Backup and Recovery (Zenitel Connect)

Backup and Recovery page

Overview

Zenitel Connect allows the complete system configuration to be saved as a backup file and later restored either to the same server or to a replacement server.

The system configuration should be backed up regularly to protect against hardware failures, accidental configuration changes, or system replacement.

Backup and restore operations are performed from System > Backup and Recovery.

Creating a Backup

Navigate to System > Backup and Recovery.
Click Start Backup.
Wait for the backup process to complete.
Click Download Backup File to download the backup from the Zenitel Connect server to your local computer.
Store the backup file in a secure location.

The backup file is stored as a .tar archive.

Clicking Start Backup creates the backup file on the Zenitel Connect server only. The backup is not automatically downloaded to your computer.
To ensure the backup can be used for disaster recovery or server replacement, click Download Backup File and store the file in a secure location outside the server.

Backup Contents

A backup contains the information required to restore the system configuration, including::

System configuration
Users and permissions
Device configuration
Network configuration
Uploaded audio files
Uploaded device files
Certificates
Encrypted passwords and PINs

Protect the backup file and protect the administrator password. Both are required for a complete system recovery. If administrator credentials are unavailable, only a partial restore can be performed.

Not Included in Backup

The following items are not included:

Licenses
Uploaded device software packages
Node-RED flows

Licenses must be uploaded again after a restore operation.

Restoring a Backup

Navigate to System > Backup and Recovery.
Upload a previously created backup file.
Click Restore from Backup.
If prompted, enter administrator credentials from the backup.
Confirm the restore operation.

The system automatically reboots when the restore process is complete.

After the reboot:

Navigate to Devices and Connections > Configuration
Run the Scan process
Verify that all devices are connected and report the expected Operational Status.

Restore Scenarios

Restoring to the Original Server

In most cases, restoring a backup to the same Zenitel Connect server performs a full restore, and no additional credentials are required.

The exception is when the server has been reset using Factory Default (All) from the web interface or restored to factory settings using the hardware reset button. These operations generate a new master key, which prevents the system from decrypting certificates, passwords, PIN codes, and other encrypted information stored in the backup.

If the master key does not match the key used when the backup was created, you will be prompted for an administrator username and password from the backup. Any administrator account that existed when the backup was created can be used.

If valid credentials are provided, a full restore is performed, including certificates, passwords, PIN codes, and other encrypted data.

If administrator credentials from the backup are not available, you can select Continue without Username/Password. This performs a partial restore, where the operational configuration is restored, but encrypted information such as certificates, passwords, and PIN codes is not restored. A partial restore is intended primarily for configuration recovery and inspection. Because encrypted passwords, certificates, PIN codes, and other secrets remain inaccessible, the restored system will require manual re-enrollment or reconfiguration of devices and services before it becomes fully operational.

Restoring to a Replacement Server

When restoring a backup to a replacement server, the master key will always differ from the key used when the backup was created. You will therefore be prompted for an administrator username and password from the backup. Any administrator account that existed when the backup was created can be used.

If valid credentials are provided, a full restore is performed, including certificates, passwords, PIN codes, and other encrypted data.

If administrator credentials from the backup are not available, you can select Continue without Username/Password. This performs a partial restore, where the operational configuration is restored, but encrypted information such as certificates, passwords, and PIN codes is not restored. A partial restore is intended primarily for configuration recovery and inspection. Because encrypted passwords, certificates, PIN codes, and other secrets remain inaccessible, the restored system will require manual re-enrollment or reconfiguration of devices and services before it becomes fully operational.

Restore Types

Full Restore

A full restore includes:

System configuration
Users and permissions
Device configuration
Network settings
Certificates
Administrator passwords
Device passwords
SIP passwords
PIN codes
Other encrypted secrets

Partial Restore

A partial restore restores the operational system configuration, including:

System configuration
Users and permissions
Device configuration
Network settings

The following information is not restored:

Administrator passwords
Device passwords
SIP passwords
PIN codes
Certificates
Other encrypted secrets

After a Partial Restore, all encrypted information contained in the backup remains locked and cannot be restored without valid administrator credentials from the original backup. Because device passwords are not restored, Zenitel Connect cannot authenticate to previously enrolled devices. As a result, devices enrolled in the original system cannot be managed by the restored server until they are factory reset and re-enrolled, or replaced with newly enrolled devices.

Any previously configured PIN codes must be re-entered manually, and any certificates installed on the original system must be re-installed. Services that depend on these certificates may not operate correctly until the certificates have been restored.

The primary purpose of a Partial Restore is to allow inspection and recovery of the system configuration when administrator credentials from the backup are unavailable. It should not be considered a complete disaster recovery procedure.

After a Partial Restore, you may either:

Enroll new devices using the restored configuration.
Factory default existing devices, perform a network scan, and associate the rediscovered devices with the existing device configurations restored from the backup.

Device Behavior After Restore

After a restore operation, devices are compared against the restored system configuration.

Devices that reconnect to Zenitel Connect but are not present in the restored backup configuration are automatically reset to factory defaults. This can occur when an older backup is restored and the backup does not contain the enrollment information for devices that were added later.

By resetting these devices, Zenitel Connect ensures they can be rediscovered and enrolled again using the Scan process.

Best Practices

Zenitel recommends that you:

Create backups regularly.
Download backup files immediately after creation.
Store backup files in a secure location.
Store administrator credentials securely and independently of the server.
Retain a copy of installed licenses.
Retain a copy of installed certificates.
Verify backup and restore procedures as part of system maintenance and disaster recovery testing.
Create a new backup before performing major system changes or upgrades.

A backup file alone is not sufficient for complete disaster recovery. To perform a full system restore, administrator credentials from the original system must also be available.