Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. Despite the wide adoption of electronic access solutions, virtually all buildings have master (and sub master) keys as the ultimate method of access. Then there are keys for fire safety, electrical, HVAC services – physical keys are also used for overrides and backups, should electrical systems fail. 

Firstly, because physical keys are the ultimate form of access to all buildings, thus they are an essential security risk. Secondly, manual management of keys causes frustration and enormous inefficiency for staff and contractors who need access to buildings to perform their jobs. Losing a master key poses a significant threat to security and safety, and the resulting efforts to re-key the site are expensive and disruptive. 

Keys should be secured when not being used by people (generally in a secure cabinet). Access to keys should be controlled using credential management (eg UserID & PIN, card, fob, mobile wallet or biometrics) and recorded for transparency and accountability. Keys should remain on site at all times and should not go home with staff or contractors.

All keys which secure access to buildings (eg master, sub-master), critical safety assets (fire systems, alarms, security, utilities) and valuable assets (medication, storage rooms, asset lockers, vehicles).

Torus is an elegant and sophisticated key management system designed to securely manage your organization’s keys and valuable items. Torus has three major components:-

1. Torus Cabinet. This is an access-controlled, connected cabinet that secures and manages your keys
2. Torus Software. This application allows you to manage your personnel and their permissions along with reporting and notifications.
3. Integrations. Torus has a REST API infrastructure and can work seamlessly with many access control systems and visitor/contractor management solutions.

Torus Software is a cloud-native, access control platform that enables real-time management of your keys which are secured in Torus cabinets. Torus Software is accessible via a web browser from any device that is connected to internet.

Torus Cabinets are elegant and highly robust storage units for keys and other valuable items. Users can interact via the touch screen interface or access keys using card, mobile wallet or biometric credentials. Users will only be able to access specific keys that they have permission to, and every transaction (e.g. key taken, key returned etc) is automatically recorded.

As more and more products and technologies are developed, it’s important for them all to work together so administrators are not having to manage multiple, disparate systems. For this reason, the Torus architecture was designed with integrations in mind. There are many existing integrations with on-prem access control systems  (eg CCure 9000, Gallagher, Genetec, Inner Range, Lenel etc) as well as cloud-based systems (e.g. Brivo, Feenics, Honeywell Forge) and single sign on (SSO). Torus is also regularly adding more integrations so if there’s a product you don’t see, please get in touch with us. 

Torus is the only enterprise grade solution for managing keys. Because it is cloud-native and uses a modern ‘tech-stack’, it’s quick to install, easy to use and can be endlessly scaled across organizations, locally and globally – using a single software account. Because it is cloud-native Torus customers save huge amounts of unnecessary investment in IT hardware and resources.

Yes. Torus provides the highest levels of certified information security. ISO27001 and SOC2 certification delivered using Tier 4 Microsoft Azure data centers. Data is encrypted at rest and in transit using AES-256 encryption algorithm.

Yes. Torus cabinets communicate using MQTT protocol via TLS1.2 with AES 256-bit encryption. They are ultimately scalable across an organization using a single Torus Software account.

Torus does not store payment information or sensitive personal information. Storing email addresses and phone numbers is optional, but they do allow for real-time messaging capabilities. You decide the labels and the information to give your keys and access groups, and all of this information is secured safely and accessible via correct authentication. Strong password and MFA are used for administrators. As per our software terms, all of this data belongs to you / your organization.

Torus is ISO27001 and IS9001 certified and benefits from SOC1&2 and HIPPA certification with Microsoft Azure. Torus is Cyber GRX certified and has many specific approvals related to enterprise organizations and governments (e.g. state government, federal agencies, public schools, municipalities). Torus is the most secure key management system available today.

Torus is designed with security and tamper-resistance as a top priority. It complies with Australian military (SCEC) standards, using 1.6mm steel and 4mm polycarbonate front door. No ingress from external devices due to folded steel and solid welded chassis design. Technical Specifications are here https://torus-technology.com/us/key-cabinets/

The door is a 1-inch thick steel frame with a 4mm polycarb façade that is stronger than steel. There are two locking mechanisms that secure the door, with each of them hidden behind two 90° turns making the cabinet resistant to tampering. Alarms will also be triggered in the event of unauthorized entry attempts.

