Do I need to replace my CA-series panels?

Not immediately. dormakaba calls the CA series legacy but has published no end-of-sale date in the pages we reviewed. KC-2A and KC-4A panels run alongside CA250, CA4500 and CA8500 panels on the same Aurora system, so you can replace panels gradually. The CA8500 remains the eight-reader option until the KC-8A ships.

What version of Aurora do I need for KC panels?

KC-series panels need Aurora 2.0.1 or higher, according to dormakaba's KC factsheet, and the 2.0.1 release notes confirm added support for KC-2 and KC-4 controllers. Upgrade the Aurora server before installing new KC panels, and check any SDK-based integrations against the release notes first.

Does Keyscan Aurora have an API?

Yes, under licence. dormakaba states that an SDK and API licence is available for custom integrations. The documentation is not public, but the 2.0.1 release notes mention SDK methods for people, credentials and door control units, and API tutorials for creating a person and reading transactions.

Is there a recurring fee for Aurora?

dormakaba's Aurora 2.0 factsheet states the software has no limiting or expansion governors or recurring fees. Some features, such as the web client and video or visitor integrations, are optional licensed modules, so check which modules your site already owns before planning additions.

Systems / Keyscan Aurora

Keyscan Aurora: versions, CA and KC panels, integration and upgrade options

dormakaba (Keyscan)GateStride: Not yet scheduledReviewed October 2026

By Tom Jin

Keyscan Aurora is the access-control software for dormakaba's Keyscan control panels. Keyscan is now part of dormakaba, and the old keyscan.ca site redirects to dormakaba. Aurora runs on a Windows PC or server and manages the panels, cardholders, schedules and event history, with an optional web client. The current major release is Aurora 2.0, and dormakaba's April 2026 release notes cover version 2.0.1, which added support for the new KC-series panels.

You typically find Keyscan Aurora in small and mid-size offices, schools and multi-site organizations across North America, installed by a local integrator. It is a significant on-premise head-end in that market. dormakaba states that Aurora has "no limiting or expansion governors or recurring fees", and it offers an SDK or API licence for custom integrations. The main change underway is the move from the older CA-series panels to the KC series, which talks to Aurora over TCP/IP.

How to recognise Keyscan Aurora

Aurora runs on a Windows workstation or server, and operators use the Keyscan Aurora client program; some sites also have the Aurora web client in a browser. The version appears in the program's about page, which in 2.0.1 also summarizes additional licences such as extra clients. In the panel enclosure you will find Keyscan control panels: older CA-series boards (CA150, CA250, CA4500 or CA8500) or the newer KC-2A and KC-4A, which have a small LCD screen and a built-in Ethernet port. Doors may also have dormakaba E-Plex or BEST locks managed by Aurora.

A Windows program named Keyscan Aurora, with the version in its about page.
Keyscan CA-series control panels: CA150, CA250, CA4500 or CA8500, sometimes with DPS15, IOCB1616, OCB8 or WIEEX2 daughter boards.
Newer Keyscan KC-2A or KC-4A panels with an LCD display and built-in TCP/IP.
Keyscan EC elevator controllers on sites with elevator control.
dormakaba E-Plex or BEST locks shown as doors in Aurora.

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

Versions and editions

Name	Details	Status	Source
Aurora 2.0 / 2.0.1	Current release. Over 50 new and enhanced features, a global ACU report, accessibility features, themes and keyboard shortcuts. 2.0.1 added KC-2 and KC-4 support. English, French, Spanish and Portuguese.	current	source
Aurora web client	Browser interface for any web-enabled PC or mobile device. An optional licensed module.	current	source
Aurora SDK / API licence	dormakaba offers an SDK or API licence for custom integrations. The 2.0.1 release notes list code-breaking changes in several SDK methods and new API tutorials (create a person, get transactions).	current	source
Aurora SaaS	dormakaba lists software as a service for centrally managed access control across multiple locations. Details not confirmed.	unconfirmed	source
Aurora 1.x and earlier	dormakaba encourages all Aurora users to upgrade to the latest version. A published end-of-support date for older releases was not found.	unconfirmed	source
E-Plex ACS software	Listed on dormakaba's US legacy products page.	legacy	source

Hardware

Name	Details	Status	Source
KC-2A	Two-reader controller. Works with Aurora 2.0.1 or higher. Built-in TCP/IP, LCD for troubleshooting, up to 100,000 credentials, Wiegand and OSDP (v2.1.5), firmware updates over the network, embedded web set-up, 128-bit AES to Aurora, 5-year warranty.	current	source
KC-4A	Four-reader controller with the same KC-series features. One IP address per controller.	current	source
KC-8A	Eight-reader controller listed as in development. dormakaba says to use the CA8500 for now.	unconfirmed	source
CA250, CA4500, CA8500	CA-series panels. dormakaba's KC factsheet calls them the legacy CA series and says KC panels work alongside them on the same Aurora system. No end-of-sale date published; the CA8500 is still the recommended eight-reader option.	legacy	source
CA150	Smaller CA-series panel with a 2024 datasheet. Not mentioned in the KC compatibility statement; lifecycle not confirmed.	unconfirmed	source
E-Plex 1500, 5800, 5870, 5886; E4000; PowerLever	On dormakaba's US legacy products page, along with System VII migration.	legacy	source

