Generation Next
Fault-tolerant servers move toward access control
- By Ken Hertzler
- Mar 03, 2008
Building security has moved beyond
locks and dependable security
guards. Today’s threats require
sophisticated security. The next generation
of access control will converge physical
and network security into one manageable entity.
High-tech access control systems—card
readers, intelligent video surveillance, electronic
locking devices and the computers that
control them—are now standard for building
security and have a unique anatomy that brings
a new level of complexity to the system.
Computer hardware is the nerve center or
backbone of this new generation of access control
systems. Each component works as part of
a unified sub-network to verify credential data,
record events and trigger notifications. Because
the safety and security of people and property
are on the line, the continuous and consistent
operation of this network is crucial.
Always On
Seamless network communication, in terms of
average downtime, can make the difference
between unauthorized entry and a secured environment—
and perhaps the difference between
life and death. With such business forces as
globalization and 24/7 operations coming into
play, there is a need for an “always-on” computing
infrastructure that does not allow for
downtime in business-critical and mission-critical
applications.
Fault-tolerant servers enable the success of
the entire security system. They are the brains
behind the operation. FT servers are built from
the ground up to perform with AL4, or 99.999-
percent availability. To ensure that high performance
is built into the computer, hardware
does not have to be installed, configured or
maintained using software.
Come Together
Converged door-to-desktop initiatives offer a
simplified IT structure, where FT servers can
support the entire system, ensuring successful
computing transactions with card readers,
monitoring devices, alarms, locks and many
other devices of the access control system. FT
servers also can support the more complex
systems and software necessary to provide
better ongoing security, as well as after-thefact
detection and assessment of suspicious or
malicious activity. This saves companies
money via a streamlined operational process,
limited downtime and reduced IT administration
costs, resulting in a lower total cost of
ownership throughout the life of the computer.
The purchase of an FT server is easy to
justify for any organization that takes access
control seriously.
High availability is imperative to the basic
effectiveness of an access control system,
which requires real-time integration and
depends on constant communication with the
central computing system to function properly.
High-availability systems are defined as having
99 percent or more uptime. When integrated
with other business processes, a high-availability
access control system facilitates seamless
communication across all divisions of a
company, thus minimizing asset risk and
enhancing the safety of personnel.
A Safe Bet
Through full system redundancy, FT servers
achieve continuous availability and deliver
unprecedented system integrity, transparent
failover and a low total cost of ownership. FT
servers include lock-step technology, which
uses multiple system components that process
the same instructions at the same time. In the
event of a component malfunction, the redundant
component provides an active spare that
continues normal operation and averts system
downtime. The system also eliminates transient
hardware errors that can cause software failures
if left unchecked.
An FT server is clearly the must-have hardware
for an effective access control system.
Organizations can ill afford to gamble with the
security of their property and the safety of their
people—and now they don’t have to.
About the Author
Ken Hertzler is the director of the virtual PC center at NEC Corp. of America.