Issue
- ESET Endpoint Encryption Server has been lost due to a natural disaster or other unavoidable cause
- Restore EEE Server from a backup
- Decrypt granular data on client workstations
- Full Disk Encryption (FDE) protected workstations
- Installing EEE Server
- Adopt client workstations
Details
If you lose your ESET Endpoint Encryption Server (EEE Server) due to a natural disaster, hardware failure, or other reason, you can restore the EEE Server and reconnect it with client workstations.
- If you have a complete backup of your EEE Server, you can restore it from a backup.
- If you do not have a backup of your EEE Server, check if there are any encrypted granular data on client workstations. If yes, decrypt granular data.
Solution
Restore EEE Server from a backup
- If you have an up-to-date backup, restore your EEE Server.
- If you do not have an up-to-date backup, be aware that your backup does not reflect the latest changes, for example, new workstations, teams, groups, and you will lose this information. Also, if your backup does not contain the most recent Encryption Keys, you need to decrypt all granular data that has been encrypted with the missing Encryption Keys on client workstations before adopting them into your new EEE Server.
- If you lose a workstation in the process of restoring your EEE Server, you can adopt a client back into your EEE Server.
Decrypt granular data on client workstations
If you do not have a backup of your EEE Server or you are missing an Encryption Key from your EEE Server backup, you need to decrypt all granular data on client workstations that have encrypted data with the missing Encryption Key. This means decrypting all files, folders, removable media (such as USB sticks and CDs).
- Encrypt and decrypt individual files.
- Encrypting and decrypting folders.
- Decrypt a memory stick or external disk using ESET Endpoint Encryption.
Full Disk Encryption (FDE) protected workstations
If you have workstations that are protected with Full Disk Encryption, this might be a problem if you have lost your EEE Server.
- If you have the admin username and password required to access the FDE pre-boot authentication screen, you can adopt FDE. You need to use the admin username and password to boot client workstations before adopting them into your new EEE Server to ensure that the details are correct.
- If you do not have the admin username and password required to access the FDE pre-boot authentication screen, you will not be able to decrypt the workstation. Instead, log in as any user and copy all the data on the workstation which you want to keep onto an external drive. Afterward, reinstall Windows.
Installing EEE Server
Ensure that your old EEE Server is no longer working, then install the ESET Endpoint Encryption Server.
Adopt client workstations
If you have client workstations (even if they are encrypted by FDE) that have ESET Endpoint Protection activated on them, adopt these into your new EEE Server.
