Building redundancy and failover procedures into your access control system
Ensuring Minimal Downtime: Strategies for Managing Power and Network Failures
Any system dependent on electricity or internet connectivity is inevitably prone to downtime. While network stability has greatly improved over time, instances of power, network, or equipment failure can still occur. By acknowledging and planning for this from the beginning will ensure that these instances cause little disruption to your property and site users.
This post will explore how to troubleshoot why the system is offline, what to do in the event that this happens, and strategies to mitigate the risks and repercussions of downtime. The ultimate concern for any property is leaving guests stranded or, worse yet, compromised security and safety.
Why has the smart lock system gone offline?
Power to the gateway is lost.
The gateway has been unplugged from its power source
An electrical circuit or the building main has gone down
Connection to the Internet is lost.
ISP is having service issues
WiFi access point has gone down
Devices are not configured properly
Other network equipment is malfunctioning
Communication between the gateway and lock has dropped.
Lock has low battery levels
A new physical obstruction or more signal noise has been introduced
Network module in the lock has become damaged or disconnected
Issues with the access management software.
A lock or gateway has been removed or altered in the system
3rd party integrations have become broken
What to do if the smart lock system goes offline?
Have a backup procedure in place. The most important thing is to make sure that authorized users maintain access to their rooms, and unauthorized users do not gain access.
Issue a backup credential to any user that requires it.
The best way to do this is to generate an offline or “algorithmic” PIN code. Click here to learn more about how to create different types of PIN codes
If PIN codes are not available, make sure to have a system in place to easily provide users with a physical credential if required
Run through the troubleshooting steps outlined above and look to pinpoint the issue.
Address the underlying issue as soon as possible. Don’t let it linger, rarely will the issue resolve itself and will cause more headaches down the road.
How can this be prevented or mitigated?
Build redundancy and failover processes into your access control system. Installing a UPS on the network switch, or having a battery backup, or even tying into a generator can help minimize the downtown of equipment.
Consider an access control system that supports mesh networking capabilities. If one gateway goes down, locks stay connected to the next nearest gateway.
Invest in a system where credentials are stored directly on the lock and not on the gateway. This ensures that current credentials continue to work on the lock even when the power goes down.
Battery powered locks will not be affected when the power goes down, making them a great choice for suite doors.
Install equipment in secure areas, where residents and guests can’t access them. This also includes adding devices to a dedicated secure network that guests or residents don’t have access to.
Wired connections are more stable than wireless connections. Consider connecting gateways via PoE versus WiFi when feasible.
Consider adopting an offline system instead. Refer to this article for an in depth look comparing which option is best for your property.
Properties that have committed to designing a system that aims to maximize uptime, and have implemented a robust process to handle any issues are able to fully capitalize on the cost savings and operational efficiencies offered by an online system.
