Demystifying Security: Navigating the Distinctions Between Entrance Control and Access Control Systems

Entrance control and access control are related concepts in the field of security, but they have distinct roles and functions. Here are the similarities and differences between entrance control and access control:

Similarities:

1. Security Focus:

• Both entrance control and access control are integral components of physical security systems.
• They contribute to preventing unauthorized access to restricted areas.

2. Authentication:

• Both systems involve a form of authentication to determine whether an individual should be granted access.

3. Integration:

• Entrance control and access control systems often work together to create a comprehensive security solution.
• Integration enhances overall security effectiveness.

Differences:

1. Function:

• Access Control: Primarily involves the process of identifying and authenticating individuals based on their credentials (e.g., card, PIN, biometrics) and determining whether they are allowed access to a specific area.
• Entrance Control: Enforces the decision made by the access control system by physically allowing or denying access. It includes hardware such as turnstiles, gates, or barriers.

2. Scope:

• Access Control: Encompasses both hardware and software that define criteria for acceptance or denial of an individual to a restricted area.
• Entrance Control: Focuses on the physical hardware or barriers that facilitate or restrict movement based on the decisions made by the access control system.

3. Enforcement:

• Access Control: Verifies and authorizes individuals based on their credentials, signaling whether they are permitted to enter.
• Entrance Control: Physically enforces the decision made by access control, either allowing or denying access based on the verification outcome.

4. Physical Presence:

• Access Control: Can be implemented without a physical barrier, using technologies like biometrics or card readers.
• Entrance Control: Involves physical barriers such as turnstiles, gates, or doors that control entry and exit.

5. Response to Incidents:

• Access Control: Monitors and logs access attempts, triggering alerts in case of unauthorized entry.
• Entrance Control: Physically responds to the decisions made by access control, such as opening or closing gates and triggering alarms.

Working Together:

• Synergy: For optimal security, entrance control and access control systems should work together seamlessly.
• Enhanced Efficiency: Entrance control enhances the efficiency of access control by physically enforcing its decisions.
• Complementary Systems: They complement each other, with access control providing information to entrance control, and entrance control executing the physical actions required for access management.

In summary, while access control focuses on the decision-making process, entrance control is responsible for implementing and enforcing those decisions in a physical environment. The collaboration between these two systems creates a robust security infrastructure.

Access control is a system which provides discriminating authentication Access control provides a discriminating authentication process and comprises the software or hardware that defines the criteria for acceptance or denialUsed to describe a system which performs identification of users and authentication of their credentials (deciding whether or not the bearer of those credentials is permitted admission) access control is an incredibly broad term. Access control provides a discriminating authentication process and comprises the software or hardware that defines the criteria for acceptance or denial of an individual to a restricted area. Entrance control – such as security turnstiles – takes the output of that validation and has the capability to see whether that criteria is being adhered to, either granting or denying access as appropriate.

Entrance control is the hardware responsible for keeping people honest If access control verifies authorised personnel using their credentials – their face, fingerprints, PIN number, fob, key card etc – and decides whether or not they are permitted access, entrance control is the hardware which enforces that decision by making users present their credentials in the correct way, either opening to allow pedestrian access or remaining closed to bar entry and potentially raising an alarm. For example, a card reader acts as an access control device, recognising the card holder as having the correct permissions and saying ‘yes, this person can pass’. But, it’s the entrance control system – a turnstile, for example – which actually physically allows or denies access.

Physical access and video surveillance Some entrance control systems don’t feature a physical barrier, however. Fastlane Optical turnstiles will not physically stop an unauthorised person from passing through, and instead alarm when someone fails to present valid credentials, alerting security staff that a breach has occurred. These kinds of turnstiles are suited to environments which just need to delineate between the public and secure side of an entrance, with less need to physically prevent unauthorised users from entering.

These kinds of turnstiles are suited to environments which just need to delineate between the public and secure side of an entrance State of the art access control integrations have been installed for award-winning complex, The Bower It’s also possible to capture video footage of any incidents, allowing security personnel to identify users failing to abide by the access control system’s rules, using It’s also possible to capture video footage of incidents, allowing security personnel to identify users failing to abide by access control system rulesthe footage to decide on the level of response required.

The breach could have been the result of a member of staff being in a hurry and failing to show their card before passing through, in which case they can be reminded about the security protocol. Or, it could be an unidentified person who needs to be escorted from the premises. Entrance control and access control working together For optimum security, access control and entrance control should work together, with the entrance control system enhancing the use of the access control system, making it more efficient and better value for money. The two can’t effectively operate without each other. Security turnstiles, for example, require something to tell them that someone is about to enter – the access control system does this – and, the access control system needs a method of stopping people when they don’t badge in correctly. The two systems are complementary.