Executive Summary
Business CCTV has changed significantly over the last decade.
What was once a standalone security system is now a connected part of your wider IT infrastructure. Modern cameras sit on your network, store valuable data, provide remote access and require ongoing software updates.
As concerns around cybersecurity, vendor trust and system management continue to grow, many organisations are reviewing their existing CCTV platforms. While Hikvision remains one of the world’s largest CCTV manufacturers and is widely used throughout the UK, public sector restrictions, well-publicised security vulnerabilities and broader questions around connected surveillance technology have prompted many businesses to consider alternative options.
At Get Support, we increasingly recommend UniFi Protect to organisations looking for a modern CCTV platform. We believe it offers a strong combination of simplicity, visibility, local control and integration, particularly for businesses already using UniFi networking equipment.
Introduction
When businesses invest in CCTV, the initial priorities are usually straightforward.
They want to protect their premises, monitor activity, deter theft and provide evidence if an incident occurs.
What is often overlooked is that modern CCTV systems are also part of the wider IT environment.
Today’s cameras connect to your network, receive software updates, provide remote access through mobile applications and store potentially sensitive footage. As a result, choosing a CCTV platform is no longer just a facilities decision. It is an IT and cybersecurity decision too.
This shift has led many organisations to review older CCTV deployments and ask whether their current platform is still the best fit for their business.
CCTV Is Now Part of Your Cybersecurity Strategy
Modern CCTV systems are effectively specialised computers connected to your network.
Like any connected device, they require:
- Regular software updates
- Secure authentication
- Appropriate user permissions
- Ongoing monitoring and maintenance
If vulnerabilities are discovered and not addressed, CCTV systems can become another potential point of risk within the organisation.
For that reason, we believe businesses should assess CCTV vendors with the same level of scrutiny they apply to laptops, servers, firewalls and cloud services.
A CCTV system should not be viewed as a separate technology purchase. It should be considered part of your overall security strategy.
Why Some Businesses Are Reviewing Hikvision Deployments
Hikvision has been one of the world’s largest CCTV manufacturers for many years and remains widely deployed across the UK.
However, the company has also been subject to increasing scrutiny in recent years.
Like many major technology vendors, Hikvision products have been affected by security vulnerabilities over time, including some that required urgent remediation by organisations using affected devices. These vulnerabilities have been publicly documented and widely discussed within the cybersecurity community.
Alongside these technical concerns, Hikvision has faced regulatory and political scrutiny in several countries. In the UK, government departments have been instructed to remove certain Chinese-made surveillance equipment from sensitive sites, while the United States has imposed restrictions on the authorisation of some telecommunications and surveillance products from Hikvision and other manufacturers.
It is important to note that Hikvision disputes claims that its products pose a security threat and continues to operate within the UK market.
Our view is not that every Hikvision installation is inherently unsafe. Many organisations continue to use Hikvision systems successfully. Rather, we believe the combination of security concerns, regulatory scrutiny and vendor trust considerations means businesses should periodically review whether their current CCTV platform remains the right fit for their long-term requirements.
CCTV Shouldn’t Be an Island
One of the challenges we frequently encounter is CCTV operating entirely separately from the rest of the business technology environment.
Different logins, different management platforms, separate support arrangements and isolated monitoring tools can create unnecessary complexity.
Every additional platform introduces another system to manage, update and support.
From both a business and MSP perspective, reducing complexity is often one of the most effective ways to improve security, reliability and operational efficiency.
Modern businesses increasingly benefit from integrated platforms where networking, security and surveillance work together. This is one of the key reasons we believe UniFi Protect is worth considering, particularly for organisations already invested in the UniFi ecosystem.
Why We Prefer UniFi Protect for Many SMEs
When advising clients, we look beyond camera specifications alone.
We consider the overall management experience, integration capabilities, supportability and long-term operational benefits.
For many small and medium-sized businesses, UniFi Protect performs strongly in all of these areas.
A Single, Unified Ecosystem
One of the biggest advantages of UniFi Protect is its integration with the wider UniFi platform.
Businesses can manage:
- CCTV
- Switching
- Wireless networking
- Door access systems
- Environmental monitoring
through a single ecosystem.
