Access control systems limit access to defined areas by using credentials to identify authorised individuals. Credentials are things used to authenticate the identity of the person attempting to gain access. Most commonly1, it’s a physical card that is issued to each person and then presented to a reader. However, it could also be things like a keypad code, a digital impression of a fingerprint, or a signal from a mobile phone.
While access control solutions are great at doing their job of restricting access, they don’t necessarily provide full visibility over a site. Many organisations are now looking at fully integrated building management systems. These comprehensive systems tie together a range of different solutions, such as access control, CCTV, perimeter security, and fire and intruder alarms.
Today, we’re looking at cameras. How can cameras be incorporated into your access control solution? What are the benefits of integrating cameras? What solutions are available?
CCTV and access control
CCTV systems are closely related to access control. Both concern the overall security of the building or site. Both are designed to prevent unauthorised entry or intrusion. What CCTV provides that most access control systems don’t is visibility.
Benefits of CCTV
The most common reason for installing CCTV is crime prevention. Just the fact of having visible cameras outside a building acts as a deterrent for crime and vandalism. In the case that any incidents do occur, CCTV footage is essential for getting to the bottom of it. Understanding what happened, identifying perpetrators, and providing evidence to law enforcement are all significantly easier with CCTV cameras.
Moreover, CCTV cameras provide security officers with a complete view of the premises. For monitoring access points, secure areas, and high traffic zones, there is no better solution. The thing cameras offer above all is peace of mind. Not only for the security officers and the business, but also for employees and visitors.
Integrating CCTV with access control
When systems are not integrated, you end up with siloed data that you have to manually match up. That’s time consuming, expensive, difficult, and inaccurate. Integration allows your building’s systems to work together, to compound their benefits rather than create new challenges.
AVISION for ATRIUM
ATRIUM is an online access control solution for up to 500 doors and 10,000 users. In the ATRIUM management portal, security officers can see detailed event logs for every door, every user, and every area in the building. Whenever a door is opened, closed, forced, or left open too long, you’ll know about it.
AVISION is an interface module that combines the detailed event logging in ATRIUM with the added benefit of CCTV visibility. AVISION works with HIKVision and Dahua cameras, or any camera using the ONVIF protocol. From within the ATRIUM software, you can live stream up to four video channels simultaneously. Moreover, you can trigger instant CCTV pop-ups whenever access events occur.
Imagine you’re a security officer. Somewhere in your building, a door is forced open. You see an instant live CCTV feed pop up within ATRIUM, showing you what’s going on, and exactly which door it was. It’s significantly easier to organise an appropriate response when you have full visibility over the situation.
ANPR and access control
Automatic numberplate recognition is a growing market in both the public and private spaces. From 2022 to 2030, the market is projected to grow at a rate of 9% annually2. While police and law enforcement are using ANPR more and more for public security matters, many private spaces are using it for convenience.
ACPR for ATRIUM
The ACPR (automatic car plate recognition) interface creates a single seamless access environment between your building and your parking facility. With people and their cars all managed within the same database, the day-to-day is simplified for everyone. Management is easier because it’s all in one place. The admin burden is reduced, and the risk of human error is lower.
ACPR works with any numberplate recognition camera that provides a 26-bit Wiegand output. Car numberplates are added to users in ATRIUM the same way any other credential is added. It’s quick and easy. Via the Wiegand output, the scanned numberplates are sent to the ATRIUM portal from the ANPR camera. There, the ATRIUM database is scanned for a match. If one is found, the car is granted access.
Then, the driver can park, get out of their car, and head into the building. They can present a card credential, scan their fingerprint, input a keypad code, or whatever other method the business prefers. It’s all together in one single environment.
Peace of mind & convenience
Integrating CCTV or ANPR cameras into your access control system improves peace of mind, enhances convenience, and makes the lives of security teams easier. Systems that work together effectively can multiply their individual benefits together, creating a seamless environment.
For more information about ATRIUM solutions or advice about integrating cameras, get in touch with the CDVI technical experts.
- 60% of organisations use ID badges for access control. https://www.hidglobal.com/
- https://www.openpr.com/