Local start-up is seeking its niche in access-control security market

September 8, 2006

Enhancing security has become one of the most important issues to both businesses and the military. But keeping access-control systems effective has become a challenge.

To solve that problem, one San Antonio company has developed a way to update and upgrade those systems, saving both time and money.

Common Credential Systems, a newly formed company, will soon market both hardware and software that can expand the capabilities of existing access-control systems.

"(Access-control) systems are everywhere and made by lots of different companies," says Chris Fox, founder of Common Credential Systems. "Most are made with protecting a building in mind but they can only hold in memory a couple of thousand (access cards)."

The limits of access-control systems are affecting businesses in many ways, such as having employees carry more than one access card for differing situations and larger companies being unable to issue cards to all employees.

Common Credential's solution attempts to solve those challenges with little or no down time for the company.

Speaking the language
Although there are many different types of systems, Fox says all the systems speak the same language.

"The one thing all the systems have in common is the language by which it talks to the card reader at the door," he explains. "We get involved in that path, speaking that language."

According to Fox, his company installs a small, simple box next to the existing access-control panel. The software is installed on a central server and the system is managed via the Web.

Although Fox didn't have specific numbers, he says securing one door of a business typically costs several thousand dollars. Common Credential can update a door for less than $500.