# NovaBACKUP 21 User Guide This English language document describes the implementation of the core requirements of our customers for NovaBACKUP version 21 only. For reference to other useful product documentation go [here](/novabackup-components/overview-of-the-novabackup-components). It describes the creation, modification and deletion of the most used functions. The individual functions are described in such a way that they can be implemented with the help of this document. Special requirements are not addressed in this document. If you have special requirements, please contact us directly at: OR contact us via our [contact form](https://www.novabackup.com/company/contact?hsLang=en). # Supported NovaBACKUP versions & upgrade paths The following upgrade paths are supported. The NovaBACKUP Support team can only support the two most recent major NovaBACKUP client versions, so in that case that is 21 and 20. If you do have NovaBACKUP client version prior to 20 then you will be required to upgrade to a newer version in order for the NovaBACKUP Support team to assist you. You will need to make sure that you have current NovaCare Support (that is not expired) in order to upgrade the version in that case; tp check your license for upgrade and support eligibility you can do that using the "Check Your License for Upgrade and Support Eligibility" on this support web page: . You can upgrade from any prior NovaBACKUP client version to NovaBACKUP 21, there should be no problem with that, as long as you have current NovaCare Support on your license (and it is not the free bundled "Buffalo" edition of NovaBACKUP). You will be required to re-create your Scheduled Image Backup job(s) if upgrading from a version prior to 21.0. If upgrading from a prior NovaBACKUP client version and you want to keep all of the prior legacy device functionality, then you must follow this guide to enable "Show Legacy Devices": . # Overview of the NovaBACKUP Components You can download the latest NovaBACKUP PC Agent and Server Agent client version here: {% embed url="" %} View the current Release Notes (Support KB article) that contains the full changelog: View the "NovaBACKUP Update Process" guide (web): View the "NovaBACKUP 21 Quick Start Guide" guide (web): (or [.PDF](https://filestore.novabackup.com/Downloads/NovaBACKUP/Current/pdf/QS-NovaBACKUP-Quickstart-Guide-EN.pdf))\ \ View the "NovaBACKUP 21 Quickstart Guide (Getting Started with NovaBACKUP)" guide (Support KB article): In addition to the "NovaBACKUP 21 User Guide" (web) content on this website that you are reading now, you can also view the old format of the "NovaBACKUP User Manual" (web) [here](https://help.novabackup.com/NovaStor/NovaBACKUP/21/1/enu/Default2.htm), or you can download the PDF version of the "NovaBACKUP User Manual" (.PDF) [here](https://www.novabackup.com/resources/product-documentation). Note: You will need to realize that the content in those older additional User Manuals may not be current to all of the NovaBACKUP version 21.x features, however it may help those users that utlize legacy backup devices, as compared to the topics contained in this newer "NovaBACKUP 21 User Guide" website that you are reading now. # System Requirements #### Minimum System Requirements for NovaBACKUP 21.1 * 1.3 GHz processor * 4 GB RAM for PC Agent and 8 GB RAM for Server Agent * 10 GB free Hard Drive space * Internet Explorer 11.0 or higher View the current full System Requirements (web) document for more information, and that is covered in greater detail: # Useful how-to articles Useful how-to articles that apply to NovaBACKUP 21.x. The latest content is at the top of each section. **How-to Articles:** NovaBACKUP 21.x specific How-to articles (in the Support KB): Simple method How to add a managed and hosted 'NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage' Device on a new PC and then Import the backups stored on it, using the CMon UI (on a new or rebuilt machine where the "Domain" and/or "Machine name" differ from the original machine): . Note: This Simple method guide also has a video based guide linked in it, that is recommended to watch to help explain the process. There is also an Advanced method guide (that contains more detail) [here](https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/advanced-method-how-to-add-a-managed-and-hosted-novabackup-cloud-storage-device-on-a-new-pc-and-then-import-the-backups-stored-on-it-using-the-cmon-ui-on-a-new-or-rebuilt-machine-where-the-domain). How to Setup a Hybrid Backup Job in NovaBACKUP (Support KB article):\ How to use the "Delete Data" function in the CMon UI to delete ALL of the backup data on your own hosted and managed NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage device (Support KB article): \ \- Note: This how to guide is only useful if your end goal is to delete **ALL** of the backup data on your 'NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage' device (as long as your CMon user has the required "Edit Cloud Storage Accounts" permission, and as long as you can sign in to the CMon UI website). If you only need to remove the backup data from a specific backup job that is stored on the Cloud, then you can utilize the KB article below. How to remove the backup data from only a single specific backup job on your hosted and managed NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage device from within NovaBACKUP (21.x and newer versions): [https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/how-to-remove-the-backup-data-from-only-a-single-specific-backup-job-on-your-novabackup-cloud-storage-device-from-within-novabackup-21.x-and-newer-versions
]()- Note: If your goal is to delete all of the backup data on your 'NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage' device then it would be much easier to follow the other "How to use the "Delete Data" function in the CMon UI .." KB article that is above this one (as long as your CMon user has the required "Edit Cloud Storage Accounts" permission, and as long as you can sign in to the CMon UI website). Default Exclusions file ('nsexc.ini') in NovaBACKUP 21.1 will need to be modified or replaced manually by the end user, otherwise some default excluded path items (folders and files) will backup, to Local Backup and Cloud Backup device types (Support KB article): How to do a Full Prune (on non-Legacy device types) in NovaBACKUP version 21 and higher (Support KB article): How to Enable Legacy Storage Devices in NovaBACKUP in version 21 and higher (Support KB article):\ \ \ Exclude NovaBACKUP Files and Directories from Active Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Scanning (21.0 and newer versions) (Support KB article):\
**How-to Videos:** NovaBACKUP 21.x specific How-to videos (YouTube video links): * How to "Create Agent Amazon S3 Compatible Device From Existing Cloud Storage Account" function via CMon on a new or a rebuilt machine, where the new PC doesn't match the original PC's "Domain" and/or "Machine name" values, for Device Import to work: Simple method video guide [here](https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/simple-method-how-to-add-a-managed-and-hosted-novabackup-cloud-storage-device-on-a-new-pc-and-then-import-the-backups-stored-on-it-using-the-cmon-ui-on-a-new-or-rebuilt-machine-where-the-domain), and Advanced method video guide [here](https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/advanced-method-how-to-add-a-managed-and-hosted-novabackup-cloud-storage-device-on-a-new-pc-and-then-import-the-backups-stored-on-it-using-the-cmon-ui-on-a-new-or-rebuilt-machine-where-the-domain). * How to Connect a Local Backup Device, Such as a NAS, to NovaBACKUP and Create a Local Backup Job: * How to Connect to the NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage and Create a Cloud Backup Job: * How to Create a Hybrid Backup Job With NovaBACKUP: * How to Restore Data From a Hybrid Backup Job With NovaBACKUP: * How to Convert an Existing Backup Job in NovaBACKUP to Change It to a Hybrid Backup Job: * How to Deploy and Set up the Agent/ Client for NovaBACKUP Managed Backup: **How-to documentation Files:** Other useful documentation files to download and view, on some important NovaBACKUP 21 topics, for a further explanation of how to do some items that may or may not have user guide entries or KB articles: {% file src="/files/DiR3FcxX25l7Mb08goK1" %} Import Local Backup NovaBACKUP to new machine {% endfile %} {% file src="/files/Dbevs8JU4rJDWpfaZNgp" %} S3 Import and Restore to New Machine {% endfile %} # Backup Principles There is a basic principle of what to do with all configurations of jobs. * First, it is defined WHAT is to be backed up (source data to be backed up). * After that it is defined WHEN something is backed up (according to which pre-configured schedule). * Finally, it is defined HOW it is saved (settings with which the job is carried out). The jobs can all be created with the basic principle "WHAT, WHEN, HOW". Basically, a backup in NovaBACKUP consists of these components: * Backup job * Backup destination (either the target path location or a device that is definable as a device type in the "Device" tab first) * Retention Period * Schedule It is required to associate a backup job with a backup destination (the either local or cloud backup device needs to be created first). To do that you will utilize the "Backup to:" button in the "Backup" tab in the client. You will then choose either a local backup device or a cloud backup device in that list and click OK. If you would like to look at the backup job settings, such as the retention settings for that one backup job, you would then click the "Settings" button. The retention time is defined in the backup job settings. Starting in NovaBACKUP 21 there is no longer a need to create and maintain retention jobs (and schedule them separately), as the retention options are now in each individual backup job in the settings dialog. A schedule is always required if a backup is to take place automatically at regular intervals. The individual components are brought together in the backup job (for non-image backups) "Backup" tab dialog.

The "Backup" tab, showing the "Backup to..." button at the bottom left,
to set the destination location for the backup to store to, and
showing the settings dialog to define the retention values.
Note: If your own backup job settings do not resemble the above example, make sure to use the "Backup to..." button in the main dialog at the bottom left to first select a local backup device that you created already (the 1 of 2 new device types that was added in 21.1). To see the "Hybrid Backup" related settings the selected backup device must be a local backup device, not a cloud device or a legacy device type.

For backup jobs (for non-image backups) that utilize the new local backup and cloud backup device targets that the new backup engine introduced in NovaBACKUP 21 client, the retention settings are definable inside the backup job, in the backup job settings dialog:

The Backup job "Settings" dialog, showing the "Retention" option
to enable and define the maximum backup age, and also
showing the new "Hybrid Backup" related settings in 21.1.

