ONVIF Profile A: Broader Access Control Configuration

Onvif has announced the final release of Profile A for broader access control configuration that establishes a standardized interface for access control clients and expands the configuration options of Onvif conformant access control systems. The release marks the first open specification that allows for the mixing and matching of access control devices and clients within a system, facilitating interoperability for multi-vendor projects.

Onvif Profile A encompasses daily access control functions for granting and revoking employee credentials, creating and updating schedules and making changes to access control privileges within the system. Profile A deepens interoperability within the access control market by increasing functionality and system management functions at the client level, enabling the configuration of credentialing, scheduling and access privileges through the Profile A-conformant client interface.

“Profile A is a significant development for the market because it provides a pathway for integrating together access control panels and hardware with management software from different manufacturers,” said Per Björkdahl, Onvif Steering Committee Chair. “This pathway for integration also provides future-proofing of an access control system, as it allows another manufacturer’s access control management software to be installed in the future, eliminating the need for a hardware ‘rip and replace’ scenario.”

The interoperability established by Profile A allows end users and system integrators to make hardware and software choices based on functionality and performance, and will also bridge the gap between legacy hardware and new software if both are Profile A conformant. The new Profile further enables integration between access control and IP video management systems when combined with Onvif Profile C for basic access control and Profile S for video streaming.

Profile A has been available in release candidate status in order to provide industry review and feedback prior to the final release. Onvif circulates a new profile first as a ‘Release Candidate’ for at least 6 months, allowing members and stakeholders a final implementation review. When that process is complete, the final profile is published and members can test their products for conformance to the final version of an Onvif Profile. This process is intended to allow members to more quickly introduce conformant products when the final version of a Profile is released.