FORESTVILLE, CONN. – Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies has developed the perfect offline access control solution with its new, improved Schlage King Cobra Series 2 (KC2) Locks, SNAP™ programmer and SNAP PC Application. This next generation in the Schlage lock family is smarter, more durable, and very affordable, providing an easy to manage and intuitive offline lock solution.
An upgrade from mechanical keys, KC2 locks and SNAP let end users secure doors, manage lists of up to 1000 authorized users per lock, and access an audit trial of the last 1000 uses to see who went where and when. The SNAP programmer is used to program the KC2 locks and communicates with the PC though a standard USB interface, much like a thumb drive or similar USB storage device. The SNAP PC Application is so intuitive, and so simple to use, that tech support calls will become something only a competitive solution will have to deal with.
The new King Cobra 2 and SNAP will also help locksmiths and security dealers create new and recurring revenue streams to grow their business. By upgrading their customers to electronic access control, and then managing those openings for the customer, revenues will grow and the relationship with that customer will remain strong.
"Most access control solutions are designed either for simple manual programming at the lock or for powerful offline or online functionality through software," explains Chris Nieshalla, marketing manager with Schlage electronic security. "The KC2 lock and SNAP programmer create a nexus between the simplicity of a USB thumb drive and access control lock management. The system is specifically designed for the end user with multiple locks and employees, who finds it impractical to program each lock manually through the keypad, yet does not require the fully featured functions of higher price online lock and software solutions. Examples include retail operations, small to medium sized businesses, property management firms, commercial office buildings, schools, hospitals, airports and many other institutional facilities."
Several improvements and features have been developed for this series of King Cobra locks. New features include the ability for the locks to be programmed using the SNAP programmer. Also, a new lock memory capable of storing up to 1000 individual users and 1000 audit trail events. Other features include a keypad and an iButton credential reader, providing increased security over mechanical locks and pushbutton-only locks. The KC2 may also be used with more fully featured software programs, such as Schlage Security Management System Express, offering the ability to program auto-lock/relock times.
The KC2 is a lock that can grow with a customer's needs. If all a customer needs today is a simple keypad entry solution, the KC2 can meet this need. As their business grows, along with the number of openings and employees, the need for the SNAP programmer becomes relevant. No worries here since the KC2 already has the smarts inside. In the future, it may become necessary to use a more powerful, more advanced system to manage openings – something that combines both offline and online openings into one. Schlage Security Management Systems Software can then be used, again with the existing KC2 locks.
Several models are available. The KC5000 Series 2 is designed for cylindrical and mortise door preps. The KC2 Office Function lock provides a convenient lock/unlock button on the inside of the door, making it quick and easy to allow credential-free passage during the day and credential-only access at night. The narrow stile KC9000 Series 2 locks are designed for use with aluminum doors that rely on various latches and exit devices to secure the opening. The KCR 2 retrofit model provides and easy upgrade path from a mechanical pushbutton lock by matching the existing door prep and covering the lock footprint for a clean finish.
"The SNAP Programmer and SNAP PC Application takes off-line access control management to a whole new level – a much simpler one," emphasizes Nieshalla. "Our customers have asked us to make software that manages people and doors, and the handheld programmer that delivers data to the lock, more intuitive. The new KC2 locks and SNAP Programmer accomplish this and do not require certification or special training. More importantly, the customer will not forget how they work, even when there are weeks between uses."
With the KC2 lock, programming ports allow the locks to be managed using the SNAP handheld programmer, a unique, USB-based device that moves information from the computer to the lock. The SNAP Programmer features a simple keypad layout, LCD screen, and an iButton port to register iButton credentials. Partnered with the new, complimentary SNAP PC application, which is available as a free download on the Schlage.com website, it is a valuable tool that is used to manage people and doors, as well as download audit trails from the lock.
The SNAP PC application resides on the user's PC and is used to create a list of users and door names, which are then merged together, determining who can go where and when. It is extremely simple to use. The intuitive layout, drag and drop control and functional design let administrators manage a database of users, PIN codes, iButton credentials and audit trails effortlessly. Files can be shared, emailed or transferred between PCs.
When finished working on the SNAP PC Application, the SNAP programmer is connected to the USB port on the PC. An "export" button is used to send all relevant information to the programmer. Once locks are installed, the SNAP Programmer is then taken to the lock and plugged in to download its instructions to the lock. At the same time, an audit trail can be retrieved.
"As needs grow and change for a facility, these new KC2 locks provide a pathway for growth," adds Nieshalla. "For the end-user just getting into electronics as a means of key control, programming the lock using the keypad may be all that is needed. When the number of doors and employees increase, the user can begin using the SNAP programmer, which makes programming locks easier and provides an audit trail of who went where and when. Later, the user may want the locks to automatically lock and re-lock at certain times of the day. Without buying new locks, the user can simply invest in the Schlage Security Management System software to increase functionality."
For more information, interested dealers and integrators should contact their local Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies Consultant office or wholesaler. They can also visit www.schlage.com. About Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies Ingersoll Rand's Security Technologies Sector is a leading global provider of products and services that make environments safe, secure and productive. The sector's market-leading products include electronic and biometric access-control systems; time-and-attendance and personnel scheduling systems; mechanical locks; portable security; door closers, exit devices, architectural hardware, and steel doors and frames; and other technologies and services for global security markets. Website is www.securitytechologies.ingersollrand.com.
