Here are some of the most common questions we receive, with answers from our technology experts.
Q: How secure is the cloud?
A: It really depends on the type of server used by your software provider to host the cloud software program and the data from each user. The team behind NaVetor takes security very seriously, so we use Microsoft Azure server technology, which is extremely secure.
In fact, it’s so secure that government agencies use Azure to host their data. Microsoft is constantly updating the security of its server solutions, and as a result, it has become the gold standard in security.
NaVetor users can rest assured that their data is secured well.
Q: How exactly is my data protected?
A: Sometimes it can be helpful to visualize how your practice data is stored in the cloud. Picture a secure area – like the inside of a maximum security facility. That facility is protected by steel walls and an electric fence just outside the walls. Perpetrators would need to disable and clear the electric fence first, and if they did that, then they would need to figure out how to penetrate thick, steel walls. It’s not easy.
Those represent the types of security measures around the server that stores your information.
Next, picture several individual steel vaults inside that maximum security area. Those vaults represent the security measures around your practice data, and the data from other veterinary practices that also use the same software solution. If a perpetrator were able to penetrate the electric fence and the steel exterior walls, he would then need to break through a highly secure vault to obtain your data.
That’s also not easy to do. One could argue that it might be easier for a thief to break into your practice and steal your local server and computers, than to break into a maximum security server.
Q: Who owns my data? Do I lose control of it when I use a cloud-based software?
A: You own your data, always. Cloud software simply gives you an easy way to store, organize, and analyze that data.
One of the great advantages of a cloud-based practice management system like NaVetor is that all your data is centralized and consistently formatted. This allows you to create reports that give everyone in your practice better insight into relevant data, whether it’s an individual patient’s record or the overall financial health of the business. Not only that, but cloud servers perform regular backups – unlike some practices. Lost or accidentally deleted files often can be restored, even if a specific device fails.
Not having your data exist only in your office is, in fact, a benefit of using a cloud-based system. Data stored off premises can’t be lost or stolen if anything happens to your physical facility.
Q: What about others accessing my data? Like my software provider?
A: This is another topic that has been making headlines recently in our industry. Every software platform has its own end-user license agreement, terms of use, and privacy policy. No matter which software system you choose, regardless of whether it is cloud-based or server-based, it is always important to review those documents carefully to understand how your data can be used and the steps taken to protect it. Software providers should be 100 percent transparent with you on how your data can be used.
At Patterson, we firmly believe that the data in your software belongs to YOU. We do not share your data with anyone else without your consent.
Q: How often does cloud software go down?
A: That’s a question that is best answered by individual veterinary practices, as Internet and electricity quality and access can vary between locations around the U.S.
How reliable is the Internet where you live and work? That’s a good indicator on how successful a cloud software product will be for your practice. Internet capability and reliability has increased significantly since even a couple of years ago, so chances are that most clinics will have reliable Internet, and therefore reliable cloud software, 99 percent of the time.
Security and data breaches are hot topics, and it’s important to make sure a practice’s data is secure. But reputable cloud software platforms like NaVetor have significant security measures in place to make sure your data is kept as safe as possible.
For more information about NaVetor, call 877-422-8838 or request a Demo.
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Inspired by what you’ve seen? Interested in seeing how NaVetor can work in your practice? Contact us to set up a personalized demonstration of the software.
Sales: 877-422-8838