Restoring Your Data

To restore data from a backup file:

Generate a file that defines mapping of items (user accounts, sites, and so on) stored in the backup file to the items currently served by your Plesk hosting platform. To do this, run the following command from the command line:
/plesk_installation_directory/bin/pleskrestore --create-map <backup file name> -map <map file name>

If you have a multivolume backup, you should specify the first volume as the <backup file name>.

A mapping file will be generated and saved to the specified location. In most cases you will not need to edit this file: you will need to review its contents and specify mapping for items only if you fail to restore data from a backup due to object conflicts (for example, the range of IP addresses listed in the backup file is different from those available on the server), or if you wish to specify individual objects that should be restored.

Note: for details on mapping, see the section Editing a Mapping File.
Restore the data you need.
- To restore all backed up data, including server and control panel configuration, applications vaults, user accounts, web sites, databases, and mailboxes with e-mail messages, run the following command:
  /plesk_installation_directory/bin/pleskrestore --restore <backup file name> -level all -map <map file name>
  
  where <backup file name> is the name of the backup file or—if you have a multivolume backup—the name of the first volume, and <map file name> is the mapping file name.
- To restore all user accounts with users' sites, run the command:
  /plesk_installation_directory/bin/pleskrestore --restore <backup file name> -level clients -map <map file name>
  
  where <backup file name> is the name of the backup file or—if you have a multivolume backup—the name of the first volume, and <map file name> is the mapping file name.
- To restore selected user accounts with all their sites, run the command:
  /plesk_installation_directory/bin/pleskrestore --restore <backup file name> -level clients -filter list:client_name1,client_name2,client_name3 -map <mapping file name>
  
  where <backup file name> is the name of the backup file or—if you have a multivolume backup—the name of the first volume, and <mapping file name> is the mapping file name.
- To restore a specific user account with all user's web sites, run the command:
  /plesk_installation_directory/bin/pleskrestore --restore <backup file name> -level clients -filter list:client_name -map <mapping file name>
  
  where <backup file name> is the name of the backup file or—if you have a multivolume backup—the name of the first volume, and <mapping file name> is the mapping file name.
- To restore a specific user account with selected web sites belonging to the user, run the command:
  /plesk_installation_directory/bin/pleskrestore --restore <backup file name> -level clients -filter list:client_name1,domain1.com,domain2.com -map <mapping file name>
  
  where <backup file name> is the name of the backup file or—if you have a multivolume backup—the name of the first volume.
- To restore a specific web site, run the command:
  /plesk_installation_directory/bin/pleskrestore --restore <backup file name> -level domains -filter list:domain_name -map <mapping file name>
  
  where <backup file name> is the name of the backup file or—if you have a multivolume backup—the name of the first volume.
  
  Note: if you want to restore the data of a site backed up on another server, before doing so, make sure that the respective domain name is set up in Plesk. If it is not, add a new domain name through the control panel (without setting up a hosting account for it), and then run the aforementioned command.

Table 2. Pleskrestore utility commands and options.


Available commands
Command	Arguments and Syntax	Description
`--create-map`	`backup file name` `mapping file name`	Analyzes the specified backup file and creates a mapping file under the specified name.
`--validate-map`	`backup file name mapping file name`	Validates mapping file.
`--restore`	`backup file name`	Restores data from a backup file.
`--help or -h`		Shows the available commands and options.
Available options
`-level`	`clients, domains, or all`	Specifies restoring level: clients restores user accounts, domains restores web sites, all restores all items from the backup file.
`-filter`	`mapping file name` or `list: item1, item2, item3`	Specifies objects for restoring: user accounts or web sites.
`-license`		Specifies that the license key from a backup file should be restored.
`-map`	`mapping file name`	Path to the mapping file.
`-verbose`		Shows the information about restoring progress.

In this chapter:

Editing a Mapping File