Restoring a true image of a directory
Note: You can only restore a true image of a directory if the NetBackup policy that backed up your files and directories was configured to collect true image restore information. For more information, see the NetBackup Administrator's Guide, Volume I.

A true image restore allows you to restore a directory to what it was at the time of a selected scheduled full or incremental backup. Files deleted before that time are not restored.

You may want a true image restore if you have recently deleted unwanted files from a directory and now want to restore the latest scheduled backup without having to delete these files again. For example, suppose you are backing up the contents of the SYS:\ABC\DOC directory. A scheduled full backup ran on Monday that contained the following files:

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE1

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE2

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\DIRA\FILEA

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\DIRB\FILEB

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE3

On Tuesday, a scheduled incremental backup ran that contained the following files:

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE1

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE2

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\DIRA\FILEA

On Wednesday, you run a user-directed backup that contains the following files:

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE1

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE2

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\DIRA\FILEA

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\DIRC\FILEC

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE4

On Thursday, a scheduled incremental backup ran that contained the following files:

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE1

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE2

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE4

On Friday, you need to restore your SYS:\ABC\DOC directory.

If your policy did not have Collect true image restore information selected, the restored directory will contain all of the files that ever existed in SYS:\ABC\DOC from the last full backup to the last incremental. This restore would include the following:

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE1

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE2

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\DIRA\FILEA

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\DIRB\FILEB

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE3

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\DIRC\FILEC

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE4

If you perform a true image restore, files deleted before the last incremental backup would not be restored. Therefore, the contents of the directory after the restore would be:

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE1

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE2

•SYS:\ABC\DOC\FILE4

NetBackup does not provide true image recovery based on the time of a user-directed backup or archive. However, it does use the images from user-directed operations for a true image restore if they are more recent than the latest scheduled full or incremental backup. If you are overwriting the directory you are restoring, files that are in the directory but not in the true image backups will not be deleted.

To restore true image backups using the target method

  • On the Main Menu, type f.

The Restore True Image Backups menu appears. This menu is similar to the Restore Backup menu described in Using the restore backups menu.

  • Type d and type the range of dates you want.

It is usually best to leave the start date at the default unless you are restoring a version that existed before the last full backup.

  • On the Restore True Image Backups menu, type p.
  • Type the complete path of the directory, and then press <Enter>.
  • On the Restore True Image Backups menu, type s to initiate a search of the NetBackup database for directories that belong to the client and meet the path and date criteria.

Individual files will not appear and cannot be selected because true image restores are for entire directories.

  • Use the menu options at the bottom of the Search screen to browse and select the desired files and directories from the backup images.

When you are through selecting, type O (for Ok) to return to the previous menu.

  • Type r to initiate the restore.
  • When prompted, type y if you want to overwrite existing files; otherwise, type n.
  • When prompted, type y if you want to use progress logs; otherwise, type n. For more information about progress logs, see Using log files.
  • If you selected to use progress logs, verify the default path listed is correct, or enter a new path, and then press <Enter>.
  • Type y to initiate the restore.
  • After the restore operation is successfully initiated, press <Enter> to return to the Restore True Image Backups menu.

To restore true image backups using the NonTarget browser

  • On the NetBackup for NetWare NonTarget Browser, choose Actions > Restore > Restore from True Image Backup.
Note: You can perform a true image restore only if the TIR (True Image Restore) option on the NetBackup server is set AND if a backup with the TIR option set has been previously performed. If you get a No Entity Found message at this point, notify your NetBackup administrator.
  • In the All Folders pane of the Restore (True Image) window, double-click the parent of the folder you want to restore.

The double-click updates the Restore (True Image) window to show the folders that are available for true image restores. Notice that the lists show only folders. Individual files do not appear because true image restores are intended only for restoring entire folders. To list or select individual files, use Restore from Backup.

If NetBackup cannot find any folders, click Search Folder in the Search Backups dialog. Also check the range of backups that you are searching (NetBackup History pane). If all of these settings are correct and no folders are found, ask the administrator to see if the NetBackup policy that is backing up your files and folders is configured to collect true image restore information.

  • Select the folder you want to restore by marking it in the Contents of “folder” pane.
Note: When a file in the folder has the same file name as a file in the true image backup, NetBackup will delete the file from the folder and replace, or restore, the file from the true image backup. NetBackup will not delete files from the folder that are not in the true image restore.
  • Choose Restore > Restore Marked Files.

By default, NetBackup restores the folder to its original location. For information on redirecting restores, see Redirecting restores using the NonTarget browser.


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