SDM Magazine: Access Control’s Acceleration at the Edge
We are syndicating this article by Briana Wilson, Managing Editor, SDM Magazine.
Edge-based access control is gaining momentum as organizations prioritize resilience, privacy and cost efficiency. Here’s why demand is accelerating and how security integrators can capitalize on edge and hybrid architectures.
Edge-based access control is still on the rise. Across the board, and largely due to recent developments in edge computing power, security manufacturers saw an uptick in demand for edge devices, and they expect the momentum to continue into 2026. This, of course, presents opportunities for security integrators to take advantage of an expanding capability, whether that means newly entering or growing in the market.
Currently, edge devices are popular amongst large enterprise clients looking to modernize legacy systems while improving security and resilience. Angelo Faenza, head of digital access solutions, ASSA ABLOY U.S., New Haven, CT, says a significant portion of opportunity in the market in 2025 came from working with customers over a long period of time. “For large enterprise clients, this isn’t a quick decision — it’s a real journey,” he says.
This may sound like an aversion to edge devices, but that’s not the case at all. In fact, large enterprises have edge devices at the forefront of their security strategy, particularly in the education sector. “If you’re a parent sending your kid off to college today, recent events have changed the conversation,” Faenza says. “It’s no longer just about academics, residence halls or amenities; parents are now asking serious questions about how campuses are keeping their kids safe, and that shift is only getting stronger.”
Anecdotally, Faenza shares that his daughter, in the process of apartment hunting, is prioritizing safety and technology above all else. “She wasn’t focused on things like cabinets or countertops — she cared about mobile access, secure package lockers and being able to see who’s at the door,” he says. “That mindset is becoming the norm among younger renters, and if you’re a building owner who doesn’t offer those features, you’re going to fall behind.”
David Helbock, Jr., director of product management, Hirsch, Santa Ana, CA, notes that the desire for faster installs and reduced infrastructure was a key reason for choosing edge devices in 2025. “PoE+ powered edge devices at the door were specified on multiple large-scale projects, especially where existing cabling couldn’t support centralized architectures,” he says.
It is likely that these trends will not only continue, but will accelerate in 2026. Helbock adds, “As integrators and end users gain more experience with edge security, confidence in these solutions continues to grow. We anticipate even stronger demand for hybrid edge-cloud deployments that deliver the best of both worlds: local processing with centralized visibility.”
What Is the Edge?
Edge is essentially a cloud supplement that shifts critical decision-making closer to the door, reader or controller itself, enabling real-time responses, reduced bandwidth demands and continued operation even when connectivity is disrupted. By processing credentials, rules and events locally, the edge offers security integrators an architectural approach that prioritizes speed, resilience and autonomy while still complementing the cloud (which, of course, is also on the rise), where centralized visibility and analytics are needed.
The advantages? “First and foremost, privacy. Keeping sensitive information like PII encrypted on an edge device means fewer opportunities for it to be intercepted and exposed on its way to a centralized database,” says Mohammed Murad, chief revenue officer, IRIS ID, Cranbury, NJ. “Additionally, edge computing reduces the amount of infrastructure and hardware required to perform a given task, be it access control, IP video analytics, etc. Without the need for an expensive centralized server, end users can expand their system without having to consider the limitations of centralized hardware; every new device contributes the required computing power necessary to accomplish the task at hand.”
Remaining at the edge also means access control will function even if the wide area network, cloud or data center is unavailable. “Decisions are made locally, which is critical for doors, credentials and alarms,” says Richard Kasslack, senior vice president, sales and corporate development, NVT Phybridge, Oakville, Ontario.
Clients will love this news: in most cases, remaining on the edge means saving money. Edge processing minimizes backhaul traffic, thus avoiding costly bandwidth upgrades. It also eliminates the need for rip-and-replace projects to modernize endpoints. “When the time comes to upgrade a system that relies on edge computing, a new node is added to the network and configured,” Murad says. “There’s no need to upgrade cloud computing tiers, internet speeds or local server hardware.”
