SALTO is globally recognized in providing smart electronic access control solutions. SALTO´s partner, ToP’s wanted to find a secure network solution to combine SALTO system with spread out locations transporting data through several different telecom operator networks.
Sweden is the destination of many popular ski resorts in remote locations. SALTO is globally recognized in providing smart electronic access control solutions. SALTO is the selected access control option for over 3 million doors worldwide. SALTO partner ToP’s El Värme Kylteknik in Sweden, is providing the SALTO access control solution for mountain lodges’ doors’ online readers at two customers’ ski resorts in Tänndalen and Funäsdalen.
CHALLENGE
All the resorts’ accommodation bookings are made and transferred using Bookvisit, an online booking and administration system, which is also used to create a physical key card or a key in a mobile app for accommodating guests. To be able to run the system as a key as a service (KaaS) for the ski resorts’ reception, the SALTO BLE readers required connectivity with a SALTO server in Stockholm and the reception. However, building a VPN to connect three sites would be extremely expensive. They needed to be in the same, secure network with same IP range, without exposing the units to the Internet.
ToP’s wanted to find a secure network solution to combine SALTO system with spread out locations transporting data through several different telecom operator networks. However, operators can only provide a solution where their network is, requiring APN and entailing also dark fiber. An alternative to APN would not be viable.
SOLUTION
ToP’s was referred to Tosibox by SALTO. ToP’s set up a network to remotely connect access systems by SALTO using the TOSIBOX® solution that was worked out together with the Tosibox technical support team. ToP’s was able to build a local network between the sites and set up a VPN that would be the alternative to APN by operators. This has made them operator independent, superseding the offer of APN and dark fiber by operators. Not using dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP) makes the solution secure, since only fixed IP is used, and no IP addresses are delivered.
The experts at ToP’s set up TOSIBOX® Lock 200’s in Client Mode, and sent them over to the remote sites, where they were taken out of the box and set up as sketched, instantly working like a charm.
In Client Mode, the Lock does not act as a router/firewall in the network, but as a client. This means the Lock will provide a secure remote access to the network but cannot protect the devices connected to the same LAN, as the default gateway to the Internet is another device on the network.
In addition, ToP’s connected camera surveillance communication and building management system to the same network with TOSIBOX®. Now, all communication from buildings is performed through the secure and reliable TOSIBOX® connectivity solution to the server room located in Stockholm.
“I did not expect the solution to be so fast to deploy as it was.”
Peter Eriksson, CEO of ToP’s Gruppen
BENEFITS