What On-Premise Access Control Is — and Its Limitations

Traditional access control runs on a local server installed on your premises. The server stores employee credentials, manages door controllers, and logs entry events. IT manages the server, installs updates manually, and is responsible for backups and uptime.

This model made sense when cloud infrastructure didn't exist. It creates significant problems today:

  • IT dependency: Every change — adding an employee, revoking a card, updating access schedules — requires either an IT ticket or physical access to the server room.
  • Manual updates: Firmware updates to door controllers must be pushed manually. Vulnerabilities may go unpatched for months in busy IT environments.
  • Single point of failure: If the local server goes down, access control may be impaired. Depending on the setup, this can mean doors that don't open — or worse, doors that fail open.
  • No remote management: If you need to lock a door or revoke a credential at 10pm from home, you can't do it without VPN access to the internal server — if that's even been configured.
  • Scaling is expensive: Adding a second site means a second server, second license, and second IT overhead.

What Cloud Access Control Offers

Cloud access control moves the management layer to a hosted platform. Door controllers connect to the cloud over the internet. All configuration, credential management, and reporting happens through a browser — from anywhere.

TimeClock 365 provides cloud-based access control integrated with attendance management. Key capabilities:

  • Add, remove, or modify employee access in real time from any browser
  • Set access schedules per door (business hours, 24/7, custom time windows)
  • Lock or unlock doors remotely with one click
  • View a live entry log with employee names and timestamps
  • Receive instant alerts for access attempts outside scheduled hours
  • Firmware updates pushed automatically — no manual patching

Total Cost Comparison

On-premise systems have high upfront costs (server hardware, installation, licensing) and ongoing IT maintenance costs. Cloud systems shift the model to a predictable monthly subscription with no server infrastructure.

For a 2–3 door installation in a 50-person company, cloud typically becomes cost-neutral versus on-premise within 18–24 months — and starts saving money after that through reduced IT overhead and faster employee onboarding/offboarding.

Offline Fallback on Controllers

A common concern about cloud access control: "What happens if the internet goes down?"

Modern cloud door controllers — including those used with TimeClock 365 — store access credentials locally on the controller hardware. If cloud connectivity is interrupted, the controller continues to grant or deny access based on the last synced credentials. Entry logs are stored locally and sync when connectivity returns.

This means cloud access control is not dependent on constant internet uptime. A brief outage does not leave doors inoperable.

Who Should Switch and When

Cloud access control is the right choice if:

  • You're setting up access control for the first time (avoid legacy infrastructure from day one)
  • You manage multiple sites and want one dashboard
  • Your IT team is stretched and can't absorb ongoing server maintenance
  • You need to frequently add or remove employees (fast-growing companies, staffing agencies)
  • You want access control and attendance in one system to eliminate double data entry

If your on-premise system is nearing end-of-life or you're paying for a server refresh, that's the right moment to evaluate cloud alternatives. See how TimeClock 365 access control works →