It’s an access control service with many names: hosted, managed, cloud, shared. Whatever you call it, the idea is for security integrators to take on more of the responsibility of the hardware, software, processes and maintenance — and, more to the point, enjoy the recurring monthly revenue it brings in.

Historically, few security integrators have been willing to take this on. Unlike security dealers, who have access to 24/7 central stations and are based on the RMR model, the integration channel is unused to the concept and has often found the idea overwhelming. In fact, when Gene Samburg of Kastle Systems, Falls Church, Va., first conceived the idea of managed access control in the early 1970s, implementation was cumbersome and it was tricky to hit on a winning formula (see “Managed Access Has Come a Long Way,” page 69). But in recent years this has changed dramatically due to advancing technologies such as IT-based systems and the cloud.