Migrate a user's Connected data

When you replace a user's computer or reinstall its operating system, the logical connection between the device and its backup file set breaks because Connected treats the computer as a new device. If you want the new computer to adopt the old one's backup set and user-created rules, the user or a data administrator must migrate them. If you are a data administrator, you can migrate the data of any user within your span of administrative control. Agent preferences set directly through the Agent are not part of the migration process and reset to their default values.

During the migration process, Connected registers the computer as a new device, reassigns the old computer's backup set and user-created rules to it, and permanently deletes the old device. When migration completes, the user receives an email message that confirms the migration, and the Agent starts automatically. If you had previously started a restore request for the device, the Agent restores files from the device's backup set. The Agent does not sync, scan or back up files while you are logged on the user's computer. It performs these tasks when it starts the first time after the user logs on to the computer.

Before you begin

To ensure a successful migration, do the following:

  • If you are replacing the user's computer and it is accessible, do the following:

    1. If Agent is running, wait for it to complete all tasks, including scans.

      Waiting for tasks to finish ensures that the Agent processes all files, as needed. To determine the Agent's current activity, see the FAQ How can I tell what the Agent is doing?

    2. If the user plans to use the computer after the migration, uninstall the Agent. Otherwise, exit the Agent, log off the computer, or turn the computer off.

  • Ensure that a local user account assigned to the Connected user exists.

To migrate a user's Connected data

  1. Install the Agent on the user's new computer.

    As an administrator, you can install the Agent interactively or from the command line.

  2. If the Agent does not start automatically after installation, start it.

  3. At the Agent's sign-in prompt, enter your Connected credentials.

    The Device Setup Wizard appears.

  4. In response to the wizard's Select how to configure this computer prompt, click As an end-user's computer. Then enter the email address of the user whose data you want to migrate.
  5. Click Next.

  6. Specify user and device information:

    1. Select the local user account assigned to the user.

    2. Select the name of the user's device from which you want to migrate data.

  7. Click Finish.

    The migration process registers the computer as a new device, reassigns the old computer's backup set and user-created rules to it, and deletes the old device. The automated part of the migration process is now complete.

  8. (Optional) Restore files from the computer's backup set, which the migration process reassigned from the old computer to this one. On Windows-based computers running Agent 4.9.0 or later, you can also choose to restore any available user state data if administrative policy allows.

    Files are available to restore right after migration. You can let the user restore files or you can do it yourself.

    • Let the user restore their files.

      This option lets the user choose which files to restore and to start the restore process when ready.

    • Create a restore request for the user to start.

      You can create a restore request but not start it. After the user has logged on to the computer, they can start the request at any time.

    • Create a restore request that automatically starts the first time the user logs on to the computer.

      After you have completely set up the user's computer and you have logged off of it for the last time, create and start a restore request for the user's files. The first time the user logs in and the Agent starts and receives notification to restore files.

    • Restore files before giving the new computer to the user.

      If you want to restore the files before you give the computer to the user, you can restore them on the user's behalf.

      NOTE: If you choose this option for macOS-based computers, start the Agent with elevated privileges before it restores files to ensure that the user can access the files.

      To elevated Agent privileges while restoring files:

      1. Before you start the restore request through the Connected web application, exit the Agent application.

      2. Open a terminal window, and then enter the following command to start the Agent with elevated privileges:

        sudo /Applications/Connected/Connected.app/Contents/MacOS/Connected

      3. At the prompt, enter the credentials for your macOS user account.

      4. Use the web application to start the restore request.

    CAUTION: Do not restore a user's EFS-encrypted files while logged on to the computer as an administrator. If you do, the restored files get encrypted under your Windows user account, and the user will not have access to them. To restore EFS-encrypted files on behalf of someone else, you must log on to the computer using the user's credentials before starting the restore request.

    To understand how the restore process works, see Restore overview. For information about restoring data after migration, see Restore Connected and Windows user state data onto a replacement or re-imaged computer. This information is applicable regardless of whether you want to restore Connected data, Windows user state data, or both.