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W at the device by utilizing all four pairs for power. Because more power would be pushed down these cables, Category 6A cable is recommend- ed. This is because Category 6A has larger #23 AWG conductors, as well as a physical separator inside the jacket that divides the four cable pairs. Compared to Category 5e and 6 cables, the 6A cable can better distribute the higher PoE++ wattage. Heat buildup and cable bundling are less of a concern. Upgrading options for traditional access control systems For healthcare facilities with a traditional access control system, there is an option to upgrade to a partially converged system. First, the new converged system software would be purchased and installed on a server. The access control panels would no longer be needed. The traditional door controllers would be replaced with one that gets power and data through PoE. This would require a new Category 5e/6/6A cable out to this location. With this setup, the exist- ing card readers, door contacts and request-to-exit devices and cabling within the wall and door frame can remain in place and be reused. The electronic locks and how these get power and com- munication would still need to be coordinated; in some cases those cables and power supplies can re- main as installed, with an Ethernet interface to communicate with the new converged system software. Convergence isn't without its issues The biggest cause for concern is vulnerability to hacking or cyber attacks. With a traditional system, this vulnerability is somewhat limited as there were only a few network connection points to this primarily closed system. Now with a converged system, all devices reside on the network. Special care needs to be taken to set up the VLAN or dedicated network with appropriate security and fi rewall settings. Properly managing login and access rights for individual users — rather than having shared logins and passwords — is another important step. Another concern is that the ac- cess control system is now subject to network downtime. When IT equipment in telecom rooms are on standby (generator) power, then a simple 120V rack-mounted UPS in the network rack should be enough to carry the network equipment (and security access control server) through most power outages. But when that is not the case, and it is vital that the access control system remain functional during a power outage, then the local UPS require- ments in each telecom room are greatly increased. For existing fa- cilities, there may not be adequate space for these larger UPS compo- nents to power all of the required network gear. Besides the backup power concern, the network compo- nents will have both planned and unplanned outages; switches are oftentimes upgraded every 3-5 years, whereas the traditional access system components are frequently kept in use for 10 years or longer — usually until the manufacturer has declared their products and software to be end- of-life and will no longer of er support or stock. Ultimately, a converged ac- cess control system comes with more interoperability between manufacturers and their compo- nents. Software upgrades — with both minor bug fi xes and major, feature-rich revisions — can be done by building IT staf (rather than external security vendors). Couple that with the ability to pull one or two Category cables to a new card-reader door, connect it to a network switch and quickly add it to the system, converged access control systems will soon be commonplace. Matthew Peterworth, P.E., is a senior tech- nology specialist for Henderson Engineers. He designs telecommunications, security and AV systems for a variety of commercial and healthcare projects. He can be reached at matt.peterworth@hei-eng.com. MCDM AG.COM | M AY/ J U N E 2016 | Medical Construction & Design 51