What is an Access Control System?
Put simply; an access control system is anything that allows an organization to manage, monitor and maintain who has access to various internal systems. The simplest access control system is a deadbolt lock with only those you want to have access receiving a key. While that technology is now about 4,000 years old, our advanced technological age offers many other options for controlled access, including computer-based electronic access control systems, which prevent unauthorized people from entering your building or workspace.
These days, an access control system can control access to almost anything, including certain computer files, or it can restrict access to workstations or printers. Such a system can also control access to certain offices or any secured areas of your building, including conference rooms and storage facilities. The standard form of access control tends to be the use of an “access card,” which takes the place of a key these days. With the access card programmed accordingly, you can restrict, monitor and control access to only those employees who you feel should have access to specific areas. It also allows the organization to control costs, by monitoring who did what when and for how long. For example, if someone is using the copy machine to copy entire books, you will know who was doing so and when, and how many copies they made.