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Securely Downloading Datto Cloud Backups with WinSCP

Garrett Dycus

May 9 2025

2 min read

When managing backups and disaster recovery, having access to offsite copies of your data is crucial. Datto provides cloud storage for backups, and retrieving these backup snapshots efficiently is essential. In this guide, we’ll walk through using WinSCP to securely download backup files from the Datto cloud.

Why Use WinSCP?

WinSCP is a free and powerful SFTP, FTP, and SCP client for Windows. It provides:

Secure file transfer via SFTP
A graphical interface for easy navigation
Automation capabilities through scripting

Prerequisites

Ensure you have:

WinSCP Installed – Download it from WinSCP’s official website.
Datto Cloud Credentials – These SFTP credentials are supplied when mounting an image backup in the cloud.
Sufficient Storage – Enough space to store the downloaded image files (VHD, VHDX, VMDK).

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Open WinSCP and Configure Connection

Launch WinSCP and click New Site.
Set File Protocol to SFTP.
Enter Host Name, Port Number, Username, and Password (provided by Datto).
Click Save (optional) and Login.

2. Navigate to Backup Files

Once connected:

The left pane shows your local machine.
The right pane displays the Datto cloud storage.
Locate the backup files in the right pane.

find backup files in Datto cloud to download

3. Download Backup Files

Select the required files or folders.
Drag them from the right pane (Datto cloud) to the left pane (local system).
Alternatively, right-click and select Download.

4. Verify and Validate

After downloading:

Compare file sizes for accuracy.
Test restore or mount the backup to ensure integrity.

Conclusion

And that’s all there is to it! WinSCP is a secure and efficient way to download Datto cloud backups and restore your devices. Have any questions about the process? Reach out to our experts at any time!

This publication contains general information only and Sikich is not, by means of this publication, rendering accounting, business, financial, investment, legal, tax, or any other professional advice or services. This publication is not a substitute for such professional advice or services, nor should you use it as a basis for any decision, action or omission that may affect you or your business. Before making any decision, taking any action or omitting an action that may affect you or your business, you should consult a qualified professional advisor. In addition, this publication may contain certain content generated by an artificial intelligence (AI) language model. You acknowledge that Sikich shall not be responsible for any loss sustained by you or any person who relies on this publication.

About the Author

Garrett Dycus

Garrett Dycus is a Senior Network Consultant at Sikich, delivering technology solutions to help clients achieve their business objectives. With over 20 years of experience and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, he specializes in server infrastructure, networking, and Microsoft Cloud technologies, providing expertise and trusted advisory to drive impactful results.