The University of Nottingham is renowned for its research innovations. Its system to control access and to secure the facilities no longer reflected its commitment to excellence in the advancement of technology. Over the years, the University acquired several systems for access control, each with their own card technology.
Additionally, it had various platforms for its daily operations. Not only was maintaining all these different systems and technologies time-consuming, expensive and complex, it also limited a possible system expansion. Most of all, there was no clear overview of who was authorised to enter the premises and who was not. Time for change!
Single card access control system
AEOS can operate different locations from one central point and the system’s open architecture allows the use of both existing and new technologies
The University decided that it needed to do two things: switch to one single access control platform, upgrade the card system and revert to using one single card in the whole University. The reason to go for Nedap’s security system AEOS was that it provides all the functionalities that the University was looking for. It can operate different locations from one central point and the system’s open architecture allows the use of both existing and new technologies.
The existing cabling, for instance, could be utilised. After due consideration, all the access control systems were replaced by Nedap’s security platform AEOS. With 400 access points and 108 processing units (AEpus) attached to the existing IT infrastructure, the University was able to go back to one single security system to control the access and exit of its staff and students in the University’s buildings or parts thereof.
Unified card for different services
The replacement of 40,000 cards was logistically a challenge, but with the cooperation of the University this was also achieved. All students and staff now use a unified card for an array of services, i.e. proximity access, sports centre membership, photocopier authorisation, bus payment card and cashless catering. The decision to keep barcode and magnetic strip technologies was to maintain legacy systems, until such point as it is possible to move them to proximity technology.