Migrating from a legacy access control system

A typical life span of an access control system is 6 to 8 years. However, it is not uncommon to have one that is 15 to 20 years old. Since technology has changed drastically within the last 20 years, an older system, in most cases should be completely replaced but the end-user can still export the users and associated credential data, which will save a lot of manual data entry and lessen the risk of data entry errors.

Today’s access control systems offer much more security and the hardware and software costs have actually decreased but the labor costs have increased. When considering a replacement system, the end-user should, at a minimum, consider re-using existing wiring. If the end-user is on a tight budget, keeping the existing readers and credentials will amount to substantial savings.

Replacing a legacy access control system gives the end-user the opportunity to design the new system based on present needs. For example, if there are several legacy readers that are hardly ever used and the area they are protecting does not have valuable assets, then it probably does not make sense to replace them. In brief, this is a time to first consider where you really need access control and then consider what type of system makes the most sense. For example, cloud-based systems can be beneficial if you only have a few readers and you are planning on moving the office to a new location in the near future. On the other hand, having more than 5 readers with no plans to move, then an in-house web-based system will be less expensive and easier to manage. Middleware Associates can assist you in determining the most cost-effective path. We love working directly with end-users to offer them the most secure, convenient, and cost-effective system. If you are interested in replacing your outdated system, please fill out the form below.