All businesses utilize some form of access control, even if it's nothing more than a key to the front and back doors. The more keys you hand out to employees, however, the less control you have over the access to your business (are employees coming in at hours they have no business being there? How many unauthorized copies of keys are floating around out there?). So, when you need something more advanced than a lock and key, Bonsall Security & Automation can meet your needs.

As a Brivo Certified Reseller, we offer the most advanced, cloud-based access control systems on the market. That means no more on-site servers that need to be managed, and you get access to the latest features, as they become available. So, whether you need an entirely new system installed, one to replace a current system, one that requires minimal wiring, or even one that can be installed in a remote building, yet managed remotely, Bonsall Security & Automation has a Brivo solution to meet your needs.

With a Brivo system, there is no on-site server needed to run the access control system. This means that there is no server that needs maintained (software updates, security patches, etc.). You have a system that just works. 

Because of its cloud-based nature, even a multiple-site setup can be as easily managed as a single-site system. You can easily manage users, groups, cards and other credentials, schedules, and more, from a web browser at your headquarters, without having to make an in-person visit to the location where the doors you are managing are physically located.

And, being cloud-based means that new software features rolled out by Brivo can be immediately available for you to use, without having to have your I.T. department upgrade software on an on-site server. As a lot of small businesses contract their I.T. needs to a third-party, that's one less thing that you need to budget in, just to get new features or bug-fixes.

Historically, access control systems have utilized card readers along with cards or fobs to determine access privileges. But Brivo access systems can provide options beyond just reading a card or fob, including support for Bluetooth and mobile apps. You still have the ability to assign cards, fobs, and even PINs, but now your users can utilize their smartphones for additional access options.

Sometimes you need more security than just swiping a card can provide. In some cases, an employee might drop their access card in the parking lot, or become the victim of a pick-pocketer or mugger. In these cases, you don't want the individual who now has the employee's access card to gain access your building. This is where two-factor authentication comes into play, and a Brivo access control system installed by Bonsall Security & Automation can provide such extra security, if needed.

Two-factor authentication means that two different types of credentials need to be provided together to gain entry. Typically, this is “Something you have” (e.g. your access card or fob) and “Something you know” (e.g. your four to eight digit PIN). This ensures that if an unknown individual comes across your employee's access card, that they still cannot gain access to your facility (just make sure your employees understand the importance of not writing their PIN on their card!).

With the ubiquity of smartphones, providing access through an app loaded on your employees' phones can provide convenience and additional security. You can allow doors to be unlocked from anywhere, or you can restrict it to employees who are actually onsite. This can be accomplished by using Bluetooth, which has a limited rage from the reader, or, if you're using cloud access to unlock doors, by requiring that the phone with the mobile app be connected to your company's WiFi.

But, in some cases, you want to allow access from anywhere. If you own an apartment complex, for example, you may want to allow your tenants to unlock the door to the building from their individual unit, to allow a delivery driver to enter, for example. Older access systems on apartment buildings allowed for door release from the individual unit by tying into that tenant's landline phone (or having a dedicated intercom station or phone). But, as having a landline has pretty much gone the way of the dodo, Brivo's Mobile Pass can return that functionality at a fraction of the cost.