A backup, search, and restore service is provided. The service can be achieved through a backup system, and a search and restore server. A user can be enabled to initiate a search request for one or more data items. A search can be performed by the search and restore server using metadata for the data items backed up by the backup system to return the one or more data items. The metadata for the data items can be generated by the backup system when data items are backed up by the backup system. The backup system may back up the data items on an incremental basis. The user can be enabled to select a data item in the one or more data items for restoration on the data system. Header information of the selected data item can be obtained from the data system to determine whether the restoration is necessary.