Is Avigilon ACM discontinued?

ACM continued under the new name Avigilon Unity Access. Avigilon's ACM page now redirects to Unity Access, and we found no separate end-of-life notice for ACM. Older ACM releases may no longer receive updates, so check your version and its support status with Avigilon or your installer.

Do I need new controllers to move from ACM to Unity Access 7?

Not necessarily. Unity Access runs on Mercury controllers, like ACM. Mercury EP panels are end of life and should be planned for replacement, and LP panels are supported through December 31, 2028. MP panels are the current generation. Confirm support for your exact boards.

Is Unity Access the same as Avigilon Alta?

No. Unity Access is Avigilon's on-premise system, sold as an appliance or virtual machine. Avigilon Alta, formerly Openpath, is its cloud access platform. Alta can run some Mercury MP boards, which gives Unity sites one possible cloud migration path.

Does Unity Access have an API?

Yes, a REST API, but it is shared through Avigilon's developer community after a technology partner application rather than published openly. Customer sites also need Avigilon's integrations add-on licence (UA-SW-LIC-INTEGRATIONS-ADDON) before third-party software can connect.

Systems / Avigilon Unity Access

Avigilon Unity Access (formerly ACM): versions, hardware, end of life and upgrade options

Avigilon, a Motorola Solutions companyGateStride: Not yet scheduledReviewed October 2026

By Tom Jin

Avigilon Unity Access is the on-premise access control system from Avigilon, a Motorola Solutions company. It is the current name of the product many installers still call ACM (Access Control Manager), which itself traces back to Plasec. Avigilon's old ACM web address now redirects to the Unity Access page. Avigilon published no separate end-of-life notice for the ACM name; the product line continued as Unity Access.

Unity Access 7 ships as a hardware appliance or as a virtual machine, and it targets mid-sized to enterprise sites: the Enterprise and Enterprise Plus appliances scale to 4,000 doors, while a Professional appliance covers sites up to 50 readers. Like many enterprise platforms, it runs on open Mercury controllers rather than proprietary panels, and it supports wireless locks from several manufacturers. It is separate from Avigilon Alta, the company's cloud access product (formerly Openpath).

How to recognise Avigilon Unity Access

Look for a rack or desktop appliance labelled Avigilon, or a virtual machine running Unity Access or ACM, and a browser-based admin screen with the Avigilon name. In the comms room, door controllers are typically Mercury boards. An older site may still show ACM branding on screens and documentation; that is the same product family under its earlier name.

The admin screen says Avigilon Unity Access or, on older versions, Access Control Manager (ACM).
The server is an Avigilon appliance (model codes such as UA-APP-ENT-7 or UA-APP-ENT-PLUS-7) or a virtual machine on VMware or Hyper-V.
Door controllers are usually Mercury Security boards; Avigilon also lists HID, Allegion, ASSA ABLOY, Salto, SimonsVoss, STid and Farpointe hardware.
Some sites also tie in Bosch or DMP intrusion panels and LifeSafety Power supplies, which Avigilon lists as supported.

Still not sure? Follow how to identify your access control system.

Versions and editions

Name	Details	Status	Source
Unity Access 7 Enterprise (UA-APP-ENT-7)	On-premise appliance. Enterprise appliances scale up to 4,000 doors. Supports hot-standby failover.	current	source
Unity Access 7 Enterprise Plus (UA-APP-ENT-PLUS-7)	Higher-capacity appliance, up to 4,000 doors.	current	source
Unity Access Professional	Appliance for sites up to 50 readers.	current	source
Unity Access Virtual	Runs as a virtual machine on VMware or Hyper-V.	current	source
Access Control Manager (ACM)	Earlier name of the same product line (formerly Plasec). The ACM page now redirects to Unity Access; no explicit ACM end-of-life notice was published. Support dates for specific older ACM releases were not confirmed.	legacy	source

Hardware

Name	Details	Status	Source
Mercury LP1501, LP1502, LP2500, LP4502	Common on Unity Access and ACM sites. Mercury lists the LP series as end of sale: last ship December 31, 2024, support through December 31, 2028.	end of sale	source
Mercury MP1501, MP1502, MP2500, MP4502	Mercury's current controller generation, sold through head-end partners. Avigilon is listed by Mercury as a Platinum Elite partner. Confirm MP support for your Unity Access release.	current	source
Mercury EP1501, EP1502, EP2500, EP4502	Older Mercury generation, end of life since January 1, 2019 with no sustaining support. May still be found on older ACM sites.	end of life	source
Wireless and third-party locks	Avigilon lists HID, HID pivCLASS, Allegion, ASSA ABLOY, Salto, SimonsVoss, STid and Farpointe hardware.	current	source

What is ending, and when

The software name changed from ACM to Unity Access, but Avigilon did not publish an end-of-life notice for ACM; the old product page simply redirects to Unity Access. If your screens still say ACM, you are on an older release of the same family, and the question to ask is whether that release is still supported and what it takes to move to Unity Access 7.

