This is the Simple method guide on 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). With this guide you will utilize the "Create Agent Amazon S3 Compatible Device From Existing Cloud Storage Account" function via the CMon UI (the CMon UI website, of which the majority of users that do have this device will have access to) on a new or a rebuilt machine, where the new PC doesn't match the original PC's "Domain" and/or "Machine name" (it could be either of those or both of those) values, for Device Import to work (to import all of the backup restore index records from a different machine to a new or a rebuilt machine, and also to allow for restores of those existing backups that were produced by the other original PC on the new or rebuilt PC, etc.). Note: If this Simple method guide doesn't work for you, or if it does not contain enough necessary detail to work, then you can read the Advanced method guide on this same subject, that is explained in a much greater detail, here. 

Issue Summary

In NovaBACKUP 21.x and newer, you may have the need at some point to after creating a new computer, or after rebuilding an existing computer, to import backups that are located on an existing "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" device (which is a hosted and managed "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" device), whereby the new or rebuilt computer that you need to perform the device add and the device import functions on do utilize a different computer name and/or a different domain name (one or the other, or both of them), which will require you to at the time of on the new or rebuilt computer, with the same backup client version and license key applied, utilize the "Create Agent Amazon S3 Compatible Device From Existing Cloud Storage Account" function via the CMon UI on the new computer (Agent) in the "Agents and Groups" area of the CMon UI. The backup client would be installed clean on the new or rebuilt computer in that case, with the same license key activated with it as the original computer had utilized, and the Default Settings > CMon Server tab details would need to be filled in correctly, as to match the original computer in that case, before utilizing the steps in this guide (and you can watch the attached Simple method video based guide here for a full picture an walkthrough all of that, that might be easier to follow, on two example PCs, one as the original existing computer and the other as the seperate new computer). Note: In order to follow these steps you must have and know about the CMon Server address, that your Cloud Account is assigned to utilize, and the backup client on the original machine and on the new or rebuilt machine must utilize and have configured, at least on the new or rebuilt computer, as that would be able to match the original computer, including the CMon Server "Server name:", CMon Server Port "Port number:", and the CMon Server "Default group" field values.

In addition to or to utilize as a companion to this "Simple" method written guide, you can also watch the attached Simple method video based guide here for a complete walkthrough, using the example computers, that might be easier to follow, There is also an Advanced method video based guide here, that is 54 minutes in length that is a complete walkthrough, that contains the same first 26 minutes that the Simple video contains, but it just has more detail after that, including performing Imports on both of the example machines, and that includes after producing new backups on the new or rebuilt machine, instead of just having backups produced by a single machine to the S3 Cloud device in question, and that also includes performing Restores on both of the example machines. It covers what to do if the manual entry encryption key prompt does come up during an Import as well. The Advanced method video based guide does go into that latter extra detail (but it is also about twice as long, at 54 minutes).

Importing a managed and hosted "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" device on a different machine, where it is true that either the new or rebuilt machine uses either a different "Domain" and/or "Machine name" value, that does not match the original machine for either of those value items, will not be able to import any of the existing backup records that were produced by the original computer, if you do have that need.

The backup software allows multiple "computers" to backup to the same Cloud Storage Account, but when it does backup it creates restore index related folders and otherwise restore index related data file values that are based on the exact current "Computer Name" (which is the "Machine name" field in CMon, per S3 Cloud device) and "Domain" value, and so each backup that writes to a S3 Cloud device like that will create the backup .dat files in a folder structure that is unique to each "Domain" value and "Computer Name" value, that matches the current computer that produced the backup to the S3 Cloud device in that case (and for the first computer example in this guide, that folder would equate to this path on the original local client machine that had produced the backups originally: 'C:\ProgramData\NovaStor\NovaStor NovaBACKUP\FPI\NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage\control\Appl nbk-jon.test-testing\backup\SV\Node JF-Server2022\'; where in that path the "SV" equates to the correct "Domain" value that NovaBACKUP ended up reading from the OS directly, and the "JF-Server2022" equates to the correct "Machine name" value, and the values are all case sensitive as well). This means that when it comes time to adding that device again on a separate computer, for either a new or rebuilt PC, if you do want to Import any of the existing backup records on that new or rebuilt PC, if that is the end goal, will 100% require you to specify those two fields correctly during the "Create Agent Amazon S3 Compatible Device From Existing Cloud Storage Account" function via the CMon UI on the new computer (Agent) in the "Agents and Groups" area of the CMon UI. Otherwise, if you do not do that then the device can still add to the new or rebuilt PC, but the existing backup records from the original computer that had utilized that device prior won't be able to import at all (and those existing backups can't be restored on that new or rebuilt PC then as a consequence of that). The backup software allows you to specify the "Domain" and the "Machine Name" field values at the time of utilizing the "Create Agent Amazon S3 Compatible Device From Existing Cloud Storage Account" function via the CMon UI, however the values have to be specified manually (which are both optional fields, in in that case the "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" device that was originally created will never contain those two field details specified in it) perfectly to match the original existing computer name and domain field values, otherwise the import will fail with the above first error message in the Import log. For example here, Windows, in "Control Panel > System", may tell you that the domain name value is "sv", but the only domain name value that will actually work in that case, and not throw the first stated error would be "SV" (in all uppercase letters) in that case and in the end, as far as the Import function in NovaBACKUP is concerned or will be able to work with in the end. In this Simple method guide I haven't included any separate computers examples of this below this paragraph of text, but the Advanced method guide does contain two separtate computers examples of this (which may be useful for you to know about or realize); and you can read the Advanced method guide here.

Required Steps to "Create Agent Amazon S3 Compatible Device From Existing Cloud Storage Account" on the new or rebuilt computer, that you mean to import the existing backup records to:

1. Install NovaBACKUP 21.x clean (meaning that there is no data existing on that client computer that exists prior to the client install) on the new or rebuilt computer. If you have a Custom client build then you would install that client build, otherwise you would install the generic Cloud client build.
2. Activate the NovaBACKUP backup client with the same license key as was utilized on the original client machine; you will need to know what your originally purchased license key value is in that case. This part is important as otherwise you won't be able to add the NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage account in, that matches the original computer. If the client is not licensed with the correct license key, and then activated either during the client install or just after, (such as via the Help > Registration dialog in the generic Cloud client build) then the app will have no way of adding that existing Cloud Storage Account based device in, as that is determined and only allowed by the license matching in that case.
3. Start the NovaBACKUP client on the new or rebuilt computer.
4. Go to Default Settings > CMon Server, and make sure that the CMon Server tab details are configured correctly, that match the original computer, for the correct CMon Server "Server name:", server address value, which is the same as the CMon Server website address in that case, but it just doesn't state the HTTP or HTTPS prefix at the start of the specified value, CMon Server Port "Port number:", and the CMon Server "Default group" field values. Without the correct Group you won't be able to manage the new connected Agent (for the new or rebuilt computer) via the CMon by yourself, which in that case will be required for this how-to, including or starting with Step 6 below. If there is no CMon Server configured, or if it is configured incorrectly, or if the "Backup Client Agent" service isn't started and running (showing as "The service is started" in that dialog) on that client machine, then these how-to instructions won't work. You can check what "Default group" field value to utilize by logging in to the CMon Server web address, and then look at your "Agents and Groups" dialog, and near the top, above the Agents in the list in that dialog, it will state the "Group Name" value there (root group and sub-group, if you have a root group, and if you have a sub-group after the root group then there must be a "\" character to separate those two items in the field). Fix this now.
5. Start your web browser and login to the CMon Server web address (the value that you utilized or can see in the first "Server address" field value in "Default Settings > CMon Server", copy and paste that value into a web browser, and it should get to the login dialog of that CMon Server (website), where you will login to that website with your Cloud Account username and password.
6. Go to the Agents and Groups area of the CMon UI, and then verify if your new or rebuilt computer name shows in that list there. Then do a "View" on that listed Agent to view the properties of that Agent, and make sure that you can at least see a "Devices" tab there.
7. After you were able to view that above Agent, then click on the "Devices" tab, and make sure that you have permissions to "Add device", as if your CMon user does not have that permission then that function will be grayed out as to not be usable, or it could be that you can't even reach the Agents and Groups area of the CMon UI, which is due to your user Role does not have enough privledges to even get to that area in the first place, let alone to get to that "Add device" function. To check your User Role, you can go to "Settings > Users" and then View your own listed user that will be listed there, and the "Role" must have enough privledges to Add device, which in that case for instance we know that the "Users" Role (a very minimal role, that some end users are assigned to, on some of our public CMon Servers) won't have that permission, but the "Cloud MSP" Role (or greater) will have that permission.
8. Perform the "Create Agent Amazon S3 Compatible Device From Existing Cloud Storage Account" function via the CMon UI on the new or rebuilt computer (Agent), by following the instructions in that labeled section at the bottom of this KB article, that was taken (copied) directly from the CMon Help Documentation.
   • In the Devices tab, on the new or rebuilt computer (Agent) that you are viewing currently, click on "Add device".
   • In the second sentence, where it states "Amazon S3 Compatible Device Type" in the pulldown menu to the right of that text, select "Existing Cloud Storage Account". Then click Next.
   • In the next "Select an existing cloud storage account" dialog, you will select your existing cloud storage account name in the list, which normally end user's will only see one cloud storage account listed there. After you use the checkbox to the left of that cloud storage device, which equates to the Cloud Storage Account that your old/existing "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" device was utilizing already, then click Next.
   • In the next "Enter the device details" dialog, you will see 3 total fields that will be 100% required to specify (whereas normally the 2nd and 3rd fields don't need to be specified), the first field to specify will be the "Name" field, which is just how you want the new Cloud device to show up as, where you can enter in "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage", or "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage (import)", that is up to you what you name it in the end, and the second and third fields to specify will be considered as optional settings normally, but in this case they will be 100% required now this time, which are the "Domain", for the 2nd field and "Machine name", for the 3rd field, which in this case you will 100% be required to fill out  those 2nd and 3rd fields correctly, as to match the original computer's "Domain" and "Machine name" values, and the values in those two fields are case sensitive (see more notes below on that). When done specifying the fields you will click the "Add Device" button at the bottom.
   • If that device was created successfully, which the CMon UI will state after you click on the bottom "Add Device" button (in the above step) then it will list that device in the CMon UI's Agent > Devices tab, and the "Status Type" column will show "Success", and the "Status" column will state "Successfully added by agent.", and the "Status Updated" column will show the current date and minute. That is if all went well with the device add in the prior step to this.
   • Once the CMon UI shows that the device was added successfully, then you should notice that the client GUI will have returned back to the Home tab, and then if you click the "Device" tab it should list that new device in the Device tab now. Note: You won't be able to do a properties on that device, and the device will show the same "Free" column value in it as the "Size" column value shows, and so that won't be a true estimation of the actual Cloud Storage usage to any degree (as of yet), as the client doesn't have or know about the backup history on that device until you perform the Import function, which is covered in the next topic / section after this, in this KB article.
   • If you are unsure of what the original "Domain" and "Machine name" field values should equate to, as to be able to 100% match the original computer's values, then you can try to follow the notes that are added about that which don't exist in this Simple method guide, but the Advanced method guide does contain those notes starting at this part of the step, and you can read the Advanced method guide here.

