A passenger and freight railway who manages more than 10,000 km of nationwide track, has chosen Sera4 to provide access control for remote and distributed sites. This case was first published in Spanish by Revista Innovacion.
The Problem
This railway operator maintains its own communications network to ensure cover its entire rail network. Much of the track is in remote rural areas that existing telecom networks don’t cover. Communication services are required to implement surveillance and positioning systems that monitor trains, stations, tracks and passengers in real time.
The company was having difficulty managing access to the equipment cabinets and shelters located throughout its network. It is often necessary to allow authorized personnel to access these cabinets and shelters in remote areas without data connectivity. At the same time, external contractors may authorize access and users when turnover is often high.
The Solution for Railways
Sera4’s AP3 armored padlocks and Teleporte perfectly solved the administration and access management problem, providing security and traceability even in remote areas outside the network coverage.
The Results
AP3 padlocks have secured this entire network for the last four years, while Teleporte manages access credentials. Sera4 remains the sole supplier for all remote equipment access and currently secures 590 access points. With about 10 accesses a day throughout the entire network, these are infrequently accessed. This is just what Sera4 designs for. If you ignore a lock in the elements for months at a time: it works when you need it to.
Padlocks are installed both on the perimeter walls and on the doors of the shelter. Access is easily granted to whoever is nearby and the cabinets remain secure and deliver reliable communications at other times. Theft and vandalism rates are very low compared to what they were before they implemented Teleporte.
Why They Chose Sera4?
This rail operator chose Sera4 because it is designed specifically for use in Critical Infrastructure. They use the Photo Notes feature to log their visits and maintain records of their assets. Because of their remoteness, they needed a solution that works outside network coverage. They also use the Device Restriction feature to prevent the sharing of password credentials as the sharing of keys. With Teleporte, your keys are not just your password. Teleporte was easy to deploy and integrate into their operations. Most importantly, Sera4’s keyless access control system is reliable, an excellent match to their mission-critical operations.
