If you’re a manager of a commercial property, a building, a private office, or even a separate section within an office, there are some aspects of access security you need to know about. One of the most important of which is the front line security system - access control.
If you want to keep your business safe from any threats of violent crime, robbery, theft, unlawful trespassing, and general unauthorized access to your property or secure spaces - an access control system can be an essential part of your overall security system.
At Sonitrol we recommend an access control system that regulates and controls who has proper access, while keeping out those who should have no access.
Physical access control refers to who has access to a physical location, i.e. business buildings, offices or rooms (such as IT rooms).
Access control can then be broken down into four main categories:
Mandatory Access Control: This is where only the access system administrator manages the access control. He/she defines the usage and access policies and this cannot be modified by any other user. Mandatory Access Control is usually used in systems where confidentiality and security is key and it is therefore a tightly controlled environment.
Discretionary Access Control: This type of access control is more of a ‘need to know’ basis. It requires permission to those who need access at that time and can be changed regularly depending on individual needs.
Role Based Access Control: Access control can be designed to be role based and limited to the role of the individual within the company. The roles can be clearly defined, and access for individuals can be dependent on job competency, job levels, seniority, levels of authority, job titles, and their overall responsibility in the company. Think about the IT Manager needing access to the server room.
Rule Based Access Control: In rule based access control, access may change as the rules of the business change. This is a workable system as long as the changes that dictate the rule based access control system are relatively small and not overly complicated.
Features To Consider:
When looking at an access control system, there are some features that you should consider.
What medium are you going to use for access in your control system? A key card or fob is probably the most common type of device by which a user can gain access. However, key cards can be transferred or stolen, and an alternative such as a PIN code or biometric reading may work better for you.
How Complex Should Your Access Control System Be? Consider how many doors your building has and how many employees will have access to your business. This will help you determine how complex your system will need to be as well as some of the other features you will be needing.
Some features you might want to also consider include activity reporting which will notify you if anyone tries to access unauthorized areas, and the level of help and support you will get from your access control service provider, be aware that some will offer ‘security support when available’ while others like Sonitrol Western Canada will be there for you 24/7.
Access control can be a very important part of keeping your company safe. If you are thinking of installing an access control system, it’s important to understand what options are available to you. With some basic knowledge, finding the right access control system for your business can be a lot easier.
If you have any questions about commercial security for your business, get in touch with one of our security experts. They’d be happy to help you select and implement the best security solution for your business.
