5 min read
Access control
- Access control — the combination of credentials, readers, hardware, and software that decides who can open which door and when
- Credential — what a user presents to be identified (card, fob, mobile credential, PIN, biometric)
- Card reader — the device at the door that reads the credential
- Mobile credential — a credential held in a smartphone app rather than a physical card
- Controller — the device that decides whether to grant entry based on credential and schedule
- Audit trail — a log of every grant, denial, and event the system has recorded
- Tailgating — unauthorized entry on the credential of an authorized user
Door hardware
- Door position switch (DPS) — sensor that reports whether the door is open or closed
- Request-to-exit (REX) — device that tells the system someone is exiting (button, motion sensor, or panic-bar contact)
- Electric strike — electrified strike plate in the door frame that releases on grant
- Magnetic lock (mag lock) — electromagnet that holds the door closed; releases on power interruption
- Electrified panic hardware — exit device with built-in electrification for access control integration
- Power transfer — hinge or device that brings power across from the frame to a moving door leaf
- Fail-safe — door unlocks when power is lost
- Fail-secure — door stays locked when power is lost
Intercom & visitor entry
- Intercom — device for audio (and often video) communication at a door or gate
- Door station — outdoor intercom unit at the entry point
- Directory — list of tenants or staff a visitor can call from the door station
Video surveillance
- CCTV — closed-circuit television; the older analog-cable video standard
- IP camera — networked camera that transmits video over Ethernet
- NVR — network video recorder; on-premise recording and storage device
- VMS — video management software; the platform that displays, records, and manages video
- PoE — Power over Ethernet; delivers power to a camera over its network cable
- Field of view — what the camera sees, set by its lens and mounting
Intrusion detection
- Intrusion detection — sensors and panels that detect after-hours or unauthorized activity
- Alarm panel — the device that monitors sensors and triggers alarms
- Alarm zone — a grouped set of sensors covering a defined area
- PIR — passive infrared motion sensor
- Glass-break sensor — audio sensor that detects the frequency of breaking glass
- Hold-up button — duress alarm; usually silent
Lockdown & emergency
- Lockdown — a coordinated workflow that secures doors and notifies responders during an emergency
- Lockdown button — physical or virtual trigger for the lockdown workflow
Infrastructure
- Low-voltage — wiring under 50 volts; covers most security, network, AV, and intercom cabling
- IDF — Intermediate Distribution Frame; the room or rack where local network and security equipment lives
- Head-end — the central location for system controllers, recorders, and panels
- As-built — drawings or documentation showing how a system was actually installed