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As healthcare building tech- nologies continue to evolve, more building systems are converging on the IT network. Where there were once stand- alone systems that utilized proprietary parts and protocols to communicate necessary in- formation, more manufacturers have recently adopted Ethernet and the common RJ-45 con- nections to their products. In the case of access control systems, this evolution has reached a tipping point with several reputable manufactur- ers of ering converged product lines. These newer products would streamline the deploy- ment and maintenance of ac- cess control systems. The main components of an access control system at the door are the following: > Electronic locks —built into the door to automatically lock/ unlock under certain condi- tions > Card readers and biometric readers — which connect to a database of approved creden- tials, so that a positive read unlocks the door > Request-to-exit devices — such as motion detectors above a door and push-to-exit wall buttons — are on the secure side of a door or entryway and allow someone to leave without setting of an alarm > Door monitors, also known as door contacts, communicate to the system whether the door is open or not (when it shouldn't be) Traditional access control systems A traditional access control system would have dedicated wall panels in an electrical or telecom room, connected via multi-conductor cable to a door controller above the access- controlled door. Each panel would have a phone or network connection so it can communi- cate with a database with the approved credentials stored on a server. The panels and controllers are usually part of a closed system, meaning that they are both from the same product line of one particular manufacturer. Upgrades to the system software or hardware can be costly, as that work most likely needs to be performed by a limited number of security integrators that are dealers for that manufacturer. Additionally, as with most technical systems, manufac- turers will only choose to support certain products for a limited period of time. This is both in terms of software support, as well as of ering physical replacement parts. After a certain point when a building owner wishes to add a new card reader door to their system, they might fi rst need to upgrade an entire system. Converged access control systems With a converged access con- trol system, proprietary control panels are replaced with IT components. In fully converged systems, the door components are powered and communi- cate through a Category 5e/6 cable connected to a Power- over-Ethernet switch in the IT network rack. The devices can communicate to the database directly over the facility LAN — most times over a virtual LAN setup on an IT department's infrastructure they already have or plan to deploy; no pro- prietary panels or door controls are needed. For larger systems, or if network security is more of a concern, a separate security network utilizing dedicated switches can be installed in place of a VLAN. Over the past decade, IT managers have seen security cameras converge onto their network; now the access con- trol components are primed to follow suit for all of the same reasons: switches are easier to deploy, switches can be shared between LAN applications and the system is much easier to scale. One of the main reasons there hasn't been an overall convergence to access con- trol systems yet is the in-rush power requirements that some electronic locks and latches need to activate. While the power is low voltage (12 or 24VDC), an in-rush current of up to 2A or greater can be common. This would require upwards of 50W (24VDC mul- tiplied by the in-rush current of 2A to get the approximate power requirements in watts). The initial PoE standards from IEEE limited the power over two pairs of (a four pair) Category 5e/6 cable to 15.4 W and 25.5 W. An updated standard for PoE++ is due for formal ratifi cation in 2016-17, which will allow 51 W or 71.3 BRINGING ACCESS CONTROL ONLINE Emerging systems open the door for implementing new technologies BY MATTHEW PETERWORTH 50 Medical Construction & Design | M AY/ J U N E 2016 | MCDM AG.COM