Why migrate access control to the cloud?

In talking to our customers and organizations looking to move their access control to the cloud, the same themes come up over and over again as the driving factors are behind the decision. Let’s look at some of the most common reasons.

1. To make life easier for Security and IT teams

It’s no secret that on-premise access control requires a great deal of admin time and effort to manage. And with the requirement to manually patch and update servers, controllers, readers, and more, it’s all too easy to fall behind, which can leave on-premise access control systems vulnerable.  
 
With a cloud platform, updates are delivered automatically and outside of working hours, freeing up time that can be spent on other tasks and ensuring that systems are running on the latest, safest version, always.

2. To reduce the cost of support

Supporting an on-premise access control system can get expensive. Every time there is an issue that needs external support, there is a time and cost implication because technicians need to be scheduled in to visit the site in-person and work out what the problem is.  
 
With cloud access control, support can be delivered remotely by granting partners, integrators, or access control vendors access to your system. This means they can investigate without the need to come out to your site, so time to resolution and costs are both reduced.

3. To make it simpler to manage access control across multiple locations 

Following on from the point above, too often on-premise access control requires physical presence on each site to manage and apply updates. This can become more of a burden as organizations grow and add new offices and premises.  
 
Cloud access control allows for remote management anywhere, from any internet-connected device, making it easy to, for example, deactivate passes on the fly, or remotely unlock a door for a contractor.

4. To deliver a smoother experience, better features, and enhanced functionality

We’ve already touched upon the less-than-optimal admin experience with on-premise access control systems, but with outdated technology and credentials, the end user experience can also be lacking. A complicated or slow access experience can lead users to look for ways to circumnavigate it, which might leave organizations and their premises less secure. 
 
A good cloud access control solution will deliver a  smoother user experience using modern technology, such as Ultra-wideband for instant hands-free mobile access.  

Cloud platforms also deliver a modern feature set, including integrations with existing tools and technology such as corporate directories and identity management tools, messaging platforms such as Slack and Teams, and HR and visitor management solutions.  
 
By seamlessly integrating with your organization’s existing tech stack, cloud access control can provide more reach and ROI than a traditional, siloed on-premise security system. 
 
And with automatic updates delivered by the cloud, new features and enhancements are rolled out regularly, with no admin effort or extra infrastructure required. 
 
So how do you get your on-premise access control to the cloud? If your organization uses S2 NetBox for access control, Accessia’s Cloud Converter for S2 NetBox is your quick, painless route to our open cloud platform. With a simple node blade replacement, you can get your access control cloud connected in no time. 
 

And if you’re ready to fully migrate, whatever your current on-premise access control system, or simply want to find out more, get in touch today and see how we can help you migrate to the Accessia cloud.