Understanding Access‐Control and Monitoring Systems

Infrastructure security operation and management is based on three basic types of subsystems: access‐control and monitoring systems, video surveillance systems, and intrusion detection and reporting systems. This chapter focuses on the access‐control and monitoring systems. The basis of designing efficient access‐control systems involves three terms: ingress, egress, and regress. Access control involves being able to control the ingress, egress, and regress to an asset based on authorization. Businesses and organizations develop comprehensive security policies that define who is authorized to access different assets and what they are allowed to do with those assets when they do access them. Remote‐access monitoring systems are used to notify supervisory security personnel when an unauthorized access is attempted. Next, the chapter highlights the application of the following concepts of physical security: access control, physical barriers, and biometrics. It further identifies commonly used physical access‐control systems/devices, such as keypads, card readers, electronic deadbolts, and magnetic locks.