What are the main types of access control credentials?

The common commercial credentials are key fobs and access cards (familiar and easy to revoke), keypad PIN codes (cheap but shareable), mobile credentials that turn a smartphone into the key (issued and revoked remotely in seconds), and biometrics like fingerprint or facial recognition for high-security areas. Many businesses combine several.

What is the difference between cloud and on-premise access control?

On-premise (networked) systems manage multiple doors from a central controller and software located in your building, giving full local control. Cloud-managed systems handle doors through a web portal from anywhere, which suits multi-location businesses and remote administration. Standalone single-door units are a third, non-scaling option for one sensitive room.

Are mobile credentials better than key cards?

Mobile credentials have real advantages: people rarely lose or forget their phone, credentials are issued and revoked remotely in seconds, and there are no cards to purchase. Key cards remain a solid, familiar choice, especially with modern high-security formats. The best fit depends on your workforce, door count, and how you prefer to manage access.

← Back to Blog Buyer's Guide

Cloud vs. On-Premise Access Control: Which Is Right for Your Michigan Business

By Michigan Security Systems · July 2026 · 7 min read

If you're choosing a commercial access control system in Michigan, one decision shapes everything else: should it run in the cloud or on-premise? Both control who gets through your doors, but they differ in where the system lives, how you manage it, and what it costs over time. This guide breaks down the trade-offs in plain language so you can pick what fits your business.

What "Cloud" and "On-Premise" Actually Mean

An on-premise system keeps the brains of your access control — the server and software — physically in your building. You own the hardware and manage it on-site. A cloud (or hosted) system puts that software on secure remote servers, so you manage doors, users, and schedules from any browser or phone, with nothing to maintain in a closet. Both approaches use the same kind of door hardware; the difference is where the management lives.

Cloud Access Control: Pros and Cons

Cloud platforms like Brivo, Avigilon Alta, and Verkada have become the default for many Michigan businesses, especially those with more than one location.

Manage from anywhere — unlock doors, add or revoke users, and pull reports from your phone, whether you're on-site or across the state.
No server to maintain — updates, backups, and security patches happen automatically.
Multi-site friendly — one dashboard for every location, which is a major advantage for chains and distributed operations.
Trade-off: there's usually a recurring subscription, and the system relies on an internet connection (though quality platforms keep doors working locally during an outage and sync when it's restored).

On-Premise Access Control: Pros and Cons

On-premise systems — often built on HID and Mercury controllers, or Avigilon Unity for larger sites — still make sense for specific needs.

Full local control — your data and system stay entirely on your own infrastructure, which some hospitals, government facilities, and high-security sites require.
No mandatory subscription — you own the software outright, though you take on maintenance.
Works without internet — everything runs locally by design.
Trade-off: you (or we) maintain the server, remote management is harder, and scaling across sites is more work.

Which Is Right for Your Michigan Business?

There's no universal answer — it depends on how you operate. As a rough guide: choose cloud if you have multiple locations, want to manage access remotely, or prefer predictable costs with no maintenance. Choose on-premise if you're a large single campus that needs local control, have strict data-residency or security requirements, or want to avoid ongoing subscriptions. Many organizations land on a hybrid — and part of our job is helping you scope the right fit rather than pushing one model.

How Michigan Security Systems Helps

We're a commercial security integrator, not a single-brand dealer, so we install both cloud and on-premise platforms and recommend the one that fits your building, budget, and how your team works — not whatever we're contractually obligated to push. Every system is installed by our own licensed technicians across Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana. Want to talk it through? Request a free site assessment or call 586-466-4490.