Access passes in Apple Wallet: The latest chapter in the many benefits of cloud-enabled security

Commuting to work recently, you may have used a travel pass on your iPhone to navigate the subway or hire an e-bike. Perhaps you bought a coffee on the way, again with your phone. So, wouldn’t it be nice if your Apple Wallet also provided quick, fuss-free access to your office building? The good news? It's already possible. The connection of cloud-based access management solutions to Apple Wallet allows people to unlock doors with a tap of their iPhone or Apple Watch. Whereas security management professionals will likely already be aware of the many benefits that cloud-based solutions can bring to their own working lives, the need to keep all their organizations’ personnel happy and productive, on the other hand, is just as important – even if it is easily forgotten in the bustle of a typical working week.

To fulfil that wider role, security managers have a responsibility to make sure that they operate behind the scenes as far as possible, of course without compromising safety. Cloud-enabled solutions, for instance, can help to minimize false alarms, and to schedule maintenance work for times when it will cause least disruption. Ultimately, security should ideally be omnipresent yet invisible.

Occasionally, though, it’s good to take center stage with an improvement that helps everyone feel a little better about life. Phone-based access provides one of those opportunities – popular with employees, while at the same time easier for managers, more secure and faster. Apple Wallet already offers a trusted and secure platform for all sorts of mobile credentials, so extending the technology to physical access control makes perfect sense. A quick tap of the iPhone or Apple Watch is all it takes, with no need to unlock the device or open an app. It even works with a flat battery, thanks to Apple ’s power reserve technology. In addition, compared to traditional, often plastic made access cards and keys, phones are not only harder to lose, but also more sustainable. Phone-based credentials are quick and easy to revoke or transfer, so they increase security while freeing up managers’ time for more relevant tasks.

Wider benefits of cloud-based security

The ability to open doors for end users with a wave of their phone is just one of the many advantages of a cloud-enabled security solution. More generally, the availability of real-time information across multiple sites allows rapid response to incidents for security managers in those first critical minutes. Fine-grained, flexible control of access privileges and predefined workflows increase security while reducing managers’ workloads.

Key Performance Indicator dashboards support continuous improvement, flag up faulty equipment, and bring insights into building usage patterns that can bring financial benefits well beyond the security sphere. In addition, suitably flexible cloud-based systems leverage existing investment by working seamlessly with existing on-premise security systems.

Ultimately, smart and integrated security management boosts safety, security and emergency response by providing instant access to information – spanning on-premises, edge, and cloud-based technologies. At Siemens Smart Infrastructure these include the Siveillance Suite, Desigo CC, Building X Security Manager, and Digital Services, along with expertise across the entire building security lifecycle and tailored, cybersecure smart building solutions for diverse industries. The opportunity to manage insights centrally, including those beyond the traditional boundaries of building security, also highlights improvement areas. Defined procedures and workflows make life more efficient and secure for managers and staff alike.

Visit our website to learn how you can simplify access management and strengthen physical security.

© Credits: Siemens AG. Published by Rahul Chillar, Executive Vice President, Software, Siemens Smart Infrastructure Buildings.