Introduction of site access management systems across the defence estate

The paper examines the introduction by the UK's Ministry of Defence (MOD) of Site Access Management Systems (SAMS, formerly known as Technical Access Control Systems (TACS)) into the Defence Estate. The MOD's association with SAMS came about as a result of a number of events that focused the attention of the MOD on the need to explore all options to better the security of access, particularly in relation to visitors and contractors. In addition, there was a perceived need to upgrade the MOD's control of access systems. Control of access security, other than on a number of establishments that have installed SAMS, is at present predominantly based on the issue of paper passes to visitors and contractors. The paper briefly covers the main tenets of the MOD SAMS strategy and then goes on to identify the main security and administrative control facilities that the system offers either as a stand-alone or as part of a LAN or WAN. It examines the continued development and implementation of the MOD strategy, including the hurdles (financial, technical and procedural) that have been faced in efforts to network systems and create the central database that military bases can contribute to and draw upon. The subject of SAMS was first briefed at the 31st Annual 1997 International Carnahan Conference on Security Technology.