Property Management Software: IT Support and Infrastructure

Cloud-hosted versus locally hosted platforms

Most modern property management platforms are cloud-hosted, meaning the vendor runs the servers and a property manager just needs a reliable internet connection and a browser. Some firms, particularly larger ones with legacy systems, still run a locally hosted platform on an on-site server. Each model shifts responsibility differently.

• Cloud-hosted: vendor manages the server, we manage the network, internet, and devices connecting to it
• Locally hosted: we manage the server itself in addition to the network and devices, similar to virtualizing an aging business server
• Hybrid setups with a local server syncing to a cloud backend need clear documentation of what runs where

Connectivity: the most common point of failure

When a cloud-hosted property management platform 'goes down', the cause is more often the office's internet connection or firewall than the vendor's servers. A single ISP connection with no failover leaves a leasing office unable to process applications, take payments, or log maintenance requests the moment that link drops.

A business-grade firewall and a backup internet connection, whether that is a secondary ISP or a cellular failover, closes most of that gap. Our network and Wi-Fi services cover this design work for property management offices of any size.

Integrations and the support boundary

Property management software rarely operates alone. It typically connects to accounting software for rent reconciliation, a payment processor for online rent collection, and sometimes an email or SMS platform for tenant notifications. When one of those integrations breaks, figuring out which vendor owns the fix takes real troubleshooting.

We treat this the same way we treat any third-party application: the software vendors own defects and bugs in their own products, and we own the infrastructure connecting everything, including the network path, DNS, and any local software that feeds data into the integration. Where the fault sits between two vendors, we typically drive the troubleshooting since we are the ones who understand the full environment.

Data backup for property management systems

Rent rolls, lease documents, and maintenance histories need to survive more than just the vendor's own infrastructure being fine. Even cloud platforms benefit from an independent backup, since accidental deletions, data corruption, and account compromise are not always covered by the vendor's own recovery tools.

• Cloud-to-cloud backup of the property management platform's data where the vendor supports an export or API
• Backup of any locally hosted server using Acronis Cyber Protect Cloud, our current backup platform
• Regular test restores, not just scheduled backup jobs, following the 3-2-1 backup rule
• Documented recovery time targets tied to how quickly leasing operations need to resume

Access control across a distributed team

Property management platforms typically support granular permissions, but those permissions only matter if the accounts logging in are themselves secure. Multi-factor authentication on every account, paired with role-based access inside the platform, keeps a compromised password from turning into a full data exposure. Our Microsoft 365 support work often extends into this kind of access control since email and the property platform are usually tied together through single sign-on.

Multi-building network segmentation

Larger portfolios sometimes run a shared network across an office and one or more on-site building networks. Where that is the case, segmentation matters: staff workstations, building automation systems, and any tenant-facing Wi-Fi should sit on separate network segments. We cover the underlying design in our VLAN segmentation guide, and the multi-site version specifically in multi-building network management.

Planning a platform migration

Switching property management software is disruptive, and most of the disruption comes from data migration and integration rebuilding rather than from staff learning a new interface. Involving an IT provider early, before contracts are signed, avoids surprises like a new platform requiring a server upgrade or a firewall change that nobody budgeted for.

Frequently asked questions