Edge controllers eliminate the need for extensive additional cabling, conduit or centralized server infrastructure. This reduces installation time, labor costs and project complexity, often cutting deployment time significantly. “The result? Projects move faster, budgets stay tighter and security remains uncompromised,” Helbock, Jr. says.
Edge computing continues to deliver measurable advantages for access control, such as network resilience, IT maturity and faster, cleaner deployments. “With widespread PoE+ availability, edge devices operate reliably even when upstream connectivity is intermittent or unavailable, ensuring no loss of access control functionality,” Helbock, Jr. says. “Plus, administrators are now far more comfortable securing and managing IoT/edge devices, with better tools and policies in place to protect them.”
Overall, the edge provides deterministic decision making, improved resiliency, stronger cybersecurity and more effective device management. “Edge intelligence enables tighter control and management of connected devices, allowing access control systems to operate as part of a broader IoT ecosystem,” says Jeremy Fromm, evangelist, Mercury Security, Long Beach, CA, an integral part of HID.
As clients increasingly look for solutions that combine the flexibility and scalability of the cloud with intelligent, autonomous decision-making, edge devices will allow them to maintain uptime, enforce security policies locally and manage devices more efficiently, which, Fromm says, makes them an essential part of modern access control strategies.
Edge computing is especially useful when paired with cameras. “You can clearly see who came in, where they went, when they were there and why,” Faenza says. “You’re not just guessing anymore; you have both the access data and the visual context. At the end of the day, it’s about turning security into something measurable and actionable, and that’s the real value of computing at the edge.”
Looking into 2026, Kasslack and the NVT Phybridge team expect continued acceleration towards innovative modernization approaches, more RFPs explicitly calling out resilience and edge processing, greater scrutiny of solutions that rely entirely on cloud availability, and continued increase in physical security integrators looking to use Modern LAN Principles and PoE innovations to differentiate themselves and win over customers.
Where Do Edge Devices Make a Difference?
There are many verticals — some standard, and some that have seen unexpected demand — where edge devices are making a difference, and where security professionals expect to see continued market growth in 2026.
Education. Among college campuses and K-12 districts alike, scale and system lifecycle realities are driving growth in edge devices. “Large, distributed campuses are modernizing legacy deployments and moving toward OSDP Secure Channel and encrypted communications,” Fromm says. “Increasingly, we are seeing demand for embedded application environments at the controller level used to push critical logic closer to the door.”
Aging infrastructure, limited IT staff and increased safety mandates are also driving edge device growth as schools increasingly deploy door controllers, readers and locks that can operate reliably at the edge without requiring massive network upgrades, according to Kasslack. “New opportunities include district-wide standardization initiatives tied to safety grants and emergency response modernization,” he says.
Data Centers. The rapid expansion of data centers — in the present and projected growth in years to come — is creating demand among every corner of security. “What doesn’t always get enough attention is that locking a server cabinet isn’t enough if the perimeter and all the layers leading up to it aren’t secure,” Faenza says. “Without strong edge security, someone could literally walk off with a data storage device.”
Edge devices can help data centers manage dense access points, support zero-trust security models and ensure that credentials, anti-passback logic and multi-factor workflows can be enforced locally while still integrating with centralized or cloud-based platforms.
Healthcare. Hospitals and other healthcare networks depend on always-on access control for patient safety, compliance and staff movement. “Healthcare environments benefit significantly from intelligent edge devices that can run embedded applications to enforce policy locally and maintain operations during network disruptions,” Fromm says. “As more healthcare organizations adopt cloud and hybrid access platforms, resilient on-site decision-making becomes even more essential.”
Faenza notes that massive consolidation is hindering the rate of adoption for edge devices. “As hospitals merge, they bring different systems and standards with them, which makes it harder to move quickly,” he says. Regardless, there are new opportunities, which Kasslack says include expansion beyond acute care into clinics, outpatient facilities and senior living, often with constrained infrastructure.