Each ‘holder position’ is independently controlled and not dependent upon connection with a group or ‘bank’ of other key positions. This means that if an individual position is damaged, all other positions continue to function normally. This also means that access is provided specifically to each key allowing for granular and dynamic permissions.

Yes. Torus cabinets are designed to be easy to maintain. The main control unit and power supply are easy to access via the right-hand door. The key panel and key control positions are easy to replace and service via the unique ‘fold-down panel’ design. No other cabinet is this easy to use and maintain.

Torus Software is an access control platform which enables easy and flexible configuration of access rules for users to gain access to one or many keys. Access to keys is managed by a software administrator using their Torus Software account which can support unlimited keys, cabinets, people and locations. Configuration options include roles, access groups, user groups, times of day, days. It is extremely flexible.

Yes. Torus has integrations with all of the commonly used access control systems. The flexible API structure and micro services design allows elegant integration with any third-party systems including credential management and visitor management.

Access to the cabinet and keys (or other items) is flexible depending upon your requirements. Options include UserID & PIN, prox card, biometrics, mobile wallet OR any reader supporting OSDP or Wiegand interface.

Torus Software administrators can manage the flexible permissions within the Torus Software and/or by using integration with third party systems like access control and visitor management.

Yes. Torus Software main page is a dashboard showing the real time status for all keys, cabinets and users across your organization. You can monitor and manage access to keys from anywhere, anytime.

All reports can be accessed from the Torus software. They can be viewed directly within the software, downloaded for your convenience, and be scheduled to run automatically. All of the transactions at the cabinet are recorded, along with alarms and other system information. All of the changes made in the software are also recorded to provide an audit trail of changes to access and configurations.

Yes. Torus supports over 100 alerts which can be sent via SMS or email. Keys overdue to be returned to a cabinet is always required to be alerted to the end user and can be escalated to managers and administrators. Receiving real time alerts enables accountability and ensures not only security but operational efficiency.

Yes. Alarms that are triggered at the cabinet can be viewed within the software. There is also an audible alarm on the cabinet. Plus, each cabinet has two output relays if you’d like to send a signal to an alarm panel or third-party device.

Yes, Torus has various levels of software permission. You can give “read-only” access to some of your personnel so they can view reports but not add or change users or permissions.

Staff and contractors save time by always having access to the keys they need to perform their job – when they need them. Supervisors and managers save huge amounts of time by not having to manually hand out keys and maintain records of key usage. There are also significant time savings by not having to track down missing keys as well as prepare reporting for compliance purposes.

Torus is the only key management product on the market that is able to save time and free up resources for managing keys – without creating additional burdens. There is no burden on IT to host and manage the database, there is no burden to test for compatibility and perform updates or upgrades. There is no burden to configure advanced features like real-time messaging. Also, the cabinets themselves have been designed not only for reliability and longevity, but if something does go wrong, replacing components is fast and inexpensive.  The time saved by staff, contractors and managers delivers significant cost savings. Having control over keys includes ensuring that you know where all high security keys are and thus avoid the unnecessary costs and disruption of changing keys and locks.

Torus provides organizations with accurate data to help with decision making. You will always know which keys have been used, by who and for how long. This information can help with resource planning, personnel management, and contractor payments.

Torus provides an excellent opportunity to redeploy your labor resources to more human tasks. Not only is Torus more accurate and consistent at handing out keys than a human, it can also work 24/7 without a break! In many cases, the person who used to hand out the keys becomes the Torus administrator and now has more time available for other more complex duties. Automating this simple and repetitive task also results in increased security, safety and accountability.

Yes. Torus customers experience a rapid return on investment – on average 6 months! This means that the investment is paid in the first half of the year and your organization will save significant $$$ every month and year thereafter.