What's the difference between Access Levels and Access Areas?
Access Levels define when and where a user can go. Access Areas define the physical or logical zones they are trying to reach. Together, they form the backbone of security policies in an organization.
1.
Access Areas (Where)
Access
areas are categorized into distinct zones or perimeters within a facility or
network. They determine what assets are being protected.
·
Public/Perimeter
Areas: Entryways or
reception where guests are allowed without heavy credential checks.
·
General
Workspace Areas: Open
offices, standard meeting rooms, or common employee zones.
·
Restricted/Secure
Areas: Server rooms,
executive suites, HR departments, and R&D labs requiring elevated
credentials.
· Logical Areas: Digital databases, network servers, or software compartments.
2.
Access Levels (Who, What, and When)
An access
level combines assigned areas, permitted users, and specific operational rules.
It dictates the conditions of entry.
·
Time
Schedules: Specifies
the hours or days a credential is valid (e.g., standard employees 9 AM - 6 PM,
Monday - Friday).
·
User
Roles: Determines the
permissions tied to job functions (e.g., Role-Based Access Control).
· Clearance/Privileges: Defines whether a user can read, write, execute, or delete information (logical) or bypass locks (physical).
Access Levels combine Access Areas and Time Schedules to control access for groups of users. This allows a site to easily issue access to a user by assigning them into a specific, pre-defined Access Level, without having to select new access privileges each time a new user is entered.
After you
have set up Access Areas and Time Schedules for a site, you create access
levels that combine both. Most sites only have 2 - 3 Access Levels for the
site:
· One
Access Level for customers who are limited to business hours and to areas that
are considered 'On-site'.
· One
Access Level for customers that have 24-hour access to 'On-site' areas of the
site.
· One
Access Level for employees that have 24-hour access to all parts of the
facility.
Additional
Access Levels may include:
· Customers
who have 'extended hours' (such as 6:00 am - 10:00 pm) and have access to
'On-site' areas of the facility.
· If
the site has individual buildings that are keypad-controlled, a separate access
level could be set up for each building with the allowed hours for that
building.
· Employees
can have separate access levels by shift and areas that they are allowed into.