Facilities management system with programmable logic control

A system for facilities management, comprising:

• a server;
• an interface residing on a first operating system, the interface designed to receive customization information from a user, the customization information including logic scripts to be used in interacting with field devices;
• and
• multiple virtual machines, each incorporating a programmable logic controller, for performing the logic scripts, each virtual machine residing on a personality module within a second operating system, each said personality module assigned to interact with one or more distinct field devices wherein a personality manager of each personality module controls said interaction.

A method for use in an access control system, comprising:

• providing a server;
• receiving user-defined logic scripts through an interface residing on a client, the client residing on a first operating system, wherein the logic scripts define system access policies;
• and
• performing the user-defined logic scripts with a plurality of virtual machines incorporating a programmable logic controller, each virtual machine residing on a second operating system of a unique personality module, each said personality module assigned to interact with one or more distinct field devices wherein a personality manager of each personality module controls said interaction.

A machine-readable media for use in an access control system, the machine-readable media including instructions which when executed by one or more computers in an access control system cause the access control system to perform the steps of:

• providing a server;
• receiving user-defined logic scripts through an interface residing on a client, the client residing on a first operating system, wherein the logic scripts define system access polices;
• and
• performing the user-defined logic scripts with a plurality of virtual machines incorporating a programmable logic controller, each virtual machine residing on a second operating system of a separate personality module each said personality module assigned to interact with one or more distinct field devices such that a personality manager of each personality module controls said interaction.