Our Access200 readers feature additional options which can be installed to maximize its flexibility and enhance the user experience. These options include an internal card reader, and an OSDP module. The internal card reader allows you to use a card as a standalone or additional access method. Details on the supported card types and specifications can be found in this article: Supported Card Technologies & Formats.
The other option is an Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) module which provides enhanced security between the edge device and the access control panel. Further details are provided in the following sections:
WHAT IS OSDP?
Open Supervised Device Protocol (OSDP) is an access control communications standard developed by the Security Industry Association (SIA) to improve interoperability among access control and security products. It was approved as an international standard by the International Electrotechnical Commission in May 2020 and has been published as IEC 60839-11-5. SIA OSDP v2.2, which is based on the IEC 60839-11-5 standard, was released in December 2020. SIA OSDP is in constant refinement to retain its industry-leading position.
WHY SPECIFY OR ADOPT OSDP?
SIA encourages broad adoption of this standard, which is already in wide use by many leading manufacturers like Cypress, HID Global and Mercury, and recommends specifying OSDP for any access control installations that require serious security and/or will be used in government and other highly secured settings. It is particularly valuable for government applications because it meets federal access control requirements like PKI for FICAM. Using it enables communication among different manufacturers' devices and solutions. The standard applies to peripheral devices such as card readers and other devices at secured access doors/gates and their control panels. It is currently recommended when TCP/IP, USB, or other common protocols do not lend themselves to the application and is extensible to IP environments. The OSDP Working Group is working on deploying OSDP over IP soon.
BENEFITS OF OSDP
• OSDP constantly monitors wiring to protect against attack threats and is more secure than the most common access control communications protocol. OSDP Secure Channel supports high-end AES-128 encryption (required in federal government applications).
• OSDP supports:
- advanced smartcard technology applications, including PKI/FICAM and biometrics.
- bi-directional communications among devices.
- an advanced user interface, including welcome messages and text prompts.
- Its usage of 2 wires instead of 12+ allows for multi-drop installation, supervised connections to indicate reader malfunctions, and scalability to connect more field devices.
- Audio-visual user feedback mechanisms provide a rich, user-centric access control environment. Guesswork is eliminated since encryption and authentication are predefined. Plus, there’s a low cost of implementation on an embedded device.