Example apparatus and methods concern creating synthetic backups from existing backups. One example method includes accessing first information that is associated with an existing backup(s). The first information may be computer data that describes data stored on a backup media or appliance. The first information may be referred to as metadata. The existing backup may reside on a backup medium (e.g., tape), on a backup appliance (e.g., disk), or elsewhere. The example method includes instantiating second information (e.g., metadata) associated with a synthetic backup to be created. The second information may be stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium. The example method also includes selectively manipulating the second information to create the synthetic backup. The manipulating may include copying portions of the first information into the second information. In one embodiment, the synthetic backup is only logically created and thus no data is copied from the existing backup.

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