Removing and importing archive sets

When backups are archived, archive set information is saved to the Unitrends appliance and the archive media. Archived backups are written to the archive media only. Set information enables the Unitrends appliance to locate and identify archives that have been written to the media. This is especially helpful when performing an archive restore.

Removing an archive set removes the set information from the Unitrends appliance. Removing this information does not delete the set from the archive media. It only removes the information from the Unitrends appliance. When a set is removed, you cannot view any information about it in the Administrator Interface. However, you can import the set information again at any time as long as the appliance can access the media. After the information is imported, you can view the archives and perform restores.

Note about removing cloud archive sets: For cloud archive storage only, you can configure a setting to delete sets from the archive media when removing them from the appliance. For details, see Removing cloud archive sets.

By contrast, purging, overwriting, and preparing media delete archive sets from the media, and once the sets are deleted, they cannot be retrieved. Purging, overwriting, and preparing the media are used to create space on the media for new archive sets, the removing option is used to remove set information from the Unitrends appliance. Details display in the Archive status screen for all archive sets, even after the media has been unmounted and disconnected from the archive device.

However, it is not necessary to remove sets to prevent them from displaying in the Archive status screen. You can also filter your view by using the options on the Archive status screen. The following options assist with organization and viewing of archive sets:

     Date range

     Client

     Maximum number of files to display

For more details about archive search options, see Viewing archives.

Note: If you remove a set, the appliance has no information about the set and you need to import the set to see its archives in the Archive status screen.

You can import an archive set to a different appliance if the set is not encrypted. If the archive set is encrypted, you can import it to a different appliance only as part of a disaster recovery because each system has a unique set of encryption keys. (For instructions, see System restore from archive.)

See the following procedures to remove and import archive sets:

     To remove an archive set

     To import archive sets