When it comes to the vital matter of access control, most companies have been operating with on-premises systems using Linux machines or from their IT departments using Windows. But hey, the future of enterprise has arrived – a while ago, in fact. Before you start to panic about the costs of migrating over to cyber excellence, be reassured that the costs saved with Cloud-based systems, will make you glad you did. We’re talking the ultimate business axiom here – ‘saving you time, saving you money.’ Don’t get left behind.

Make sure you’re not fooled into thinking you have Cloud-based access control just because you’re web-hosted from a site. The differential is manifest in the ability to have 100 percent functionality on all platforms, from smartphone to iPad to your computer. People have been known to take old software and equivocating on the buzzword ‘hosted’, put it on a virtual machine at Amazon. “You’re hosted’, they’ll assure you, but that’s not what we’re talking about here.

There are many options available to you, but you’ve got to keep your eye on how you’re set up, not just in what your chosen system can do for you.

Uncle Sam and Rockefeller may indeed set up their own private cloud where they are the sole custodians of their own data. There are even hybrid systems making use of on-premises and cloud functionality. But for the most part, companies are migrating to full cloud-based access control systems.

And for good reason.

Real-time is the true strength of Cloud-based access control; ideal for business owners who can be updated instantly and make informed decisions from anywhere in the world at any time.

The Problem with On-Premises Access Control

The main issue here is that physical on-prem systems are limited to physical IT assets, rooms or buildings. Logical controls are limited to system files, computer networks and data. Either way, we’re talking software licenses, IT employees in situ to handle issues as they arise, integration capability and server hardware etc.

Sure, everything is under one roof, in-house and the buck stops with you, but are you really able to keep up with the fast-track changes and improvements? You need to be at least a few steps ahead of today’s smart criminals who can get the lowdown on your antiquated set-up. Then there are the costs of maintenance, energy consumption and space.

Every detail of company resources and data are in-house, limited to the IT infrastructure, for which someone, or some enterprise, is responsible for all its related processes. Access to this in real-time is just not feasible.

5 Key Benefits of Cloud-Based Access Control

1. Manage Access control from any device – smartphone, tablet, iPad, or PC.
2. No business is too large or too small to use Cloud-based Access control.
3. Security coverage includes remote sites, parking gates, office doors and even cabinet drawers.
4. Real-time monitoring facilitates speedy problem-solving. Remote diagnostics and technical fixes can be carried out by simply logging in.
5. No more keys – perhaps the most powerful everyday frustration for any company relates to keys. Now mobile phones trigger locks in seconds but only according to pre-assigned access rights.

In conclusion, the efficiency and ease of a Cloud-based access control grants even smaller enterprises the benefits the big boys of business have access to.  To be fair – there are certain industry sectors who require some on-prem features despite the mounting costs and drawbacks – but we’ll leave them to it since they alone know who they are.

For the rest of us, Cloud-based access control is nothing short of a lifesaver lifting a huge weight off our collective shoulders.

We can opt to know who is going where and how often but we don’t have to. The controls are so specific that even permissions can include a timeframe. Electronic locks do away with hard-wiring and can be operated remotely. The trend to migrate to the cloud is relieving companies from the labyrinthine infrastructure. Actually, the benefits are endless.

No, we don’t want to be stuck with access control that is a bit of a dinosaur in the enterprise. It’s time to get rid of systems that have been so vastly improved, otherwise we may find our business struggling in the open sea on a canoe while everyone else is on board a luxury cruiser.

For more information please contact us on 082 885 4475 or send an email to sales@samsconnectingdots.com