Upgrade path from DESFire EV1 to DESFire EV2

[paulo]

We are currently looking to implement a new card system including for access control. The Access Control System currently supports EV1 and this can be deployed on EV2 cards because EV2 cards are backwardly compatible. The access control system is not yet fully compatible with the EV2 standard and the question I have (assuming everything else is equal) is should we use EV1 cards now and upgrade later to EV2 cards when the access control system fully supports EV2, or should we use EV2 cards from the start. This question is largely based on another question which is - is it possible once EV1-encoded EV2 cards are in the field to recall them and upgrade them to EV2, or will those EV1-encoded cards have to be retired if we move fully to the EV2 standard?

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[TapLinx Support]

Hi Paulo,

The MIFARE DESFire EV1 is a subset of the DESFire EV2. The EV2 offer so called “delegated application management” which is not available on an EV1 and the EV2 also offer an enhanced security mode which is also not available on EV1. You can still use your application on an EV1 or on an EV2. If you start to use one the EV2 features you must update your reader software to distinguish between the EV1 and the EV2 to use this new feature.

The TapLinx team

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