* The backup job selection, where you perform the selection of files and plugins to include in the backup job (in the tree view in the left and middle side), is defined in the "Backup" tab dialog. * The "Backup to..." field (at the bottom left of the "Backup" tab dialog) defines where the backups are saved, as the primary storage target location. * A backup job that is already assigned to the new local backup device type can also be enabled to secondarily, after the local backup portion is completed, also backup to the cloud backup device type after that as well, which all takes place in the same single backup job, with the new Hybrid Backup feature added in NovaBACKUP 21.1. To do that you can enable the "**Enable Hybrid Backup**" option in the backup job settings dialog, which is an option that is located in the Backup tab in the backup job settings in the "Hybrid Backup Config" section, and that is also where you can define the retention maximum age value for the cloud portion of the backup job. The cloud portion of the retention value is separate from the local backup retention value in that case. For a how-to read the [Hybrid Backup](/novabackup-basic-ideas/backup-principles/hybrid-backup) section. * The retention time in the job settings dialog is displayed for the individual backup job that utilizes the primary storage target location (the primary storage target location is the path or the already configured NovaBACKUP Device device name that is listed in the "Backup to..." field at the bottom left of the "Backup" tab dialog, in the first screenshot. In that first example, the backup is kept for "30 days" (which is the default Local Backup retention value). In the second example screenshot that also shows the "Hybrid Backup" setting section of the job settings dialog, the backup is kept for "60 days" (which is the default Hybrid Cloud device retention value). Just know that the initial full seed backup will never be deleted even if it is older than those maximum backup age retention values, for those two device types. * A schedule is defined during the creation of the backup job and is then linked to the backup job. The schedule settings can be changed in the backup job that is being viewed in the "Backup" tab dialog, and a schedule can also be defined for a particular backup job utilizing the "Schedule" tab as well (to add a new schedule or edit an existing schedule in that dialog). This way you can see at a glance how the jobs are set up. ### **Different Types of Backup Jobs** **For File Backups (and select Server Agent plugins)** * **Forever-incremental Backup**: Forever incremental backup is a process in which all backups after the initial full backup are incremental only. Unlike traditional incremental, which suggests periodic full backups, using forever-incremental means that all backups are always incremental. This file backup method is available for local and cloud backups starting in NovaBACKUP 21.x. The backup types that are compatible with this scheme are File backup and the SQL/Hyper-V/System State plugin backups. With this scheme, the backup will first store as an initial full seed backup, and then after that has completed, subsequent runs of that same backup job will use the incremental scheme, and the retention that is defined at the device level will function to roll up the changes into that full seed backup as needed. This backup scheme did not exist prior to that time, so it may be something new to get used to if you are a legacy version user. Retention is defined at the backup job level, and so in that case there is no need to create and maintain a separate "retention" job in that case, for these new backup device types that utilize this scheme (as the only available scheme in that case). For a further explanation of [How Incremental Forever Backup Handles the Retention Settings](/novabackup-basic-ideas/backup-principles/how-incremental-forever-backup-handles-the-retention-settings-explanation); this is a high-level overview of how retention works in NovaBACKUP 21, for the two 'Local Backup' and 'Cloud Storage' S3 device types (as the only backup scheme that can be utilized with those two newer device types). **For Image Backups** * **Full Backup**: a data or image backup of all (selected) data or drives or partitions. * **Differential Backup**: a backup with all changes since the last full backup. * **Incremental Backup**: A backup that only contains the files that have changed since the most recent backup (either full or incremental). Note: The "Hybrid Backup" setting and functionality was first introduced in NovaBACKUP 21.1. # Hybrid Backup Hybrid Backup (a feature added in NovaBACKUP 21.1) is our term for the ability to take an existing at rest (non-image backup) backup and copy it to the Cloud Device (the job run status once it gets to that stage will state "Archiving"). In that case the settings of the backup job allows the "Hybrid Backup" option to be enabled, per backup job, to be able to define the target Cloud Device to store that at rest backup to, and be able to define the "Maximum Cloud Backup Age" setting there for the retention setting, before the changes then roll up to the single full seed backup. The retention is independent for both the 'Local Backup' device and the 'Hybrid Backup' device (which is the Cloud S3 device that you associated as the Hybrid Backup Config settings Cloud Device to Backup to setting), and the retention is independent of those two backup devices then at that point. If you restore a backup and the 'Local Backup' device cannot be reached, then it will attempt to restore that data from the 'Cloud Backup' device automatically instead.

The "Hybrid Backup" section of the backup job settings dialog.

Notice: In the initial implementation of the "Hybrid Backup" feature, if that setting is enabled then the secondary "Hybrid Backup" backup portion of the 'Local Backup' device backup job that this option is enabled in will start when the currently running backup job completes storing to the 'Local Backup' device, to start storing to the Cloud Device (which could be much slower than the local backup device depending on your internet bandwidth of course to store to the cloud) after that. In that case it will extend the time of your backup job quite a bit, so you may want to either disable or extend the "Maximum runtime" setting in the schedule that is assigned to a backup job that does have the "Hybrid Backup" option enabled in it, because of that. In the future we plan on allowing the flexibility to define in the same above dialog when the "Hybrid Backup" backup will start, to schedule that for a particular date and time. The retention settings for a backup job that is Hybrid enabled Local Backup and Cloud Backup devices, in the backup job settings itself, can have independent maximum backup age settings for the local backup device and for the cloud backup device in that case. And the difference will mainly be in how much data in the end is stored to each of those two devices in the end, and how often it will need to merge the backup data to roll it up into the single full seed backup that always needs to be present on the two devices in that case (it will never create a separate new full backup on the two devices, it will just managed the changes required to merge the differences up to the single full seed backup on each of those two devices in that case). If the full seed backup is ever deleted or can't be found on the next backup run however, for either of those two device types, in a Hybrid Backup enabled backup job, it will be required to then produce a new full seed backup on the device in question where that single full seed that it is expecting to find still stored is missing from now (for the incremental forever backup scheme that both the 'Local Backup' and 'Cloud Backup' devices utilize). Note: The "Hybrid Backup" setting and functionality was first added in NovaBACKUP 21.1. # How Incremental Forever Backup Handles the Retention Settings (explanation) How Incremental Forever Backup Handles the Retention Settings; this is a high level overview of how retention works in NovaBACKUP 21, for the two 'Local Backup' and 'Cloud Storage' S3 device types (as the only backup scheme that can be utilized with those two newer device types). Incremental forever backup strategies are designed to optimize storage usage and simplify the backup process. However, understanding how these backups handle retention settings is crucial for ensuring data integrity and efficient storage management. This article delves into how retention policies are managed within incremental forever backup systems. What is Incremental Forever Backup? Incremental forever backup starts with a single full backup. After this initial backup, only the changes made since the last backup are saved in subsequent backups. This method contrasts with traditional full and differential backups, which require periodic full backups and differential backups that capture all changes since the last full backup. Retention Settings in Incremental Forever Backup Retention settings dictate how long backup data is stored before it is deleted or overwritten. These settings are essential for managing storage space and ensuring that old, unnecessary data does not consume valuable resources. Handling Retention with Incremental Forever Backup 1. **Initial Full Backup:** * The process begins with a full backup, which serves as the baseline for all future incremental backups. 2. **Incremental Backups:** * Each subsequent backup captures only the changes since the last incremental backup. 3. **Retention Policy Application:** * When the retention period is reached, files or versions of files that are no longer within the retention policy are removed from backups that are outside of the retention policy. Example of Retention Policy Implementation Consider a scenario where the retention policy is set to 30 days: * **Day 1:** A full backup is created. * **Day 2-30:** Incremental backups are created daily. * **Day 31:** The system detects that the retention period for the first incremental backup has been reached. Instead of simply deleting the oldest incremental backup, any data that is outside the retention policy is removed from the backups. This process ensures that the files and versions of files that are outside the retention policy are not retained thus freeing up space. Benefits of This Approach 1. **Space Efficiency:** * By removing old versions of files and files no longer in the protection retention policy, the system significantly reduces storage requirements, and the need to have to do multiple full backups. 2. **Data Integrity:** * The retention process ensures that all changes are captured within the retention policy and retained within the backups, maintaining data integrity and continuity. 3. **Simplified Management:** * Administrators do not need to manage multiple full and differential backups. The incremental forever approach simplifies backup management by maintaining a single full backup that is continuously updated. Conclusion Incremental forever backups offer a sophisticated solution for managing data retention efficiently. By removing old data via the retention process and policy, these systems ensure that storage space is used optimally while maintaining data integrity. This method simplifies backup management and provides a reliable way to meet retention policies without the overhead of managing multiple full backups. # Backups There are many ways to perform backups in NovaBACKUP 21, but primarily we will discuss using the "Backup" tab in the client, and we will focus on utilizing the new backup engine device types, that being the 'Local Backup' device type and the 'Cloud Backup' S3 device type. Notice: There are some differences in capabilities of using the backup client UI to create and edit a backup job versus using the CMon UI to do that, so please be aware of that. Here we are only taking about the backup client. The backup job types that the current new backup engine (added in 21.x) device types can utilize, which is the 'Local Backup' device type (that takes the place of the legacy "local drives", such as "C:\\" and the 'Cloud Backup' (S3) device type (which are the two new device types added in 21.x), that are: * File backup * MS SQL database backup * Hyper-V Virtual Machine backup * System State backup (Registry, Active Directory, etc.) Note: Image Backup can be performed in NovaBACKUP 21, whether that is on a schedule or is a manual one-time run, however the new device types added in NovaBACKUP 21 that utilize the new backup engine, are not compatible with those two device types, and you would have to utilize a legacy storage device (which are the legacy "local drives", such as "C:\\", and the legacy "Network Device" device type, that can be utilized and seen only after enabling legacy device support). For a guide on how to enable legacy device support in NovaBACKUP 21.x, please read the following guide (web): . VMware backups can be performed in NovaBACKUP 21.x as well, but they can only utilize a legacy device target (legacy "local drives", such as "C:\\", and the legacy "Network Device" device type). The "Copy" tab functionality will also only work with legacy devices. ### **File Backup** A standard file backup is simply an archive of data that may be restored in the event of data loss. This archive is generally made from the files which you select as being important (or an entire file system) and may be encrypted or compressed. File backup is a primary backup that runs one or more times per day to back up all business-critical data. File backups in NovaBACKUP utilize the forever-incremental method, and the retention is built in to the backup job itself. ### **Image Backup (Disaster Recovery)** An image backup is intended to back up the underlying data structures of a computer including the operating system and applications for emergency restoration to, for example, completely different computer, in the event of a system loss. System configuration changes rarely occur. However, to ensure you can get your entire system back, we always recommend that you perform a full image backup occasionally, which offers the safest and fastest method for recovery of an entire PC or server. ### **Different Types of Backup Jobs** **For File Backups** * **Forever-incremental Backup**: Forever incremental backup is a process in which all backups after the initial full backup are incremental only. Unlike traditional incremental, which suggests periodic full backups, using forever-incremental means that all backups are always incremental. This file backup method is available for local and cloud backups starting in NovaBACKUP 21.x. With this scheme, the backup will first store as an initial full seed backup, and then after that has completed, subsequent runs of that same backup job will use the incremental scheme, and the retention that is defined at the device level will function to roll up the changes into that full seed backup as needed. This backup scheme did not exist prior to that time, so it may be something new to get used to if you are a legacy version user. Retention is defined at the backup job level, and so in that case there is no need to create and maintain a separate "retention" job in that case, for these new backup device types that utilize this scheme (as the only available scheme in that case). For a futher explanation of [How Incremental Forever Backup Handles the Retention Settings](/novabackup-basic-ideas/backup-principles/how-incremental-forever-backup-handles-the-retention-settings-explanation); this is a high level overview of how retention works in NovaBACKUP 21, for the two 'Local Backup' and 'Cloud Storage' S3 device types (as the only backup scheme that can be utilized with those two newer device types). **For Image Backups** * **Full Backup**: a data or image backup of all (selected) data or drives or partitions. * **Differential Backup**: a backup with all changes since the last full backup. * **Incremental Backup**: A backup that only contains the files that have changed since the most recent backup (either full or incremental). # Create a File Backup job Create a new file backup job (or edit an existing backup job as well, as the overall concept is the same, except for editing an existing backup job you would first have to open the job using the job open icon in the top toolbar) visual steps: 1. First to get to the "Backup" tab, to create a new file backup job or to edit an existing file backup job, click on the "Backup" tab from anywhere in the client. 2. Make your file/folders and/or plugin method (SQL, Hyper-V, and System State) selection. For a purely plugin backup job, you can read the other topic for "Create a plugin backup job" instead. 3. To set the target (destination) for where to backup to, click on the "Backup to..." button at the bottom left of the "Backup" tab, which will then open the "Select Device" dialog:
4. Note: If you do not have any 'Local Backup' device types in place as of yet, and if legacy devices is not enabled, then you will see a blank / empty list of devices here (the list will be null), and this would be the time to create one. And you can do that by viewing the "[Create a Local Backup Device](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/create-a-local-backup-device)" section of the help [here](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/create-a-local-backup-device). You would click "Cancel" on that dialog, and then head to the "Device" tab to do that. Then you will come back to this step after that. 5. In the above additional pop-up "Select Device" dialog, click on the device in the list that you want the backup to use as the primary backup target to save to. In this case we select the "Local Backup C" device name, which is a 'Local Backup' device (which uses the new backup engine added in 21.x).\ Notice: By default this dialog in 21.x will only display non-legacy device types keep in mind; and you can view the guide on how to enable legacy storage devices in 21.x here: . 6. If you want to change any of the default backup job settings you can, and it would be recommended to do so, by clicking on the "Settings" button at the bottom right of the "Backup" tab dialog. There you can change items such as retention related settings, job "Run As" settings, and "Notification" (email) settings. 7. Save the backup job, which is required anytime you make a change to it, otherwise it will prompt you to do so (or you can answer no to forget all of the changes), using the "Save" (floppy disk) button in the toolbar at the top of the "Backup" tab dialog. 8. If you want this backup job to be a scheduled job, you can click on the "Schedule..." button at the bottom right of the "Backup" tab dialog. You can then schedule the backup job in the resulting "Schedule Options" dialog that will display after that. 9. The "Estimate" button can be utilized to check on the total size of the selected files/folders items, but keep in mind it only knows about calculating files/folders, not any plugin related objects, such as MS SQL/Hyper-V/System State in that calculation. If you do have a plugin only backup job, with no files/folders selected in it as well, then the "Estimate" button will be of no use since it will only display a null or 0 bytes output. 10. You are done with configuring the backup job at this point. And from here you can run the backup job manually using the "Backup" button at the bottom right of the "Backup" tab dialog if you wish to, or you can wait for it to run on schedule if you did define a schedule for it. And also if you want to, you can at this point switch to the "Schedule" tab, to check the properties of this and other scheduled jobs in that "Schedule" tab dialog. # Create a Plugin Backup job Create a new plugin backup job (or edit an existing plugin backup job as well, as the overall concept is the same, except for editing an existing backup job you would first have to open the job using the job open icon in the top toolbar) visual steps: 1. First to get to the "Backup" tab, to create a new backup or or edit an existing backup job, click on the "Backup" tab from anywhere in the client. 2. Make your plugin method (SQL, Hyper-V, and System State) selection. In that case you can also combine files/folders + plugins in the same single backup job if you prefer to do that. There may however be use cases that having a separate plugin only backup job, per plugin type, would be optimal to utilize but that is down to an individual use case, mainly to do with how you can schedule backup jobs more optimally, so that not all of the selected content is in a single large backup job. 3. Set the destination (target) for where to backup to, click on the "Backup to..." button at the bottom left of the "Backup" tab, which will then open the "Select Device" dialog:

