An access control system decides who may go where and when, and keeps a record. For offices, factories, schools and housing societies in Thane and Mumbai, the first big decision is the credential: fingerprint, card, face or mobile. The second is everything around it: door hardware, software and support. This guide helps you make both choices.
Key takeaway: no credential is best everywhere. Match it to the door, the number of users and the level of security, then make sure the door hardware, the software and the fire-safety release are designed together.
Matching the credential to the use case
Fingerprint
- Cannot be lent or lost, which makes it popular for attendance and staff doors.
- Struggles with worn, dry or dirty fingers, which can be an issue in factories and construction.
- Needs touch, so consider hygiene and throughput at busy doors.
Proximity or smart card
- Fast, cheap and easy to issue and cancel. A good fit for large user counts and visitor passes.
- Cards can be lent or lost, so it provides less certainty about who used the door.
Face recognition
- Touch-free and quick, and good for entrances where speed and hygiene matter.
- Depends on lighting and enrolment quality, and involves personal data obligations. Our guide to face recognition price, accuracy and privacy in India explains these.
Mobile credentials
- Use the phone as the card. Convenient for visitors and for remote issuing, but depend on people having charged phones.
Combining credentials
Higher-security areas such as server rooms or cash rooms can require two factors, for example card plus fingerprint. Many sites use cards for ordinary doors and biometrics for sensitive ones.
Also consider the number of users. A few dozen people can use almost anything. A thousand people through one entrance in ten minutes need a fast credential and, often, physical barriers. See boom barriers and turnstiles for that case.
Door hardware: locks, readers and fire-alarm release
The reader is the visible part, but the door hardware decides whether the system is secure and safe.
- Locks. Electromagnetic locks and electric strikes are the common choices. Each suits different door types and security needs.
- Fail-safe vs fail-secure. A fail-safe lock unlocks when power is lost. A fail-secure lock stays locked. Which is right depends on the door: exit routes must open in an emergency, while some store rooms should stay locked.
- Exit buttons and emergency breaks. People must always be able to leave. A request-to-exit button and a green break-glass unit at the door provide this.
- Fire-alarm release. Doors on escape routes should release automatically when the fire alarm activates. This is a life-safety link, and it must be tested with the alarm system. Our guide to integrated fire and security systems explains how these interlocks are designed.
- Door position sensors and closers. A door that does not close properly cannot be secure, and the system can alert you when one is held open.
- Power supply and battery backup, so doors behave predictably during a power cut.
Software: users, reports and integration
- User management. Add, change and remove people quickly. When someone leaves, their access should end the same day.
- Time zones and schedules. Different access by role, shift and day.
- Reports. Who entered where and when, late arrivals and doors forced or left open.
- Integration with attendance and payroll, so access data feeds HR instead of being re-entered by hand.
- Visitor management, if you receive many guests.
- Backups and access to data. Check that records are stored securely and that you can export them.
Installation checklist and ongoing support
- List every door and mark which are escape routes.
- Choose a credential for each door type.
- Confirm the lock type, fail mode and fire-alarm release for each door.
- Plan cabling and power, with a battery backup for the controllers.
- Agree on the software features and the number of users, now and later.
- Test every door, including power failure and fire-alarm release.
- Train the administrator and the front desk or security team.
- Agree on warranty, support response time and an annual service plan.
Choosing a local installer
Access control involves doors, cables, power and software, so it pays to have an installer who can handle all of them and be on site quickly when something fails. Ask for references from similar premises and check how support requests are handled.
Talk to KBI
Request an access-control quote for your office or plant. KBI will survey your doors, recommend credentials and hardware for each, and plan the fire-alarm release. See our Access Control System page or contact us.