What is ending, and when

dormakaba has not published end-of-sale dates for Keyscan panels in the pages we reviewed, but the direction is clear. Its KC-series factsheet calls the CA series the legacy predecessors and introduces the KC-2A and KC-4A, which need Aurora 2.0.1 or higher and talk to Aurora over TCP/IP rather than through the older connection methods. KC panels work alongside CA250, CA4500 and CA8500 panels on the same Aurora system, and existing daughter boards such as the DPS15 power supply, IOCB1616 I/O, OCB8 relay and WIEEX2 Wiegand extender remain compatible. An eight-reader KC-8A is in development, so the CA8500 is still the eight-reader choice.

On the lock side, several E-Plex models, E-Plex ACS software, E4000 and PowerLever sit on dormakaba's US legacy page. Because no dates are published, we mark CA panels as legacy rather than end of life. Every dated notice we track for other brands is in our end-of-life tracker.

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

What offices commonly miss

No record of who left. Like most card systems, exits usually release through a request-to-exit device or push bar with no badge, so Aurora logs who came in but not who went out.
The web client is an optional licensed module, so a site may not have browser access even on a current version.
Adding KC panels requires Aurora 2.0.1 or higher, so an older Aurora server must be upgraded before new controllers go in.
The default database has a 10 GB limit; dormakaba offers an upgrade to full SQL to remove it. Long-running sites with large event histories should check this.
The product page lists connection and client limits (for example a maximum of two remote client connections and eight control panels). It is not clear which licence level these apply to, so confirm with your integrator.

Integration options

dormakaba states that an SDK and API licence is available for custom integrations. The documentation is not public, but the April 2026 release notes for 2.0.1 show what exists: an Aurora SDK with person, credential and door-control-unit methods (several with code-breaking changes in this release), and an Aurora API with new tutorials for creating a person and getting transactions. Developers using the SDK should read those notes before upgrading.

Aurora also has optional licensed integrations for video management (Milestone and OpenEye are named), intrusion (DSC), biometrics, visitor management (EasyLobby), elevator systems from KONE and Thyssenkrupp, and Active Directory. It manages dormakaba E-Plex and BEST offline locks directly. The software runs on the office's own server, so a cloud service needs a connector on the local network. KC panels encrypt their link to Aurora with 128-bit AES; keep Aurora and the panel firmware on current releases.

Upgrade paths

Keep Aurora and add features in software

If your Aurora server is current and your panels are working, the cheapest move is to keep the doors and add what is missing through software. With Keyscan this goes through dormakaba's SDK or API licence, which an add-on product would need to hold.

Move to Aurora 2.0 and KC panels

Upgrade the server to Aurora 2.0.1 or later, then replace CA250 and CA4500 panels with KC-2A or KC-4A as they fail or during a refresh. KC and CA panels can run side by side, and existing daughter boards stay compatible, so the change can be gradual. Keep the CA8500 for eight-reader doors until a KC-8A ships.

Replace the platform

A full replacement means new controllers, often new readers and credentials, and re-commissioning every door. Because dormakaba lets KC panels run beside CA panels on the same software, there is rarely a forced reason to replace the whole system at once.

Compare the routes over three years in the savings calculator.

GateStride and Keyscan Aurora

Not yet scheduled Keyscan Aurora is Not yet scheduled on the GateStride compatibility list. It is not on our roadmap yet, and GateStride does not work with Aurora today. GateStride is in early access. dormakaba offers an SDK and API licence, so a route exists, but no work has started. If your office runs Keyscan Aurora, tell us; demand from real sites decides what we build next.

Full compatibility list · Tell us you run Keyscan Aurora

Questions about Keyscan Aurora

Do I need to replace my CA-series panels?: Not immediately. dormakaba calls the CA series legacy but has published no end-of-sale date in the pages we reviewed. KC-2A and KC-4A panels run alongside CA250, CA4500 and CA8500 panels on the same Aurora system, so you can replace panels gradually. The CA8500 remains the eight-reader option until the KC-8A ships.
What version of Aurora do I need for KC panels?: KC-series panels need Aurora 2.0.1 or higher, according to dormakaba's KC factsheet, and the 2.0.1 release notes confirm added support for KC-2 and KC-4 controllers. Upgrade the Aurora server before installing new KC panels, and check any SDK-based integrations against the release notes first.
Does Keyscan Aurora have an API?: Yes, under licence. dormakaba states that an SDK and API licence is available for custom integrations. The documentation is not public, but the 2.0.1 release notes mention SDK methods for people, credentials and door control units, and API tutorials for creating a person and reading transactions.
Is there a recurring fee for Aurora?: dormakaba's Aurora 2.0 factsheet states the software has no limiting or expansion governors or recurring fees. Some features, such as the web client and video or visitor integrations, are optional licensed modules, so check which modules your site already owns before planning additions.

Related systems: Keri Doors.NET · DSX WinDSX · ProdataKey pdk.io

Sources

Last reviewed October 2026. Keyscan Aurora 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.