Example "SQL" and "System State" plugins only backup job, that has no files/folders.

4. Note: If you do not have any 'Local Backup' device types in place as of yet, and if legacy devices is not enabled, then you will see a blank / empty list of devices here (the list will be null), and this would be the time to create one. And you can do that by viewing the "[Create a Local Backup Device](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/create-a-local-backup-device)" section of the help [here](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/create-a-local-backup-device). You would click "Cancel" on that dialog, and then head to the "Device" tab to do that. Then you will come back to this step after that. 5. In the above additional pop-up "Select Device" dialog, click on the device in the list that you want the backup to use as the primary backup target to save to. In this case we select the "Local Backup C" device name, which is a "Local Backup" device (which uses the new backup engine added in 21.x). Note: There are two plugin method of backups that do not support the new backup engine device types added in 21.x, which are VMware backups and MS Exchange backups, and for that matter the MS SQL and Hyper-V backup methods that are compatible with the new backup engine device types added in 21.x can only support restoring to an alternate location, not to the original location, so keep that in mind.\ Notice: By default this dialog in 21.x will only display non-legacy device types keep in mind; and you can view the guide on how to enable legacy storage devices in 21.x here: . 6. If you want to change any of the default backup job settings you can, and it would be recommended to do so, by clicking on the "Settings" button at the bottom right of the "Backup" tab dialog. There you can change items such as retention related settings, job "Run As" settings, and "Notification" (email) settings. 7. Save the backup job, which is required anytime you make a change to it, otherwise it will prompt you to do so (or you can answer no to forget all of the changes), using the "Save" (floppy disk) button in the toolbar at the top of the "Backup" tab dialog. 8. If you want this backup job to be a scheduled job, you can click on the "Schedule..." button at the bottom right of the "Backup" tab dialog. You can then schedule the backup job in the resulting "Schedule Options" dialog that will display after that. 9. The "Estimate" button can be utilized to check on the total size of the selected files/folders items, but keep in mind it only knows about calculating files/folders, not any plugin related objects, such as MS SQL/Hyper-V/System State in that calculation. If you do have a plugin only backup job, with no files/folders selected in it as well, then the "Estimate" button will be of no use since it will only display a null or 0 bytes output. 10. You are done with configuring the backup job at this point. And from here you can run the backup job manually using the "Backup" button at the bottom right of the "Backup" tab dialog if you wish to, or you can wait for it to run on schedule if you did define a schedule for it. And also if you want to, you can at this point switch to the "Schedule" tab, to check the properties of this and other scheduled jobs in that "Schedule" tab dialog. # Restores It should first be determined * WHAT: Which target and which backup job * WHEN: What status of backups * HOW: With what options is to be restored. The "Restore" dialog in the NovaBACKUP 21.1 backup client is where you will perform the restores for all backup types (other than image backups):

The "Restore" tab dialog showing a selected backup on a 'Local Backup' device
type, and then a files selection is made for what to restore in that backup set.

To start a restore in the NovaBACKUP backup client, first click the "Restore" tab.

You can click on the "Restore" tab from anywhere in the backup client,
to start a restore task or even create a restore job from.

Here you decide what backups and the selection from that backup you want to restore. The "Backup Type" column refers to the backup type that was used to back up the data, in this case if "FPI" is seen as the value in the "Backup Type" column in the "Restore" dialog, that just means the newer backup engine in 21.1 was utilized to store that backup to. And additionally in that case, if the "Hybrid Backup" option is enabled in a 'Local Backup' device assigned backup job, and there is at least one completed "Hybrid Backup" enabled backup job in the Restore UI, then in the "Location (Device)" column in the Restore UI the "Hybrid AR" enabled restore index record will always contain an "AR" value in that "Location (Device)" column, which will state "AR" in the value of that column, as well as it will also state the complete "S3devicename" that will equate to the complete 'Cloud S3' device name (for whatever you named it as at the device level) in plaintext + the additional word "\_hybridbackup" right after that, near the end of the "Location (Device)" column value + a .dct file extension at the very end of the restore index record value, in that column. The "Restore Settings" (labeled as "Properties for Restore Jobs") dialog allows you to define how the backup will be restored, and to what destination target location, either to the original location or to an alternate location (just know that two plugin backup types, which are MS SQL and Hyper-V, cannot restore to the original location, only to an alternate location, and then you can utilize native restore ability in SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS) and Hyper-V Manager apps to restore the already restored to an alternate folder SQL database or Hyper-V VM, directly to the current SQL Server or Hyper-V Server):

The restore settings dialog for the selected file only backup, using the default
options to restore to the original location, that will overwrite existing files.

The above content covers the restore of normal non Hybrid enabled backups. However, the restore of Hybrid enabled backups has some special consideration in the documentation needed to point out, which is covered in the next "[Restores of Hybrid enabled backups](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores/restore-of-hybrid-enabled-backups)" topic. Or you can keep reading about that here if you want to know what the difference would be and would look like, when talking about the Restore tab in the client UI: Note: For Hybrid enabled backup jobs, the backup is stored to a 'Local Backup' device type first, and then after that portion of the backup job is done the at rest completed backup is then uploaded to the 'Cloud Backup' (Cloud S3 based) device, as a copy of that at rest 'Local Backup' device backup, that was defined in the Hybrid backup job settings (as covered in the related "Hybrid Backup" topic [here](/novabackup-basic-ideas/backup-principles/hybrid-backup)). In that case both the normal 'Local Backup' device restore index entry, and the 'Cloud S3 based' device restore index entry are stored next to each other on the same 'Local Backup' device type, to make them easier to see and identify, and in the Restore UI dialog in the "Location (Device)" column, for the "Hybrid AR" backup entry, for the restore index record value for that Hybrid enabled backup that had complete, it will state "AR" in the value of that column, as well as it will also append the complete "S3devicename", that will equate to the complete 'Cloud S3' device name (for whatever you named it as at the device level) in plaintext + the additional word "\_hybridbackup" right after that, near the end of the "Location (Device)" column value + a .dct file extension at the very end of the restore index record value, in that column. Some for examples are below for what we mean here:\ \ For a normal non Hybrid enabled backup job, a backup restore index entry will look like this, and take note that there is no mention of "AR" or the "S3 device name" in this restore index entry, in the "Location (Device)" column value for that non Hybrid enabled backup in that case (note you will have to expand that column size to see the complete value in most cases):

An example of a normal non Hybrid enabled backup restore index entry, to select to restore. In that case the 'Local Backup C' device is the only location where this backup can be restored from, so the folder where that backup data is stored for that restore index record has to be in tact to be able to perform the restore.

