Expert Insights: Benefits of Cloud-Based ID Card Management

Much of our work life these days takes place in the cloud. We use services like HubSpot for customer relationship management and Google or Teams for collaborative communication and document sharing, to name a few.

“The ID card world was a little bit slow to catch up with all the rest of the cloud-based products out there,” says ID Shop vice president Travis Brewington.

But with cloud-based ID badge management software now taking off in organizations across the country, businesses of all types are benefiting from significant improvement in flexibility, security and overall efficiency.

ID Shop’s cloud-based system, IDServer.com, has been a big hit with clients — from schools to casinos. “We’ve had zero negative comments,” Brewington points out. “Only requests for enhancement or additional features.”

To better understand the advantages, we asked Brewington to walk us through how IDServer.com is making life easier for businesses, how to secure data in the cloud, and how to get started right away.

What Is a Cloud-Based Badge Management System?

To understand cloud-based badge management, it’s helpful to contrast it with license-based systems. In a license-based badge management system, your team will order a physical disc or download badge management software from a company. You install the program on a single computer and run all badge management through that device. If you want to use other devices, you’re required to purchase additional licenses.

When you take badge management to the cloud with IDServer.com, you can access your badging data from any internet-connected device. “Every user within the system will have simultaneous access to the same data without having to set up a wide network,” Brewington says. “Photos, names and badge numbers are all sitting up in the cloud.”

What Are the Benefits of IDServer.com?

Brewington highlights several major benefits to IDServer.com.

1. Flexibility. In a license-based model, each user is tied to a physical machine that holds that license. With IDServer.com, there’s no limit to the number of people or seats that can access the badge management system. Owners can give permission to as many users as they choose, enabling them to make changes to badge data or even print from a remote location.
2. Simultaneous access from any device. Many license–based systems require a certain type of PC to operate. Cloud-based systems like IDServer.com enable any internet-connected device to access the system. That means phones, iPads, PCs or Macs.
3. Efficient support and collaboration: "When you use a cloud-based system, your partner, ID Shop, has the same access to the same product that you do, which means your support needs are fewer, and the engagement times are shorter," Brewington says.
4. Always up to date. License-based systems require manual updates that may not be compatible with your latest operating system or vice versa. IDServer.com ensures you’re always operating with the latest version every time you log on, with no disruption to you.
5. Minimal IT Infrastructure. IDServer.com does not require a large IT support network or backbone. You don’t need a LAN, WAN or VPN to operate since all your data and system processes are securely managed in the cloud.

What Security Features Does IDServer.com Offer?

IDServer.com is hosted in a private cloud, “so you’re not using a public server,” Brewington says.

“This product is available to any level of security desired,” Brewington says. “You can have a simple username and password for login, or we can add the security convenience of single sign-on (SSO).”

Your data is also protected from computer crashes or physical destruction. “If the customer has some sort of catastrophe or physical disaster with their buildings, their system remains intact,” Brewington says.

Will IDServer.com Grow With My Company?

Cloud-based badge management is inherently scalable and works best for small- to medium-sized businesses and large enterprises. “We don’t recommend it for organizations under 100 employees,” Brewington says. “It’s really made for organizations with more than one location.”

IDServer.com in the Real World

ID Shop recently set up IDServer.com for a casino in Nevada with multiple locations and high-security needs. “They had an older license-based model that had to run across their WAN,” Brewington says.

They needed a solution that could support more users than printers, offer compatibility with multiple device types, and provide an easy setup they could manage on their own network.

IDServer.com was the perfect fit.

Because of heightened security concerns, the casino chose to use its own network to store and manage data while relying on ID Shop for configuration and deployment across the organization. After a brief rollout period, the system was set up and has been running smoothly ever since.

Vetted staff members can now print from any location, reissue badges for shift workers, control badge permissions and run reports on badge data across the network.

“At the end of the day, they have a fantastic, fully functional product that has increased their capability to service all their locations from anywhere within their network,” Brewington says.

What Is the Cost of IDServer.com?

The total cost of ownership over a 10-year period can range from six to seven thousand dollars. While that is more than what you'd pay for a single license of a traditional ID card management product, you gain unlimited locations, a lot of flexibility, guaranteed backup and redundancy. Plus, you don't need a heavy IT backend — no LAN or VPN is required.

“It’s a really convenient solution for organizations with more than one location," Brewington says.

Getting Started with IDServer.com

Getting started with IDServer.com is as easy as reaching out to ID Shop for a demo and consultation. Brewington and his team can partner with you to customize IDServer.com to meet your specific needs — whether you require a full data agent to manage badge data or need to connect your existing Human Resource Information System (HRIS) to IDServer.com.

Contact ID Shop today for a personalized demo and experience the benefits of cloud-based badge management firsthand.