How to Restore the Encryption Key
Applies To: System Center Essentials 2010
In System Center Essentials 2010, the Essentials management server encryption key holds all the Run As account information defined in the management group. To successfully restore a failed Essentials management server, you must use that key to reattach the databases and to access the Run As accounts that have been encrypted with this key. If you need to restore the Essentials management server without this backup, you would need to re-enter all of your Run As accounts.
To back up or restore the encryption key, you must use the SecureStorageBackup tool. You can launch the tool from the desktop, or from the Essentials 2010 installation folder. Depending on how you launch the tool, it starts the Encryption Key Backup or Restore Wizard, or runs in command-line mode.
Use the Encryption Key Backup or Restore Wizard
When you run SecureStorageBackup.exe from the Essentials 2010 installation folder without parameters, the tool starts the Encryption Key Backup or Restore Wizard.
To use the Encryption Key Backup or Restore Wizard to restore the encryption key
Log on to the computer hosting the Essentials management server with an account that is a member of the Administrators group.
On the Windows desktop, click Start, and then click Run.
In the Run dialog box, type cmd and then click OK.
At the command prompt, type:
cd <Installation Folder>
SecureStorageBackup
In the Encryption Key Backup or Restore Wizard, on the Backup or Restore? page, select the Restore the Encryption Key option.
Complete the wizard.
Use the SecureStorageBackup Tool in Command-Line Mode
When you run SecureStorageBackup.exe from the Essentials 2010 installation folder with valid parameters, the tool runs in command-line mode. You can run SecureStorageBackup.exe with the '/?' switch to get help for the tool.
To start the SecureStorageBackup tool in a command-line mode to restore the Essentials management server encryption key
Log on to the computer hosting the management server with an account that is a member of the Administrators group.
On the Windows desktop, click Start, and then click Run.
In the Run dialog box, type cmd and then click OK.
At a command prompt, type:
cd <Installation Folder>
SecureStorageBackup Restore <Backup File>
At the Please enter the password to use for storage/retrieval prompt, type a password that is at least eight characters long, and then press ENTER.
At the Please re-enter your password prompt, type the same password, and then press ENTER.