Special Feature: Access Control
1 8 · d e t e k t o r i n t e r n a t i o n a l
Editor: Lennart Alexandrie
Modern access control and alarm
systems can do more than secure a
facility they can also enhance ef-
ficiency and productivity, says Neil
Foster, Regional Sales Director for
Northern Europe at ICT, a devel-
oper and manufacturer of unified
and intelligent access control and
security solutions.
"By consolidating different
systems into a central platform and
automating events for example
switching off air conditioning,
turning off lights or arming an area
when no one is present you can
go beyond security," he explains.
"The access control system
also becomes a tool for driving
operational efficiency and reduc-
ing energy costs, which should
be factored into any investment
decision."
Productivity in practice
Neil Foster illustrates this with an
example:
"If the access control platform
is integrated with turnstiles and
elevator systems in a high-rise
building, it can manage people flow
and direct users to the fastest lift to
their destination floor. Saving just
a few minutes for hundreds or even
thousands of people every working
day leads to significant productivity
gains. In high-demand environ-
ments such as healthcare, those
minutes can be absolutely critical."
Smarter step by step
Modernising equipment on a
limited budget can be challenging
and requires strategic planning.
By carefully reviewing the existing
technical infrastructure, it is often
possible to identify older, compat-
ible equipment for integration,
enabling a phased and systematic
migration to smarter systems.
"At ICT we have worked with
many customers who have carried
out phased migrations, signifi-
cantly reducing project costs while
maintaining operational continuity
by retaining parts of the old system
and complementing it with ICT
Protege Access Control," explains
Neil Foster.
"This gives customers immedi-
ate access to new features and third-
party integrations supported by
Protege GX ICT's access control
Access control systems have a long lifespan,
often remaining in operation for 1520 years. But
with increasing demands for security, integration,
regulatory compliance and sustainability goals,
a technology update becomes essential. A mod-
ern access control system can also contribute to
improved operational efficiency and energy sav-
ings benefits that, according to Neil Foster at ICT,
should not be overlooked.
Moving towards smarter access control
means more than just security
and intrusion detection platform
while keeping initial investments
and disruptions to a minimum."
"Replacing hundreds of read-
ers, door controllers and an entire
credential base all at once is a major
undertaking and can cause major
disruption, particularly in 24/7
operations."
Continuous synchronisation
A critical point in migration is en-
suring that legacy and new access
control servers continuously syn-
chronise data to avoid discrepan-
cies in the user database. For this
purpose, ICT offers the DataSync
software, which enables gradual
equipment upgrades tailored to
customer needs and budgets.
Balancing cost, sustain-
ability and security
Both private and public sectors
face the challenge of optimising
space utilisation while balancing
cost, sustainability and security.
The choice of technology has a
major impact on both CAPEX
(Capital Expenditures) invest-
ments in fixed assets and ongo-
ing operational costs (OPEX),
such as license subscriptions,
service agreements and upgrades.
Neil Foster emphasises that
access control is a core, embedded
element of a building's functional-
ity, delivering both security and
operational benefits.
"An open technology that can
integrate with legacy equipment
and third-party solutions and can
be adapted and scaled to meet new
requirements via its flexible infra-
structure provides both risk mini-
mization and economic benefits, in
terms of both initial investment and
future maintenance."
"This is also the philosophy
behind ICT and our open Protege
platform," he concludes.
Neil Foster, Regional Sales Director for
Northern Europe at ICT.
Modern access control and alarm systems can do more than secure a facility they can
also enhance efficiency and productivity
Replacing hundreds of readers, door
controllers and an entire credential
base all at once is a major undertaking and
can cause major disruption, particularly in
24/7 operations".
Neil Foster, ICT: