What Video Guard is
Video Guard is SIRA's system for connecting the CCTV of certain regulated establishments in Dubai to SIRA's own network. A device at the premises links the site's recorder to SIRA, so a fault in the system can be seen centrally instead of being discovered after an incident, when the footage turns out not to exist.
Who has to connect
It's a requirement for establishments in the sectors SIRA specifies. When it was introduced these included shopping malls, hotels, banks and factories, and SIRA has extended the list over time.
Being regulated by SIRA doesn't on its own mean Video Guard applies — it depends on your category. Send us your trade-licence activity and we'll check.
What it watches
At the least, the health of the system: whether cameras are online, and whether the recorder is recording and has the storage it needs.
Beyond that, published descriptions differ — some say it reports system health only, while descriptions at its launch also mentioned live monitoring and review of footage. We'd rather not guess on your behalf: what applies to your category is set by SIRA, and we explain it on the survey.
What it means for your equipment
Only recorders and video management software that have been certified for Video Guard can be connected, so the choice of equipment matters from the design stage — a recorder that's fine for a villa may not be connectable. The recorder also needs a reliable internet connection for the link to SIRA.
If you already have a system, we check the recorder against what can be connected before recommending anything.
Who installs it
The connection is made through a SIRA-registered security systems company as part of a compliant installation, and kept working under the establishment's maintenance contract. A connection that drops because a recorder failed or a line was changed is exactly what a SIRA-approved AMC is there to catch.
An honest caveat
This is a plain-language summary, not legal advice. SIRA sets and updates the Video Guard requirements, so confirm the current position with SIRA — and we'll confirm what applies to your premises, against the rules in force, before any work starts.