When the Full Disk Encryption Agent creates an ERI file, it stores the file in the following locations:
A cache on the ZENworks partition.
The ZENworks Server. If the agent cannot immediately contact the ZENworks Server, it retries the upload at 5 minute intervals until successful.
A location specified by the user, if the user initiated the creation of the file. To be useful in an emergency recovery situation, the user should save the file to a removable storage device such as a USB device.
You should use a device’s newest ERI file when recovering the device. This ensures that all encryption information required to access or decrypt the device’s drives is correct for the current state of the drives. If necessary, you can use an older ERI, but depending on the changes since the ERI was generated, you might not be able to access or decrypt drives.
The cache always contains a device’s newest ERI file. If the file has also been uploaded to the ZENworks Server, you can use ZENworks Control Center to view the file’s password. When you use the Emergency Recovery application, you can load the file from the device’s cache and then enter the password.
ZENworks Control Center contains all of a device’s ERI files, including the newest ERI file unless the Full Disk Encryption Agent has not been able to connect and upload the file. You can download the newest ERI file and include it on the emergency recovery disk (ERD) along with the Emergency Recovery application, or you can download it and include it on a removable storage device (such as a USB device).