Access Control
Overview
An access control system's primary function is to provide a secure, convenient method of access to an area without the use of standard keys and locks. One of the primary issues resolved by an access control system is the expense, inconvenience, and security risk imposed by keys that have been lost or stolen. Instead of keys, access control systems typically use small, inexpensive electronic devices such as magnetic stripe cards, proximity cards, or key fobs that are carried by an individual and uniquely assigned to them. If one of these devices is lost or stolen, the device's unique ID can be disabled in the system and replaced with a new one without the expense of having to replace all of them. Other methods of identification include biometric devices such as hand and fingerprint readers.
We Recommend
Modern access control systems have many advantages beyond their primary function including event logging, the ability to choose what doors are available to individuals, and granting access or unlocking a door automatically during scheduled times of the day. These features are nice, but as we stated earlier, they aren't worth much to you if they are not easily accessible or easy to use. For this reason among many others, eFusion Systems has chosen Brivo Systems, LLC as its primary vendor for access control. Their systems are extremely flexible, cost-effective, and easy to use. Just a few examples of why Brivo's products are preferred by eFusion Systems are included below.
- Brivo offers a hosted platform. This offering alone gives incredible flexibility in the fact that their secure web interface allows for monitoring and configuration from anywhere in the world. Additionally, their hosted platform provides a very easy way to tie any number of geographically dispersed sites together under a single management platform! There is a small monthly fee for the hosted platform, but many of our customers find the power and convenience of this feature to be well worth it!
- If you are not ready for the hosted platform yet, Brivo offers an on-site platform that has a built-in web server for monitoring and configuration. The on-site platform is still convenient and easy to use, but has slightly limited functionality such as the lack of integrated video surveillance.
- Brivo's platforms can easily grow with your company as it grows. You can start out with the on-site platform and grow into the hosted platform without having to change hardware! eFusion Systems will work with Brivo to migrate all of your users and settings to the hosted platform while your on-site platform is still in use and fully functional. When everything is ready, we will simply perform a firmware change to turn the on-site platform into a hosted platform! Migrations from hosted to on-site are also available.
- An amazing feature of the Brivo hosted platform is its ability to integrate with video surveillance technologies! With this integration, a user can easily view a video recording of events directly from the Brivo event log! Additionally, Brivo's OVR feature allows recording of up to 4 cameras per location without the need for a separate DVR!
Pricing
We want you to be as informed as possible while making a decision about obtaining a product or service from us. That is why we have included the pricing information below. Prices listed here are typical and can vary based your unique situtation.
- Initial Consultation and Design: As with all of our products and services, the initial consultation is free! Additionally, if we need to customize the design to your specific needs, there is no additional charge!
- Product Costs: Since this product cannot be sold seperately from installation, please refer to the installation services pricing (below).
- Installation Services: Due to economies of scale, the more doors you are controlling per main panel, the lower the cost per door. Therefore, the typical installed price ranges between approximately $2000 to $750 per door.
- Training Services: We will provide a single on-site training session (up to 4 hours) with the person responsible for using and/or maintaining the system at no extra charge. Of course we will be happy to answer any basic questions that may come up after the training session via phone or e-mail for free as well!
- Monthly Recurring Fees: For the onsite version of this system, there are no monthly recurring fees. For the hosted version, there is a monthly fee of $10 per main panel plus a single door, $8 for each additional door, and $8 per DVR that is integrated into the system.
- Support Services:
Warranty Support- Includes replacement of hardware through an RMA process with the manufacturer. Labor costs are not included in warranty support unless the product fails due to our mistake (which is very rare). Labor pricing is based on whether or not you choose one of our support plans.
Non-Warranty Support- If the product warranty has expired and the manufacturer will not provide an RMA, we will provide a quote for the total cost of replacing the product (including labor and materials). Once again, our labor pricing will depend on whether or not you choose one of our support plans.
Did you know???
Check out the following tidbits of information related to this technology or service! The more you know about something, the more likely you are to make good, informed decisions when it comes time to implement it!
- Like many other systems, Access Control Systems usually require a permit to be installed. In order to get a permit, the vendor needs to be licensed! Make sure your vendor is licensed to install Access Control Systems or you may end up having to pay for the installation twice!
- With a little ingenuity, Access Control Systems can be used to solve many problems. For example, one of our customers needed to track which employees were enabling/disabling the burglar alarm, but they had more users than the burglar alarm system could provide unique codes for. We tied a biometric reader and the burglar alarm system into the Access Control System. This resulted in the ability for employees to enable/disable the alarm using their fingerprint while giving the employer the benefit of being able to easily track usage and activate/deactivate burglar alarm system users directly through the Access Control System without the use of codes!