This provides greater visibility across the environment and reduces the complexity that often comes with managing multiple vendors and disconnected systems.
Particularly Valuable for Existing UniFi Customers
For businesses already using UniFi networking equipment, adopting UniFi Protect is often a natural next step.
Instead of managing separate networking and CCTV platforms, everything can be viewed and administered through a unified interface.
From both a customer and MSP perspective, this offers several advantages:
- Easier administration
- Faster troubleshooting
- Consistent user management
- Simplified firmware updates
- Improved visibility across the entire environment
- Reduced training requirements
At Get Support, we have seen first-hand how standardising technology platforms can simplify support and improve reliability. When networking, WiFi, switching and CCTV are all managed through a single ecosystem, issues are easier to diagnose and clients benefit from a more streamlined support experience.
Better Visibility for Businesses and IT Support Providers
A common challenge with traditional CCTV systems is that they often sit outside the normal IT management process.
By contrast, UniFi Protect forms part of a wider platform that allows businesses and their IT provider to gain a clearer picture of the overall environment.
For example, a business using UniFi switches, wireless access points and UniFi Protect cameras can often manage and monitor its networking and surveillance infrastructure from a single interface.
This makes it easier to identify issues, monitor device health and maintain the environment over time.
Greater Control Over Your Data
Another reason we favour UniFi Protect is its local-first design.
Footage is typically stored on a UniFi console located within the customer’s environment rather than relying on mandatory cloud storage subscriptions.
This gives businesses:
- Greater control over footage retention
- Predictable storage costs
- Local ownership of recorded data
- Flexibility over how footage is accessed and managed
For many organisations, this approach strikes a sensible balance between convenience and control.
A Platform We Are Comfortable Supporting
As a managed service provider, we have to think about long-term supportability.
We prefer solutions that are actively developed, straightforward to manage and fit naturally into a modern business IT environment.
UniFi Protect aligns well with that approach.
Its integration with the wider UniFi ecosystem allows us to support client environments more effectively than many traditional standalone CCTV platforms, helping to reduce complexity and improve the overall support experience.
Should Every Business Replace Hikvision Immediately?
Not necessarily.
If your existing CCTV system is functioning well, fully patched and meeting your operational requirements, there may be no urgent need to replace it.
However, if you are:
- Planning a CCTV refresh
- Expanding your premises
- Upgrading networking infrastructure
- Standardising technology platforms
- Reviewing security policies
- Looking to simplify ongoing management
then it may be worth evaluating whether a more integrated CCTV platform would better support your future requirements.
Final Thoughts
The conversation around business CCTV has changed significantly in recent years.
Businesses are increasingly looking beyond image quality and camera specifications to consider broader issues such as cybersecurity, vendor trust, ease of management and long-term support.
While Hikvision remains a major player in the CCTV market, we believe many SMEs can benefit from a simpler, more integrated approach.
For organisations already using UniFi networking, or those looking to modernise their security infrastructure, UniFi Protect offers a compelling combination of visibility, control and ease of management that aligns well with the needs of modern businesses.
For us, the decision is not simply about cameras. It is about creating a technology environment that is easier to manage, easier to support and better aligned with the way businesses operate today.
Considering a New CCTV System?
Whether you’re reviewing an existing Hikvision deployment, planning a new business CCTV installation or looking to standardise your technology platforms, Get Support can help.
We can assess your current environment, recommend the right CCTV solution for your business and deliver a complete deployment, including hardware supply, installation, networking integration, configuration and ongoing support.
If you’d like to discuss UniFi Protect or arrange a review of your current CCTV system, get in touch with the Get Support team today.
FAQs
No. Hikvision products are not banned for general commercial use in the UK. However, restrictions have been introduced for certain sensitive government environments.
Like many major technology vendors, Hikvision has experienced publicly disclosed vulnerabilities. The company has also been subject to regulatory and political scrutiny in several countries.
We believe UniFi Protect offers strong integration, simplified management, local data control and a better overall experience for many SMEs, particularly those already using UniFi networking equipment.
No. UniFi Protect is designed around local recording and does not require ongoing cloud storage subscriptions for core functionality.
Absolutely. We can assess your existing CCTV system, recommend suitable replacements, supply and install hardware, and provide ongoing support for your new environment.