Legal Notices
Download this as a PDFRECENT UPDATES
- Updated the Cold Backups description to accurately define how it differs from Warm Backups.
- Updated the Cloud Backups Durations and Retention Schedule so that both Warm and Cold Backups are in one table. Additionally, updated the wording in regard to the timings of backups.
- Updated (C) notice for 2025.
Cloud Service Agreement Attachment 4: Backups
Last Updated: 25 March 2025
This Backups attachment is only to be construed alongside the Cloud Service Agreement (CSA). It forms part of the CSA as per Section 1 of that document and runs concurrently with it. This Backups attachment specifically describes responsibilities in connection with ASPL’s Cloud service.
TYPES OF CLOUD BACKUP
There are two types of ‘backup’ designed to provide data retention security and peace of mind for Cloud customers:
- Warm Backups: Warm Backups automatically occur according to the Cloud Backup Durations and Retention Schedule. They can also be manually instructed by the Customer on an ad hoc basis.
- Cold Backups: Cold Backups automatically occur according to the Cloud Backup Durations and Retention Schedule. These Cold Backups simply copy the Warm Backup data over to ASPL’s cold storage server for longer term storage. Cold Backups are not directly accessible by customers without contacting TaxCalc Support.
In addition to these Backups, CloudConnect uses a synchronised clustered environment, to allow for quick failover in the case of emergency. Data is copied between the clustered nodes every 20 minutes.
CLOUD BACKUP LOCATIONS
- Each node in a given clustered environment is located in a different UK location.
- Cold Backups are located in a database in a separate UK location to the master-slave cluster.
CLOUD BACKUP DURATIONS AND RETENTION
ASPL operates a schedule of backups where Customer Personal Data is copied from the live Cloud database to a separate backups database.
Warm Backups
Backup Type |
When performed |
Quantity and duration of retention (Warm Backups / Cold Backups) |
Daily |
Every day, outside of UK business opening hours |
7 days’ worth / Two weeks’ worth |
Weekly |
Every Sunday, outside of UK business opening hours |
1 week's worth / Five weeks’ worth |
Monthly |
1st of each month, outside of UK business opening hours |
1 month's worth / One year’s worth |
Manual |
Ad hoc |
Up to 10 total at any one time / Up to 10 total at any one time |
BACKUP RETENTION AND CONTRACT TERMINATION
Section 10 (Termination and Expiration) of the CSA details ASPL’s policy in regard to data retention following the termination of the Contract.
DATA RESPONSIBILITY
Section 16 (Data Protection) of the CSA details the relevant responsibilities for ASPL and the Customer in regard to the latter being the Data Controller and Processing of Personal Data. ASPL acts as Data Processor in regard to the actions detailed in this Backup Attachment.
Please note that in the event of a Customer communicating to us a ‘right to erasure’ request from a client, the data in the cold backups will only elapse after the timeframes stated above. However, this data will be effectively ‘beyond use’ in the general backups file during this time.
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