A CCTV system for an office or factory has to do more than a home system. It covers more areas, runs for longer, and often has to support safety, security, and operations. This guide explains how to plan a business CCTV system in Sri Lanka, from camera positions to storage and reliability.
What a business CCTV system is used for
- Security: deterring and recording theft, break-ins, and unauthorised entry
- Safety: reviewing accidents and incidents on the floor or in the yard
- Operations: watching loading bays, production areas, and stock movement
- Accountability: recording cash handling, deliveries, and access to sensitive rooms
- Remote monitoring: letting owners and managers check the site from their phones
Where to place cameras
Offices
- Reception and the main entrance, facing inward to capture faces
- Corridors and stairwells
- The server or equipment room
- Cash or accounts areas
- The car park and building perimeter
Factories and warehouses
- Gates and the vehicle entrance, including number plates
- Loading and unloading bays
- Stock rooms and high-value storage
- Production lines and key machinery
- The perimeter, yard, and parking areas
For large open areas such as yards and car parks, PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras can cover a lot of ground, while fixed cameras at entrances capture clear faces and number plates. Read our guide to camera range and placement.
Choose a wired IP system
For offices and factories, wired IP cameras with an NVR are the usual choice. They record reliably around the clock and can cover many cameras across a large site. Power and video can travel through a single network cable using PoE, and a network switch can extend the system across buildings. See PoE for CCTV explained and NVR vs DVR.
Plan storage for longer retention
Businesses usually need to keep footage for longer than homes, because theft, disputes, and incidents are often noticed days or weeks later. More cameras at higher resolution also need much more storage. Our CCTV storage guide explains how to estimate how many days a hard drive will hold, and many business systems use several hard drives.
Keep it reliable
- UPS: connect the recorder and network switches to a UPS so recording continues during power cuts, and ideally to the building's backup generator.
- Separate network: keep CCTV on its own network or VLAN where possible, so cameras are not exposed to the office network.
- Secure access: set strong passwords, give each person their own login, and limit who can view and export footage.
- Regular checks: confirm every camera records and the hard drives are healthy. Read our CCTV maintenance checklist.
Add access control
Combining CCTV with access control means every entry to a sensitive area is both logged and recorded on video. This is useful for server rooms, stock rooms, and management areas.
Privacy and signage
Cover work areas, entrances, and stock areas, and never changing rooms or toilets. Display visible CCTV signs, and tell staff what is recorded and who can view it.
Frequently asked questions
How many cameras does a factory need?
It depends on the size of the site, the number of entrances, and the areas you want to watch. A site survey shows where cameras are needed, and large sites often need dozens.
How long should a business keep CCTV footage?
At least a month is a good target for many businesses. Some keep footage longer for their own policies, which requires more storage.
Can managers watch the cameras remotely?
Yes. Once the recorder is connected to the internet, authorised people can watch live and recorded footage on their phones or computers.
Get a business CCTV system planned
We design and install CCTV systems for offices, factories, and warehouses across Sri Lanka, starting with a free site survey and a written quotation. See our CCTV installation service, read our CCTV for shops guide, or contact us.