Retrieving encrypted or compressed BLOBs from a Storage endpoint (4281625)

Symptom

The StoragePoint endpoint is using encryption and/or compression on externalized BLOB files. A database needed to be restored leaving some BLOBs orphaned, which had been externalized after the backup was created. These BLOBs need to be restored from the endpoint and added back to SharePoint.

If the files are encrypted and/or compressed, it is not a simple matter of retrieving them from the endpoint and re-uploading to StoragePoint. They first need to be decrypted and/or uncompressed.

1. Register the PowerShell library on one of the WFE or application servers. NOTE: It must be on a farm server where StoragePoint is installed.

   a. Run the StoragePoint installer on a WFE or application server.
   b. Click Advanced Options > Install StoragePoint PowerShell. A command window will launch that will register StoragePoint PowerShell on the server.

2. Use the following cmdlet to decrypt and/or uncompress:

   Get-DecryptUncompressBLOBFile
   

   The command allows you to decrypt and/or uncompress a BLOB file that is no longer referenced in SharePoint. The following parameters may also be used:

   • InputFile: The name of the encrypted and/or compressed BLOB file.
   • OutputFile: The filename and path to write the decrypted and/or uncompressed BLOB file to. It should be different than the InputFile parameter.
   • Uncompress: Switch parameter that indicates if input file is compressed and should be uncompressed.
   • Decrypt: Switch parameter that indicates if input file is encrypted and should be decrypted.
   • Passphrase: If decryption is specified (-Decrypt parameter), this parameter specifies the passphrase that was used as the basis for the encryption key. This is required if decryption is desired.
   • KeySize: Strength of AES encryption used to encrypt. 256 is the default. 128 is the other option.

   Below are some examples:

   • The following example shows decrypting a BLOB:

     Add-PSSnapin StoragePoint.PowershellCmdlets –erroraction SilentlyContinue
     Get-DecryptUncompressBLOBFile -InputFile "\\fs\sh\Blob1.docx.blob" -OutputFile "c:\blob1.docx" -Decrypt -Passphrase "myencryptionpassword"
     

   • The following example shows just uncompressing a BLOB:

     Add-PSSnapin StoragePoint.PowershellCmdlets –erroraction SilentlyContinue
     Get-DecryptUncompressBLOBFile -InputFile "\\fs\sh\Blob2.docx.blob" -OutputFile "c:\blob2.docx" -Uncompress
     

   • The following example shows decrypting and uncompressing a BLOB:

     Add-PSSnapin StoragePoint.PowershellCmdlets –erroraction SilentlyContinue
     Get-DecryptUncompressBLOBFile -InputFile "\\fs\sh\Blob3.docx.blob" -OutputFile "c:\blob3.docx" -Decrypt -Passphrase "myencryptionpassword" -Uncompress