9. After the existing Cloud Storage device is added to the new or rebuilt computer, in the above steps, then Perform the Import of existing backup records on that Cloud Storage device:

   • Prior to the Device Import on the clean installed NovaBACKUP client machine, you may want to verify that the contents of the Device folder in question under the "FPI" folder on the client machine has no folder or file contents inside it, and in that case that is pointed out how to do that, in this same step, that is further detailed, in the Advanced method guide here
   • Via the backup client GUI running on the new or rebuilt computer, that the "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" device was added to successfully, with the above instructions, then click on the "Restore" tab, and then click on the "Import" button at the bottom, and select that very same "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" device (or whatever device name you gave it in the "Name" field) that you had added in the above steps (that in the device list to choose from contains the exact same "Name" field value that you had specified it to add existing device as). The Import should complete with the success status, and the Import log should state that (but it won't tell you much else).

10. Verify that all of the restore index records were imported on the new device correctly:

    • Via the backup client GUI, click on the "Restore" tab, and then expand the "Cloud Storage" category in the list in that Restore dialog. Then expand the "Cloud Storage" category with the plus button to the left of it, then expand the "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" device (that you had added, for whatever "Name" field value that you gave it), and it should list all of the restore index records that it was able to Import on that newly added Cloud device.

11. Perform a restore of one of the imported backups (this step is optional to do, but it would be best practice to know if a restore can work):

    • Select one of the now imported restore index records for that above device, and test a restore of it, to make sure that it can in fact restore the contents of the backup from that imported records device.

Important Notes

• The Simple method guide does not contain any of the "Important Notes" contents or details, but the Advanced method guide does contain those notes starting at this part of the step, and you can read the Advanced method guide here.

The CMon based documentation is linked in the built in CMon Server Help menu > Documentation function (https://cmc.novabackup.com/managementserver/Help/articles/Introduction.html; and you will need to replace the main CMon Server name portion of the above website address with the CMon Server address that you were assigned to in that case, for instance if your CMon Server address field value is "login.online-backup.com" then the CMon Server Help Documentation address would be: https://login.online-backup.com/managementserver/Help/articles/Introduction.html, that is only visible after you sign in to the CMon Server with your user account); :

Create Agent Amazon S3 Compatible Device From Existing Cloud Storage Account

Create Agent Device

To add an Amazon S3 compatible device from an existing cloud storage account, select the appropriate type of device in the Create Agent Device page. An Amazon S3 compatible storage server must exist and the user must have View Cloud Storage Accounts permissions for the Existing Cloud Storage Account item to appear.

Select an existing cloud storage account

Select the existing cloud storage account and click the Next button to continue.

Device Details

Enter the device details and click the Add Device button to add the device.

Name

• Required (always)
• Maximum length is 99
• Default value: My Amazon S3 compatible device
• Note: It would be suggested, as a best practice, that you re-use the existing "NovaBACKUP Cloud Storage" name value, that would match your original computer's device, where the existing backups were produced on the original computer. It is not required that the device name would match exactly though.

Domain

• Required (only in the context of this how-to KB article instructions)
• Maximum length is 16
• The short format version of the Domain Name value would be what is utilized, not the FQDN (long format version) of the Domain Name value. The Domain Name field value is completely case sensitive, and normally it would require you to specify the Domain value with all capitalized letters.

Machine Name

• Required (only in the context of this how-to KB article instructions)
• Maximum length is 16. The Domain Name field value is completely case sensitive, and normally it would require you to specify the Domain value exactly how Windows in the Control Panel > System displays the "Computer Name" value there. This is not the FQDN long format of the "Full Computer Name" value it is the shortened "Computer Name" value, without for instance the domain name appended to the end of it (if the computer is in a AD Domain for the latter part).