Requirements, Challenges and Solutions
Maintaining the highest level of security without being obtrusive is the biggest challenge. The solution should ensure compliance to various information security standards but without making it too complicated.
Multisite/ Multiple locations
The companies are present at multiple locations across the globe, operating in different time zones, which requires the offices to be integrated with one centralized homogenous physical security software system with localized privileges and interfaces.
The Access360 platform functions on distributed architecture model, which has a centralized server for all the locations hosting a webserver. The local servers act as a transactional database for localized alarm management. This architecture ensures that line or database failure between the main server and any of the local site does not result in data loss due to its ability to replicate/reestablish the data from the database of the central server or vice versa.
Attendance management/ Flexible shifts
The companies are required to manage the working hours of employees, operating in various groups, dedicated to different clients. The work hours are generally flexible in such organizations. Employees are sometimes travelling or working from home or operating from client site.
Shift management is easy with Access360, it can be used to help create, monitor and manage any kinds of work shifts. Weekly shifts, auto shifts and flexible shifts can be administered and attendance in these shifts can be tracked.
Travelling employees can send ‘on-duty requests’ through Access360’s web-based or mobile interface. Approvals and subsequent attendance regularization and synchronization with leave, payroll software modules are taken up by Access360.
Managing frequent travelers
Often these companies require the employees to travel to different sites based on the demands of the job. Making a new site accessible to the employees is a tedious and complicated process. The requirement is that of a solution, which will ease the process of access request generation across various locations and documenting the process of approval for future references. Moreover, carrying an access card all the time is a challenge.
The Access360 platform by IDCUBE, meets the requirements for a comprehensive mobile solution for the IT, ITESand BPO companies. The platform is web based and is also available as mobile applications in android and iOS. The mobile app allows easy generation and approval of access request, invite visitors, receive direct notifications, and additional facilities such as e-badge and mobile credentials, the platform completely mobilizes security solutions as per the demands of the industry.
Off shore development center
Companies often require dedicated areas for the clients to maintain confidentiality and data security. The managers at offshore development centers need a logically secluded platform for managing the access and the attendance of the employees working for that development center.
Access360 helps the offshore development centers in maintaining separate security operations and logs for the clients by creating logically segregated sub organizations.
Workflows
Multi-national organizations are mandated by regulations like Sarbanes- Oxley (SOX), ISO 27000, NERC/ FERC, CFATS, GLBA, SAS 70, BASEL II, FIPS 201/HSPD 12, CFR PART 11 and numerous other international EU driven laws for strict security controls for both physical and IT infrastructures. There is a need to ease out or simplify the compliance to such physical security regulations.
Access360 platform helps the companies in automating the workflows as per the regulations stated above for various credential issuance and access management processes. Also, it helps in risk mitigation by highlighting various anomalies through data analysis.
Predictive Security
In the organizations having huge workforces, it becomes difficult to identify employees who pose high risk to the organization or situations involving high risk. Hence, a solution is required which will be capable in determining any anomalous activities and raise alarm.
Too many flashings of card within a short period of time, tailgating, flashing the card in a protected area just to see if the door unlocks, flashing the cards at a time slot different than his/her usual timings. The security platform detects such activities, allowing security administrators to take required actions. Similarly, in situations such as woman employee is present in the premises at odd hours, the admin will be notified and protective measures can be taken to maintain the safety of the employee.
CCTV Integration
CCTV integration with access control platforms is turning into a mandatory requirement for the companies, due to its effectiveness in identifying and highlighting specific video streams where any suspicious activities are taking place.
IDCUBE’s CCTV Video management system (Aperture), seamlessly integrates with IDCUBE’s command & control interface SecurityView. TheSecurityView tags video streams with alarms and events for easy reference and analysis, mapping the real-world incidents with data.
Further, the video analytics software helps in identifying even minute irregularities in the surroundings, making it highly efficient in serving the purpose.
Visitor management
Manually checking and validatinglarge number of visitors, visiting the organization is an awkward and time-consuming task.While visitors should be given restricted access to the facility, the information security standards mandate the record keeping of visitors visiting the site and areas accessed by them.
The visitor management solution (ezVISIT) offered within Access360 platform meets the requirements of an efficient system that will manage and control the large number of visitors entering the premises daily. The process of storing visitor related information, visitor card issuance, guidelines for approval as well as specifying areas for visitors becomes easier through this platform.
Occupancy control
Certain critical areas cannot be left over to a single or less than specified number of employees.
Access360 platform allows the provision to define the min & max limit of occupancy for a specific zone.Therefore, the first person to a protected zone may not be able to enter unless accompanied by other authorized individuals and similarly access control system shall deny the permission to leave if the min people criteria for a zone is being violated. Global and timed anti-pass back features further strengthens the security system by preventing any scope of tailgating universally in an organization.
Evacuation Management
An emergency such as fire warrants immediate evacuation of the affected area. To prepare employees for such emergency the fire safety regulations mandates for periodic fire drills. The efficacy of such fire drills needs to be measured for improvement.
Access360 platform provides an evacuation management system that provides for access card readers at muster points/assembly areas. The system records the time taken by all the occupants to reach the muster points.
Logical access control
Companies need to ensure that sensitive data is being accessed by the right employees. Hence the companies also lookout for a solution, which will ensure that the PC is accessible by employees only if the employees are physically present at the location.
Logical access control is another feature of Access360, which allows the employees to log into their computer, only after flashing the card to the access reader. This feature ensures that only the authorized person can access the PC.
Vehicle Access Management
Limitation of parking space is a major issue faced by the companies. Monitoring and control of the vehicles is essential to prevent unauthorized vehicles from occupying reserved space.
The vehicle access management solution (VAM), by IDCUBE works on RFID technology, which allows the system to identify authorized vehicles from a distance.The system also provides the real-time count of the vehicles present in the parking space by determining the number of vehicles entering and leaving the premises.
Integration with active directory/ ERP/ SAP
Any system in this modern era cannot exist in silos. It needs to interface with various IT systems for real time data exchange. Entering employee details often becomes a cumbersome and erroneous task for the admin.
Access360 platform of IDCUBE offers the scope to integrate Active Directory, SAP and ERP, which eliminates the need to enter the employee details individually. The system can directly accept the employee data, besides automatizing the process of updating and pushing the attendance records to the HRM and payroll systems.
Restriction on Possessions
Restriction of personal smart gadgets is very common in this industry. However, some employees are selectively granted the permission to carry their gadgets due to their job demands. The companies require a solution that will be able to distinctively identify the employees as they enter and the gadgets that they can carry to the premises.
The Access360 platform along with its PROTEAN series of Smart Display controllers allows it to display specific employee related information on LCDs as they enter the premises.
Cafeteria management
With many employees working in these companies, the cafeteria needs to be efficiently managed. The wastage level is very high here with the consumption pattern of the employees being highly unpredictable. Additionally, the system must be able to provide cashless solution to the issues faced while dealing with petty cash, easing the process of transaction between the employees and the vendors.
Access360 platform offers a cashless centralized cafeteria management system (SmartCHOICE) that facilitates smart kiosks for easy ordering and accounting.