Optional VPN Database Access

Unrestricted back end access to your data with a secure VPN tunnel.

This allows knowledgeable IT staff to perform queries, reports, data manipulation, including imports, or other database tasks as well as develop integrations with other software.

Requirements & Setup

The agency will need the following:

  • Requires both dedicated network hardware and personnel with expertise in configuring and managing an IPSec tunnel. We additionally require a static IPv4 address for the tunnel endpoint.

  • Data access tools, such as Power BI, to access the SQL Server database.

We will coordinate the setup of a client VPN or IPSec tunnel with AWS, our hosting provider. Once the tunnel is set up, you will be provided with an IP Address, port number and SQL Server credentials, allowing your IT staff to access production, archive, and training databases. Then you will be able to access your databases directly through the VPN tunnel with either read-only or read-write privileges, depending on your preferences.

Agreement & Security Concerns

To use VPN Database Access, you must sign our User Agreement stating you understand anyone with access to the VPN Database Access feature will have complete, unrestricted access to your database. Unrestricted access grants your IT staff the ability to perform all types of actions to the database, including damaging the entire database or accidental deletions. Use caution when assigning IT staff access to the back end of your database and securely store the VPN Database Access login information.

Create and perform queries, imports, exports, or live integrations with other software.

Q&A

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General VPN Database Access Information

Update Policy
Automatic Updates:
We will automatically update production databases to incorporate the latest features and bug fixes. This will help enhance the overall performance of our services.

Scheduled Maintenance:
To minimize any potential disruption, these updates will be scheduled during non-peak hours. We carefully plan updates to minimize inconvenience to your operations.

Notification Process:
Before each scheduled update, we will send you advance notice to keep you informed about the upcoming changes.

Support for Older Versions:
All customers are required to update to the most recent version of ChildPlus within 14 days of an update notification.

Data Security:
Rest assured that the security of your data remains our top priority. Keeping your software updated is a proactive measure to strengthen the security of your data.

Improved Performance:
By keeping your production database updated and current, we aim to improve the overall performance and responsiveness of our systems, ensuring a seamless experience for you and your staff.

DevTest Databases:
DevTest databases are available upon request for any agency that needs to test mission-critical customizations against an updated version of ChildPlus before their production database update.

What kind of access does VPN Database Access give us?
Agencies receive a single read-only login, however, a full-access login is also available upon request. Since data may be intentionally or unintentionally lost or damaged using the full-access login, we do not recommend VPN Database Access for most agencies.
Is there a record of who logs in using the VPN Database Access login?
No. Logging in with the VPN Database Access login is not recorded in the ChildPlus Audit Logs. Be sure to provide the login to trusted IT staff only!
How many logins are available?
For security reasons, ChildPlus provides one login that multiple people can use simultaneously. If your IT staff needs to make changes to actual data in the database, a separate full-access login is required and can be provided upon request.
What kind of queries can I perform?
Your IT staff can create an unlimited number of database queries to manipulate or filter your data even more. For example, your IT staff could use a query tool with the VPN Database Access read-only login to query “Show me every detail of every personnel record” or “Show me all the mental health records.” The full access login would be required to run potentially damaging queries like “Delete all the records from the Health table.”
Will ChildPlus technical support help us with creating custom imports, exports or queries?
No. Custom imports, exports, and query scripting are the agency’s responsibility when it comes to compatibility with the ChildPlus database. Our technical support is there to help you with any issues that arise when using the ChildPlus software, and not as it relates to VPN Database Access.
Can I create a custom import of data from another database?
Yes. You can create an import to move data from a 3rd party program or database to your ChildPlus database.

Using VPN Database Access & Reports

Is this access via a SQL Server and what type of system would we need to write reports?
Yes, the access is via a SQL Server. Most programmer tools for queries or reports, such as Crystal Reports, can be used to access your SQL Server database.
What skill level is needed to write reports? Is this something our local IT staff may be able to do or our corporate IT would need to do?
VPN Database Access access is intended for IT experts knowledgeable on relational databases. IT staff must be experienced with database queries and reporting. If your local or corporate IT staff doesn’t have this level of experience, then VPN Database Access is not suitable for your agency.
How are reports stored? Are the reports, once written, available on our database for all of our users?
Any reports created by your IT staff are not saved in the ChildPlus system. Your agency’s IT, or other designated staff, is responsible for storing the reports until needed. Reports must be run by the IT staff with the VPN Database Access login, not by the end user.

Data Restoration

Who is responsible for data errors, deletions, etc.?
The agency is responsible for any data errors, deletions, etc. resulting from your IT staff accessing the backend of the database. Can ChildPlus restore my database with a backup? Yes, ChildPlus Software can restore a database backup at your request in the event of a data error resulting from VPN Database Access. One backup per quarter will be restored free of charge. Additional backups will be restored at a cost of $250 per restore operation.
What if we have a backup and it doesn't fit the database? Can ChildPlus Software fix it?
ChildPlus may be able to write custom data repair logic to partially or fully resolve the error if errors occur which can’t be adequately resolved via backup restoration. Custom data repair logic is billed at $250 per hour with a minimum of charge of $5,000. Complicated data repair operations may cost significantly more.

With VPN Database Access, your IT staff can create an unlimited number of database queries to manipulate or filter your data even more. 

Contact our sales department for more information on using our Optional VPN Database Access services!

There is an additional cost to using this feature.