---
title: Backup File Contents and File Management
slug: manufacturing-connect-edge-v2/backup-file-contents-and-file-management
docTags: 
createdAt: 2022-05-27T15:24:42.000Z
---

Review the following information for backup file contents and file management. 

# What Gets Backed Up

Configurations, including OPC UA configurations, are saved in a `.DAT` file, which is downloadable from the *Backup/Restore Configuration* section in the *Backup/Restore* tab. 

Backup consists of:

- User, role, and group configurations
- Device IP
- Authentication Settings
  - API-keys
  - Users
  - Password Policy
- DeviceHub settings (device and tags)
  - Including metadata
- Marketplace catalogues
- Device Management Settings
  - Certificates
  - Timezone
  - Friendly names
  - Network Card Configurations
  - DNS
  - NTP
- Flow Instance and Flows File
- OPC UA settings including hierarchy
- Saved firewall rules and static routes
- Integration Connectors, Configurations and Subscribed Topics
- Analytics Groups and Processors
- Licensing Information

# What Is Not Backed Up

Databases, containers, and volume/images are not part of backup.

# Backup File Characteristics

The lightweight backup file:

- Makes efficient use of storage resources
- Uses encryption to secure credentials

# Best Practices

The following recommendations help to ensure seamless recovery:

- The default backup file is named something like `backup_1624983948318.dat`. Rename the file based on a naming convention that identifies the date the backup was taken.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Example**: `2020-09-18 12:51-backup.dat`
:::

- Move the backup file from the default `Downloads` directory to an operational directory on a server that can be accessed by the operations team.

# Successful Backup

The backup `.DAT` file must be extracted and opened in Notepad.

- This `.DAT` file contains the Manufacturing Connect Edge configurations, as well as OPC UA configurations and Flows configurations.
- Use this file to restore your Manufacturing Connect Edge device.

:::hint{type="warning"}
**Caution**: Modifications to the contents of the backup `.DAT` file may render it unusable for restoring a Manufacturing Connect Edge device.
:::