CCTV remains a cornerstone of physical security across the UK’s public and private sectors. But the question facing many security leaders attending the Total Security Summit is no longer whether to invest in surveillance, but where to host it. With cloud, hybrid, and traditional on-premises solutions all vying for attention, the decision has become a strategic one: balancing security, compliance, and cost…
On-Premises: Control and Reliability
For decades, CCTV meant on-premises storage (servers or DVRs located on site) controlled directly by the organisation. This model still appeals to sectors where data sovereignty, compliance, and reliability are critical, such as government, healthcare, and critical national infrastructure.
On-premises systems allow organisations to retain full control over video data, with no reliance on third-party cloud providers. They can also offer predictable performance, particularly in areas with limited broadband connectivity. However, they come with significant capital expenditure, ongoing maintenance costs, and scalability challenges. Expanding storage or adding sites can require substantial upfront investment.
Cloud: Scalability and Accessibility
Cloud-based CCTV platforms have grown rapidly in popularity, particularly among multi-site estates such as retail chains, education campuses, and corporate offices. By moving video storage and management off-site, organisations gain scalability and flexibility, adding new locations or expanding storage capacity with minimal disruption.
Cloud systems also enable remote access and centralised management, allowing security teams to monitor sites from anywhere. When combined with AI-powered analytics, cloud platforms can deliver real-time alerts, people flow insights, and incident reporting across entire portfolios.
Yet the cloud brings its own considerations. Subscription costs can add up over time, and reliance on internet connectivity introduces potential points of failure. More importantly, organisations must carefully assess providers’ compliance with UK GDPR, data residency, and security certifications.
Hybrid: The Best of Both Worlds?
For many, the answer lies in a hybrid model. Core or sensitive sites may retain on-premises storage for compliance reasons, while less critical locations use the cloud for cost-effective scalability. Hybrid systems can also provide redundancy, ensuring video is available locally even if connectivity to the cloud is lost.
Making the Right Choice
The decision ultimately depends on organisational priorities:
- Compliance-first sectors may lean toward on-prem or hybrid for greater control.
- Fast-scaling, multi-site operations often benefit from cloud flexibility.
- Resilience-focused organisations may blend both, ensuring continuity during outages.
CCTV infrastructure is now a strategic investment in resilience, compliance, and efficiency. By weighing the strengths of on-prem, cloud, and hybrid models, security leaders can design surveillance strategies fit for today’s complex risk environment.
Are you searching for CCTV solutions for your organisation? The Total Security Summit can help!
Photo by Mehran Biabani on Unsplash
