SMART Access & identity 2024

ACCESS IN THE CLOUD

Cloud-based access control systems L ooking at the international market, cloud-based access control systems are finding greater acceptance in organisations large and small. Locally, while companies recognise the value of cloud-based systems, transferring security to the cloud has not grown as fast as in first-world countries. The benefits of the cloud are well-publicised, including scalability, flexibility, ease of use, and more. Yet there are still some hold-outs, especially in the surveillance world due to the size of the data captured, but also in access control. The question of bandwidth availability and the associated cost plays an important role in cloud adoption in SA, as do the people making access decisions – the old school likes to keep everything under their control, while the digitally inclined tend to accept the cloud and its benefits. SMART Security Solutions asked SALTO Systems’ Business Development Manager, Inland SA, Lumard Groenewald, for his take on adopting cloud services and their benefits. When it comes to any significant and long-term investment, business leaders always want to know what the TCO (total cost of ownership) will be. The purchase price is always a big issue, and we understand that the security market likes to buy cheap; however, the maintenance and service costs and the cost of peripherals and management are not to be forgotten. In the as-a-service market, costs seem much lower as customers pay a monthly fee for everything – hardware, software, maintenance, etc. Service providers can make a good profit in this scenario, assuming they factor in the costs of repairing or replacing readers they thought they were getting a killer deal on – the customer does not always care about the brand, only the functionality and security, including cybersecurity. Groenewald agrees, adding, “Since cloud-based access control requires updates, maintenance, hardware, networking, and software, the TCO covers more than simply membership payments. TCO for cloud-based systems decreases the initial outlay of funds and recurring costs such as subscription and usage-based fees. “ “In addition to data transfer costs, the organisation should thoroughly consider and evaluate the previously listed variables when making decisions about the financial consequences of customising cloud solutions.” He notes that cloud systems are indeed easy to scale because of their capacity to meet changing demands due to their scalability and flexible resources. “Because of the superior encryption, two-factor authentication and additional authentication capabilities available in cloud-based systems, access and identity information handling is secure regardless of the location.” Data security concerns The question of data security was never really an issue in the days when magstripe cards were all the rage, but today, things are different. Whether it is PoPIA, GDPR, or any of the newer regulations coming out, protecting the personal information of employees and visitors is more important than ever. This includes ensuring that your access continues to work during rolling blackouts, potential Internet failures and our local speciality, civil unrest. Groenewald is confident in data security in the cloud, noting that cloud access and identity data stored by cloud-based providers enforce strict security guidelines that offer a haven for confidential information. “Some cloud-based access control systems provide industry-standard encryption (AES-256) for data at rest and in transit, as well as two-factor authentication (2FA) that adds an extra layer of security for user access.”

The benefits of the cloud are well-publicised, including scalability, flexibility, ease of use, and more.