Getting Started

Getting Started

This page is for your first successful drill.

Do not start with real secrets. Start with a small test file, make one backup, recover it, and compare the bytes.

Before You Start

• Install Ethernity. Use the README for the current install methods.
• Use test data.
• Keep the first drill simple. Do not start with sharding unless you already know why you need it.

What Backup Produces

Most runs produce:

• qr_document.pdf
• recovery_document.pdf
• optional shard-*-N-of-K.pdf
• optional signing-key-shard-*-N-of-K.pdf
• optional recovery_kit_index.pdf for designs that support it

First Drill

Create a tiny file:

printf "ethernity test payload\n" > payload.txt

Create a backup:

ethernity backup \
  --input ./payload.txt \
  --output-dir ./backup-demo \
  --passphrase "ethernity test passphrase"

Recover it from the generated folder:

ethernity recover \
  --scan ./backup-demo \
  --passphrase "ethernity test passphrase" \
  --output ./restored.txt

Compare the result:

cmp ./payload.txt ./restored.txt

On Windows PowerShell:

fc.exe /b .\payload.txt .\restored.txt

If the compare step reports no differences, the drill passed.

Second Drill: Try A Sharded Backup

Once the basic drill works, try a 2-of-3 passphrase-sharded backup:

ethernity backup \
  --input ./payload.txt \
  --output-dir ./backup-demo-sharded \
  --passphrase "ethernity test passphrase" \
  --shard-threshold 2 \
  --shard-count 3

Then recover it with two shard documents or shard text inputs.

Supported Design Names

Use supported design names only:

• archive
• forge
• ledger
• maritime
• sentinel

If you are unsure, start with sentinel.

What To Do Next

• Use Backup Workflow before protecting real data.
• Use Extension Workflow if the data set will keep changing.
• Use Recovery Workflow before writing your incident runbook.
• Use Command Cheatsheet when you want copy/paste examples.
• Use Recovery Kit if you want the browser-based recovery helper.