Companies employ a variety of access control products to selectively manage where and when people may enter company premises. Over the last few years this $3.8 billion industry has been radically changed by advances in technology - it is currently one of the most rapidly developing markets in the security industry.

The most notable change the access control industry has undergone is the shift to software - enabling access control products to be used as the central front-end for entire security systems. Software based access control products are versatile front-ends for integrated security systems because of their ability to work with almost and system component, including: CCTVs, alarm systems and entry systems. As a result, many small companies and divisions of larger companies have come to dominate the access control market.

This market can be split into four categories:

• Traditional cards, readers, locks, intercoms, and other door peripherals:
  This is the most mature segment of access control market. Products in this market will most likely keep a presence in the market due to legacy systems and high user familiarity
• Software-driven security access systems:
  These systems form the common database for integrating subsystems. This market is currently growing very rapidly due to the market's desire to integrate security systems
• Small- to medium-sized access control systems:
  These systems protect anywhere from 2 to 16 doors access control formerly only accessible to larger uses
• Advanced access control technologies:
  Includes capability to interface with Auto ID, such as biometrics, photo ID, radio frequency ID. This market is currently growing over 20% annually

• The market is rapidly growing at an annual rate of 10%. Industry analysts expect this rate to increase rapidly, from a range of 10.2 - 36.9% per annum
• Firms are both adopting completely new systems and are fusing new technologies with existing methods to avoid wide-scale replacement of legacy systems and provide innovative solutions to access control. Companies have begun to adopt the following technologies:


Smart Cards
• Smart cards, with the ability to securely store information, are becoming more common
• Although 70% of the world smart card market is currently in Europe, by 2005, 40% of the market is expected to be in the United States
• The biggest and fastest traction of smart cards has been with the Department of Defense. They are issuing 11,000 a day right now


Biometrics
• Biometrics is a new technology that is becoming increasingly popular in access control applications. Within this market, fingerprinting and hand geometry are the leading methods used in the commercial market today. Fingerprinting applications can be linked to law-enforcement databases, providing accurate cost-effectiveness solutions
• Biometrics is increasingly being implemented as firms strive for systems that identify people rather than objects that people possess


Access Control and Security Systems Integration
• Electronic access control systems are increasingly being connected to intrusion security systems for enhanced monitoring of areas
• In a survey in April of 2002, 39% of businesses indicated they were considering integrating access control and security systems

• Northern Computers - Honeywell
• CardKey - Johnson Controls
• Casi Rusco - General Electric
• Nexwatch - Honeywell
• Lenel
• Software House - Tyco/Sensormatic