SQLBackupAndFTP application (SBF) communicates with https://api.sqlbak.com – below are the details. At no point any of the passwords or secret keys are being sent to SQLBackupAndFTP servers. Still, you may want to know what information is being exchanged in order to understand that your security and privacy is not compromised or to configure your firewall or proxy server if any issues arise.

Firewall configuration considerations

SBF connects to api.sqlbak.com web server to upload the data as described below. If there is an issue connecting to api.sqlbak.com – make sure that “SQLBackupAndFTP (SQL Server backup)” Windows service can connect to api.sqlbak.com:443. If the app connects to Internet through a Proxy server, you can set up Proxy server settings in the Tools -> Proxy Settings menu.

Licensing

When a user installs SBF and runs it for the first time, the app posts a request to api.sqlbak.com to register the installation and activate a Professional Trial license. The app requests api.sqlbak.com server in few times in a day to validate the Professional Trial license.

When a user enters a license key into SBF, the app posts a request to api.sqlbak.com to register the license for the installed app. The app requests api.sqlbak.com server in few times in a day to validate the current license. If SBF can not validate a license at least once in 24 hours, the license is downgraded to the Free edition.

Notification

SBF can show text and graphics with ads, notifications or announcements at the bottom of the main window. The app requests api.sqlbak.com server in few times in a day to request such content (if any). This feature does not throw an error the Internet connection is missing.

Automatic email feature

When user sends email via our servers using “Automatic/Zero-config” option (default for trials and paid editions with active subscriptions) –  SBF communicates with api.sqlbak.com to upload backup log. These log records do not contain passwords or secret keys.

See backup history on the web option

When “See backup history on the web” option is ON (in Backup Settings section – available for trials and paid editions with active subscriptions), SBF requests api.sqlbak.com to store the log records on sqlbackupandftp.com server. These log records do not contain passwords or secret keys.

Advanced log

Users may want to enable writing advanced log into a temporary file and send this file to SQLBackupAndFTP developer team. SBF does not send this file automatically. You can enable and send it to us using the main menu: Tools -> Advanced Log. This file does not contain passwords or secret keys.

Error statistics

When SBF encounters an error, SBF requests api.sqlbak.com server to send the error information including error text and stack trace. The error information does not contain passwords or secret keys.

Update

SBF requests api.sqlbak.com server to check the app for updates. The app is updated automatically if the new version is available for the license used and “Automatically download and install updates” option in settings is ON.

SQL down alert

When “Service down alert” option is ON and the connected server is not available (like service stopped), SBF requests api.sqlbak.com server to send an email notification. SBF also sends “Keep Alive” requests to api.sqlbak.com web service (if this option is ON).

Database Servers

SBF connects to a database server (local or remote) – whatever is specified in your job. If a remote connection is specified, your firewall may need to be configured to allow such connection.

Destinations

SBF connects to destinations for uploading database backups – Network, FTP server, Dropbox, Amazon S3, etc  – whatever is specified in your job. If a remote connection is specified, your firewall may need to be configured to allow such connection.