Electronic locks expand to network security

Emka reckons its latest development in electronic locking technology takes cabinet security forward in a similar way to its original mechanical locking modular concept.

Emka reckons its latest development in electronic locking technology takes cabinet security forward in a similar way to its original mechanical locking modular concept.

The ELM system is a fully networkable programme of products suitable for multiple or individual cabinets, it combines electronically operated swing handle cabinet locks with environmental monitoring in a secure bus environment especially designed for applications such as process control or telecomms/Internet hosting.

The Emka ELM network system, developed from many years experience in this field, features a conventional CANbus using SNMP protocols, with each bus linked to a maximum of 512 cabinet handles.

The front-end windows environment is intuitive to anyone brought up on Microsoft products and provides a comprehensive setup and automatic logging facility for the bus modules.

It facilitates definition of such parameters as: who has access, how access may be achieved, when access is permitted, what environmental sensor alarms are set, at what levels alarms are set and what controls are operated, for example turning on or off the fan or air conditioning.

This is achieved by a hierarchy of master codes which may be established up to five levels, with the validity of each code set by date, number of uses etc.

There are more than four billion possible codes, and data transfer of sensitive information over the bus is fully encrypted for complete security.

The complete system is based on a communications module linked to 64 other modules such as handle control modules (each of which can deal with up to eight handles).

In addition cabinets may be fitted with sensor modules linked to customer specified sensors, eg for temperature, humidity, fan failure or for computer hard drive vibration monitoring.

Other modules provide remote access capability via keypads, proximity card sensors and linked computers, each of which may be connected anywhere on the bus - either within the relevant cabinet or in a central control room.

A novel feature of the ELM is the ability to include a GSM modem, which allows the phone to be used as a remote keypad for PIN coded access without a physical key.

Other access identification systems are also possible, such as fingerprint and retinal scanners.

So flexible is the ELM network that it may also be interfaced to proprietary LAN systems and building control systems via a linked server, thus offering the ability for operators to monitor and control the equipment installation from anywhere in the world.

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