Cloud FAQs

With the first release of Scorelink Cloud coming in May/June 2016 you may want answers to a few key questions: and you aren’t alone. We’ve tried to cover off on all of the key aspects below in a Q&A format, but if you have any other questions or concerns please submit a support request.

How much will Scorelink Cloud cost?

Scorelink Cloud will be a bit cheaper than Scorelink Server to set up initially: this is because we can do the provisioning of your account ourselves on our server, without having to prepare USB sticks and work with site personnel. This also means that the turnaround time for a new setup will be much faster. Ongoing license fees will be identical to the Server equivalent as these are based on access. You can get a feel for the pricing for your site by using our handy pricing calculator.

I’m already using Scorelink Server – can I switch to the Cloud? Is there a cost involved?

Yes, you certainly can switch to the cloud: we’ve built the entire platform with that in mind. There will be a small cost involved (probably around $200 + GST) as we will have to manually do the migration to ensure than nothing gets lost in transmission. Once the process is complete you will be able to use Scorelink in exactly the same way.

Will our data be safe in the cloud?

This is an interesting question, as everyone’s definition of safety is slightly different. However, we have built Scorelink Cloud to be as safe and secure as is feasibly possible. To this end we have conducted several rounds of security and penetration testing by an experienced local team, who are engaged by government departments and educational institutions to do similar testing for their own systems. Based on their advice we have implemented advanced security measures that most systems do not, just to be on the safe side. All interactions with Scorelink Cloud (whether direct user access, integrations, database or otherwise) run through 2048-bit encryption and the best available web standards. As the system evolves we will continue to have regular testing done just to make sure it remains as secure as we need it to be.

Where will I be able to access Scorelink Cloud data?

One of the main advantages of being in the cloud is that the data is accessible anywhere; however, this may not be desirable for all schools. By default, Scorelink Cloud will only be accessible within your school’s network, but you are able to open up access to Scorelink from other networks in your account options. This gives you the control over who and where can access your school data.

When will Scorelink Cloud be released for anyone to use?

During Term 2, 2016 we will be conducting a limited pilot program for schools interested in Scorelink Cloud – this will help us to identify any performance issues or bugs in the hosted copy of Scorelink. Once we are satisfied that the pilot has been successful we will expand the offering to all existing Scorelink schools. We expect this to occur during 2016, most likely in Term 3.

How can I get involved in the Scorelink Cloud pilot program?

We are still accepting registrations from schools interested in trialling Scorelink Cloud: you can register your interest here.

I am a DECD school in SA – am I allowed to use Scorelink Cloud?

DECD have specific policies around data security and usage of the cloud generally, and it isn’t really our position to advise on how a school chooses to implement that policy. We will do our absolute best to stay compliant with any requests that get made of us by any external bodies, but ultimately it is up to each school to conduct a risk assessment and make a decision about whether or not Scorelink Cloud is for them. By way of comparison we are aware of many other cloud systems and services being used by DECD schools in SA.

What IT requirements do we need in order to use Scorelink Cloud?

Just an internet connection and a modern browser – the latest version of each main browser platform are supported, but if in doubt you can view this very thorough summary of which browsers are fully supported.

Are you taking backups of our data?

By controlling all of the data in our cloud server we can ensure that backups are being taken successfully and regularly, so that the risk of data loss is as mitigated as possible. In the extremely unlikely event of our server going down we will be able to restore and recover the system in a matter of hours so you won’t experience too much downtime.

I’m a tech and I work at multiple sites: will I need multiple Scorelink Cloud logins?

Certainly not! We’ve built the system to allow you to have one login linked to as many schools as you work at (provided they have invited you), and you can switch between them in two clicks.

Tagged: FAQs