The dated items are on the hardware side. Mercury LP controllers, widely used on ACM and Unity Access sites, stopped shipping on December 31, 2024 and are supported through December 31, 2028. Mercury EP controllers have been end of life since January 1, 2019. The successor is Mercury's MP series. Replacing panels behind the same software is usually far cheaper than replacing the whole system.

See every dated notice in the end-of-life tracker.

What offices commonly miss

Exits are usually free: people push a bar or trip a request-to-exit sensor. The system logs the door opening but not who left, so it cannot produce an exit record or live occupancy unless exits are badged.
Third-party integrations need a licence. Avigilon sells an integrations add-on (UA-SW-LIC-INTEGRATIONS-ADDON) alongside door licence packs.
The API is not public. Unity's REST API is available through Avigilon's developer community and technology partner application, which requires a login.
Door licences are sold in packs of 1, 10, 100 or 1,000, so adding doors is a licensing step as well as a hardware one.

Integration options

Unity Access has a REST API, but Avigilon makes it available through its Unity developer community rather than as a public document. Developers apply through Avigilon's technology partner program, which has separate applications for Unity and for Alta. On the customer side, Avigilon's datasheet lists an integrations add-on licence that a site needs for third-party connections.

The door hardware is mostly Mercury. Mercury publishes no end-user API, so integrations go through the head-end software, which here is Unity Access. That keeps the access path consistent but means every integration depends on Avigilon's API terms.

Upgrade paths

Keep Unity Access and add features as software

If your doors and Mercury panels work, keep them. Phone unlock or a record of who left can come from software connected through the Unity REST API, with the integrations add-on licence in place.

Move ACM to Unity Access 7 and refresh panels

Update the software to Unity Access 7 (appliance or virtual), then replace EP panels now and LP panels before December 31, 2028 with Mercury MP boards. Doors, wiring and cardholders typically stay.

Full replacement or move to cloud

If you want a cloud service, Avigilon Alta can run Mercury MP1501, MP1502 and MP2500 boards for cloud migration, and other Mercury-based platforms may reuse panels too. Check exact model support before any quote assumes new controllers.

Compare the routes over three years in the savings calculator.

GateStride and Avigilon Unity Access

Not yet scheduled GateStride has not scheduled an Avigilon Unity Access integration. It is not on our roadmap yet, and we do not support Unity Access or ACM today. GateStride is in early access and currently works with Kantech EntraPass. If your office runs Unity Access or ACM, tell us your version and door count. Demand decides what we build next, and we will only call an integration Verified after testing it ourselves on a live system.

Full compatibility list · Tell us you run Avigilon Unity Access

Questions about Avigilon Unity Access

Is Avigilon ACM discontinued?: ACM continued under the new name Avigilon Unity Access. Avigilon's ACM page now redirects to Unity Access, and we found no separate end-of-life notice for ACM. Older ACM releases may no longer receive updates, so check your version and its support status with Avigilon or your installer.
Do I need new controllers to move from ACM to Unity Access 7?: Not necessarily. Unity Access runs on Mercury controllers, like ACM. Mercury EP panels are end of life and should be planned for replacement, and LP panels are supported through December 31, 2028. MP panels are the current generation. Confirm support for your exact boards.
Is Unity Access the same as Avigilon Alta?: No. Unity Access is Avigilon's on-premise system, sold as an appliance or virtual machine. Avigilon Alta, formerly Openpath, is its cloud access platform. Alta can run some Mercury MP boards, which gives Unity sites one possible cloud migration path.
Does Unity Access have an API?: Yes, a REST API, but it is shared through Avigilon's developer community after a technology partner application rather than published openly. Customer sites also need Avigilon's integrations add-on licence (UA-SW-LIC-INTEGRATIONS-ADDON) before third-party software can connect.

Related systems: Avigilon Alta · Genetec Synergis · Acre Access It!

Sources

Last reviewed October 2026. Avigilon Unity Access and other product names are trademarks of their respective owners. GateStride is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or a dealer for any manufacturer.