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Open Source Physical Security Systems?

Posted by Cliff on from the wireless-keys-and-locks-for-open-systems dept.

Scott Hutton asks: "I'm shopping around for door access systems (e.g., CardKey) that can be managed from a Unix system, and preferably uses RF-based keys (rather than mag stripes). Obviously, something that is managed from a serial port is fine. What are folks using out there that doesn't require maintenance from a Windows System?"

1 of 4 comments (clear)

  1. iButton by jfunk · · Score: 3

    I'm part of a physical security project at my company. We are a Linux company, and would also prefer an open source solution, whether we write it ourselves or not.

    We've been playing with Dallas Semiconductor's TINI boards, which are small, cheap, Java microcontrollers intended for use with their iButtons. Well, it's more than playing, we have 100 of them on order...

    The controllers have many communication options, including Ethernet, EIA-232, CAN, and one-wire protocols. They're extremely cool, and they have a UNIX-like shell, Slush, which makes development fairly easy.

    It looks like a very good solution, and if the software is open, we could collaborate.

    Plus, it might be fun to use the TINIs for their intended purpose for a change :-)*