Accounting software on its own server, in an isolated network.
A small accounting firm wanted its clients' data to stay in-house and its accounting software not to depend on an ordinary PC. We designed and set up a server with an isolated environment for the accounting system, which an external vendor then deployed.
Case study · anonymous client
- Industry
- accounting firm
- Scale
- a few workstations, Microsoft 365
- Requirement
- client data stays in-house
- Model
- infrastructure for accounting software
- Server with ECC
- Proxmox
- Isolated accounting software
- Nightly backups
- Remote access
- Training
Where we started
For an accounting firm, a failure of the PC running the accounting software isn't a technical problem; it's a deadline the firm's client may miss. So we started with the risk, not the hardware.
- Accounting software built on a Firebird database needed a stable server, not a PC that someone might switch off.
- The firm processes its clients' personal and financial data, so it wanted to keep that data physically on its own premises.
- The team works in Microsoft 365, so the new set-up couldn't require people to change how they work.
- Access from outside the office was needed, without opening ports on the router.
What we did, step by step.
Server selection
A business-class server instead of a desktop PC: error-correcting memory, two SSDs, remote management and a three-year manufacturer warranty with next-business-day repair.
Virtualisation
Proxmox VE as the layer on which each service runs in its own virtual machine or container. A problem with one doesn't stop the others, and a whole machine can be copied and restored.
An isolated environment for the accounting software
We prepared a virtual machine for the accounting system on a separate virtual network, with no connection to the network used by the firm's other services. Even a problem with another service doesn't open a path to financial data. The software itself was installed and configured by the vendor deploying it.
Backups
Automatic nightly backups of the accounting software virtual machine, with 30 days of history. A deleted file or a mistake from a week ago can be rolled back.
Access from outside the office
Zero-trust access with two-factor authentication. The router exposes no ports to the internet.
Documentation and training
A configuration description, access credentials handed over securely and a short training session for the team on what changes in their daily work.
Before and after, no made-up numbers.
| Area | Before | After |
|---|---|---|
| Accounting software | Dependent on a single PC | On a server with ECC memory and a next-business-day warranty |
| Client data | At risk of loss if hardware fails | In-house, with nightly backups and 30 days of history |
| Isolation | Everything on one machine | Accounting software on a separate virtual network |
| Remote work | No secure way into the system | Access with a second factor, no open ports |
| Support | Every diagnosis requires a site visit | Remote server management |
What the project didn't include
We agreed the limits in writing before starting. Out of scope:
- Deploying the accounting software itself. An external vendor did that, on the environment we prepared.
- Accounting software licences, which the firm buys from the vendor.
- An off-site copy. The backups are on premises; an off-site copy is a separate decision about cost and risk.
The same server can do more when the firm is ready
Virtualisation leaves room for more services without buying new hardware: a searchable document archive, deadline reminders for the firm's clients or automations connected to Microsoft 365. We add them when they make sense, not just because we can.
Free · 60 minutes online · no obligation
Accounting software on a single PC? Let's see what happens if it fails.
- You talk to an engineerOnline, by video call. Not with a salesperson. We don't install or change anything.
- We check 8 areasBackups, access, network, email, server, licences, protection and KSeF readiness.
- You get a scorecardThree priorities on one page, emailed after the meeting. Yours to use however you like.
We don't use a contact form. We answer the phone and reply to emails.