SIMS.net

[itgeek]

Hi,

 

We have migrated from sims.net to Arbor. We still have access to our sims server as the contract has not expired yet. If I needed to restore something from back once the sims license has expired is this possible?

 

Thanks in advance

[Cat_Jam148]

Once the SIMS license has expired, you are required to retire your SIMS server and delete the MIS databases. Plus any backups of the server you might have.

 

They even had us sign a bit of paperwork to confirm that we carried out this process. Was a few years ago though!

Edited March 18 by Cat_Jam148

[itgeek]

Thanks for the info, has anyone else had the same response recently?

 

Thanks

[BKGarry]

Yup, you will not even be able to access any of it afterwards anyways, as your copy will no longer be activated.

[bobsmith]

of course the actual data in the database is yours - so if you can extract the data into a standalone sql database i.e. a sql.bak file then you've got that at least - but they get very pissy over their proprietary database structure and stored procedures....

[psydii]

I'm surprised that the DfE or Cabinet Office haven't yet mandated a clause like "you are required to offer a reasonably priced single-user, read-only access to your platform/software and customer's data  for a period of five years after the end of any customer contract, regardless of whether the software/platform was procured through this agreement" in the framework agreements. Perhaps they'll do it next time as a condition of entry.

[mikes]

yeah it's a bit strange as aren't we required by law to keep a lot of this information? How are we able to keep this information if we have to pay onerous licencing fees to view it?  or is just having the database fine even if nobody can read it?

Now with our SIMS server I know from the past it has shown up as "Unlicensed" but you can still actually access and export data from it. But you never know if it phones home and thus you get a bill at the end. Better to export everything you can in a readable format before hand if you can

[FN-GM]

On 18/03/2026 at 20:24, Cat_Jam148 said:

Once the SIMS license has expired, you are required to retire your SIMS server and delete the MIS databases. Plus any backups of the server you might have.

 

What if you have immutable backups? You can't just delete.

[Jobos]

23 minutes ago, mikes said:

Better to export everything you can in a readable format before hand if you can

 

What is the easiest way to export years of data from SIMS? 

[bobsmith]

1. get a copy of the SQL database direct from ESS themselves*

 

* if you're on prem that's super easy - if you are hosted by them then it used to be easy - until they lost so much market share that they got super reluctant to hand it over

 

2. use Wonde to export as much as it has access to

3. run reports to find all the data and export to excel then reimport - note that the reporting tree can't necessarily see everything in the database.....

 

[Jobos]

On 24/04/2026 at 08:09, bobsmith said:

1. get a copy of the SQL database direct from ESS themselves*

 

* if you're on prem that's super easy - if you are hosted by them then it used to be easy - until they lost so much market share that they got super reluctant to hand it over

 

2. use Wonde to export as much as it has access to

3. run reports to find all the data and export to excel then reimport - note that the reporting tree can't necessarily see everything in the database.....

 

 

We are on prem so have the database right here. Is there a command we can run to copy the data or is it the database is protected and needs ESS to export the data into a fresh database?