Commercial Real Estate (CRE). Also in recent news, violent incidents in commercial buildings have reinforced the need for security, even as remote work remains common. Organizations are increasingly adopting mobile credentials, zero-trust security models and cloud-based access control. “In these environments, embedded application environments allow organizations to move complex logic, integrations and validation workflows directly to the edge,” Fromm says. “This reduces latency, improves user experience and ensures access decisions are not solely dependent on a constant cloud connection.”
For the CRE sector, the modernization of access control is often part of a broader digital transformation initiative. “Edge devices enable phased upgrades across multi-site portfolios without disruptive rip-and-replace projects,” Kasslack says. “New opportunities include hybrid workplaces, shared tenancy and retrofitting older buildings to support modern security standards.”
Utilities and Critical Infrastructure. Regulatory mandates and cybersecurity frameworks are driving a need for encrypted, supervised and locally autonomous access systems. “Utilities are layering edge intelligence with AI-driven video analytics for proactive threat detection,” Helbock, Jr. says.
Murad adds, “As demands for electricity and water increase alongside the growth of data centers around the country, the facilities that provide these utilities will need to grow, as will their networks and security systems. Edge devices offer the flexibility and modularity needed to support this expansion.”
Government. Growth spans federal, state and local facilities. “[They] demand FICAM-compliant, high-assurance solutions,” Helbock, Jr. says. Edge devices provide the secure, localized processing required for sensitive sites where data sovereignty and rapid response are non-negotiable.” He adds that government agencies are expanding edge use in remote/field offices, where full cloud connectivity isn’t feasible, yet compliance must remain ironclad.
Traffic Cabinets. Despite being connected back to state Departments of Transportation and control traffic lights, many of these cabinets are still secured with simple keys that can be bought online (for a low price, at that) and easily copied. “Adding access control at that edge protects the network itself and, just as importantly, the safety of the intersection and town,” Faenza says. “In many ways, these cabinets are the ultimate edge devices because they’re so physically far from the centralized network.”
Airports. “High-throughput environments require fast, reliable and scalable edge processing to manage passenger flow, secure restricted zones and integrate with video and identity systems,” Helbock, Jr. says. Edge devices are useful for airports because they deliver the low-latency response needed for real-time decision-making.
SMBs. “Think hair salons, dental and medical offices, or small shops in strip malls — places that used to feel pretty safe and straightforward. That’s no longer the case,” Faenza says. Owners want to know that, once the door is closed, it’s truly secure. “We’re seeing a real uptick in these businesses reaching out because they want and need better security, making this an important growth area heading into 2026.”
Entertainment Venues. This includes arenas, theaters, theme parks and more. “Facial recognition-enabled edge devices are gaining traction for touchless entry, VIP access and crowd management,” Helbock, Jr. says. “These deployments combine high-speed processing at the door with seamless integration to centralized video and identity systems, creating safer, more personalized guest experiences.”
No edge conversation is complete without the cloud. Rather than an either/or scenario, security experts are centering the discussion around how the edge and the cloud work together.
“The future isn’t edge or cloud; it’s edge-first with optional cloud augmentation,” says Richard Kasslack of NVT Phybridge. “Doors must open and close regardless of cloud availability. Edge devices can still integrate with cloud platforms without being fully dependent on them.”
While cloud computing has its place, remaining on the edge offers a higher level of privacy, lower latency, lower operating costs and easier expansion. “In a time when cyberthreats are becoming more frequent and evolved, the added privacy and data security that comes with storing and transmitting information locally cannot be understated,” says Mohammed Murad of IRIS ID.
