Manual:Configuration Management

Manual:Configuration Management
Applies to RouterOS: ALL

Summary
This manual introduces you with commands which are used to perform the following functions:

system backup;
system restore from a backup;
configuration export;
configuration import;
system configuration reset.

Description
The configuration backup can be used for backing up MikroTik RouterOS configuration to a binary file, which can
be stored on the router or downloaded from it using FTP for future use. The configuration restore can be used for
restoring the router's configuration, exactly as it was at the backup creation moment, from a backup file. The
restoration procedure assumes the cofiguration is restored on the same router, where the backup file was originally
created, so it will create partially broken configuration if the hardware has been changed.
The configuration export can be used for dumping out complete or partial MikroTik RouterOS configuration to the
console screen or to a text (script) file, which can be downloaded from the router using FTP protocol. The
configuration dumped is actually a batch of commands that add (without removing the existing configuration) the
selected configuration to a router. The configuration import facility executes a batch of console commands from a
script file.
System reset command is used to erase all configuration on the router. Before doing that, it might be useful to
backup the router's configuration.

System Backup
Submenu level: /system backup
Description
The backup save command is used to store the entire router configuration in a backup file. The file is shown in the
/file submenu. It can be downloaded via ftp to keep it as a backup for your configuration.
Important! The backup file contains sensitive information, do not store your backup files inside the router's Files
directory, instead, download them, and keep them in a secure location.
To restore the system configuration, for example, after a /system reset-configuration, it is possible to upload that file
via ftp and load that backup file using load command in /system backup submenu. Command Description
load name=[filename] - Load configuration backup from a file
save name=[filename] - Save configuration backup to a file
Warning: If TheDude and user-manager is installed on the router then backup will not take care of
configuration used by these tools. Therefore additional care should be taken to save configuration from these.
Use provided tool mechanisms to save/export configuration if you want to save it.

Manual:Configuration Management

Example
To save the router configuration to file test:
[admin@MikroTik] system backup> save name=test
Configuration backup saved
[admin@MikroTik] system backup>
To see the files stored on the router:
[admin@MikroTik] > file print
# NAME
0 test.backup
[admin@MikroTik] >

TYPE
backup

SIZE
12567

CREATION-TIME
sep/08/2004 21:07:50

To load the saved backup file test:

[admin@MikroTik] > system backup load name=test
Restore and reboot? [y/N]:
y
Restoring system configuration
System configuration restored, rebooting now

Exporting Configuration
Command name: /export
The export command prints a script that can be used to restore configuration. The command can be invoked at any
menu level, and it acts for that menu level and all menu levels below it. The output can be saved into a file, available
for download using FTP.
Command Description
file=[filename] - saves the export to a file
Example
[admin@MikroTik] > ip address print
Flags: X - disabled, I - invalid, D - dynamic
#
ADDRESS
NETWORK
BROADCAST
0
10.1.0.172/24
10.1.0.0
10.1.0.255
1
10.5.1.1/24
10.5.1.0
10.5.1.255
[admin@MikroTik] >

INTERFACE
bridge1
ether1

To make an export file:

[admin@MikroTik] ip address> export file=address
[admin@MikroTik] ip address>
To see the files stored on the router:
[admin@MikroTik] > file print
# NAME
0 address.rsc
[admin@MikroTik] >

TYPE
script

SIZE
315

CREATION-TIME
dec/23/2003 13:21:48

Manual:Configuration Management

Compact Export
Starting from v5.12 compact export was added. It allows to export only part of configuration that is not default
RouterOS config.
Note: Starting from v6rc1 "export compact" is default behavior. To do old style export use export verbose

For example compact OSPF export:

[admin@SXT-ST] /routing ospf> export compact

# jan/02/1970 20:16:32 by RouterOS 5.12
# software id = JRB7-9UGC
#
/routing ospf instance
set [ find default=yes ] redistribute-connected=as-type-1
/routing ospf interface
add disabled=yes interface=wlan1 network-type=point-to-point
/routing ospf network
add area=backbone network=10.255.255.36/32
add area=backbone disabled=yes network=10.5.101.0/24
add area=backbone network=10.10.10.0/24
[admin@SXT-ST] /routing ospf>
Compact export introduces another feature that indicates which part of config is default on RouterOS and cannot be
deleted. As in example below '*' indicates that this OSPF instance is part of default configuration.
[admin@SXT-ST] /routing ospf instance> print
Flags: X - disabled, * - default
0 * name="default" router-id=0.0.0.0 distribute-default=never
redistribute-connected=as-type-1 redistribute-static=no
redistribute-rip=no redistribute-bgp=no redistribute-other-ospf=no
metric-default=1 metric-connected=20 metric-static=20 metric-rip=20
metric-bgp=auto metric-other-ospf=auto in-filter=ospf-in
out-filter=ospf-out
List of default config by menus that cannot be removed:
Menu

Entries

/interface wireless
security-profiles

default

/ppp profile

"default", "default-encryption"

/ip hotspot profile

"default"

/ip hotspot user profile

"default"

/ip ipsec proposal

"default"

/ip smb shares

"pub"

/ip smb users

"guest"

/ipv6 nd

"all"

Manual:Configuration Management

/mpls interface

"all"

/routing bfd interface

"all"

/routing bgp instance

"default"

/routing ospf instance

"default"

/routing ospf area

"backbone"

/routing ospf-v3 instance

"default"

/routing ospf-v3 area

"backbone"

/snmp community

"public"

/tool mac-server
mac-winbox

"all"

/tool mac-server

"all"

/system logging

"info", "error", "warning", "critical"

/system logging action

"memory", "disk", "echo", "remote"

/queue type

"default", "ethernet-default", "wireless-default", "synchronous-default", "hotspot-default", "only-hardware-queue",

"multi-queue-ethernet-default", "default-small"

Importing Configuration
Command name: /import
The root level command /import [file_name] executes a script, stored in the specified file adds the configuration
from the specified file to the existing setup. This file may contain any console comands, including scripts. is used to
restore configuration or part of it after a /system reset event or anything that causes configuration data loss.
Command Description
file=[filename] - loads the exported configuration from a file to router
Automatic Import
Since RouterOS v3rc it is possible to automatically execute scripts - your script file has to be called
anything.auto.rsc - once this file is uploaded with FTP to the router, it will automatically be executed, just like with
the Import command.
Example
To load the saved export file use the following command:
[admin@MikroTik] > import address.rsc
Opening script file address.rsc
Script file loaded and executed successfully
[admin@MikroTik] >

Manual:Configuration Management

Configuration Reset
Command name: /system reset-configuration
Description
The command clears all configuration of the router and sets it to the default including the login name and password
('admin' and no password), IP addresses and other configuration is erased, interfaces will become disabled. After the
reset command router will reboot.
Command Description

keep-users: keeps router users and passwords

no-defaults: doesn't load any default cofigurations, just clears everything
skip-backup: automatic backup is not created before reset, when yes is specified
run-after-reset: specify export file name to run after reset
Warning: If the router has been installed using netinstall and had a script specified as the initial
configuration, the reset command executes this script after purging the configuration. To stop it doing so, you
will have to reinstall the router.

Example
[admin@MikroTik] > system reset-configuration
Dangerous! Reset anyway? [y/N]: n
action cancelled
[admin@MikroTik] >

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Article Sources and Contributors

Manual:Configuration Management Source: http://wiki.mikrotik.com/index.php?oldid=24984 Contributors: Janisk, Marisb, Normis, SergejsB

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