Choosing an ERP system is a big decision. It holds one of your business’ most important assets, your data. So, before you sign on the dotted line, it’s important to be sure the ERP system you select offers robust data and cyber security features.
Especially if you’re new to the cloud, you may wonder if your business data is truly safer on someone else’s server than it is on your own. This is an understandable concern, but as many information security studies have shown, cloud ERP data security is stronger than on premise.
Think about it this way, how long do you think a cloud ERP vendor could stay in business if they were constantly cleaning up data breaches or their client’s data was easily stolen by cyber criminals?
To avoid potentially ruinous customer satisfaction issues, cloud ERP vendors employ security teams who work around the clock. Most small businesses simply cannot afford to put the same security measures in place on their own servers.
Still, many of our potential clients have some questions about ERP security. Since Acumatica is the product, they are often interested in, we wrote this article and created the popular companion video included below to answer some of the Acumatica database security questions we hear most.
Even if you decide Acumatica is not the right solution for you, the issues we discuss here are important data security questions to ask any cloud ERP vendor you’re considering.
Video: Your Acumatica Cloud ERP Backup and Recovery Questions Answered
Are you unable to access videos on your work computer? Do you prefer to read rather than watch? You can find everything covered in the video and more below.
Q. Does Acumatica offer an automatic backup solution, or must I set them up?
Acumatica performs regular backups of your ERP data at no cost to users. Should you need access to a backup, you can purchase the file itself. Or if you’re looking for a more defined backup strategy, you can add an optional service to your Acumatica ERP license that gives you access to your backups.
Q. How long does Acumatica keep a copy of my database backups on file?
Currently, the Acumatica data retention schedule is:
- Daily backups are kept four days.
- The last backup taken each week is kept four weeks.
- The final backup taken each month is kept four months.
- The last backup taken each quarter is kept one year.
Q. In case of a disaster, how do I recover my data?
To keep your sensitive data safe, even if a natural disaster were to shut down your main data center, Acumatica backs up all your transactional data to a second center far from your main one. That way, no matter what happens, you have the data protection you need to get back up and running fast.
Q. If I do not renew before my contract end date will Acumatica keep my data?
Yes, Acumatica does keep clients’ data for 30 days. If you renew your contract during that 30-day period, your service will automatically resume, and your data will be right where you left it.
Should you choose not to renew your contract, Acumatica will permanently erase your data following the 30-day suspension period. If you’d like a copy of the full database for your safekeeping, you may request it. Please note: You must make these requests no later than 10 days past the subscription expiration.
Q. If I decide not to renew my Acumatica contract, can I get a copy of my data?
Of course, assuming your account is in good standing, all you must do is request it during the 30-day suspension period.
Other common Acumatica database backup and recovery questions
Q. What is the difference between automated backups and database snapshots?
Acumatica SaaS subscribers have two choices for backing up and restoring their data:
- Automated backups—These are backups you can either request individually for a fee or purchase an annual subscription for on demand access.
- Database snapshots—Take and save snapshots of your company and restore them later. Each snapshot is a complete copy of your database, so keep your storage limits in mind when creating and maintaining multiple snapshots.
Q. How do I know how much free space I have on my Acumatica database?
Search Acumatica for a screen called, “Space Usage.” It’ll show you how full your database storage is.
Q. Can Acumatica help me restore my system to an earlier date?
If you subscribe to the optional backup access service or have a copy of your data on-hand you wish to restore, Acumatica will work with your partner to evaluate your data for restoration. Before requesting this service, please be aware there is a one-time service fee for backup restoration.
In the event you aren’t subscribed to the optional backup access service, and you don’t have an available copy of the data you’d like to restore, please contact your partner. They and Acumatica will evaluate your specific situation.
Even if they agree to try and restore your data, please keep in mind Acumatica cannot guarantee success. The automated backups Acumatica performs are meant for global disaster recovery. Therefore, they may not be suitable for individual client restore needs.
Do you still have unanswered questions about Acumatica database and security? Visit this FAQ page. Here you will also find information on Acumatica SaaS billing, hardware and scaling, compliance and more.
Are you searching for the right partner to lead your successful Acumatica implementation project, or someone to help you make the most of your Acumatica investment? Discover why hundreds of SMBs put their trust in Intelligent Technologies, Inc.
