Any advice on access control system?

[dimammx]

Hey guys, anybody has experience with access control systems. Looks like both Dahua and Hikvision have comparable systems, managed from SmartPSS, and Ivms-4200 respectively.
Also i was looking at ZTK system since Nelly's security had a review, but official website is hard to navigate, hard to comprehend and looks messy.
I think the one i am liking so far is actually Ubiquity Access, looks modern, fully featured and somewhat affordable (Biggest downfall no support for 3rd party card readers ).
Also there is option of using AXIS A1001 with Synology but this is the most expensive option yet (1 door controller is around $700).

System will serve 2-3 locations each having 3-4 doors. About 25-30 users altogether.
Any advice and opinion appreciated.

 

[dimammx]

Hmmm looks like Axis a1001 is actually 2 door controller so making it about $350 per door while ZTK 4 door controller is 900 or 225 per door, but since it is 1 controller it will require bunch of wires going back and forth (card reader, door sensor, lock/unlock signal wires )

PS: the prices above just controllers, so card readers, sensors, power supplies, electric locks are extra.

 

[tech_junkie]

If just want one door then you get what is called a "stand alone wiegand" and the appropriate electronic lock and DC power supply. Then you can intergrate that into any smarthome relay contact to the weigand "request to exit" wire for opening by automation.

 

[dimammx]

Yea it is a bit more complex than one door. it is 3 geographically spread locations, each location having 2-3 doors and a group of 20ish users who have different access levels at different times of the day to different locations and doors within locations. Managing everything under one system is ideal but might not be possible on the cheap. I know hikvision does allow for in with their new hikcentral-professional system.
I might be able to cobble up something with SD-WAN interconnecting the branches and single ivms-4200 AC at one of the locations, since there is not a ton of traffic going on for the Access system, and access rules are stored in the controllers so network outages should not affect accessibility in the short term.

 

[Jayordon]

ProDataKey has a really nice GUI IMO. I've heard a lot of good things about it, but fyi, it is cloud based.

 

[dimammx]

I did come across ProDataKey but they are one of those companies who hide the prices very well. I was able to estimate hardware cost but subscription cost is still a mystery.

 

[tech_junkie]

Yea it is a bit more complex than one door. it is 3 geographically spread locations, each location having 2-3 doors and a group of 20ish users who have different access levels at different times of the day to different locations and doors within locations. Managing everything under one system is ideal but might not be possible on the cheap. I know hikvision does allow for in with their new hikcentral-professional system.
I might be able to cobble up something with SD-WAN interconnecting the branches and single ivms-4200 AC at one of the locations, since there is not a ton of traffic going on for the Access system, and access rules are stored in the controllers so network outages should not affect accessibility in the short term.

Usually, I would integrate with the alarm systems, but since most went to a monthly fee, I would suggest the Ubiquity Unifi Door access system: Ubiquiti | UniFi | Door Access Reimagined
The only drawback is that you have to set up new router with one of theirs that can run the door access server, or get one of their stand alone in-house cloud server and run your door access on your private cloud network. But I find it more of an elegant solution compared to what the alarm companies came up with.

Alarm companies don't get it: No one wants to pay a fee to maintain/administrate a door system.