And for a Hybrid enabled backup job, a special "AR" restore index entry will be created in the 'Local Backup' device, which will be above the normal restore index entry, where both restore index entries in that case will match the same "Created on" column date and time value, and take note that for the Hybrid portion of the backup entry to restore, that it will mention "AR" and the "S3 device name" in this restore index entry, in the "Location (Device)" column value for that non Hybrid enabled backup (note you will have to expand that column size to see the complete value in most cases), which will look like this:
Note: If the backup to restore does not exist in the "Restore" dialog, you may need to think about Importing the backup records (restore index records) for that particular device, as for instance if you install NovaBACKUP clean on a replacement machine then it will not have any backup records (restore index records) in that case visible in this dialog. If you want to learn about Importing backup records, please visit those additional topics under the "Restores" category. And keep in mind that Imports of backup records for an entire either 'Local Backup' or 'Cloud Backup' (S3) device type (the modern device types added in NovaBACKUP 21.0) can only be done with non-Legacy backup devices. If you do ever need to restore individual existing at rest backups, to get the restore index records back for those individual legacy device backups, then you can still do that, but you'd need to follow the additional "[Legacy Import](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores/import-backup-records-for-individual-at-rest-backups-this-only-works-for-the-legacy-device-types)" topic. # Restore of Hybrid enabled backups The prior main "[Restores](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores)" topic covers the restore of normal non Hybrid enabled backups. However, the restore of Hybrid enabled backups has some special consideration in the documentation to point out, which is covered in this current "[Restores of Hybrid enabled backups](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores/restore-of-hybrid-enabled-backups)" topic. For Restores of Hybrid enabled backups, the backup is stored to a 'Local Backup' device type first, and then after that portion of the backup job is done the at rest completed backup is then uploaded (the job status will show "Archiving" in that case) to the 'Cloud Backup' (Cloud S3 based) device, as a copy of that at rest 'Local Backup' device backup, that was defined in the Hybrid backup job settings (as covered in the related "Hybrid Backup" topic [here](/novabackup-basic-ideas/backup-principles/hybrid-backup)). In that case both the normal 'Local Backup' device restore index entry, and the 'Cloud S3 based' device restore index entry are stored next to each other on the same 'Local Backup' device type, to make them easier to see and identify, and in the Restore UI dialog in the "Location (Device)" column, for the "Hybrid AR" backup entry, for the restore index record value for that Hybrid enabled backup that had complete, it will state "AR" in the value of that column, as well as it will also append the complete "S3devicename", that will equate to the complete 'Cloud S3' device name (for whatever you named it as at the device level) in plaintext + the additional word "\_hybridbackup" right after that, near the end of the "Location (Device)" column value + a .dct file extension at the very end of the restore index record value, in that column. Here is an example of a Restore of a Hybrid enabled backup: ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FysDrAcidfY4k2dY6aHsb%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=ea7c9656-d92b-4e10-a215-4223c878a65d)\ \ Note: It is important to note that if the "Hybrid AR" restore index record is not accessible even, like due to a machine reboot that corrupted that "Hybrid AR" restore index record. like for instance if the local drive or UNC "Folder or network path" where the backups were storing to the 'Local Backup' device at, for the normal 'Local Backup' non "Hybrid AR" restore index record, if the backup index records cannot be located in the (that would normally be stored as backup index records in the C:\ProgramData\\..\NovaBACKUP\FPI\\) folder (however that folder location can be custom defined for space contraint reasons, so it doesn't always have to be located on the C: drive under the ProgramData folder you should know), to be able to read from that restore index record information (that folder per device contains .dct and .dlt files, which are backup restore index records not actual backup set data files, which are .dat files in that latter case), then the restore operation will fallback to try the restore again from the 'Cloud Backup' S3 device, that the Hybrid Backup enabled backup job was utilizing in that case, by itself in the same single restore attempt in that case (to make it easier to restore data, and not have to deal with doing it again using the two different restore index records for the single 'Local Backup' device in that case). And in that case there would be no need to additionally select the "Hybrid AR" restore index record to restore from the Cloud S3 device in that case, it is only necessary to perform the restore on the normal non "Hybrid AR" restore index entry, to get the objects restored, per dated backup entry that will create a normal non "Hybrid AR" restore index entry each time the backup job runs, and will in addition to that create a "Hybrid AR" restore index entry each time the backup job runs as well, in the same 'Local Backup' device in the Restore tab in the client UI. And on that topic, it is important to know that even if there are NO backup records (restore index records) for a 'Local Backup' device listed in your Restore tab, as long as you create that 'Local Backup' device again, and you perform an "[Import backup records by devic](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores/import-backup-records-by-device)e" function at that point, that will restore all of the backup records on the entire 'Local Backup' device that is selected or that you need that to be done on, in order to have NovaBACKUP re-create the restore index records for that entire 'Local Backup' device in that case, in one single Import by device action for that matter; and you can read the next topic from this "[Import backup records by device](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores/import-backup-records-by-device)" to learn more about how to use that function to do that type of entire device Import (even on a replacement machine in that case, and even if the backup client was clean installed on that new replacement machine). After that you can restore the contents of the now indexed backups inside that 'Local Backup' device, by using the Restore tab in the client UI.\ \ On another subject, if for instance I had completed some Hybrid enabled backups already to a 'Local Backup' device, and the backup job was in fact a "Hybrid enabled" backup job that was associated as well to a 'Cloud Backup' (S3) device, and for whatever reason the 'C:\ProgramData\\..\NovaBACKUP\FPI\Local Backup C\\' folder, where my backup restore index records were being stored to at one time, became corrupt, or if I re-installed the OS from scratch on that same machine, or if I got a replacement machine, that has no prior NovaBACKUP client backup restore index record history on it in that case, in that default folder that I stated above, then I could clean install the NovaBACKUP client and then add a new "Local Backup' device, with the name seen here, and was utilized in the prior examples, as 'Local Backup C', and I set the folder location for where the backups should store to, utilized as the folder for that new device, to be the same folder as the backups are already at rest in, and that have been moved to the 'C:\Local Backup C\\' folder in this case, but that could easily be a secondary "E:" data drive, or it could be a network share path as well, for where those at rest backups were in fact located at originally, utilized by that same original 'Local Backup' device that was using the same "Local Backup C" device prior, and the same target folder prior, as long as the at rest backup (.dat files) can be reconnected or copied back in place, in this exact example case they'd need to be copied back to the "C:\Local Backup C\\" path that the device in the clean installed NovaBACKUP client now utilizes, and the "C:\\" was the folder path value that we did specify on that new 'Local Backup C' device in that case, then even though the restore index records are missing for that device, since it is a brand new device, the Import backup records by device function that we can do next will look at the backup sets .dat files (which are the actual backups data, not the restore index record data) and will re-create the necessary restore index records back into the default 'C:\ProgramData\\..\NovaBACKUP\FPI\Local Backup C\ folder in that case for us, all we needed to do was to re-create that device, which will show as a completely empty device when listed in the "Restore" tab in the client UI, like this does for that example:\ \ Even with an empty backup restore index folder, you could perform an "[Import backup records by device](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores/import-backup-records-by-device)" function in the Restore UI, which will be able to restore all of the restore index records for that entire device, that matches the current locally stored backup .dat files, if those backup .dat files still do exist in place in the target device folder, or that can be copied back in place to the folder that the new device utilizes, in this example we see no backup restore index records under the 'Local Backup' device named 'Local Backup C' in that case, but if we know we have some completed backups that did already complete to that same device we can try to get those backup restore index records back, as long as we still have the actual at rest backups (.dat file extensions) as files somewhere (either on a local drive or a UNC network path in that case) because the backup software can re-create the index records out of those already at rest backups in that case and for that matter:
And next with the empty 'Local Backup' 'Local Backup C' named device still selected we can click the "Import" button at the bottom of the Restore tab in the client UI, and when asked what the "Select Device" item should be we select the newly created 'Local Backup C' device in that list, which has to utilize the same target folder for where the backups are actually at rest at, as .dat files, which we can see that those at rest backups that did store to this device originally are still present on that device now, and in that case the folder that the .dat files in right now must match the folder that the current added 'Local Backup' device utilizes in that case (and those .dat files cannot be corrupt or partial of course) and after clicking the OK button the restore index records on the left side folder, that is currently an empty folder, will start to re-create there!:
And in that case for the 4 total backups that did exist prior on that same device, and that still do exist as the actual at rest backup data files (.dat files) in the target folder utilizes by that device, now the those restore index records have been successfully imported we can next attempt to restore contents from those backups (if needed at this time that is):
Finally since the "[Import backup records by device](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores/import-backup-records-by-device)" function was successful, as seen above, and that we have verified after manually refreshing the "Restore tab" in the client UI, now we will be able to restore the contents of those backups, whereby those restore index records did not even exist prior to that Import on this new client install, if we recall earlier in the second screenshot in this topic in that case:
# Import backup records by device ## Importing Backup records by device (to import all backup records for the entire device, either on a 'Local Backup' device or a 'Cloud Backup' S3 device). **Note: The three subpages** [**1**](https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/how-to-import-backups-stored-on-a-local-backup-device-in-novabackup-20.1.x-versions-20.1-and-newer-versions)**,** [**2**](https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/how-to-import-backups-stored-on-a-non-managed-and-hosted-that-is-not-named-novabackup-cloud-storage-cloud-backup-device-in-novabackup-20.1.x-versions-20.1-and-newer-versions)**, and** [**3**](https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/simple-method-how-to-add-a-managed-and-hosted-novabackup-cloud-storage-device-on-a-new-pc-and-then-import-the-backups-stored-on-it-using-the-cmon-ui-on-a-new-or-rebuilt-machine-where-the-domain)**, under this current topic page, that are separated into one subpage for the 'Local Backup' device type, and one subpage for the non-managed and hosted 'Cloud Backup' S3 device type, and one subpage for the managed and hosted 'Cloud Backup' S3 device type, also do include the special instructions for if the new or other computer you need to import the 'Local Backup' or 'Cloud Backup' S3 device on differs for the Domain and Computer name values as compared to the original computer that had performed the backups on that 'Local Backup' device, or non-managed and hosted 'Cloud Backup' S3 device, or managed and hosted 'Cloud Backup' S3 device.** Importing backup records (otherwise known as "restore index records") from an entire 'Local Backup' or 'Cloud Backup' device (for both managed and hosted and non-managed and hosted), which has to be a non-Legacy backup device in that case, may be necessary, if your machine crashes or you wish to restore a backup created on one computer to another computer (for instance if you want to clean install the backup client on a replacement computer but that replacement machine with the client that you installed on it has no index records in the "Restore" dialog, which will require an import to get those restore index records back. The process is simple. To get the backup restore index records contents into the current selected device in the Restore UI dialog, after clicking on the correct device type that already does exist in the "Media View" list, to select that device, which either can have no restore index records in it, under that device name, or it can have restore index records in it, but which may not be complete (or that could be corrupt due to a machine crash), back into the local NovaBACKUP client app database (and therefore be able to select files, folders and drives for restoration), follow these steps: From the Restore tab, first click on the "Import" button located near the bottom of the "Restore" dialog. Note: In order for a device import to work, you would have to first re-create the either 'Local Backup' device type, or the 'Cloud Backup' S3 device type first, and for a 'Cloud Backup' S3 device type you would have to be sure in the "Optional Settings" tab for that device that you will create, to specify the "Domain:" and "Computer:" name values correctly, otherwise the restore won't be able to associate from the correct original computer name in that case, for instance if this Import of Backup records by device is being done on a replacement computer, that does utilize a different computer name than the original computer name that had produced the backups in the first place, and note that this requirement to do that is not present for a 'Local Backup' device type at all (for the computer name/domain name values to be already specified at the device level in that case). If you run the import from the Restore Tab, you will receive an Import Source selection screen, that asks you to select the correct "Device" (that would match the 'Local Backup' or 'Cloud Backup' device that already does exist in the "Device" tab list, which you would have to create in the Device tab if it does not already exist, but which may not have any restore index records in it in that case, in this example we do have 3 total restore index records in the device but that may not always be the case, and certainly if this were a clean install of the backup client you would have no restore index entries listed under the correct device that is already selected in the main Restore dialog, before you clicked on the "Import" button in that case, so be sure that you have clicked on the correct already existing device before you click the "Import" button to then select that same device in the list that will present to you):
Browse to the entire either 'Local Backup' (this replacement local drive or UNC network location device type was first added in NovaBACKUP 21.0) or 'Cloud Backup' (S3) device that you would like to import, and select it, as the entire device to import the backup (restore index) records from. Click OK to switch to the job status view and start the import process. After importing the media, it may be necessary to press the "Refresh" button on the Restore tab. All imported backups will appear under an "Imported Backups" heading in the Media View. For a good example of why you may need to perform an Import backup records by device, described here, see the Hybrid enabled Import example in the other "[Restore of Hybrid enabled backups](/novabackup-basic-ideas/restores/restore-of-hybrid-enabled-backups)" topic, starting at the paragraph in that topic that begins with "On another subject,". That is a good use case example of why that may be needed in the future. You can also read the KB article that we have on the subject of Import backup records on a Cloud S3 device [here](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/4418637485841-How-to-import-backups-stored-on-a-Generic-S3-Storage-Device-in-NovaBACKUP-19-8-and-20-x).
*Importing vs. Restoring* *It is important to know the difference between importing and restoring. The import process does NOT restore your data to your hard drive. What it simply does is import a "listing" of available data on the imported media. This information is imported into the database and enables NovaBACKUP to create a tree listing of the data in the Restore view. From there, you will be able to select the data you would like to restore from the media and complete a restoration just like you would any other restoration.* # Import backup records for individual at rest backups (this only works for the Legacy device types) ## Importing Backup records for individual at rest backups, as per each individual .nbd backup file (this only works for Legacy device types, such as C: and E: local drive letters, if those drive letters are visible in the Device tab). Importing backup records (otherwise known as "restore index records"), for individual at rest backups, one by one, from a Legacy backup device that is for instance a local drive or a network folder location, to import the backup records for an individual Legacy device backup, per each individual legacy backup set .nbd file, may be necessary, if your machine crashes or you wish to restore a backup created on one computer to another computer (for instance if you want to clean install the backup client on a replacement computer but that replacement machine with the client that you installed on it has no index records in the "Restore" dialog, which will require an import to get those restore index records back. The process is simple. To get the backup restore index records contents into the current selected device in the Restore UI dialog, after clicking on the correct device type that already does exist in the "Media View" list, to select that device, which either can have no restore index records in it, under that device name, or it can have restore index records in it, but which may not be complete (or that could be corrupt due to a machine crash), back into the local NovaBACKUP client app database (and therefore be able to select files, folders and drives for restoration), follow these steps: From the Restore tab, first click on the "Import" button located near the bottom of the "Restore" dialog. Note: You would be required to enable the "[Legacy Backup devices](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/legacy-backup-devices-and-how-to-enable-it)" flag in order to even see the Legacy local drive letters, so be sure to do that first! If you run the import from the Restore Tab, you will receive an Import Source selection screen, that asks you to select the correct "Device" (that would match the device that already does exist in the "Device" tab list, but may not have any restore index records in it in that case, in this example we do have 3 total restore index records in the device but that may not always be the case, and certainly if this were a clean install of the backup client you would have no restore index entries listed under the correct device that is already selected in the main Restore dialog, before you clicked on the "Import" button in that case, so be sure that you have clicked on the correct already existing device before you click the "Import" button to then select that same device in the list that will present to you):

