University campuses are dynamic fast moving environments. Thousands of students, faculty, and staff move between residence halls, academic buildings, labs, libraries, and sports facilities every day, yet the technology that controls access to these spaces often hasn’t kept up.
For universities, the move to mobile credentials is becoming more and more of a consideration in order to meet mobile-first expectations, achieve goals like sustainability, streamline operations and improve traffic flow on campus.
However, many universities have been putting off upgrading to mobile access due to the costs and disruption associated with having to replace all their existing hardware for a hard transition.
This no longer has to be the case with new software developments that are allowing campuses to upgrade their legacy access control systems to NFC mobile access, without any changes to their current access control infrastructure.
Upgrading without replacing
Many campuses still rely on fragmented legacy access control systems that use different reader technologies. Older buildings and facilities in particular will most likely still be using legacy access control systems with proximity card readers. The reliance on proximity card readers forces students to carry keycards that pose security risks and create an unnecessary cost to the students and university.
As expectations for convenience and security continue to rise, universities are asking an important question:
How can we modernize access and improve campus security without replacing the access control infrastructure we have already invested in?
The answer lies in mobile access software, from software developers like Sentry Interactive, that can integrate with these legacy access control systems on campus to provide a unified mobile access experience for all doors on campus, despite the age of the access control system hardware installed, and without having to rip out and replace the reader hardware in place.
A mix of legacy access systems across multiple campus buildings
Most universities have grown their access control systems over time. It’s common to find:
- Legacy proximity card readers in older buildings
- Newer systems in residence halls
- A variety of different access platforms for labs, fitness centers, or parking
While each system may work well on its own, together they create a patchwork experience for users, and an operational headache for IT and security teams.
A traditional mobile access upgrade would just add to this problem. Another new proprietary system that doesn’t integrate with any of the others, creating the need to replace legacy systems that were previously invested in and still work perfectly well. New compatible readers would need to be installed across campus buildings creating a significant capital expense, disruption across buildings, and usually take a very long time to deploy.
Software as the solution to extend the life of legacy systems
There’s now a new software-first approach for universities to upgrade their legacy access control systems to campus mobile access, regardless of the make, model, or age of the reader technology they already have installed.
Sentry mobile credential software can integrate with multiple different physical access control systems (PACS) bypassing the proximity card readers installed. By using this software Universities can offer a mobile access experience to all their campus building doors, without having to install any new reader hardware. Furthermore, if a university has their own campus app, mobile access credentials can be stored within it adding value to the app with a new mobile access feature. Students, faculty, and staff can use their mobile credential in their campus app to access doors across multiple buildings and facilities that they have been remotely assigned access permissions to.
Designed by developers for campus end-users
Sentry Interactive puts user experience first with their mobile credential software. Saving time and money with deployment and providing the flexibility to work with the systems and platforms already in place on a campus. Universities can provide a unified mobile credential to students, faculty and staff to improve security by gradually transitioning away from proximity cards, to streamline operations with remote access management, and ultimately create an attractive and modern access experience to gain a competitive advantage at a low cost.
For students, faculty and staff
- One mobile credential for residence halls, classrooms, and amenities
- No lost cards, no replacement fees.
- A seamless app-based experience.
- Reduced dependency on physical badges
- Faster access across departments and buildings.
For operations and facilities staff
- Remote mobile credential management.
- Fast and easy onboarding and offboarding.
- Lower total cost of ownership.
- Mobile credentials integrated with campus application features.
Ready to modernize campus access using software?
If your university is looking to modernize access control while keeping budgets and infrastructure intact, Sentry mobile credential software may be the smartest next step.
Get in touch to migrate to your legacy access control on campus to mobile access using our software.
