The Role of Local Credential Caching in Securing Physical Access During Network Downtime

If your network goes down, can your access control system still grant the right people the right access to your facility?

• By Tyler Long
• Oct 09, 2026

Power failures. ISP outages. Construction crews cutting fiber. These aren't rare events, and they don't just affect your email or Teams meetings. They can determine whether your employees can even enter the building.

Many businesses now use cloud-connected systems for identity management and physical access control. These systems can simplify administration, but they also raise an important question:

What happens when your connection to the cloud disappears?

What Happens to Physical Access When the Network Goes Down?

Network outages can create costs for your business beyond IT remediation. For a growing business, a few hours of downtime can have a much bigger impact on your revenue and operations.

Uptime Institute's 2026 analysis found that outages linked to fiber and connectivity issues are increasing and are more likely to cause extended disruptions. Longer outages can also come with a steep price.Fifty-seven percent of businesses reported that their most recent major outage cost more than $100,000, while one in five reported costs above $1 million.

But a network outage does not have to come with a six-figure price tag to disrupt your business.

• You may lose control of who can access the workplace. If your access system depends on the network, an outage can leave you with only the access information stored on your devices. You need to know that the people entering your building still have the right permissions.


• You may lose visibility when you need it most. A network outage can prevent your security dashboards from showing current access activity. You may no longer have a clear picture of who is entering, which areas they can access or what is happening at your site.


• You may put your business and employees at greater security risk. If your access controls cannot verify current permissions during an outage, someone may retain access they no longer need.


• Your people may have to handle access manually. When automated access controls cannot work as expected, someone may need to handle visitors, contractors or employees manually.


• Your continuity plan may miss an important dependency. You might have a plan for keeping your applications, data and communications running during an outage. But if your access control system depends on the same network, your people still need a safe and efficient way to get into the workplace.

Your IT team or managed service provider can help address the outage, but you should not have to wait for the connection to come back before your workplace can operate normally. Preparing your access control system for network downtime gives you another layer of continuity when an outage occurs.

Plan for Access Before the Network Goes Down

Your physical access system relies on stored information to determine who can enter your workplace and which areas they can access. This information can include employee credentials, roles, locations and permissions.

When the network is available, your access control system can keep permissions up to date as people join your company, change roles or leave. If the network goes down, the devices controlling entry cannot receive those updates. Instead, they will continue using the permissions already stored on the device.

So, how can you tell whether your access control system can continue verifying employees during a network outage?

• Can your employees still enter your workplace during a network outage?


• What credentials and permissions do your system store locally?


• How long can your devices operate without a network connection?


• What happens if an employee's access changes while the network is down?

To make sure your access control system can rely on stored permissions during an outage, you must keep your locally stored information current. Make access updates part of your normal employee and contractor changes so the devices have the information they need before an outage occurs.

• Update access as changes happen. When someone joins your business, leaves, changes roles or no longer needs access to a particular area, update their physical access at the same time. Apply the same approach to contractors when projects end or their access requirements change.


• Make sure changes reach your access control devices. When you update someone's access, confirm that the change reaches the devices that control entry. This can help you ensure they have the right permissions stored locally if your network becomes unavailable.

Don't Forget About Recovery

A network outage does not end when the connection comes back. Once your network is restored, make sure that your access control devices have received the latest permissions and that any changes made during the outage are reflected in the system. This gives you a chance to capture gaps before they become another access issue or a bigger security issue.

Make Physical Access Part of Your Business Continuity Plan

You already have a plan for keeping your business running during an outage.

Your plan likely covers what happens if employees cannot use the normal way to enter the workplace, who can help restore access, what employees should do in the meantime and how you will restore normal operations.
Physical access should be part of that plan too. You should account for the identity information your access control devices store locally. Make sure your access control devices have current information before an outage occurs, so your employees can use the access they need while the network is unavailable.

That way, your team has one less disruption to deal with while your network is being restored.

Keep Your Business Moving Without Losing Control

Network outages are difficult to avoid completely. You can plan for them, but you cannot always prevent them or predict when they will happen. What you can control is how much disruption an outage creates for your business.

Treat your access controls as part of your security and access management strategy. Know what credentials and permissions your devices store locally, how access changes reach them, and whether your access controls can still enforce those permissions without a network connection.

A little preparation now can prevent a network problem from becoming a costly interruption in the future.