Verkada - The All In One Door Access Provider
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We moved from a Keri Door Access system to Verkada - gradually - over the course of the last three years. Our old system needed an on-site desktop or VM running Doors.Net software to be able to control all needed settings for our organization. Verkada removed that need, as they are exclusively cloud-based. Their door controllers are also MUCH easier to work with, in the event a cassette or controller dies, their cable management system within the housing allows for these cables to be removed without needing to cut them! THankfully, we have only had to do this once, but Verkada stands behind their products with a 10-year hardware warranty. So an RMA was sent out via next-day shipping. No hassles!
Pros
- Ease Of Access across several defined users
- Adding cameras to individual doors for viewing needs
- Cable Management within door access controllers (AC41 and AC42)
- RMA process is incredibly fast in the event of a hardware failure
- Verkada support is available 24/7, and are incredibly knowledgeable on most product issues
Cons
- The AC41 Controller cassettes failed a few times for us, thankfully the AC42 (newer version) has removed cassettes entirely from the controller
- Some access rights issues have occurred for us over the years, and oftentimes engineers had to get involved to set them properly (even me as an ORG Admin have had permissions removed through no fault of our own, in the past)
- We have had some users have their card access credentials removed from their profiles randomly over the years. Not sure why that has happened, but they can be added back and then things work fine again.
Most Important Features
- Cloud-Based
- Ability to assign numerous different users different defined roles within Verkada
- Ease of hardware replacement/RMA usage when needed
- Ability to integrate with several different types of door cards
- Scalable, and the company is constantly adding new features all the time
Return on Investment
- I spend FAR LESS time as an IT Professional having to manually reboot physical door controllers or Doors.Net services to allow things to function as they should normally. Much more reliable
- Very easy to run reports on user access times if needed from upper administration
- Ability to provide certain dates/times of allowed access for contractors or vendors that are not full-time employees.
