Backing up the configuration
Once you have tested your basic installation and verified that it functions correctly, create a backup. This “clean” backup can be used to:
- troubleshoot a non-functional configuration by comparing it with this functional baseline
- rapidly restore your installation to a simple yet working point
The following procedures only produce a backup of the configuration file. If you have also configured other settings such as block/safe lists, dictionaries, and the Bayesian databases, you should back them up as well. |
To back up the configuration file via the GUI
- Log in to the GUI as the
admin
administrator. - Go to System > Maintenance > Configuration.
- Select System configuration (and User configuration if you have already configured user preferences).
- Click Backup.
Other administrator accounts do not have the required permissions.
If your browser prompts you, navigate to the folder where you want to save the configuration file. Click Save.
Your browser downloads the configuration file. Time required varies by the size of the configuration and the specifications of the appliance’s hardware as well as the speed of your network connection.
To back up the configuration file via the CLI
- Log in to the CLI as the
admin
administrator using either the local serial console, the CLI Console widget in the GUI, or an SSH or Telnet connection. - Enter the following command:
Other administrator accounts do not have the required permissions.
execute backup full-config tftp <file-name_str> <server_ipv4> [<backup-password_str>]
where the variables and options are as follows:
Variable |
Description |
---|---|
<file-name_str> |
Type the file name of the backup. |
<server_ipv4> |
Type the IP address or domain name of the server. |
[<backup-password_str>] |
Optional. Type the password that will be used to encrypt the backup file. Caution: Do not lose this password. You will need to enter this same password when restoring the backup file in order for the appliance to successfully decrypt the file. If you cannot remember the password, the backup cannot be used. |
For example, the following command backs up a FortiMail-3000C’s configuration file to a file named FortiMail-3000C.conf
in the current directory on the TFTP server 172.16.1.10, encrypting the backup file using the password P@ssw0rd1
:
For example, the following command backs up a FortiMail-3000C’s configuration file to a file named FortiMail-3000C.conf
in the current directory on the TFTP server 172.16.1.10, encrypting the backup file using the password P@ssw0rd1
:
FortiMail-3000C # execute backup full-config tftp FortiMail-3000c.conf
172.16.1.10 P@ssw0rd1
Time required varies by the size of the database and the specifications of the appliance’s hardware, but could take several minutes.