Import backup records from an individual local drive backup .nbd file, which only works for Legacy backup devices, in this case showing C:, E: and even network share S: drive paths to do that type of import action on (after choosing the individual .nbd file to import the records from for that one at rest backup that is located on a Legacy backup device only in that case).

Browse to the individual at rest .nbd file extension backup file that you would like to import, from a Legacy backup device, and select it. If your backup is on a network, browse to the network location and select the backup file. Then enter the username and password for network credentials. Click OK to switch to the job status view and start the import process. Note that in this example we have no "Disk Backups" category yet, but after importing this individual at rest Legacy backup .ndb file, to re-create the restore index record for that individual legacy backup to import here, from the E:\ root folder, after choosing the ".ndb" file which is the blue circled file in this example, the "Disk Backups" category (which is a Legacy backup device category in that case) will be recreated, and that single individual backup restore index record will be located there (that will contain the indexed contents of that particular .nbd backup in that case).
After pressing the OK button, in the above example, the Import from the invididual Legacy backup .nbd file operation will start, and it will switch to the "Status" tab, and that Legacy device import operation may take just as long to complete the import as it did the backup in that case, and then it will state that the "Import operation completed successfully" like the example Import operation did:
And then after importing the invidividual legacy backup record, for the selected invididual at rest backup on a Legacy backup device, such as the E:\ root .nbd file in the above example case, that we browsed to in the "Select Device" dialog, it may be necessary to press the "Refresh" button on the Restore tab. All imported backups will appear under an "Imported Backups" heading in the Media View, like for this example Legacy backup device Import did:
*Importing vs. Restoring* *It is important to know the difference between importing and restoring. The import process does NOT restore your data to your hard drive. What it simply does is import a "listing" of available data on the imported media. This information is imported into the database and enables NovaBACKUP to create a tree listing of the data in the Restore view. From there, you will be able to select the data you would like to restore from the media and complete a restoration just like you would any other restoration.* # Mount File Backup The "Mount" function allows mounting a file backup to be able to utilize Windows Explorer to browse the files in that mounted backup set, and view and copy files from the mounted at path that way (which you can use to verify the backup set, and as opposed to restoring the backup). The ability to Mount the file backups (for the modern backup devices, for the local drive paths in the backup set), which was added as a client function first in version 21.2.404, via the client GUI, in the "Restore" tab, and in that case the backup set will mount virtually in a folder on the local client machine, and a new Windows Explorer session will open to that mounted folder automatically for you (the default, original folder to Mount to is '%SystemRoot%\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount\\'. The mount to path can be changed in the "Restore" Settings dialog, to use either the "Restore to original location" (which is always the above path) or the "Restore to alternate location" (an empty local drive path that you manually specify). Once the backup is mounted with success the "Status:" field in the "Status" tab will inform you of the mounted to path. Once the file backup is mounted you can choose to browse the files and folders via Windows Explorer and view or copy from inside the backup to wherever you need to copy to after that, and when you are done with the mounted backup set you can utilize the "UnMount" function via the "Restore" tab in the client GUI, to unmount that mounted backup set (only one backup set can be mounted at a time). In that case the folder is a virtual mount, so it takes no actual or additional disk space on that local drive that the file backup is mounted to in that case. This feature at this point only works for purely file backups, and the backup itself cannot contain any plugins data in it, as that is a current limitation of the new "Mount" feature. Note: For the alternate folder mount location that you specify, that always has to be an empty folder otherwise the mount operation will fail, and the error will state that as the reason. You can Mount a purely files completed 'Local Backup' or 'Cloud Backup' device file backup set (which contains only local drive paths and no plugins in it, starting in 21.2.404, which is the first client version that has the "Mouunt" function in it to utilize), using these visual steps: 1. As of 08/14/2025 with any client build, only purely files backups can "Mount", but you will not be able to "Mount" a backup that has any level or amount of UNC network paths in it, or any amount of plugins objects in it (System State, Hyper-V, and MS SQL plugin objects are included). And, as of 08/14/2025 with any client build we have seen that very often if the "Mount" function does work to "Mount" a purely files backup, if when you are done looking/viewing/copying content from that Mounted location (which is a completely virtual mount in that case, that takes no disk space at the mounted location, which will by default be located on the C: OS drive) after you do press the "UnMount" button in the "Restore" tab to end the current "Mount" process (as the "Stop" button in the "Status" tab dialog of the backup client won't be able to do that, and it is not supposed to) it likely won't be able to stop the process that way either, and if that is the case the way to end that current "Mount" process is to via the "Windows Task Manager" go to "Details" view and locate the process named "engine.exe" and end that single task (there will be only one "engine.exe" task listed), and the "Mount" process will end there and will remove the mounted backup contents at that time, but you may still have to click on the "UnMount" button in the "Restore" tab after that one more time; and for this latter item, and a listing of all of the current limitations of the "Mount" function in general to know about, there is a special note about this in the "Known Issues or limitations with the Mount function in the 21.2.404, 21.2.422, and 21.2.804 client versions" section at the bottom of this page to read and acknowledge. 2. Just know that the first time that you attempt to use the "Mount" function on a backup that it will have to install s driver that allows the virtual mount to work, and in that case the function will NEVER work the first time that you attempt it (but upgrading the client version after that shouldn't need to install the driver ever again, unless you do a clean un-install and re-install of the client of course). In that case what will occur is that the backup will say that it has started the mount process, but it will never show the "Successfully mounted .." message in the "Status:" line of the "Status" tab in the backup client, and in that case the Mount job will end on its own without seemingly having done anything; but just know that it would have at least attempted to install a driver that allows the Mount function to work however (you just won't see any indication at all about that driver install process). The next time that you mount a purely files backup it should allow the Mount function to work that time, and be able to progress to the "Successfully mounted .." message in the "Status:" line of the "Status" tab in the backup client, and hopefully take you via Windows Explorer to the mounted backup folder by itself, and in that case it will NOT end the Mount job it will keep that task running until you "UnMount" it via the "Restore" tab dialog. If it does NOT take you to the mounted backup folder, right after you do see the "Successfully mounted .." message, by itself, that usually means that the default "Mount" location, which by default is "%windir%\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount", which for 95% of end users will result in the path value of "C:\Windows\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount", is considered a "protected" path, and so you will 100% be required to at that point use Windows Explorer to navigate manually to %windir%\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount (don't include the surrounding quotes as that won't work) and then press the "Continue" or "OK" button on that protected folder warning that will likely come up, and that should fix that part of the issue, that the "Mount" function could not take you directly to the default mount location folder in that case. 3. In the client GUI click on the "Restore" tab. 4. Once in the "Restore" tab dialog, in the either 'Local Storage' (for the 'Local Backup' device type) category, or the 'Cloud Storage' (for the 'Cloud Backup' device type) category select a category first and then select a dated file backup set under the category to Mount, by left clicking on the backup set under one of those two categories in the list. Note: The "Mount" function does not support mounting a file backup set if it contains any level of UNC network paths in it, or if it contains any level of Plugins in it, in that case no files will be able to mount at all if attempted; and keep in mind that plugins will ONLY be listed in the latest dated restored index entry for a particular FPI device backup job, and even though the earlier dated restore index entries for that backup job "name" will not list the "plugins" in them they actually likely did have plugin backup enabled in them and have plugins but the way that the client GUI displays the plugins ONLY in the latest dated restore index entry that can be hard to realize, but just know that no dated restore index entry will be able to Mount if in fact the latest dated entry for that same backup job "name" does have any level of plugins showing in the files list section of that latest dated backup entry in that case:\ ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FApsxFQZAxQuY86pN8PBI%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=06fa75a1-1066-4109-8c19-2d9b5dd724de) 5. After you Select a file backup set in the list, you will then need to select at least one "drive" letter or "folder" or "file" in the bottom selection window, which in that case may as well be the top level root object, such as the "C:" drive object, or the "D:" drive object in the bottom half selection section of the backup set that lists the folder and file structure in the backup set. Note: In the current iteration of the "Mount" function it does not matter which "drive letter" or "file" or "folder" that you select in the bottom half of the restore index entry that you want to "Mount", it will attempt to mount all drives and folders/files on all of the "drive letters" that are in that backup set restore index entry (but it won't be able to mount any backup that has UNC network paths or plugins objects in it, as noted in the limitations section at the bottom of this page). 6. If you want to Mount to the default folder path location, which is '%SystemDrive%\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount\\' which is the "original" location, you can start the Mount function step, without going to the "Settings" of the Restore Job. The default, original folder to Mount to is '%SystemRoot%\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount\\'. The mount to path can be changed in the "Restore" Settings dialog, to use either the "Restore to original location" (which is always the above path) or the "Restore to alternate location" (an empty local drive path that you manually specify). The folder that you do select as the alternate folder to mount to must be a completely empty local drive based folder however, so no other files or sub-folders can be in it. Note: Mounting the backup to either the default location or whatever local drive path that you do specify as the "Restore to alternate location" value will not take any additional disk space on that drive, as it is a completely virtual mount. 