25Mar/10Off
Eight Criteria to Consider Before Purchasing a Biometric TWIC Reader
L-1 Identity Solutions (www.l1id.com) released an interesting White Paper outlining eight things to consider before purchasing a biometric TWIC reader.You can request a copy of the White Paper here: http://www.l1id.com/forms/product_info_request Here is a summary of the eight criteria to consider: 1) "Throughput" - Ports are busy places often with hundreds of vehicles entering and exiting daily. Biometric readers must be able to read TWIC's quickly and reliably. Long delays and equipment breakdowns can cost terminal operators thousands of dollars in lost productivity. 2) "Resilience" - Every component of a TWIC reader is a potential bottleneck or single point of failure. Every piece must be reliable including the enclosure casing, the electronics, the network capabilities, and the weather resistance. Will your reader function at negative 25 degrees or at 120 degrees? It should. 3) "Ruggedness" - Don't rely simply on IP rating which only state the enclosure's ability to withstand water. The components inside the enclosure that need to continue working smoothly in extreme weather, rain and snow. 4) "Multiple Authentication Mode Capability" - The selected reader needs to function appropriately at all MARSEC levels. Therefore the reader must be able to positively identify persons based on biometrics, photo identification and pin numbers or a combination. 5) "Flexible Workflow" - Readers must be able to accommodate the current business process as much as possible. Terminal operators do not want to completely upend their current access control procedures. TWIC readers must be flexible when integrating into current Physical Access Control Systems (PACS). 6) "Offline Operations" - TWIC readers need to be able to check access against the Credential Revocation List (CRL) and the TSA "Hotlist." What if the wider internet network is down due to issues with TSA servers. Only readers that can download and internally store copies of the necessary checklists will be able to function when the network is down. 7) "Wireless Capabilities" - In order to be cost effectively deployed at remote gates and locations, TWIC readers must have robust and secure wireless connectivity. 8 ) "Biometric Leverage" - Port security is complex, expensive and time consuming. Security managers can make it less so by leveraging the TWIC biometric and making this information the standard for all biometric identifiers that are being used at a facility.
While the L1 White Paper is primarily a marketing piece for their TWIC reader technologies, it raises a number of serious issues that security managers must consider in order to deploy this cutting edge technology efficiently and effectively.
Reliant Security monitors the latest security technologies and trends and provides up to date solutions for clients throughout the western United States.
Sincerely, Matthew Cooper, CPP VP Reliant Security
