Backup files

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Vovven
Posts: 35
Joined: 14 Dec 2015 20:38
Location: Sweden

Backup files

Post by Vovven »

What is the difference between backup files zab and zbk, produced by Smart Home UI and Expert UI respectively?
zab file is roughly twice the size of zbk for my configuration.

regards,
Vovven
Posts: 35
Joined: 14 Dec 2015 20:38
Location: Sweden

Re: Backup files

Post by Vovven »

Doesn't anyone have any knowledge about the difference between the 2 backup procedures?

regards,
pz1
Posts: 2053
Joined: 08 Apr 2012 13:44

Re: Backup files

Post by pz1 »

Vovven wrote:Doesn't anyone have any knowledge about the difference between the 2 backup procedures?

regards,
Smarthome only produces a partial backup. Expert UI produces a complete backup that optionally also restores the devices to the Z-Wave controller, or a different Z-Way controller.

Unfortunately this information is very hard to find for both newbies and seasoned users in the rather incoherent documentation that ZWave>Me provides in several places.
Since 29-12-2016 I am no longer a moderator for this forum
Vovven
Posts: 35
Joined: 14 Dec 2015 20:38
Location: Sweden

Re: Backup files

Post by Vovven »

OK, thanks pz1.

Let's see if I understand this correctly.
What I tried to achieve was to setup a new sd-card as a copy of my production-system.
So I installed Raspbian and Z-way v2.2.5.
Then I loaded my backupfile from the Expert UI.
The result was that I got all me devices loaded and I could see all elements in the Smart home UI.
What was missing was all my apps with the logic that I've built. The dashboard was also empty.
Then trying to load the Smart home backup on top of this just produces an error, unfortunately I didn't make a note of the error.

The question is, are there any known problems with backups?

Have I understood correctly that installing Raspbian, Z-way server and Expert UI backup should create a copy of my production system?

regards,
pz1
Posts: 2053
Joined: 08 Apr 2012 13:44

Re: Backup files

Post by pz1 »

This is how it worked for me in March 2016. Due to lack of time, I haven't tested it later with the newer versions
Vovven
Posts: 35
Joined: 14 Dec 2015 20:38
Location: Sweden

Re: Backup files

Post by Vovven »

Thanks for the link.
I'll revisit this when I get the time. I only have a production system to play with so some carefulness is needed.
It would be nice to have a verified procedure in place if corruption occurs.

regards,
klaasjoerg
Posts: 126
Joined: 30 Sep 2016 23:49

Re: Backup files

Post by klaasjoerg »

Hi Together,
today I replaced my razberry board and had to restore zway-backup-files.
My .ZBK File is around 400KB created with ExpertUI while the .ZAB File is around 7MB and created in the main UI. While ZBK only seem to contain basic Controller, Device, Inclusion and Routing-Informations the ZAB File contains the full App-Configurations/Logics.

To make a long story short:
1. I had to restore both files otherwise more or less important stuff is definitively missing.
2. I had to shutdown and reload zway and the UI, before I saw the results
3. It took quite a while (several hours) waiting before the full network routes where re-created again.

After those steps above:
4. Everything worked fine and without any problems. So Backup/Restore procedure worked 100% for me (and my around 100 included devices).
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