What happened?
Security technology provider TKH Security has introduced Atlas Access, a cloud-based access control system designed to make traditional keys and access cards obsolete. Entry is instead handled exclusively via smartphone. Carsten Keite, Managing Director of TKH Security GmbH, based in Erkrath, describes the digital key as "the instrument of the future" in access control.
The Details
According to the manufacturer, Atlas Access is aimed particularly at businesses, property managers, and operators of multi-tenant buildings. The goal is to reduce the administrative burden of managing access permissions and users. Technically, the solution is based on an app and a web platform that deliberately forgoes building its own user database. Instead, the system links to existing identity platforms such as Microsoft Entra ID.
Authorized individuals gain access to doors via a mobile token on their smartphone, without needing a physical key or card. Visitor access is also integrated into the system: user group owners can add external individuals themselves or share digital keys via email, AirDrop, or messenger services. Registration happens automatically via QR code and takes previously defined time and area restrictions into account.
For properties with multiple tenants, Atlas Access offers the option to individually define via the web portal which locks are accessible to which tenants and their employees. This creates separate, distinct access profiles for each tenant. In terms of data protection, the solution is hosted in a data center in Germany in compliance with GDPR, according to TKH Security. Access data is stored temporarily and automatically deleted after 30 days, though it can be downloaded and backed up beforehand if needed.
Context
As the number of locations and users grows, administrative overhead in traditional access control systems increases noticeably—according to the manufacturer, facility teams often lose track of separate access databases. This is precisely where Atlas Access comes in: since no proprietary database needs to be maintained, the system automatically picks up changes from the company's own identity management. This places TKH Security within an industry trend moving away from isolated standalone solutions toward systems that integrate seamlessly with existing IT identity infrastructures.
This development is relevant to the access control industry because it demonstrates how strongly physical security technology and IT identity management are becoming intertwined. Rather than operating parallel systems for access and digital identity, companies are expected to increasingly rely on a single, central source for permissions—offering corresponding benefits for administration, traceability, and the currency of access data.
Practical Tips
- Companies and property managers should check which identity platform they already use, as connection to systems like Microsoft Entra ID is a prerequisite for seamless use of such solutions.
- For multi-tenant properties, it is worthwhile to clearly define individual access profiles per tenant to minimize administrative effort and sources of error.
- Since access data is only stored temporarily and automatically deleted after 30 days, operators should clarify early on whether and how data needs to be backed up beforehand for documentation or verification purposes.
- The ability to share digital keys via email, AirDrop, or messenger simplifies visitor management—time and area restrictions should be carefully configured to prevent unauthorized access.
Outlook
With Atlas Access, TKH Security is clearly positioning itself toward a future without physical keys and cards. Integration with existing identity platforms, rather than separate standalone solutions, is likely to be a decisive argument for many businesses and property managers, as it reduces the administrative burden of user management. It remains to be seen how this type of cloud-based, smartphone-centric access control will fare against established systems in the market and which other providers will follow this trend.
