Quickstart: Prove One Restore

One useful evaluation has one outcome: restore a known file from a verified backup. Use Docker Compose and one non-production machine to prove that outcome before configuring anything else.

Start XReplicator. Protect one test machine. Restore one file and match its checksum.

Before You Start

You need a trusted Linux host with Docker Compose, one non-production Linux or Windows machine, and root or Administrator access. Allow TCP 3000 to the web UI and TCP 50051 from the test machine to the Docker host.

Create a free Community license and download license.json.

1. Start XReplicator

On the Docker host:


mkdir -p xreplicator-compose && cd xreplicator-compose
curl -LO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xmigrate/xreplicator/main/deploy/docker-compose/compose.yaml
curl -LO https://raw.githubusercontent.com/xmigrate/xreplicator/main/deploy/docker-compose/.env.example
cp .env.example .env
mkdir -p tls license
 
openssl req -x509 -newkey rsa:4096 -nodes -days 30 \
  -keyout tls/tls.key \
  -out tls/tls.crt \
  -subj "/CN=backup-server.xmigrate.com" \
  -addext "subjectAltName=DNS:backup-server.xmigrate.com,DNS:backup-server,IP:127.0.0.1"
 
cp tls/tls.crt tls/ca.crt
cp /path/to/license.json license/license.json
docker compose up -d
docker compose ps

When backup-server and frontend are healthy, open http://DOCKER_HOST:3000.

This quickstart uses a self-signed certificate and a privileged backup-server container with host /dev access. Use your organization CA, separate client certificates, and a reviewed topology for production.

2. Protect One Test Machine

Create a small file before the backup and keep its checksum:

Linux


printf 'XReplicator restore proof\n' | sudo tee /var/tmp/xreplicator-restore-proof.txt
sudo sha256sum /var/tmp/xreplicator-restore-proof.txt

Install one backup agent, then configure only these evaluation values:

device.paths: the test disk containing the proof file.
storage.grpc.server_address: DOCKER_HOST:50051.
storage.grpc.max_retries: 0.
storage.grpc.tls.server_name: backup-server.xmigrate.com.

For this isolated lab, securely copy tls/ca.crt, tls/tls.crt, and tls/tls.key from the Docker host to the test machine and point the agent TLS fields at them. Do not reuse this certificate arrangement in production.

Configuration references: Linux, Windows, and production mTLS.

Restart the agent:

Linux


sudo systemctl restart backup-agent
sudo systemctl status backup-agent

In the web UI, open Clients, confirm the machine is connected, and click Trigger Backup. Continue when Snapshots shows a completed restore point.

3. Prove the Restore

In Snapshots:

Run metadata or sample verification against the completed restore point.
Browse to the proof file and click Restore.
Restore to a safe temporary destination, never over the source.
Calculate the restored file checksum.

Linux


sha256sum /path/to/restored/xreplicator-restore-proof.txt

The restored file exists, opens correctly, and matches the checksum recorded before the backup. That is the first successful XReplicator evaluation.

If It Does Not Pass

Check the service nearest the failure:


# Docker host
docker compose ps
docker compose logs --tail=100 backup-server frontend
 
# Linux test machine
sudo journalctl -u backup-agent -n 100 --no-pager

The common causes are an unreachable DOCKER_HOST:50051, a certificate name or CA mismatch, the wrong device path, or an inactive license.

After the First Restore

Run the broader Restore Challenge.
Choose a production topology in Deployment Models.
Use the Helm deployment path when Kubernetes is part of the evaluation.
Review production controls in the Trust Center.

Stop the Docker evaluation with docker compose down. Add -v only when you also intend to delete its local database and backup data.