View a device's backup set


Connected stores the files that your Agent backs up in a device-specific backup set. The contents of your backup set change over time as you add, modify, and delete files on your computer. You can view your backup set through either the Connected web application. The web application lets you view your current backup set or one from a previous point in time. Typically, the current view of your backup set is the most useful. It shows you which files the Agent currently backs up and provides you with the full version history of each file. However, there might be times when you want to see your backup set from a specific point in time.

Suppose that you are creating a project using an application that saves your files to MyProjectFolder, which is a folder that the Agent backs up. As you save project changes throughout the day, the Agent backs up the modified files for protection. While reviewing your project at the end of the day, you decide that you want to take a different approach and need to restore the entire project back to its original state as of that morning.

One way that you could roll back the project to its earlier state is by restoring previous versions of its files from your current backup set. This method requires you to review the version history of each file in MyProjectFolder, one at a time, and then select an appropriate version from the morning to restore. If your project contains a large number of files, each with many versions, this can be a very time-consuming and error-prone process.

A much more efficient method to roll back your project to an earlier state is to view your backup set from a point in time earlier that morning, and then select the MyProjectFolder to restore. In this point-in-time view of your backup set, the most recent version of files in MyProjectFolder, and therefore the ones that the Agent will restore, are those that existed at the start of the day.

While viewing a device's backup set, you can restore any available version of its files to replace damaged or deleted ones on that device. If administrative policies allow, you can also view, share, or download files from your backup set using the web application.

NOTE: For administrative purposes, data administrators can access the backup sets of users under their administrative control. They can view the contents of user backup sets and create or manage restore requests on a user's behalf. In addition, they can view and download files from user backup sets but they cannot share them.

To view a device's backup set from a web browser

  1. (Data administrators only) To view a user's backup set, do the following:

    1. Click the HIERARCHY tab.

    2. Locate the user entry, select it, and then click VIEW (view icon).

      To locate the user, you can browse to the user's group, and then double-click its Users entry. However, the quickest way to find a specific user is to search by name.

      To search for a user:

      1. Above the hierarchy, click Search, and then enter any portion of the user's first name, last name, or email address. The search is case insensitive.

        TIP: The web application searches only the portion of the hierarchy below the currently selected item, identified by name to the left of the Search field. To search the entire hierarchy, select the entity at the very top of the hierarchy.

        You can also use wildcard characters in your search criteria.

        • To match zero or more characters, enter an asterisk (*).

          For example, john*smith matches JohnSmith, john.p.smith, and john.paul.smith.

        • To match a single character, enter a question mark (?).

          For example, john.?.smith matches john.p.smith, but not john.paul.smith.

        As you type, the list updates to display the users that match your text.

      2. To clear the search and return to the previous view, click clear icon.
    3. Under Sync Files and Devices, click the tile of the backup set that you want to view.

  2. To view your own backup set, do one of the following:

    • From the Agent icon menu, click Connected web application, and then click View/Restore backup set.
    • From the Connected web application, click the FILES tab, and then click the tile of the backup set that you want to view.
  3. To see the selected backup set as of a previous point in time, in the View files as of area, set a specific date and time.
  4. Under VIEWING, click the type of items that you want to see, Active Items or Active and Deleted Items.
  5. To find a specific item in the backup set, browse or search for it.

    To search for an item in the current folder or its subfolders:

    1. Click find something in this folder, and then enter any portion of the item's name. The search is case insensitive.

      You can also use wildcard characters in your search criteria.

      • To match zero or more characters, enter an asterisk (*).

        For example, sales* matches Sales, Sales1, and Sales-West. *sales matches Presales.

      • To match a single character, enter a question mark (?).

        For example, Sales-?? matches Sales-NW but not Sales-W.

      • To match an item by exact name, enclose your text in double quotes ("text")

        For example, "SalesReport.doc" matches SalesReport.doc but not SalesReport1.doc or SalesReport.docx.

        NOTE: When you search using only the double quotes ("") without enclosing any text in between, the system displays a bad request error. Similarly, when you search using the special character %, the system displays the request could not be completed error.

      As you type, the list updates to display the items that match your text.

    2. To clear the search and redisplay all items in the current folder, click clear icon.