Special metadata is stored for every backup run. The metadata is known as the backup catalog and includes information about when a backup was taken, what is inside the backup, what backup level it is, and much more.
When restoring to an alternate machine, the backup catalogs must be restored before the data can be restored.
The Restore Catalog operation scans for backup runs available on disk or cloud and restores the backup catalog. This rebuilds the backup set(s) to which the backups belong and includes the backup set configuration, the Restore page, and the Report history.
Backup catalogs can be restored from backups on disk or cloud.
How to restore the backup catalog
- Install ZCB and import the cloud certificate.
- Click Tools > Restore Catalog.
- Enter information about the backups you wish to recover. Only backups that match the criteria will be imported.
- Press OK.
- A scan for valid, matching backups will begin.
- This process can take a long time. Please be patient.
- When prompted, close and restart ZCB to complete the Restore Catalog process.
- All functions, including reports and data restores, will be available for the backups and backup sets.
Catalogs can only be restored if the backup set does not already exist on the system. If it is necessary to restore catalogs for a backup set that already exists, please delete the existing backup set before you begin.
Restore Catalog from Cloud
When restoring the catalog from the cloud, ZCB must search your cloud backups and download the catalog information. The actual backups themselves are not downloaded.
Only catalogs that match the criteria below will be restored.
Cloud Location
Choose the cloud datacenter where the backups are stored. The default is "All Cloud Locations". Restricting this setting to a specific cloud location can greatly speed up the Restore Catalog process.
Host Name
This refers to the host name of the original machine that took the backups. Do not include the Windows Domain name, if any.
- Leave this field blank to restore backup catalogs from the current machine.
- Enter an asterisk ( * ) to restore backup catalogs for all machines on the account.
- Enter a specific host name to restore backup catalogs for that machine only.
Backup Set Name
This refers to the name of the Backup Set that needs to be restored.
- Leave this field blank to restore catalogs for all backup sets.
- Enter a backup set name to restore catalogs for that backup set only.
- An asterisk ( * ) can be used as a wildcard if only part of the backup set name is known.
- For example, *exchange* would restore any backup set that contains the word "exchange".
Restore Location
Catalog information must be downloaded to the local machine before it can be imported. Specify a directory here to use as temporary storage of this data. This data is deleted from disk at the end of the Restore Catalog process.
Restore Catalog from Local Directory
You can restore the backup catalog from backups kept on a local disk.
Only catalogs that match the criteria below will be restored.
Host Name
This refers to the host name of the original machine that took the backups. Do not include the Windows Domain name, if any.
- Leave this field blank to restore backup catalogs from the current machine.
- Enter an asterisk ( * ) to restore backup catalogs for all machines on the account.
- Enter a specific host name to restore backup catalogs for that machine only.
Backup Set Name
This refers to the name of the Backup Set that needs to be restored.
- Leave this field blank to restore catalogs for all backup sets.
- Enter a backup set name to restore catalogs for that backup set only.
- An asterisk ( * ) can be used as a wildcard if only part of the backup set name is known.
- For example, *exchange* would restore any backup set that contains the word "exchange".
Backup Data Location
This is the directory in which the local backups are stored. You must specify the exact folder in which the local backups are stored. Sub-folders will not be scanned for backups. If backups are in multiple directories, perform multiple Restore Catalog operations.