Start from the incidents, not the cameras
The right question is not "how many cameras?" but "what must this footage prove?". A retail counter dispute needs a face and a transaction in one frame. A warehouse needs coverage of goods-in and goods-out. An office mostly needs entrances, server room, and reception. List the incidents you would need to review, then place cameras to answer them — the count follows.
IP vs analog, and when resolution matters
Modern deployments are IP cameras over the network: better image quality, PoE cabling (one cable for power and data), and easier scaling. Analog HD still has a place when reusing existing coax on a tight budget.
Resolution matters at identification points — entrances, tills, gates — where 4MP or higher earns its cost. For general area coverage, 2MP with good low-light performance often beats a higher-resolution sensor that struggles at night. In practice, low-light capability and correct mounting decide more cases than megapixels.
Storage: the part everyone undersizes
Retention is a business decision: how many days of footage do you need to look back on? Thirty days is a common baseline; some free zones, landlords, or insurers specify their own minimums — check your lease and policy. From there, storage size follows from camera count, resolution, and recording mode (continuous vs motion-triggered).
Record locally on an NVR — footage keeps recording if the internet drops — and treat cloud as an optional layer for clips and offsite copies, not the primary store.
Remote viewing, ANPR, and integrations
Live viewing from a phone is now standard, but insist on a properly secured setup: unique passwords, updated firmware, and no cameras exposed directly to the internet. ANPR (number-plate recognition) is worth it at gates and parking. If you run access control or an alarm, choose a platform that integrates rather than a second silo.
The UAE angle
CCTV in the UAE is regulated — emirates set rules on where cameras belong, retention, and signage, and some business categories (banks, gold shops, hotels) carry stricter requirements through SIRA in Dubai and equivalent authorities elsewhere. A serious installer designs to your emirate's rules and your industry, handles the paperwork where required, and positions cameras to respect privacy boundaries — public and staff areas, never private ones.
Whoever you buy from, get the design on paper first: a camera schedule, coverage map, retention calculation, and a fixed price. If a quote is just a camera count and a total, keep looking.