7. Then at the bottom of the "Restore" tab dialog click on the "Mount" button and it will attempt to mount that either 'Local Storage' (for the 'Local Backup' device type) category, or the 'Cloud Storage' (for the 'Cloud Backup' device type) category file backup, as long as you had chose at least one file or local drive letter in the selection set:\ 8. NOTE: If this is the first time that you have ever utlized the "Mount" button function on this client machine, then it will need to install a driver to allow the mount to work, which will occur in the background that won't be visible to the end user, and in that case it may not be able to progress to state the ""Backup is successfully mounted at"C:/windows/temp/NovaBACKUP/mount" "Status:" message in the "Status" tab, and so it may fail fail to perform the mount on the backup in the end the first time it is executed, although that Mount job will still stay running forever. In that case you may need to perform Step 10 at that point to be able to end the Mounted backup task that is running, if the "UnMount" button in the Restore tab can't end that process that is. 9. Once the selected file backup set is mounted it will state in the "Status" tab in the "Status:" field, "Backup is successfully mounted at"C:/windows/temp/NovaBACKUP/mount" type of message that will always state the status of the mount, including the exact path that the backup set was mounted at, and it should automatically open that mounted at local drive path via Windows Explorer as well at the end, like this:\ ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FZondRVPIYpcmIgDt0U7I%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=0db50d33-15b7-42c4-96bd-7a938dd800e0)
10. You can then use Windows Explorer to navigate to the stated folder in the "Status" tab in the "Status:" field if that folder does not automatically open for you via Windows Explorer (as it is supposed to do). And once you have navigated to that mount folder you can refresh the folder and it should list the local drive and folder structure there in that mount folder, and then you can utilize Win Explorer to either view or copy files from it to another path. It is a read-only mounted path, so you can't write anything new to that folder structure just keep in mind. 11. When you are done with the currently Mounted backup set, which will be a running job until you tell the mounted backup to "UnMount", do not "Stop" that running Mount job via the Status dialog, instead in the client GUI go to the "Restore" tab and click on the "UnMount" button function at the bottom of that dialog, and just know that there is no need to first navigate to the same backup that you had last mounted to do that. The Mounted backup set should unmount and it should stop the running Mount job (operation) in the "Status" tab dialog at that time:\ ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FVrUCDmUVU16Ski8732BH%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=373ee1a3-9239-4694-a767-41e1ecc3ed08) 12. WARNING: If the backup does NOT unmount using the normal method of clicking on the "UnMount" button function in the "Restore" tab, which we have seen occur in 21.2.404 and 21.2.422 client public release versions, then do not worry, you can stop that mounted backup by running Windows Task Manager, and click on the "Details" tab in it, then locate the running process named "engine.exe", of which there should only be one of those processes running if the Mount function still does have a mounted backup at that point, then right-click on that "engine.exe" task and do an "End task" on it. That should immediately end the task, however if you do utilize that task end workaround you may notice that the button still shows "UnMount" instead of "Mount", which will correct itself if you were to exit the backup client and run it again, or you can simply click the "UnMount" button which will accomplish the same thing (for the button label). #### Known Issues or limitations with the Mount function in the 21.2.404, 21.2.422, and 21.2.804 client versions: * The Mount function (which in this first iteration of the Mount feature can only support mounting files in a backup set) does not support mounting either a 'Local Backup' or a 'Cloud Backup' device backup if the backup itself that you want to mount contains any UNC network paths in it, or contains any plugins objects in it, including System State, Hyper-V, and MS SQL plugin data objects. The Mount operation will still attempt to mount a backup that does contain UNC network paths or plugins in it, but after it mounts it with the "Backup is successfully mounted at .." "Status:" field value in the client GUI "Status" tab dialog, it will automatically open the folder where that backup was mounted to and no files or otherwise objects will be listed at all in that mounted to folder (the mount to folder will be empty). This occurs due to a limitation that the Mount function does not currently support mounting a backup that contains any UNC network paths or plugins data in it; and this will be improved on at a later date in the backup client GUI. * The "Mount" function does not support mounting a file backup set if it contains any level of Plugins in it (including System State, Hyper-V, and MS SQL plugin data objects), in that case that backup set won't be able to mount at all if attempted (as it can't skip the plugins or UNC paths no matter what); and keep in mind that plugins will ONLY be listed in the latest dated restored index entry for a particular FPI device backup job, and even though the earlier dated restore index entries for that backup job "name" will not list the "plugins" in them they actually likely did have plugin backup enabled in them and have plugins but the way that the client GUI displays the plugins ONLY in the latest dated restore index entry that can be hard to realize, but just know that no dated restore index entry will be able to Mount if in fact the latest dated entry for that same backup job "name" does have any level of plugins showing in the files list section of that latest dated backup entry in that case. * As of 08/14/2025 with any client build, only purely files backups can "Mount", but you will not be able to "Mount" a backup that has any level or amount of UNC network paths in it, or any amount of plugins objects in it (System State, Hyper-V, and MS SQL plugin objects are included). And, as of 08/14/2025 with any client build we have seen that very often if the "Mount" function does work to "Mount" a purely files backup, if when you are done looking/viewing/copying content from that Mounted location (which is a completely virtual mount in that case, that takes no disk space at the mounted location, which will by default be located on the C: OS drive) after you do press the "UnMount" button in the "Restore" tab to end the current "Mount" process (as the "Stop" button in the "Status" tab dialog of the backup client won't be able to do that, and it is not supposed to) it likely won't be able to stop the process that way either, and if that is the case the way to end that current "Mount" process is to via the "Windows Task Manager" go to "Details" view and locate the process named "engine.exe" and end that single task (there will be only one "engine.exe" task listed), and the "Mount" process will end there and will remove the mounted backup contents at that time, but you may still have to click on the "UnMount" button in the "Restore" tab after that one more time. * Just know that the first time that you attempt to use the "Mount" function on a backup that it will have to install s driver that allows the virtual mount to work, and in that case the function will NEVER work the first time that you attempt it (but upgrading the client version after that shouldn't need to install the driver ever again, unless you do a clean un-install and re-install of the client of course). In that case what will occur is that the backup will say that it has started the mount process, but it will never show the "Successfully mounted .." message in the "Status:" line of the "Status" tab in the backup client, and in that case the Mount job will end on its own without seemingly having done anything; but just know that it would have at least attempted to install a driver that allows the Mount function to work however (you just won't see any indication at all about that driver install process). The next time that you mount a purely files backup it should allow the Mount function to work that time, and be able to progress to the "Successfully mounted .." message in the "Status:" line of the "Status" tab in the backup client, and hopefully take you via Windows Explorer to the mounted backup folder by itself, and in that case it will NOT end the Mount job it will keep that task running until you "UnMount" it via the "Restore" tab dialog. If it does NOT take you to the mounted backup folder, right after you do see the "Successfully mounted .." message, by itself, that usually means that the default "Mount" location, which by default is "%windir%\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount", which for 95% of end users will result in the path value of "C:\Windows\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount", is considered a "protected" path, and so you will 100% be required to at that point use Windows Explorer to navigate manually to %windir%\Temp\NovaBACKUP\mount (don't include the surrounding quotes as that won't work) and then press the "Continue" or "OK" button on that protected folder warning that will likely come up, and that should fix that part of the issue, that the "Mount" function could not take you directly to the default mount location folder in that case. * The Mount function "Stop" button in the "Status" tab dialog may not work if the actively running Mount job is already in the "Backup is successfully mounted at .." state. In that case you should first try to "UnMount" the backup set, by going to the "Restore" tab and click the "UnMount" button there to end it the normal way, or if the "UnMount" button does not work for you then you can end the running Mount job as a task, via the Windows Task Manager > Details tab, to end the actively running task named "engine.exe", then verify via the "Status" tab dialog that the Mount job is not running anymore, and if you must end the task that way you will also need to manually click the "UnMount" button in the "Restore" tab after that (as ending the task that way won't do that part for you, and you won't be able to mount anymore backups, as the "Mount" button won't be usable until then). # Schedules If you only want to run a one-time backup, you can click on \[**Backup**] to start your backup. If you'd like to schedule a reoccurring backup, for example, once daily, instead continue by clicking \[**Schedule**] and define the following: 1. Your current backup job is selected under Job Name. If it's not selected, pick the job you want to schedule from the drop-down menu (see yellow highlighting below). 2. Under "**Scheduling Information**", specify when and at what intervals the backup job should run. 3. Enter the user who has access to the selected data to ensure that the backup works without errors even if you're logged out. Then click \[**Check Credentials**]. 4. Click \[**OK**] to confirm. You will find the backup job under "**Schedule**" at the top of the main navigation. The backup job can be adjusted at any time.

The Schedule Options dialog. Here you can define the schedule type, and the maximum runtime, and the Run As setting (to define the user that has permissions to all of the source selection) that the job will utilize on a schedule.

