Just a quick question guys, is it possible to automate the backup configuration for the BIGIP. I have read a doc on askf5 to manaually backup and restore config's but i dont have time to do that. Please advise.

Simple answer = yes. Add /bin/bigpipe config save /path/to/backup.ucs to your system crontab daily/hourly/weekly/whatever.

leonkyneur, Thanks for the instruction mate. i am not familiar with the command line on the BIGIP. Can you please give me more detail explanation. I already use WinSCP to manage files on the BIGIP to move and edit files

The bigip is linux under the hood, so a google search for system-related management will help you out next time. This will create a file in /etc/cron.daily (daily backup) that will archive your configuration to /var/tmp/daily_archive.ucs. echo \\!\/bin\/bash > /etc/cron.daily/config_archive echo " " >> /etc/cron.daily/config_archive echo \/bin\/bigpipe config save \/var\/tmp\/daily_archive.ucs >> /etc/cron.daily/config_archive chmod +x /etc/cron.daily/config_archive

Like i said i am not linux expert but the command below do i execute on the BIGIP under the CLI to create a file in /etc/cron.daily (daily backup) that will archive ymy configuration to /var/tmp/daily_archive.ucs? echo \\!\/bin\/bash > /etc/cron.daily/config_archive echo " " >> /etc/cron.daily/config_archive echo \/bin\/bigpipe config save \/var\/tmp\/daily_archive.ucs >> /etc/cron.daily/config_archive chmod +x /etc/cron.daily/config_archive

Yes, you can just execute those lines in sequence on the CLI. Be aware though that this may not survive an upgrade of the unit. Denny

BIGIP (LTM/GTM) Automated Backup

28 Replies

Kevin_Davies_40
Nacreous
Jan 23, 2014
!/bin/bash host=`echo $HOSTNAME | awk -F. '{ print $1 }'` date=`date +%Y%m%d` /usr/bin/tmsh save /sys ucs backup_${host}_${date}.ucs /usr/bin/find /var/local/ucs -name backup_${host}_\*.ucs -mtime +30 -exec rm {} \;

Save the above to a new file called /config/mybackup and add the following line to /config/startup.

[ ! -L /etc/cron.daily/mybackup ] && ln -s /config/mybackup /etc/cron.daily/mybackup

Now run the following commands to complete the configuration.

chmod +x /config/mybackup ln -s /config/mybackup /etc/cron.daily/mybackup
- Kevin_Davies_40
  Nacreous
  Jan 23, 2014
  The mybackup script should carry over to an upgraded config and be stored in a UCS archive. If for any reason the symbolic link goes away the command in /config/startup will recreate it. The find will remove any backups older than thirty days. Just check the backup size as 30 of them may take up too much space.
- Viv_Richards
  Cirrostratus
  Apr 23, 2017
  Dear Kevin,
  
  I am trying to configure automated backup by following above script. Could you please confirm where backup will be stored in this case ? /etc/cron.daily/mybackup is not directory
  
  Thanks
- Samir_Jha_52506
  Noctilucent
  Apr 23, 2017
  Find the below details
  
  mybackup --> Script file Name & it store inside /config/ Directory /var/local/ucs --> backup file will be store
ogozar_275571
Nimbostratus
Sep 12, 2017
Hello,

Hello, when I generate an automatic backup it shows me this error when I execute the script:

Error, invalid characters in UCS file name. The dash, period, forward-slash, plus sign, and underscore are the only special characters allowed.

What is the problem?

Thank's
Nik_108945
Nimbostratus
Sep 12, 2017
here's a python script i wrote that will create a text backup or download a ucs. i use the text backup to submit to git in order to track changes, and the ucs backup run via cron once a day for a ucs backup. run the script and it will print usage for you.

https://github.com/nambrosch/misc-scripts/blob/master/f5backup.py

you'll need f5's bigsuds module v1.0.4 or newer.. it can be installed using
sudo pip install bigsuds
or downloads here:

https://github.com/F5Networks/bigsuds

hope this helps!
Cyril_M
Altostratus
Sep 12, 2017
There is an extra feature you can add to your daily backup, it's committing your bigip.conf to a GIT or a SVN so you can keep track of the changes that have been done, with your favorite repo browser (sourceTree for instance :)