Certain security requirements can only be met on the edge. “Customers are increasingly choosing based on their specific needs rather than following a one-size-fits-all approach,” says David Helbock, Jr. of Hirsch
For these reasons, there will always be segments that prefer not to use the cloud, or segments that prefer hybrid solutions. That’s why it’s important to keep edge in the loop. “What a lot of people don’t realize is that the explosive growth of data centers is happening because of cloud storage; that’s the backbone making all of this possible,” says Angelo Faenza of ASSA ABLOY U.S. “The growth is real, it’s proven, and it’s not going away. I’m a bit of a market and economics nerd, and I love watching how all of this connects — from Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), to cloud platforms, to the companies building data centers, and even the power plants that support them. It’s a great real-world example of how technology, infrastructure and the economy tie together, and it really drives home why the edge still matters within that bigger ecosystem.”
Solutions at the edge preserve system longevity, architectural freedom and operational independence as cloud adoption accelerates. Edge-based platforms decouple door operations from cloud release cycles, connectivity constraints and vendor-specific architectures, allowing organizations to evolve software and services without reworking the physical layer. “This approach protects long-term investments, supports open ecosystems and gives customers the flexibility to adopt cloud capabilities at their own pace while maintaining consistent behavior at the door,” says Jeremy Fromm of Mercury Security, part of HID.
“Ultimately, it’s not cloud vs. edge; it’s the right architecture for the customer’s risk profile, regulatory needs and operational reality,” Helbock, Jr. says. “Many of our deployments now use hybrid models, leveraging edge for performance and resilience while using cloud for management and analytics.”
Start With Low-Hanging Fruit
Some integrators are very proactive and already deploying edge devices at scale. Others are more reactive and will only consider edge devices when a customer specifically asks about them. “Then there are some who just haven’t gone there yet,” Faenza says. “A lot of that hesitation comes from the fact that people are used to hard-wired, powered edge devices, and many solutions now involve wireless. That can feel risky, even though much of it is driven by cost savings and flexibility.”
If customers are already calling to fix cameras, readers or other systems, that gives integrators a chance to look beyond immediate issues. “You can think of it purely as growing your business and going deeper into the building, but you can also look at it as genuinely making that building safer,” Faenza says. “If I’m onsite for a repair or a quote, I don’t just stop at the front door; I walk the hallways. If I see mechanical locks where access control could be added, that’s a conversation worth having. Many owners don’t realize they can add security inside the building for a fraction of the cost of securing the main perimeter. Once you start that dialogue and bring access control deeper into the space, you’re not just selling more; you’re putting your customer in a safer, more secure position.”
Integrators interested in increasing their business with edge devices should look to customers with lower risk tolerance and higher compliance requirements. “They should also aim for retrofit projects, as the flexibility and modularity of edge devices can accommodate buildings with challenging designs,” Murad says.
Fromm suggests looking for open-architecture hardware platforms. “A single platform can support multiple software solutions, which makes training much simpler for your installation and service technicians and helps your team work more efficiently across projects. It also reduces overhead for the business,” he says. “As IT and OT converge, having a clear cadence for firmware updates and tools to automate them at the edge keeps systems secure and running smoothly. It reduces maintenance headaches and frees you to focus on delivering value. By taking this approach, you position yourself as a trusted advisor. You can recommend the right solutions, integrate them effectively and help your customers maximize the value of their existing infrastructure while preparing for the future.”
As it is with, arguably, all security applications today, the partner approach is the way to go. Customers no longer want “more technology;” they want better outcomes, lower risk, lower cost and less disruption. “That means approaching them with an end-to-end solution that removes barriers and concerns,” Kasslack says.
Customers also need to be aware of the infrastructure. “Too often, integrators do not address the biggest barrier: the costs, disruption, risk and security concerns associated with building a network to connect the new IP endpoint back to the application,” Kasslack adds. “Most customers cannot rip and replace cabling, switches and closets. The costs alone average between $800 – $2,000 per drop based on experience and industry statistics.”
Thus, building out the entire story is important. Lead with the innovation that addresses clients’ problems and edge devices barriers. Helping clients choose the correct solution that works with existing infrastructure can save them money and build a more secure, robust network that is easy to implement and manage.
Finally, focus on scalability. Murad concludes, “Edge devices’ ability to grow incrementally and affordably over time can help you win jobs by accommodating smaller budgets.”