Public Sector Project Example: Access Control, Identity Management, and Badge Production For This FAA Category X (Extremely Large) Airport

Today, large airports are subject to detailed rules and extensive supervision and regulation.  Terrorism has made airports the subject of much government oversight including competing regulatory requirements.  This system is a major world class system with a very large population of personnel.  Its size means that the number of stakeholders in its operation is large necessitating and extensive capability to provide many localized policy implementation within a single system. 

Credential issuance requires verification of reference documents, background checks, and a rigorous attention to the allocation of privilege to credentialed individuals.  Detailed audit of the behavior of credentialed individuals is an essential function in addition to maintenance of clearances, certifications and access privileges.  For example, there may be many different authorities that grant specific access privileges to a specific individual and these privileges frequently change. 

Airports have many gates and controlling access at gates is essential.  Knowing who is entering in what vehicle is paramount to airport security.  Keeping track of these entries is essential just as in the case of individuals.  Detailed tracking of individual’s use of access privileges (alone or by vehicle), monitoring of the state of the system including the state of access points (where $10,000 fines accompany infractions), and having detailed control over every aspect of to the security of the airport is an essential deliverable of the airport’s security system.

EnterpriseSMS® provides these capabilities and more.  The following list describes the scale of the system involved and includes some of the major functions provided.

System Scale:

The basic component counts illustrate the size of the system.

• Stored Identities: 80,000

• Active Identities: 35,000

• Card Readers: 1,000 plus

• Control Panels: 500 plus

• Monitored points: 1,000 plus

• Command Stations: Five is command center and one other at another location.

Identity Management:

A complete identity enrollment, credential production, and visitor management function is part of this process.  The system is extensive and provides the detailed capabilities required by the airport security plan and government regulators.

Access Control At All Locations: 

This project utilizes a relatively basic access control process where 3rd party panels are integrated into a distributed solution. A comprehensive access control system is provided including extensive special access processes.  This includes such special processes for perimeter and certain other access points and implements other very special customer driven rules. 

Intrusion Detection and Facility Condition Monitoring:   

Intrusion detection and monitoring of many additional sensors that monitor many aspects of the airport facility are a part of the solution. 

Redundant Operations: 

The deployed system is fully redundant with replicated servers in separate locations.

Multiple Command Stations: 

Multiple command stations operate in parallel.  They provide redundant control over the system.  They are used to monitor the entire system and to provide control over remote vehicle gates and special access points.

External System Integration:

Integrates U.S. Customs And Border Patrol International Entry Point access control and distributed management