After 10.2 upgrade - how to access old 10.0 backups?

We have permanent monthly and annual database backups that finance uses for audits. After we upgrade from 10.0 to 10.2, what’s the best practice to access them in Epicor? Should we keep a same-version Epicor install setup on a VM to access it (which could get out of hand as we try to stay on the current releases)? Or do we do the conversion to the current release when access is needed?

I’m wondering what what everyone else here is doing…

it may be easier to ask the finance department for a list of information required and write a couple of external BAQ’s then they will be able to view the data from the current Epicor installation.