices.

Metadata is not necessarily about personal data; it is about statistical data, such as how many people pass through a gate at different times of day, whether any errors were associated with the transaction, and which biometric modalities are most commonly used. This information can then be analysed, in real time or later, to anticipate potential system failures and plan the number of lanes needed for your growing visitor volume, while still maintaining a pleasant experience that everyone will remember.

While data privacy is always the top priority, the right systems can also provide value to users. When they think about access systems, most people think about physical access control; they are, in fact, not limited to the physical world and are just as effective at securing IT resources, like accessing a computer, a file, or an application, with a strategy such as role-based access control (RBAC).

Business functions can also benefit from access system data. Here are just a few examples.

Security benefits

The first and most obvious business function is security, which grants or denies access to places and resources. With traditional access system data, one can see in real time who is where in a building and who is connected to which computer. With a hybrid SaaS system (software in the cloud/hardware on-premises), not only can they do that, but they can also use the data for advanced reporting and trigger further actions based on an always-up-to-date set of rules that can be applied across several sites.

Visitor management

The second business function is visitor management, an extension of the security function. Managing visitors securely is no easy task. There are short-term visitors coming in for a 30-minute meeting, interns who need access for a week, and contractors who could be on-site for 90 days at a time. They all need access to the premises in different ways. Metadata, which we discussed earlier, can help determine whether the system is in compliance with local regulations and plan required adjustments.

Supporting compliance

The third business function is compliance, which supports both security and visitor management. Knowing who seeks access to a place or resource, and whether they comply with local regulations, is paramount to any business. For this purpose, access system data will be used as a checklist. Has employee John Doe been properly inducted, and when? Have they been for their yearly medical check-up? And so the process continues until John Doe is either cleared or denied access.

Enhanced auditing

Last but not least is the audit function. In modern businesses, auditing capabilities are essential. Audit logs are typically reactive, used after events for investigations. However, audit logs can also provide real-time alerts if patterns seem unusual. For example, if someone usually requests access only during office hours, but now arrives in the middle of the night, this pattern change can be flagged.

Whether for compliance or planning purposes, there are many ways in which access system data can help, but one common trait to all systems: it always starts with verifying identity.

In a world in constant evolution, we have left the era of static identity. Long gone are the days when staying at the same company for 40 years was the norm; it is now the exception. We have now entered the era of Liquid Identity, where people move faster and more frequently around the world. Knowing exactly who is who and what role they play in your organisation is the cornerstone of any system. Without a proper Identity verification process in place, audits become mere speculation.

Which era are you in? Is your company ready to take on those new challenges?

Share this article:

Further reading: