If you’re building a new office building, there are a variety of options for physical access control. Don’t be stuck with last-generation technology, make sure to explore all the possibilities available to make access secure and easy.

Some General Services Administration facilities have been found to use site-specific credentials causing a potential security risk. During inspection visits to 14 GSA-managed facilities across four regions, investigators found 17 distinctly different building badges in use at those facilities.

Hospitals can be fragile and violent places. As a result, the health care field is ramping up its security services to meet the threat. The video surveillance cameras, ID badges and bracelets outfitted with RFID or other smart technology for patients and staff, the integrated alarm systems, mass notifications, license plate readers, and smart card-enabled access control, all combine for the kind of convergent security architecture that the country’s 5,627 registered hospitals, big and small, are reaching for today.

Ping Identity has acquired UnboundID; Monitor Dynamics and Carillon Information Security announced the availability of a FIPS-201 compliant PACs solution; VASCO Data Security unveiled MYDIGIPASS for Healthcare, a solution for health care organizations and vendors of health IT applications.

Gemalto announced that its operating system integrated in the Sealys electronic passports achieved the fastest reading capabilities in the independent Interoperability Tests; Hotek Hospitality Group partnered with LEGIC to implement the mobile key function in its hotel lock systems; ASSA ABLOY Hospitality released of a Mobile Access best practices white paper.

IdenTrust announced it is a participant in the DirectTrust Partnership for Patients Program that aims to make it easier for patients and health care consumers to securely share personal health information; Evolis and CPI Card Group have extended their partnership to provide U.S. banks with the EMV-capable instant card issuance solutions; Dominion Resources Inc. selected AMAG Technology’s Symmetry Access Control System to secure its offices, plant and operations facilities in Virginia and several other states; Zwipe announced the launch of Zwipe Access 2.0.

Ping Identity has been acquired by Vista Equity Partners, a private equity firm focused on software, data and technology-enabled businesses; Thursby Software Systems Inc. announced it is providing software and support for two-factor authentication with Common Access Cards on Apple mobile devices for the Defense Logistics Agency; AMAG Technology has added Stone Lock Global as a certified member of its partner program.

Gemalto will provide its LinqUs Mobile ID solution to the Electronic Transactions Development Agency in Thailand; guests at the Hyatt Regency Istanbul Atakoy will be using a security access solution by ASSA ABLOY Hospitality; MorphoTrust factories have achieved ISO certification for superior security standards in the credential issuance process.

Delta Air Lines and CLEAR partnered to bring CLEAR’s expedited security experience to more airports; Janrain announced that Jim Kaskade will succeed Larry Drebes as the company’s CEO; The Greek Ministry of Interior is validating ePassports and driver licenses using tech from Novatron; Versasec and PrimeKey Solutions partnered.

The physical access control market has never been known to be bleeding edge when it comes to new technology. But a change is on the horizon, cloud-based physical access control systems have arrived. These new systems offer a number of advantages over legacy systems and could usher a new age of security.