05/13/2013
Electronic Locks and Access Control
It seems that electronics and “smart” technology has permeated every aspect of our lives. We rely on electronics for everything we do whether it’s contacting someone via telephone or email or text, cooking food on electric stoves or microwave ovens, providing light to read, or researching information on the television or internet. Locks and locking systems are following this trend and increasingly incorporating electronics.
It wasn’t all that long ago that, like other types of electronics, electronic locking systems were only found on major businesses or some government agencies because of their exorbitant costs. But just like computers and televisions, these costs have come down tremendously in recent years. As a result, many people have electronic locks on their homes and businesses as a way to allow ease of access and still maintaining a high degree of security.
Many hotels no longer give you a room key for a stay, you instead get credentials that contain a coded magnetic strip or memory chip that contains your information and the information to open the door to your room.
Electronic locks are now on many safes, not to mention their use on cars and trucks. Your remote, the keypad by the door and the transponder “chip” that your ignition key needs to start your car.
There is even an app for a smartphone that will allow the phone to be used as a “key” card to open some types of electronic locks. This is being implemented at some colleges to reduce costs of access cards and accidental loss of the cards. People are less likely to misplace their phone over a key or proximity card.
The biggest concerns I have heard about the influx of electronic locking systems are concerns over durability and battery life. Electronic locks are far more dependable now than the original ones that were produced. They have been tested under extreme conditions and have received top ratings. The battery life can include up to 500,000 or more cycles of the lock.
Electronic locks not only provide ease of access for an authorized user, but they can allow for increased commercial security by having the ability to work with other devices. An access control system together with the other devices, such as an existing computer can allow for an audit trail of users and can be programmed to limit access to specific times and areas for users.
Mechanical locks that have good key control, use restricted and/or patented keyways provide an excellent form of security. However, mechanical locking systems are limited in their abilities. Using electronic locks and locking systems and utilizing them as part of a security network, adds the ability to monitor and review the overall security of a business.
