3CX’s PBX Express tool can restore backups of existing installations. This enables customers to:

  1. Move from an on-premise installation to the cloud
  2. Change cloud provider
  3. Use it as a disaster recovery method.

The only requirement is a backup of the current installation, with the options “Include License Key Information & FQDN” checked.

Pre-Flight Checklist

Before moving do be aware of the following; which can appear intermittently while moving an active instance onto the PBX Express:

  • Shut down all 3CX services on the current on-premise host before restoring in the cloud!
  • Public DNS IPs will be:
    • Automatically adjusted if 3CX FQDN is used and Public IP settings are set to dynamic
    • Manually updated if 3CX FQDN is used and Public IP settings are set to static (Settings → Network → Public IP → External IP)
    • Manually updated if Customer FQDN is used. Update the public IP address within 3CX and update your Public DNS records to point to your 3CX instance.
  • The 3CX apps will reconnect once the FQDN becomes reachable again and the configuration will update automatically.
  • IP phones might need to be reconfigured. This depends on the current setting, local LAN must be updated to STUN or SBC setting. Existing STUN phone will reconnect automatically when the FQDN with the updated IP becomes available. Check with ‘nslookup [3CX-FQDN]’ when IP caches have been updated. To see if 3CX has updated the IPs use ‘nslookup [3CX-FQDN] 8.8.8.8’. This can take a few minutes up to 6 hours.
  • When 3CX SBCs are used, check that the configuration settings match the instance in your cloud provider

Important Notes:

  • HTTPs Web Server port will be set to 443
  • SIP and 3CX Tunnel port will be set to 5060 and 5090 respectively

Taking the backup

Taking your cloud PBX backup

As previously stated the option “Include License Key Information & FQDN” must be checked. It is advisable to also include “System Voice Prompts and Audio Files for music on hold”. DO NOT use any caps, special characters or spaces for the backup name:

  • pbxexpress → OK
  • pbxexpress1 → OK
  • PBXexpress → Bad
  • pbx express → Bad
  • pbx!express → Bad

Avoid restoring Call Logs, Custom Templates, Voicemails and Recordings as those will drastically increase the time a backup needs to be restored and the file size which needs to be moved! You may encrypt the backup.

Uploading the Backup

In order for the PBX Express to restore the backup, the backup must be accessible via HTTP or HTTPs. You can use any webserver to do so or simply use Dropbox or OneDrive.

Download the generated backup from the 3CX Management Console.

Backup and restore your cloud PBX

Dropbox

And upload it to Dropbox for example. Press “Share” on the file and select “Create Link” followed by “Copy Link”

Upload your PBX backup to dropbox

Microsoft OneDrive

In Microsoft OneDrive right click on the backup file and press share. Set the link settings as below and “Copy Link”.

Save your PBX backup to your Microsoft OneDrive

Restore the Backup

Go to PBX Express and select the option to restore a backup.

Place the URL pointing to your backup file and specify (optional) the decryption password of the backup. Select in which time zone the deployment should be created (OS time) and where status information should be sent once the restore is completed.

Restore your PBX backup in the Cloud directly

Note: The backup will be downloaded from your backup location onto the cloud instance directly.