Smart Card Technology

Securing Bay Area Businesses with Smart Cards

Card — Smart Card in Redwood City, CA

It is often necessary for a business to manage access to resources within their organization. To do this, businesses may need to allow specific personnel access, while restricting others. This includes small, entrepreneurial companies, as well as larger corporate enterprises.

Using smart cards or integrated circuit cards is one way businesses in the Bay Area protect their resources and assets. These cards are physical electronic authorization devices that resemble a credit card embedded with a chip. This chip provides businesses with a wide array of information, such as who entered the facility and what time they entered.

Securing Buildings Through the Use of Smart Cards

Historically, this coordination of people and access privileges relied on the use of an identity card. Consequently, this identity card could be in the form of an employee identification card, a state-issued ID, a membership card, or even a library card.

Today, smart cards are the first choice for businesses wishing to secure their properties. This is because they provide security access and clearance to specific employees or personnel. Additionally, smart cards are the accepted credential of choice for securely controlling physical access to business buildings. These cards can then determine the appropriate level of access and a person’s identity.

Access Control Systems and Smart Cards

Smart cards, or “access cards,” can be a component to discretionary access control and identity management solutions. Most often we see this technology integrated with a business’s access control system. As a result, from an access control system, a business can manage permissions for employees and personnel. The two control access solutions this system can manage includes:

  • Physical Access Control: Physical access control protects tangible as well as intellectual assets.
  • Logical Access Control: Logical access control allows businesses to limit access to data, networks and workstations to only those who should have access.

Therefore, both physical access and logical access is best controlled through an integrated system.

Smart Card Technologies

The industry has worked hard to increase the effectiveness of smart cards by utilizing cutting-edge technologies. These technologies include cards that are scanned with a bar-code reader, passed through a magnetic card reader, or presented to an RF antenna electronic reader. Personal identification numbers (PINs) may also be entered on a keypad to add yet another layer of authentication and security.

There are numerous applications for smart cards, including:

  • Identification
  • Financial institutions
  • Mobile phone (SIM)
  • Public transit
  • Computer security
  • Schools
  • Healthcare
  • SSO in organizations
  • Businesses and corporations

Considerations for Securing Buildings Through the Use of Smart Cards

There are many factors to consider when implementing a physical access control system. These factors include:

  • User interface
  • Performance and security requirements
  • The level of required integration with other security applications

Additionally, the considerations for smart cards are highly dependent on the type of business. For example, an office building could require controller cards with different levels of access. An apartment complex, however, would require different types of cards for their tenants. A hospital or university may require different access cards for different buildings or departments.

Questions About Smart Cards? Our Bay Area Security Company Can Help

If you are in the Redwood City or Palo Alto area and are considering securing your buildings with smart card applications, then Integrated Access Security can help. At Integrated Access Security, we offer versatile and powerful options including  state-of-the-art iClass technologies by HID. Furthermore, we are adept at identifying affordable, effective solutions for companies of all sizes.

No matter how complex or simple your security needs may be, we can provide you with a unique solution that offers maximum protection. Your business is your livelihood; thus, we want to help protect it every step of the way. From smart cards and integrated access systems to CCTV surveillance systems, our security professionals are ready to assist you.

Our security professionals have over 50 years of combined experience. Our team can assist any Bay Area business with their security needs. We are a local, family-owned business with dedicated professionals you can trust. Call us today at (650) 299-9345 or fill out our contact form for more information.