Your scheduled backup job is now set up and will start at the time you selected. If necessary, you can set up multiple backup jobs for different files, Hyper-V VMs, or SQL databases. Simply follow the steps above until you have set up all the backup jobs you need. # Devices The Device tab in the backup client consists of a list of current devices that have been added to the backup client, such as Local Backup devices and Cloud Backup (S3) devices, however by default and out of the box for a clean install of the NovaBACKUP 21 software, you will not see any real actual devices listed in that dialog yet (and for upgrade client installs you will see only the non-Legacy Backup devices in that case, unless you have enabled the "ShowLegacyDevices=1" flag that is). Since Legacy Backup Devices are disabled by default starting in NovaBACKUp 21, if you want to enable Legacy Backup devices then follow the topic that we have on that [here](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/legacy-backup-devices-and-how-to-enable-it) first. The Device dialog has button functions at the bottom to "Add" a device, "Delete" a device, and to "Refresh" manually the device tab dialog, there is also a "Properties" button but that button won't show unless you have at least one device added. This is what the "Device" tab in the backup client will look like by default (after a clean install, out of the box), and you normally at this point will want to create a "[Local Backup](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/create-a-local-backup-device)" or a "[Cloud Backup](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/create-a-cloud-backup-device)" device at this point, which you can follow those hyperlinked topics on how to do that:
And here is an example of a backup client that has many devices listed, which are all non-Legacy devices. Note: In this case there are no legacy device types listed, because the "ShowLegacyDevices" option is not enabled:
And in this example of the same backup client, but with the "ShowLegacyDevices" flag enabled in it, covered in the "[Legacy Backup devices (and how to enable it)](/novabackup-basic-ideas/devices/legacy-backup-devices-and-how-to-enable-it)" topic, where now the additional C: and E: local drive letters do display as legacy devices now (as compared to the same example client above, that does not have that flag enabled yet):
Note: Some listed NovaBACKUP device types in the "Devices" tab dialog cannot have the "Delete" button function or the "Properties" button function accessed (clicked) on them, because those devices are Managed devices (and are not unmanaged devices), meaning that they were devices that were not created in the client UI, they were created in the companion CMon UI (Central Monitoring application) in that case. Unmanaged NovaBACKUP devices are what we will cover in this guide, other than to point that difference or caveat out here in this paragraph, to clear up why you may not be able to click on those two buttons on some of your devices in that case (which does apply to the two 'Local Backup' and 'Cloud Backup' device types). # Create a Local Backup Device To simplify the process of backing up to a local storage device, this device only needs to be set up once and can then be used for every backup job. This includes USD drives, RDX-drives, and NAS. 1. **Add a Backup Device**\ On the \[**Device**] tab, click \[**Add**] and then \[**Local Backup**].
2. **Enter a Device Name & Network Path**\ Under "**Local Backup**" specify a device name. It is used to identify the device and is displayed in the device lists throughout the application. \ If you're setting up a NAS or network storage, specify the network path (UNC) in the "Folder and Network Path" field. You can also use the browse button "**...**" to search for a particular network path.
3. **For NAS or network storage: Enter Network Credentials**\ Click on the "**Network Credentials**" tab. Specify at least the "Username" and "User password" fields, and if the network share is on a domain, also specify the "Domain name" field.
4. **Add Encryption**\ This is an optional step. If you'd like to encrypt your backup files, add an encryption key in the tab "**Encryption**". 5. Confirm with \[**OK**].\ A connection test will be performed automatically, and after a successful test , the device will be created.\ If you get an error during the test, please confirm the network path and the network credentials. If you still have an issue please [reference this guide here](https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/simple-method-guide-for-unable-to-create-a-new-network-based-unc-based-local-backup-device-type-in-novabackup-21-x-and-newer). 6. Once the device is added successfully, you'll find your newly created device in the \[**Device**] tab. **Note**: The device's network credentials can be edited at any later time. The "Device Name" and "Folder and Network path" field value properties cannot be changed after the device has already been created. To change these two properties, you would need to create a new "Local Backup" device.
# Create a Cloud Backup Device NovaBACKUP comes with cloud storage that you can use for your offsite backups. You can also add your own S3 cloud storage as an additional offsite destination. Note: If your NovaBACKUP license does not include cloud storage yet, contact .\ \ NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage If it's the first time using the NovaBACKUP Cloud, register your cloud account. 1. Select \[**Cloud Backup**] from the Home tab. 2. Click \[**Register**]. 3. Fill out the requested information to create an account and click \[**Confirm**].\ \- Provide a memorable username. We recommend using your email address here.\ \- Enter your email address\ \- Provide and confirm a Password.\ \- Confirm your License Key is correct.\ \- Add an encryption key that will be used to encrypt your backup data in transit and in the NovaBACKUP Cloud. Please remember it well, as we don't store this information on our end. 4. Once registered, you will see your NovaBACKUP Cloud storage in the \[**Device**] tab as "Cloud Storage". If you've already used your license key to create a NovaBACKUP Cloud account, you'll see an "Attach to NovaBACKUP Cloud" button instead of a "Register" button. Follow the instructions. Once you're done registering your cloud account, go back to NovaBACKUP and set up your cloud backup job. ### 3rd-Party Cloud Storage To connect any S3 cloud storage to NovaBACKUP, go to the \[**Device**] tab, click on \[**Add**], select \[**Cloud Backup**], and fill in the required credentials. # Legacy Backup devices (and how to enable it) To enable legacy device types to also be listed in the Device tab and the Backup tab in the NovaBACKUP 21 client, to for instance be able to select as backup targets, to enable the "ShowLegacyDevices" flag, read the KB article [here](https://support.novabackup.com/knowledgebase/how-to-enable-legacy-storage-devices-in-novabackup-in-version-21-and-higher-21.x-and-newer-versions). If the ShowLegacyDevices flag is enabled it will show the Legacy Backup devices then, such as this example, where the C: and the E: drive are now showing as devices in the backup client Device tab:
# NovaBACKUP 21 Quick Start Guide (imported) This is the NovaBACKUP 21 Quick Start Guide (imported), and the full version can be found in the link below. NovaBACKUP 21 Quick Start Guide (this is the imported version, the full current online web version of that guide is here: [https://www.novabackup.com/resources/quick-start-guid](https://www.novabackup.com/resources/quick-start-guide)[e](https://www.novabackup.com/resources/quick-start-guide)). ### Types of Backups File Backup A standard file backup is simply an archive of data that may be restored in the event of data loss. This archive is generally made from the files which you select as being important (or an entire file system) and may be encrypted or compressed. File backup is a primary backup that runs one or more times per day to back up all business- critical data. File backups in NovaBACKUP utilize the forever-incremental method, and the retention is built in to the backup job itself. ### Image Backup (Disaster Recovery) System configuration changes rarely occur. However, to ensure you can get your entire system back, we always recommend that you perform a full image backup occasionally, which offers the safest and fastest method for recovery of an entire PC or server. An image backup is intended to back up the underlying data structures of a computer [including the operating](https://www.novabackup.com/?hsLang=en) system and applications for emergency restoration to, for example, a completely different computer, in the event of a system loss. ### Different Types of Backup Jobs **For File Backups** ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FIJhtIp0ImRngJPnFBFWj%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=7c42fbff-b855-423e-a118-fa1fe23fe7c0) **Forever-incremental Backup**: Forever incremental backup is a process in which all backups after the initial full backup are incremental only. Unlike traditional incremental, which suggests periodic full backups, using forever-incremental means that all backups are always incremental. This file backup method is available for local and cloud backups in NovaBACKUP. **For Image Backups** ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2F745RsUKQE0uJnABVjTRn%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=48cb0984-551e-439c-a451-b3de24911b16) **Full Backup**: a data or image backup of all (selected) data or drives or partitions. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2Fzg2HqJhKuvYfaIGK9DZB%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=b16ffb76-50a9-4da0-a6d5-eac2e6a17b0a) **Differential Backup**: a backup with all changes since the last full backup. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2F8WaS3U6xDP7dBkjOIhdR%2Fimage.png?alt=media\&token=782f36fc-9c13-42bf-84a2-5887d11d0d95) **Incremental Backup**: A backup that only contains the files that have changed since the most recent backup (either full or incremental). Installation of NovaBACKUP IMPORTANT: NovaBACKUP needs to be installed on the system that contains the data to be backed up. Each installation is independent and therefore requires its own license. **Start Installation** Start the NovaBACKUP installer. You can [find the latest version here](https://www.novabackup.com/resources/downloads?hsLang=en). **Activate License** Follow the setup program's instructions. After a few steps, NovaBACKUP will ask you to enter your license key. If you don't have a license yet, you can run a fully functional 15- day trial version. By clicking **\[Next]**, NovaBACKUP contacts the license server and activates the license. **Launch the Program** After the installation is complete, you will find the NovaBACKUP icon on the desktop. Now double-click the icon to start the NovaBACKUP user interface. Create a Local Backup Device To simplify the process of backing up to a local storage device, this device only needs to be set up once and can then be used for every backup job. This includes USD drives, RDX-drives, and NAS. 1. **Add a Backup Device**\ On the \[**Device**] tab, click \[**Add**] and then \[**Local Backup**]. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2F9rYxvNbOTcfV8yYXElou%2F5.jpeg?alt=media) 2. **Enter a Device Name & Network Path**\ Under "**Local Backup**" specify a device name. It is used to identify the device and is displayed in the device lists throughout the application.\ If you're setting up a NAS or network storage, specify the network path (UNC) in the "Folder and Network Path" field. You can also use the browse button "**...**" to search for a particular network path. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FwfSaLvKsZLDEWX4kyGmj%2F6.jpeg?alt=media) Note: In the field "Device Name" do not utilize these unsupported Windows file name characters: \ / : \* ? “ < > | 3. **For NAS or network storage: Enter Network Credentials**\ Click on the "**Network Credentials**" tab. Specify at least the "Username" and "User password" fields, and if the network share is on a domain, also specify the "Domain name" field. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FDu7s8LwwTqeV6wZFwxTM%2F7.jpeg?alt=media) 4. **Add Encryption**\ This is an optional step. If you'd like to encrypt your backup files, add an encryption key in the tab "**Encryption**". 5. Confirm with \[**OK**].\ A connection test will be performed automatically, and after a successful test , the device will be created.\ If you get an error during the test, please confirm the network path and the network credentials. If you still have an issue please [reference this guide here](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/16807081307293-Workaround-for-unable-to-create-a-new-UNC-based-Local-Storage-device-type-in-NovaBACKUP-21-0-x-if-there-is-an-open-connection-mapping-to-that-path). 6. Once the device is added successfully, you'll find your newly created device in the \[**Device**] tab. **Note**: The device's network credentials can be edited at any later time. The "Device Name" and "Folder and Network path" field value properties cannot be changed after the device has already been created. To change these two properties, you would need to create a new "Local Backup" device. ### Create a Cloud Backup Device NovaBACKUP comes with cloud storage that you can use for your offsite backups. You can also add your own S3 cloud storage as an additional offsite destination. Note: If your NovaBACKUP license does not include cloud storage yet, contact . ### NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage If it's the first time using the NovaBACKUP Cloud, register your cloud account. 1. Select \[**Cloud Backup**] from the Home tab. 2. Click \[**Register**]. 