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EdgeRouter - Backup and Restore Configuration

Overview

Readers will learn how to backup and restore the configuration file of an EdgeRouter. It is also possible to use this method to apply the same configuration to multiple EdgeRouters.

NOTES & REQUIREMENTS:
Applicable to the latest EdgeOS firmware on all EdgeRouter models. Please see the Related Articles below for more information and see the attachments for the configuration used in this article.
Devices and products used in this article:

Table of Contents

  1. The EdgeOS Configuration Files
  2. Backup and Restore using the Web UI
  3. Backup and Restore using UNMS
  4. Backup and Restore using the Command Line
  5. Related Articles

The EdgeOS Configuration Files

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The EdgeRouter platform stores all the configured changes in the boot/startup configuration file. This file is called config.boot and is loaded when the EdgeRouter (re)boots. The file can either be downloaded through the Web UI (contained in the configuration backup archive) or transferred/copied from the Command Line. Both methods are demonstrated below.

ATTENTION:Care should be taken when uploading a backup configuration file to a different EdgeRouter model than the backup was created on. Different EdgeRouter models support different feature-sets (for example switch-port modules and different port counts). 

Backup and Restore using the Web UI

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topology.png

The first step is to download the backup archive from the EdgeRouter using the Web UI.

GUI: Access the EdgeRouter Web UI.

1. Navigate to the System tab in the bottom-left of the GUI to download the backup configuration archive.

System > Configuration Management & Device Maintenance > Back Up Config

2. Download the backup config file by clicking on the Download button.

3. The EdgeRouter will prompt you to save the archive on your computer.

NOTE: The EdgeRouter startup configuration file (config.boot) is included in an archive called edgeos_hostname_yyyymmdd.tar.gz.

4.  Verify the configuration by opening the edgeos_hostname_yyyymmdd.tar.gz archive and extracting the config.boot file.

archive.png

NOTE:You can use a file archival program such as 7-Zip to open the backup configuration archive.

5.  Verify the contents of the configuration by opening the config.boot file using a text editor.

firewall {
all-ping enable
broadcast-ping disable
ipv6-src-route disable
ip-src-route disable
log-martians disable
<...output shortened...>

If you wish to restore the device using the configuration archive, follow the steps below:

GUI: Access the EdgeRouter Web UI.

1. Navigate to the System tab in the bottom-left of the GUI to upload a previously downloaded archive.

System > Configuration Management & Device Maintenance > Back Up Config

2. Upload the backup config archive by clicking on the Upload a file button.

3. Browse your computer for the backup configuration archive.

4. Wait for the file to be uploaded.

5. The EdgeRouter will prompt for a device reboot to complete the restore.

6. Reboot the device to load the new configuration.

Backup and Restore using UNMS

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GUI: Access the UNMS Controller Web Portal.

1. Navigate to the Devices  devices.png  and select the EdgeRouter.

2. Navigate to the Backups  backup.png  section.

3. Manually create a new backup using the  createbackup.png  button.

NOTE:UNMS will automatically create backups for devices by default.

If you wish to restore the device using UNMS, follow the steps below:

GUI: Access the UNMS Controller Web Portal.

1. Navigate to the Devices  devices.png  and select the EdgeRouter.

2. Navigate to the Backups  backup.png  section.

3. Click on the Restore button in the Actions menu for one of the manually or automatically created backup files.

restore.png

4. Reboot the EdgeRouter to apply the backup configuration.

Backup and Restore using the Command Line

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The EdgeRouter uses three configuration sets:

  • Boot/Startup Config When the EdgeRouter reboots, it loads the boot/startup configuration (config.boot)
  • Active Config Currently active configuration with changes that have not been saved to the boot/startup configuration yet.
  • Working Config Non-active configuration with changes that have not been applied (committed) yet.

If you wish to backup the EdgeRouter boot/startup configuration file, follow the steps below:

CLI: Access the Command Line Interface.You can do this using the CLI button in the GUI or by using a program such as PuTTY.

1. Enter configuration mode.

configure

2. Make sure that all changes in the currently active/working configurations are saved to the boot/startup config.

commit ; save

3. Verify the contents of the config.boot file.

cat /config/config.boot

4. Save the configuration to a remote machine using either TFTP, SCP, FTP or SFTP.

save ?
Possible completions:   scp://<user>:<passwd>@<host>/<file>   Save to file on remote machine
  sftp://<user>:<passwd>@<host>/<file>  Save to file on remote machine
ftp://<user>:<passwd>@<host>/<file> Save to file on remote machine
  tftp://<host>/<file>                  Save to file on remote machine

save tftp://192.168.1.10/config.boot

Warning: saving configuration to non-default location 'tftp://192.168.1.10/config.boot'...
######################################################################## 100.0%
Done

5. Verify the contents of the startup configuration by opening the config.boot file using a text editor.

firewall {
all-ping enable
broadcast-ping disable
ipv6-src-route disable
ip-src-route disable
log-martians disable
<...output shortened...>
 

If you wish to restore the device using the boot/startup configuration file, follow the steps below:

CLI: Access the Command Line Interface.

1. Enter configuration mode.

configure

2. Load the backup configuration from a local or a remote file.

load ?

Possible completions:
  <Enter>                               Load from system config file
  <file>                                Load from file on local machine
  scp://<user>:<passwd>@<host>/<file>   Load from file on remote machine
  sftp://<user>:<passwd>@<host>/<file>  Load from file on remote machine
ftp://<user>:<passwd>@<host>/<file> Load from file on remote machine
http://<host>/<file> Load from file on remote machine
tftp://<host>/<file> Load from file on remote machine

load tftp://192.168.1.10/config.boot
######################################################################## 100.0%
Loading configuration from '/config/config.boot.2380'...

Load complete. Use 'commit' to make changes active.

3. Compare the differences between the backup/working configuration and the active configuration.

compare

4. Commit the changes and save the active configuration to the startup/boot configuration.

commit ; save

Related Articles

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EdgeRouter - How to Connect to Serial Console

EdgeSwitch - Backup and Restore Configuration

EdgeRouter - How to Post Configurations on the EdgeRouter Community Forums

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