What IT and Security Leaders Are Saying About Cloud CCTV

What is Cloud CCTV?

At its core, cloud CCTV replaces traditional on‑premise servers and ageing hardware with a cloud‑hosted, centrally managed video platform. For Mike Calverley, the shift was driven by very real operational and security challenges: “We used to have that ageing infrastructure, and it started to fail and cause us problems. The cloud‑based solution is much better because it’s managed, it’s flexible, and it’s helped us retire old legacy unsupported on‑premise equipment that did pose both security and operational risks.” Cloud CCTV also fundamentally changes how video surveillance supports the wider business: “It’s highly scalable, it’s versatile, and it’s simple to use — which gives us that strong security posture and allows us to grow the business, especially if we’re expanding physically.” Rather than CCTV being a standalone, static system, it becomes part of a modern IT and security ecosystem.

Cloud-Based CCTV from any web enabled device

Why Cloud CCTV Makes Sense for Modern Businesses

One of the most immediate benefits of VSaaS is the reduction in operational burden on internal IT teams. This is especially the case with SEiNG, since it is a fully managed VSaaS.

“It’s reduced the operational burden on my team, which is fantastic because they can then work on higher‑value projects rather than supporting old legacy CCTV systems that keep failing,” Mike explained.

From a security integrator’s perspective, cloud CCTV also changes the conversation with customers.

“It opens doors to talk to different businesses and different people within those businesses that we weren’t communicating with before — particularly around cybersecurity,” said Richard Flenley.

Phil Davies highlighted another often-overlooked benefit: extending the life of existing camera estates.

“We can revitalise legacy systems, making them smarter and potentially extending their lifespan. You get rid of the on‑premise servers, but the cameras are still functional; that’s where the power of the cloud really comes in.”

Moving Away from On Premise CCTV

For organisations that have only ever used traditional CCTV, the idea of moving video to the cloud can feel like a big leap.

Phil’s advice is simple:

“I start by asking what the pain points are — end‑of‑life operating systems, connectivity challenges, or lack of flexibility. A lot of those pain points are so easily solved by transitioning to the cloud.”

Mike echoed this from a customer perspective, pointing to predictability and cost control as major advantages:

“One of the biggest advantages is the ability to budget and predict fixed monthly costs. I don’t get unexpected costs anymore from hardware failures — and I don’t have sleepless nights when things fail because it’s all managed.”

He also highlighted reliability:

“We haven’t had an outage. I’m touching wood as I say that — but it speaks volumes about the resilience of the solution.”

Common Misconceptions About VSaaS

Despite the clear benefits, there are still some common misconceptions about cloud CCTV and VSaaS that can make businesses hesitant to switch. Here's what our experts say.

“The internet isn’t good enough.”

Historically, connectivity was one of the biggest concerns around cloud CCTV — but that perception is rapidly becoming outdated.

“The reality is that businesses are so well connected nowadays,” Richard explained. “Even rural sites often have multiple leased lines. I haven’t found connectivity to be a problem.”

Mike reinforced this from experience:

“We’re in a quarry, and if anyone should have connectivity issues, it should be us — but we don’t. We’ve never had a problem with the cloud service.”

Alert Data, the company behind SEiNG, also offer managed data and connectivity solutions to help rural customers ensure reliable connectivity.

SEiNG Cloud CCTV total cost of ownership

SEiNG has its own UK-based cloud facility, ensuring compliance, reliability, and data sovereignty

“Cloud CCTV is less secure.”

Another misconception is that moving CCTV to the cloud introduces more risk.

“Some people think it reduces control, when in reality the opposite is true,” Mike said. “The platform integrates seamlessly with our environment through single sign‑on, which gives us strong security and simple user management.”

Phil added:

“Cloud solutions are secure by design. They’re scalable, redundant, and built from the ground up with security in mind — something that’s very hard to replicate on‑premise.”

“To move to cloud CCTV, we must replace all our cameras and incur huge costs.”

Some Cloud CCTV providers require users to rip out perfectly good cameras in place of their own to access advanced features. This can result in users being locked-into their ecosystem, making it hard to leave in future. However, this isn't the case for all platforms.

As Phil points out: "It doesn’t have to be a rip-and-replace. SEiNG will work with any IP camera on your network, supporting legacy hardware and green credentials.”

By allowing businesses to leverage their existing infrastructure, Cloud CCTV platforms like SEiNG removes barriers to adoption, reduces upfront costs, and even supports sustainability goals — all while delivering the security, scalability, and manageability benefits of a fully managed VSaaS platform.

There is no need to buy new CCTV cameras

“Only IT teams can use cloud CCTV; it’s too technical for security or operational teams.”

Another common misconception is that cloud CCTV is too technical for non-IT teams, and only IT professionals can manage it effectively.

SEiNG takes a managed-first approach to dispel that myth. As Phil explains: “We manage everything from onboarding to camera monitoring, training, and support — you don’t have to be an IT expert.”

Through this managed service and intuitive browser-based access, SEiNG ensures that security, operations, and even finance teams can confidently use and benefit from cloud CCTV without needing specialist knowledge, freeing IT teams to focus on higher-value projects.

What Does a Managed Cloud CCTV Service Actually Mean?

Different VSaaS take different approaches to support. Phil used a simple analogy:

“A lot of cloud platforms are like signing up to Netflix — you pay a subscription and you’re left to figure it out yourself.”

A managed service takes a very different approach:

“We manage the whole journey — onboarding, user setup, training, proactive monitoring of camera connections, and ongoing support. If something goes offline, we’re already working on it in the background.”

For Mike as an IT leader, that managed model is critical:

“It removes the burden of maintaining on‑premise hardware, scales effortlessly, and provides enterprise‑grade security controls that would be costly and time‑consuming to replicate internally.”

For businesses without Cloud expertise, offering this managed service could be the difference between sticking with traditional on-prem hardware, or modernising through the Cloud.

Where is the VSaaS Market Heading?

Looking ahead, all three speakers agreed that cloud CCTV will continue to outpace traditional surveillance. “VSaaS is predicted to outperform the overall video surveillance market,” Richard noted, “driven by customers moving from CapEx purchases to subscriptions and unlocking intelligence from existing cameras.” Mike was even more direct: “VSaaS will be the dominant leader. On‑premise CCTV will become a thing of the past — especially for growing businesses with distributed estates.” Phil highlighted how innovation in SaaS delivery will shape the next five years: “Features shouldn’t exist for the sake of features. They need to save time and deliver real value — not just for security teams, but for HR, logistics, and the wider business.” He also pointed to AI, automation and natural language interfaces as major future drivers: “AI isn’t going away, but it needs to deliver true value. Intelligent automation is the key — using AI responsibly to improve systems and functions.”