3. Fill out the requested information to create an account and click \[**Confirm**]. * Provide a memorable username. We recommend using your email address here. * Enter your email address * Provide and confirm a Password. * Confirm your License Key is correct. * Add an encryption key that will be used to encrypt your backup data in transit and in the NovaBACKUP Cloud. Please remember it well, as we don't store this information on our end. 4. Once registered, you will see your NovaBACKUP Cloud storage in the \[**Device**] tab as “Cloud Storage”. If you've already used your license key to create a NovaBACKUP Cloud account, you'll see an "Attach to NovaBACKUP Cloud" button instead of a "Register" button. Follow the instructions. Once you're done registering your cloud account, go back to NovaBACKUP and set up your cloud backup job. ### 3rd-Party Cloud Storage To connect any S3 cloud storage to NovaBACKUP, go to the \[**Device**] tab, click on \[**Add**], select \[**Cloud Backup**], and fill in the required credentials. ### Create a File Backup To create a backup job for your business-critical data such as files, folders, and Hyper-V VMs or MS SQL databases, click on the **\[Backup]** tab in the top menu or click the \[Start] button. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2Fr5blkhkFuSGOuMbLaeFP%2F8.jpeg?alt=media) Start by: 1. Defining a "**Backup Name**". 2. Selecting the files and folders you want to back up, or - for NovaBACKUP Server Agent only - select the complete Hyper-V object and/or MS SQL Server object, or only individual VMs or databases if required. 3. Clicking on \[**Backup to**] in the lower left corner, then in the "**Select Device**" dialog select the appropriate backup storage - either your local device (the 'Local Backup' device type) or your cloud storage (the 'Cloud Backup' device type), that is not a legacy drive letter or legacy network device in that list (Note: to backup to the 'NovaBACKUP Cloud', select the "**NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage**" named device in the list, although in your case that could have been defined as a custom name) - and confirm with \[**OK**]. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2F0KXqtHsoocqKuB5pQpyY%2F9.jpeg?alt=media) Save your backup job by clicking the save icon in the top left corner. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FIfucWSkGnMno6W3bajdJ%2F10.jpeg?alt=media) ### Backup Job Settings Continue by clicking \[**Settings**] for more optional settings for your backup job. 1. **\[Backup] Tab - Enable Open File Backup** option (this setting can only be enabled and disabled starting in the 21.2.410 and newer client versions, otherwise it is always enabled in earlier versions) which defines if Open File Backup (VSS) as an option will be enabled or disabled; and by default that option will be enabled. 2. **\[Backup] Tab - Retention Config** For local and cloud backups, you can now set the retention value (how long you want to keep your backups). The default value for each backup schedule is 30 days. 2. **\[Backup] Tab - After backup action** What should NovaBACKUP do after the backup is completed? 3. **\[Notification] Tab** Set up e-mail notifications here. 4. **\[Filters] Tab** Backup jobs can include filters that allow you to select specific include and exclude filters based on file masks, such as exclude certain file types (\*.bak \*.tmp), include files [with specific dates and](https://www.novabackup.com/?hsLang=en) file sizes, exclude files with specific attributes (read-only, hidden, or system), etc. 5. **\[Custom Commands] Tab** **Store a pre-/post-script (batch), which is executed before or after the backup here.** ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FKzAv0Q6XvftX5TGaxEm1%2F11.jpeg?alt=media) ### Backup Schedule If you only want to run a one-time backup , you can click on \[**Backup**] to start your backup. If you'd like to schedule a reoccurring backup, for example, once daily, instead continue by clicking \[**Schedule**] and define the following: 1. Your current backup job is selected under Job Name. If it's not selected, pick the job you want to schedule from the drop-down menu (see yellow highlighting below). 2. Under "**Scheduling Information**", specify when and at what intervals the backup job should run. 3\. Enter the user who has access to the selected data to ensure that the backup works [without errors even if](https://www.novabackup.com/?hsLang=en) you're logged out. Then click \[**Check Credentials**]. 4\. Click \[**OK**] to confirm. You will find the backup job under "**Schedule**" at the top of the ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FkHUH1VA8y2eVv4p9Zqtk%2F12.jpeg?alt=media) Your scheduled backup job is now set up and will start at the time you selected. If necessary, you can set up multiple backup jobs for different files, Hyper-V VMs, or SQL databases. Simply follow the steps above until you have set up all the backup jobs you need. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2F4hsB6mIDiOOrGTuytXK4%2F13.png?alt=media) ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FXTTLVb9SQhw9q6DCzasV%2F14.png?alt=media) Restoring Files and Folders 1\. To restore a file or folder, click on the \[**Restore**] tab. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FUxNAlEbxjQwaBUkd0yyZ%2F15.jpeg?alt=media)2. Select the backup you would like to restore from and the files you would like to restore. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FqcLR2WvkvZgUWEXFFgHA%2F16.jpeg?alt=media) 1. Click the \[**Settings**] button to set up how you want to restore the file. You can choose to overwrite the existing file. You can also restore the files to the original location or restore the files to an alternate location. Click the **\[OK]** button to confirm your selections. **Note**: By default, restores of file and plugin data will overwrite the existing files at their original location. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FUgZl2z6qO0EL9qQG8WIT%2F17.jpeg?alt=media) 1. Click the **\[Restore]** button to start the restore. 2. You will see the progress of your restore in the \[**Status**] tab. Create an Image Backup An image backup is used to back up the entire operating system, including system settings and all data and applications available on the system. We recommend adding a weekly or monthly image backup to your backup strategy, depending on how often your system changes. 1. From the **Home** tab, select \[**Image Backup**]. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FbNCz6ter9RPSKOy3dkRq%2F18.jpeg?alt=media) 1. Select **\[Image backup schedule**]. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FWBvBGit4fJEscvaNnbbm%2F19.jpeg?alt=media) [3. Select the physical](https://www.novabackup.com/?hsLang=en) drives you would like to create an image of. ![](https://3526505281-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2F98JXQucOMJiqXcj7KjNn%2Fuploads%2FLcsCEgekdgRGfsycWZgu%2F20.jpeg?alt=media) 1. Define a **Backup Name**. Then click \[**Backup to.** ] to select the backup destination. Then select the **Backup Type**, **Backup Method**, and **Image Type** you would like to use and confirm by clicking **\[Next]**. **Backup Type** NovaBACKUP Image: Creates an Image Backup of your entire drive for disaster recovery. VHD: Virtual Hard Disk is used to restore an image to a Hyper-V. VHDx: Virtual Hard Disk is used for image restores to Hyper-V, VMware, and VirtualBox (for Windows Server 2012 and later versions). **Recommendation:** If you are NOT planning on restoring to a virtual machine, select "NovaBACKUP Image". **Backup Method:** Full-Only: This creates a full image backup of your entire system. Full-Differential: This stores a full version and then backs up the changes since the last full version. Full-Incremental: This stores a full version and then the changes since the last backup (full or incremental). **Image Type:** Used Sectors: This option only copies sectors used by the file system, thus reducing the image size and backup time. [Forensic:: This](https://www.novabackup.com/?hsLang=en) option is a bit-by-bit, sector-by-sector direct copy of a system, including all files, folders, and unallocated, free, and slack space. Forensic direct: This option is important for digital forensic investigators because unallocated space that may contain deleted files or other residual data that could be used as direct evidence in an investigation is included in the type of image. **Recommendation:** In the majority of the cases, you would select "Used Sectors" **After backup action:** Do nothing Shut down computer Restart computer **Additional Options:** Compress the backup: This reduces the file size of the backup and increases backup speed. Verify the backup: This tests a backup for errors or information loss to ensure that data is valid. Encryption settings: Encryption prevents unauthorized access to your private data. 1. Schedule your image backup by selecting the type of schedule and the date and time you want it to run for the first time. 2. Enter the user who has access to the selected data to ensure that the backup works without errors even if you're logged out. Then click \[**Check Credentials**]. 3. Click \[**Finish**]. The image backup schedule that you just created is now in the \[**Schedule**] tab ready for its first image backup. ### Create a Boot Disc for Disaster Recovery 1. From the **Home** tab, select \[**Image Backup**]. 2. Click \[**Image Backup Creation Tool** ...]. 3\. A welcome page will open. From there, click the **\[Boot Disc]** button. 1. Choose the type of boot media. Select **\[Simple]** (recommended) then click the **\[Next]** button. Note: The **\[Advanced]** option is for server operating systems that need to specify RAID controller drivers. Drivers can be loaded after booting the PC to the image boot media. 1. Next, click the **\[Create Image]** button to create a customized bootable image. Once you see that the process completed successfully, click the **\[Next]** button to continue. 6\. Select the device you would like to write the boot disc image to. Click **\[Finish]**. ### Image Recovery Using a Boot Disc Important**:** Before you get started with your disaster recovery using your Boot Disc, [please](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006795933-Booting-your-PC-from-the-Image-Boot-Media) [look up the required F Key](https://www.novabackup.com/?hsLang=en) [for your computer model](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006795933-Booting-your-PC-from-the-Image-Boot-Media). 1\. Insert the boot disc CD/USB stick and start the computer. 1. If the Boot Device Menu does not start automatically, you must know which F key on your PC's keyboard to press during the startup screen to enter your Boot Device Menu. 2. Select your CD or USB drive as the first drive in your boot-up sequence. This will allow your system to access the DR Boot Disk media which you previously created, rather than attempting to boot from your hard disk. 3. Confirm your display and networking settings needed to start the environment using the *Image Backup Control Panel* dialog. Click **\[OK]** 5\. Select **\[Start Restoration]**. 6\. Locate the **Image Backup File** (.NDF) to restore from. Click **\[Open]**. 7\. Select the **Source** drive. The source when the Image Backup was created. 8\. Select the **Target** drive. This is the listing of the current partitions on the installed drives. This is what you are replacing using your Image Backup. 9\. Choose **\[Start drive restoration]**. Note: A dialog box will appear to confirm settings. 10\. Confirm the settings. Click **\[Start]**. 11\. If data exists on the **Target** drive, a dialog will appear confirming you wish to "Completely delete the target drive". Choose **\[Delete]** to replace the contents of the Target drive. **Note**: This prompt will appear if you select any partition that already has data on it, to perform the restore you must delete the previous contents. #### 12\. The **Restore** process will start and display the progress. 1. A **Dialog** box will appear once the restore process has been completed. Click **\[Close]** to finish. 2. Close the Drive restoration window by clicking the **\[X]** in the top right corner. A dialog will appear asking if you wish to restart the computer, select **\[Yes]**. NovaBACKUP's reporting features allow you to create easy-to-understand email reports for more transparency in your data protection strategy. Reporting Options The reports provide a very quick overview of the status of all jobs executed by NovaBACKUP during the selected reporting period. To set up email logs, please follow the steps below: 1. From the home screen, click the NovaBACKUP icon in the top left. Select the **\[Default Settings]** option. 2. Switch to the **\[Notification]** tab. 3. Activate e-mail notification by checking the **\[Email]** box and, then select the circumstances under which you would like to receive the logs by e-mail. 4. Click on **\[Email settings]** to store the email address or, if necessary, to define your own SMTP server. 5. Go to the **\[Logs]** tab from the main navigation at the top, then click the **\[Set up reports]** button at the bottom. 1. In the following window, use the tabs to select whether you want to receive the reports daily, weekly, or monthly, and enter the e-mail addresses of all people who should receive reports. You can enter multiple recipients separated by a semicolon. ### More Information You can find further information in our [Support Knowledgebase](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/categories/360000516334-NovaBACKUP). [\[Guide\] Standard Backup Schedule with Retention](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360014264914--Guide-Standard-Backup-Schedule-with-Retention) [\[Guide\] NovaBACKUP PC (Home User) Configuration Walkthrough](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019059234--Guide-NovaBACKUP-PC-Home-User-Configuration-Walkthrough) [\[Guide\] Sample Backup Schedules (Video)](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005727974--Guide-Sample-Backup-Schedules-Video-) [\[Guide\] Disaster Recovery Walkthrough (Video)](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005728834--Guide-Disaster-Recovery-Walkthrough-Video-) [\[Guide\]: Setting Up VM Backups Using Virtual Dashboard (VD)](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360019137334--Guide-Setting-Up-VM-Backups-Using-Virtual-Dashboard-VD-) [\[Guide\] Recovery Boot Disc Creation (Video)](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005812713--Guide-Recovery-Boot-Disc-Creation-Video-) [\[Guide\] Central Management Console Walkthrough (Video)](https://support.novabackup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360005585933--Guide-CMon-Walkthrough-Central-Monitoring-Console-Video-) © 2024 NovaBACKUP Corporation. All Rights Reserved.