Best Practices for Activating Endpoint Devices Using Auth Keys to Avoid Snapshot Discrepancies

When deploying endpoint backup solutions, administrators must ensure that data is captured from the intended user's profile. This article outlines the recommended best practices for executing authentication keys (auth keys) during device activation. Following these guidelines ensures that Druva maps the correct user profile paths (such as Desktop, Documents, and Downloads) and prevents empty snapshots or missing data.

To ensure the correct user data is backed up successfully and to avoid profile mismatch issues, implement the following procedures during deployment:

Always have the intended end-user log into the endpoint device with their own credentials before executing the auth key.

Administrators should not log into the endpoint device using their own admin credentials to execute the auth key for an end-user. While the backup will run successfully without errors daily, it will capture the admin's profile directory, resulting in empty or smaller-than-expected user snapshots.

Before finalizing the activation, verify that the environment variables and user paths match the intended user. Ensure the active session points to the correct profile folder:

C:\Users\[username]

If a device was previously activated under an admin session and is experiencing missing data or empty snapshot discrepancies: