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| PLAI provides a common platform that allows different PACs systems to communicate and effectively synchronise identities |
The Physical Security Interoperability Alliance (PSIA) continued to build momentum in its efforts to develop specifications to support interoperability at ISC West 2015. The PSIA hosted a demo that was oversubscribed and featured expanded functionality of the organisation’s Physical Logical Access Interoperability (PLAI) profile. Building on previous PSIA demos, the ISC West event featured four PACS (Gallagher, Kastle Systems, Lenel, and STANLEY/Pacom), receiving credentials from a trusted source and synchronising the information across the disparate systems. Additional new features included the use of mobile credentials and role-based identity management.
Implementation of PLAI profile in Allegion aptiQmobile
Allegion provided the mobile credential capability for the demo, showing how an employee or contractor could be on-boarded in an organisation and have his or her credentials enabled on a smart phone. “Implementing the PLAI profile in our aptiQmobile™ platform was accomplished in a matter of weeks. Seeing this functionality, with the other PACS systems, demonstrates the potential scope and capabilities of PLAI,” said Brad Aikin, the Director of Product Management, for Allegion Electronic Locks Division.
Effective identity management is one of the more critical issues facing security directors today. This has become more complex with large companies relying on contractors to supplement their salaried workforce. Contractors are often on limited-term contracts. Being able to terminate access is essential to having a robust physical security plan. In addition, when companies make acquisitions, they often inherit different and incompatible PACs. PLAI addresses this by providing a common platform that allows different PACs systems to communicate and effectively synchronise identities.
Critical component – identity management
“We became involved with the PSIA because we saw an effective standards-based solution for integration of the various parts of the physical security system. PLAI addresses a critical component – identity management. We not only employ a large number of contractors, but need to provide access for employees at facilities around the world. To be able to quickly invoke and revoke access privileges will save considerable time and money for Microsoft,” said Mike Faddis, a Director at Microsoft Global Security.
Microsoft has committed to include PLAI in its internal security system that will go live later this year. This will be offer significant benefits to the company. One of the early benefits will be a means to integrate the security system of Nokia’s mobile phone business, which was acquired in 2014. Microsoft not only added 25,000 employees in 50 different locations to its identity management system, but also had to integrate two different PACs systems. PLAI will make this a simple and cost-effective integration, allowing for a robust security operation.
PSIA’s Access Control Specification 3.0
The PLAI profile is part of the PSIA’s Access Control Specification 3.0 and can be accessed at (http://www.psialliance.org/documents.html >. Conformance tools are available in beta-test form for PSIA member companies.
