Cloud CCTV

mSaaS vs SaaS: Why Managed Cloud CCTV Is Changing Video Surveillance

written on 9 October 2025 by Megan Armstrong

Choosing the right cloud video surveillance model can make all the difference to how secure and how simple your CCTV system really is.

While SaaS (Software as a Service) gives you the platform, mSaaS (Managed Software as a Service) goes a step further with expert setup, training, and ongoing support.

In this blog, we’ll explore the key differences and why managed cloud CCTV is fast becoming the smarter choice.

Cloud video surveillance: a new era for CCTV

The shift from on-premise video management systems (VMS) to cloud video surveillance has transformed how businesses protect people and property. With Cloud CCTV or Video Surveillance as a Service (VSaaS), you no longer need heavy servers, complicated infrastructure, or costly maintenance.

But there’s more than one way to adopt cloud video surveillance. While traditional SaaS (Software as a Service) gives you the platform, mSaaS (Managed Software as a Service) takes things further by actively managing the service for you.

So which is right for your business?

SaaS in cloud video surveillance: freedom with responsibility

In a standard SaaS model, you subscribe to a cloud CCTV platform. You’ll usually:

  • Install cameras and connect them to the platform
  • Configure settings, user permissions, and alerts
  • Train your staff to use the system
  • Handle any technical issues with guidance from the provider’s support team

This model can work well for organisations with dedicated IT teams with Cloud expertise.

The challenges of self-managed cloud CCTV

However, SaaS for video surveillance can also bring challenges:

  • Technical onboarding – dealing with IP addresses, ports, and commissioning cameras isn’t always straightforward.
  • Self-service complexity – everything from installation to ongoing management falls on your team.
  • Adoption barriers – without structured training, users may not fully embrace the system.
  • Limited support – you get software updates and advice, but the implementation is on you.

For many businesses, this can mean delays, frustration, and missed opportunities to get the most out of cloud CCTV.

mSaaS: managed cloud CCTV made simple

mSaaS (managed Software as a Service) offers the same cloud CCTV benefits - scalability, remote access, reduced on-site infrastructure - but with expert management layered on top.

Instead of leaving you to figure it out, an mSaaS provider like SEiNG actively manages your onboarding, setup, system health, and ongoing use of the system.

Inside a managed service approach

With a managed service approach to CCTV, every step of your journey is taken care of. With SEiNG, for example, you can expect:

  • Smooth onboarding – your cameras are installed, configured, and tested for you.
  • User setup and permissions – the right people have the right level of access from day one.
  • Training included – your team knows exactly how to use the system confidently.
  • Ongoing management – whether you add sites, expand storage, or need support, it’s handled.
  • Active health monitoring – we detect, diagnose, and act to resolve faults, before they reach you

mSaaS Cloud CCTV systems take the hassle away, letting you focus on outcomes: improved security and operational peace of mind.

SEiNG Cloud CCTV total cost of ownership
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The benefits of mSaaS over SaaS

For businesses considering cloud video surveillance, here’s why mSaaS often proves the smarter choice:

  1. Faster deployment – No wasted time wrestling with IP settings; systems go live without delay.
  2. Lower IT burden – Your IT team can focus on strategy instead of onboarding or troubleshooting CCTV.
  3. Higher adoption – With training and support, users engage with the system and get value from it.
  4. Effortless scalability – Add new sites or users without multiplying your workload.
  5. Security first – The technology is managed in the background so you can concentrate on protecting people, assets, and operations.

SaaS vs mSaaS: which cloud CCTV model fits your business?

When choosing between SaaS and mSaaS, the right choice depends on your internal IT resources and priorities:

  • Choose SaaS if you have a large, well-resourced IT department and the expertise to manage a Cloud CCTV project in-house. You’ll be able to manage setup and operation independently, with full flexibility.
  • Choose mSaaS if you want advanced cloud video surveillance without the technical heavy lifting. Managed cloud CCTV is ideal if your IT team is stretched or has limited Cloud expertise, delivering confidence, speed, and simplicity.

Getting the Most from Your Cloud Video Surveillance

Cloud CCTV and VSaaS are here to stay. But the way you adopt them matters. SaaS puts the responsibility on you; mSaaS brings in expert management so you get the benefits without the burden.

If you’re looking for a smarter, simpler way to secure your business, managed cloud CCTV with mSaaS - like SEiNG - could be the future of your video surveillance.

Watch the 5-minute SEiNG demo.

MSaaS vs SaaS in Cloud CCTV: your questions, answered.

In a SaaS (Software as a Service) model, you subscribe to a cloud video platform and are responsible for system provisioning, camera setup, maintenance, configuration, user permissions, and troubleshooting. In contrast, mSaaS (Managed SaaS) includes the same cloud video benefits plus expert management — from onboarding, configuration, monitoring, health checks, training, and ongoing support. In short: SaaS gives you the tools; mSaaS gives you the tools and the service layer.

mSaaS is especially beneficial where:

  • IT teams are small, busy, or lack deep cloud experience

  • You operate multiple sites (branches, retail, offices)

  • You want minimal operational overhead on deployment, scaling, or troubleshooting

  • You value proactive maintenance, monitoring, and vendor accountability

  • You prefer predictable OPEX and managed service models

If your organisation has a robust internal team and a preference to control every detail, standalone SaaS might still be viable — but with trade-offs in time, risk, and burden.

Not when you consider the total cost of ownership of your Cloud CCTV system.

A managed Cloud CCTV offering saves your IT time by taking on:

  • Setup of your system across your sites
  • Onboarding and training
  • Proactive system health monitoring, reducing downtime
  • Troubleshooting if issues occur
  • Automatic updates

The IT time saved easily covers any additional costs of having a managed Cloud service provider.

If you opt for a managed VSaaS like SEiNG, you'll save money in other ways, too:

  • Keep your cameras: no upfront costs (unless you need new ones, but in that case, you can choose the brand that suits your budget)
  • No hardware needed (unless you want a hybrid Cloud CCTV setup)
  • Single Sign On: save time granting and revoking access to your CCTV system

So, overall, a managed Cloud CCTV service doesn't have to cost more. In fact, it can actually save you money, time, and a lot of hassle.

Request your SEiNG quote.

There are many Cloud CCTV providers in the market - from established brands like Eagle Eye and Avigilon to newer (disruptive) solutions like Verkada.

However, if a managed service is important to you, SEiNG is the Cloud solution that stands out as the only player to offer setup, system health monitoring, updates, and troubleshooting as part of their subscription, at no additional cost.

SEiNG also is unique for being designed to work with any third party camera. It is vendor neutral and hardware agnostic, giving you total flexibility in your hardware and never locking you in.

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