Backup and Restore

Backup & Restore Settings

Creating and maintaining backups

AAE Cloud Backup protects your station’s configuration and database. Internet access and an authorized station with Remote Access enabled are required.

Backups include:

• Audio-library information, including file references and cue information.

• Saved clocks, weekly scheduling assignments, and dated schedules.

• Custom hot-key pages and timed-recorder schedules.

• Station settings, including audio-device, Bridge, and RDS/streaming configuration.

• Recent reports and playback history, limited to the last 30 days and up to 100,000 records in each history category.

• Each backup is per station. So if you have multiple stations on one computer, you will need to perform multiple backups and restorations if needed. 

IMPORTANT: Actual audio files and recordings are not included. Back up these files separately to another drive, server, or backup service.

Automatic backups:

1. Leave AAE running with an internet connection and its APEX Cloud sign-in active.

2. AAE checks periodically and creates a backup when there is no successful backup for the current local calendar day.

3. A successful manual backup also satisfies that day’s automatic-backup requirement.

4. If the computer is off or disconnected, AAE attempts the overdue backup after it is running and connected again. It cannot recreate backups for missed days.

5. Check the Last cloud backup timestamp periodically to confirm backups remain current.

Backups run in the background. Keeping the Settings screen open is not required.

Backup history:

• The latest available backup for each of the last seven UTC calendar dates is retained.

• One backup is retained for each of the previous four completed weeks.

• A backup can serve both daily and weekly retention, so there are at most 11 retained archives.

• Additional manual backups on the same UTC date replace that date’s earlier recovery point.

• If a station remains offline for an extended period, its latest successful backup is preserved.

Dates are displayed in local time, while retention uses UTC. Backup archives are limited to 128 MiB compressed. If a backup exceeds that limit, AAE reports an error and preserves previous successful backups.

Restoring after a computer failure

Restore From Backup is intended for a fresh replacement station, with an empty audio-library database, dated schedules, and saved-clock store. It does not overwrite a populated working station. Each backup is per station. So if you have multiple stations on one computer, you will need to perform multiple backups and restorations if needed. 

1. Install AAE on the replacement computer.
   Use the same software version that created the backup or a newer authorized version. Skip this step when restoring on the existing computer.

2. Authorize the original station.
   Complete normal licensing using the original station serial number and authorization credentials. Remote Access must remain enabled.

3. Connect AAE to APEX Cloud.
   Ensure AAE has internet access and completes its normal sign-in. Allow it to check for existing cloud backups. On a replacement computer, restore before importing a new 

library or programming the station.

4. Connect APEX Client in Local Mode.
   Select the correct station and open Settings. Restore must be initiated through the local connection.

7. Confirm the audio-library folder for a full rollback.
Leave the entry blank to use the backed-up location, or enter the full folder path on the AAE computer, such as D:\Station Audio. Preserve the folder structure beneath that location. Selective restore keeps the current audio paths and does not show this prompt.

11. Restore your audio files separately.
Copy your separately backed-up audio into the appropriate folders. Files originally located outside the main audio-library folder may need to be restored to their original locations.

12. Review the recovered configuration.
Check audio-device assignments, Bridge connections, recorder settings, library paths, schedules and hot-key pages for the computer now hosting the station.

14. Start automation manually.
After reconnecting, select the recovered station, confirm its current schedule and audio configuration, and click Start Automation. Verify that the correct audio plays and the playlist advances.