www.managedITmag.co.uk 15 SECURITY Smart access control The University of Dundee has selected HID access control solutions to give staff and students touchless entry to buildings The University of Dundee is updating access control at its city centre campus to give staff and students touchless entry to buildings using a smartphone instead of a plastic RFID card. The public research university renowned for its academic excellence in dentistry, medicine, science and engineering and life sciences is installing HID Mobile Access and HID Signo readers throughout its buildings to enable staff and students to access buildings with a smartphone. In a two-year, staged rollout implemented by specialist security installer Scottish Communications Group, the University will install mobile-ready HID Signo readers in around 40 buildings and purchase 10,000 HID Mobile Access licences giving members of the academic community the option to use an Apple or Android smartphone for entry into its facilities. HID Signo readers, with native Bluetooth and Near Field Communication (NFC) connectivity, will integrate with the University’s existing AEOS access control software from Nedap and support the continued use of plastic RFID cards already in circulation. Historically, the University has used plastic RFID cards for access control. However, the process of printing and issuing cards was laborious and time-consuming, especially during peak times like Freshers Week, when some 2,500 to 3,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students are enrolled. The need for thorough identity checks could take up to 10 minutes per card. Shifting to HID Mobile Access, which utilises cloud-based HID Origo management software integrated with the AEOS system, simplifies licensing, allocation of credentials, setting of building access rights and validation or cancellation of IDs, all of which is now done wirelessly, virtually and remotely. “Once registered by Student Services in AEOS, a student simply gets an email to their phone, they tap on a link, the app automatically uploads and a mobile credential is granted,” explained Paul Brady, HID’s End User Business Manager for Physical Access Control Solutions. “Not only does this improve the overall student experience because it’s substantially quicker and more efficient, but it’s far more sustainable as you’re not issuing PVC cards anymore.” Dual system In time, the University would like to switch to mobile access for all 16,000 students and 3,300 staff. However, Colin Stebbing, Head of Precinct Services, says that for the time being it will continue to operate a dual system. “We recognise that some visitors and staff still want to use a physical pass and not all employees have a university issued mobile credential. HID Signo readers allow us to run both credential types in tandem, with HID Mobile Access giving us the option to scale up to include digital wallets from Apple and Google, as well as integrate with digital campus cards should we decide to go down this route in the future,” he said. Stebbing adds that the new system will also help the University meet changing requirements including forthcoming legislation like Martyn’s Law. “Ensuring the University is ready for this was important given that we have a duty to protect and ensure everyone is safe. The HID solution enables us to lock down buildings immediately and has built-in functionality which we can leverage over time, meaning we’ve invested in ‘future proof’ equipment which will last us long‑term.” Scottish Communications Group is currently installing HID Signo readers in the University’s main buildings including its new £40 million Innovation Hub, which includes flexible laboratory, meeting and office space for commercial organisations. It is also supplying Motorola MOTORTRBO Ion smart radios to the University’s security staff. The radios will be configured to run HID Mobile Access so they can open doors fitted with HID Signo readers. Because these smart radios also link to the University’s CCTV, alarm systems and CriticalArc Safezone App, security staff will only have to carry one device to fulfil their duties. www.hidglobal.com University of Dundee Geddes Quadrangle, University of Dundee
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