A dramatic entryway is making a brand’s first impression and setting the tone for visiting customers and staff.
As a high tech IT company that offers intelligent network security solutions, Axis Communications desired a crisp, clean feeling, achieved by installing a 30-foot glass entryway at its new Axis Experience Center (AEC) in Chicago. This dramatic exterior front entrance also required an equally impressive access control solution.
Adding access control to any glass door can be a challenge, especially when trying to maintain an uncluttered appearance. Conventional technology requires running wires through the building perimeter wall, trenching and burying wire and then running it into a pedestal. However, strict Chicago building codes require that cable must be contained in conduit, which adds expense and results in a messy and chaotic look, especially in the case of a glass entrance. A custom pedestal drilled into the exterior marble floor for a mounted card reader would have ruined the clean look and added an astronomical cost that the building management company wouldn’t approve. A more innovative solution was required.
In addition to the aesthetic and cost challenges, Axis also required a scalable system that would ensure data security and could enroll its 1,600 global employees using their existing HID iClass credentials. Working together on a solution, HID recommended the Securitron R100, a small surface-mounted wireless reader powered by Aperio® technology.
The R100 supports HID credentials and can communicate with an existing access control system through the Aperio wireless hub, allowing a seamless integration. The Aperio hub features an open architecture with simple Wiegand connection that in this case allowed it to directly interface with the AXIS A1001 Network Door Controller without any modifications. And with fully encrypted AES128 wireless communication between the R100 and Aperio hub, Axis could be certain that its data was protected.
Installation was quick and easy. In less than a minute the R100 was mounted on the glass wall, ready to connect. The Aperio hub was wired into the access control system and installed out of sight in the drop ceiling. By deploying the Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) AXIS A1001, Axis also reduced the need, and cost, for separate power and proprietary data cables. In 30 minutes the reader was up and running without a hitch.
By eliminating the need for drilling through the perimeter wall, custom pedestals, and running wires to the door, Axis not only saved time and money by choosing the Securitron R100, but also completed a stunning entrance renovation with a reliable access control security solution.
