Discover why most cloud access control platforms fall short on biometrics, and how Suprema’s BioStar Air delivers native, secure, and scalable facial and fingerprint authentication built for the cloud era.

Why most cloud access control platforms fail at biometrics. 

Cloud access control promised to make things simpler: no servers, no complex wiring, and no more IT headaches. It was supposed to bring agility, scalability, and convenience to an industry long bogged down by hardware and infrastructure. 

And in many ways, it has. 
But when it comes to biometrics, arguably the most secure and user-friendly form of authentication, most cloud platforms still fall short. They lack native biometric databases, and therefore must rely on patchwork integrations, outdated hardware, and workflows that weren’t built with biometrics in mind. 

BioStar Air breaks that pattern. 
Designed by Suprema, a global leader in biometric access for over two decades, BioStar Air is the only cloud-native access control platform built from the ground up to deliver fast, reliable, and secure biometric authentication at scale. In this article, we’ll explore why most cloud access control solutions fail at biometrics, and how BioStar Air finally gets it right. 

Biometrics access control, without the complexity. 

As businesses move toward cloud-based access control, biometric authentication is becoming a must-have, not just for security, but for operational efficiency and user experience. The challenge? Most cloud platforms aren’t built to handle biometrics well. 

Many cloud platforms claim to support biometrics, but without a native biometric database, they struggle to deliver consistent results. Most rely on external biometric readers patched in through APIs or middleware, essentially trying to force two separate databases to work together, which often leads to sync failures, fragile workflows, and unpredictable behavior. 

Even worse, because these systems weren’t built with biometrics in mind, they lack the user experience and enrollment flow needed to make biometric access smooth for both admins and end users. What should be seamless turns into a patchwork of disconnected components, and a support nightmare for IT teams. 

BioStar Air takes a fundamentally different approach. 

Built by Suprema—an industry leader in biometric technology—BioStar Air is one of the only cloud-native access control platforms with native support for facial and fingerprint authentication via the most advanced biometric readers in the industry. No bolt-on integrations. No external bridges. Just smooth, end-to-end identity management, managed entirely in the cloud. 

Whether you're enrolling a user, setting access levels, or updating credentials across multiple sites, biometric authentication in BioStar Air works as effortlessly as any other credential, because it's built-in from the start. 

Hanchul Kim, Suprema’s CEO, calls it nothing short of a little revolution in the industry: “With BioStar Air, you’re not just getting cloud access control—you’re getting the best of Suprema biometric access control readers on the market, intelligently deployed at the edge.” 

Access control at the edge, built for the cloud, by design. 

In traditional cloud access control systems, every door typically requires a dedicated controller, plus wiring, network setup, and sometimes a dedicated room. That’s a lot of hardware and complexity, especially for businesses with multiple sites or limited IT resources. 

BioStar Air changes the equation with controller-less access control. 
Suprema’s smart biometric and RFID readers aren’t just the most advanced in the industry: they’re independent, intelligent units with built-in relays and processing power, eliminating the need for external door controllers altogether. Just connect the reader to the network, and you’re ready to go. 

This edge-based architecture delivers: 

ㆍFaster deployment – Install new doors or sites in minutes, not days. 
ㆍLower total cost – Fewer devices, less wiring, and no on-prem server requirements. 
ㆍEffortless scalability – Add locations by simply plugging in a new reader. 

For Erik Cornelius, Head of Product for BioStar Air at Suprema, this level of plug-and-play simplicity is a game-changer for growing businesses, franchises, coworking spaces, or organizations managing distributed sites: “Until now, reliable biometric solutions were typically limited to large enterprises with significant infrastructure and IT support. BioStar Air changes that. By eliminating the need for on-prem controllers and servers, we’re making world-class biometric authentication more accessible, scalable, and easier to deploy than ever before.”  

AI-powered biometric performance, backed by 25 years of expertise. 

Deploying biometric access control is only valuable if it works everywhere, for everyone, under real-world conditions. That’s where Suprema’s legacy truly stands apart. 

With over two decades of biometric R&D and a global database of field-proven data, Suprema has fine-tuned its algorithms for unmatched accuracy, speed, and inclusivity. In 2022, Suprema integrated high-performance NPUs (Neural Processing Units) into its biometric readers, supercharging AI processing at the edge, right where authentication happens. 

Here’s what that means in the field: 

ㆍ< 0.2 second facial recognition, even while moving. 
ㆍAccurate detection for faces wearing masks, glasses, hats, niqabs and faces covered in coal dust. 
ㆍDynamic face templates adjust to appearance changes and lighting. 
ㆍBuilt-in anti-spoofing AI defends against fake faces, photos, and fingerprints. 

This combination of on-device AI, real-time matching, and biometric inclusivity delivers the speed and reliability required for high-traffic offices, unmanned entries, and secure industrial sites alike, without compromising user experience. 

Frictionless access that doesn’t sacrifice privacy. 

Biometric access control is powerful, but only if it’s designed to protect the very thing it verifies (spoilers alert: it’s people’s identity). That’s why BioStar Air was built with privacy and compliance at its core. 

Unlike systems that store raw biometric images or process sensitive data on external servers, BioStar Air leverages privacy-first features like Template on Mobile (ToM), on-device matching, and end-to-end encryption. The result? A biometric experience that’s both seamless and secure. 

Here’s how BioStar Air keeps your data, and your users, protected: 

ㆍNo facial images stored in the cloud 
ㆍISO 27001-certified infrastructure with 114 control measures 
ㆍTemplates stored on the device or user’s phone (via ToM) 
ㆍAES-256 & TLS 1.2 encryption for all stored data and communications 
ㆍRegional cloud servers ensure compliance with data residency laws 

Whether you're managing employee access in the U.S., resident entry in Europe, or visitor passes in APAC, BioStar Air provides the tools and transparency to meet today’s toughest data protection standards, without slowing you down. 

In conclusion, most cloud access control platforms were never built to handle biometrics at scale. They try to work around it with third-party hardware or software patches, but end up creating more friction than value. 

BioStar Air was built differently. It combines Suprema’s proven biometric technology with edge-based hardware and cloud-native design to deliver fast, secure, and seamless authentication, anywhere, at any scale. 

If your business is ready for a biometric access system that actually works in the cloud, it’s time to stop settling for less. 
It’s time to choose a platform that was built for it. 

Choose BioStar Air. 
🔗 Want to schedule a demo? Contact us today!