Automatic Cisco Router Configuration Backup Through FTP

17th December 2009 Cat: NETWORK with 4 Comments

Task of network administrator is to backup all network device configuration regularly. But sometimes we are too lazy because we must backup it manually . Of course, this is exhausting and bored activities. By making a few scripts on your router, these routines can be overlooked. Cisco router backup automatically will make your job easier.

Before starting this tutorial, you should check IOS first. Your IOS device must support archive and Kron command.

First Step

Of course you need to create FTP server first. I suggest you use filezilla. In addition to free, this tool is very easy to manage. you can download filezilla server here.

Second Step

I think all of you familiar create ftp server. Next step you should create your own username and password in filezilla server, and specify the folder where to be shared.

Suppose username is erik and password is erik also. And d: \ backup_cisco will be shared.Your IP addres is 192.168.10.104. Do not forget to give write authority on the username that you have created.
shared_backup
Picture 1. How to configure shared folders

Third Step

We go to the cisco router. I use the C1841 as an example. Let’s start.

Create archive

Router # conf t

Router (config) # ip ftp username erik

Router (config) # ip ftp password erik

Defines the username and password to log in to your FTP server.

Router (config) # archive

Log in to archive mode

Router (config-archive) # path ftp://192.168.10.104/

Go to the FTP directory

Router (config-archive) # write-memory

Configuration file was save to FTP Server

After the last line in the command executed, the file will be automatically saved when we execute t write-memory command or copy run start command.
Make a backup schedule

Schedule the backup configuration can be set, if every week or every month. That’s up to you all.

Next you create Kronor in cisco, working as cronjob in Linux

Router # conf t

Entering Global Configuration Mode

Router (config) # backup occurance Kroner at 11:30 Mon recurring

Backup policy to do every day 11:30 hours Wednesday.
Router (config-Kroner-occurance) # policy-list backup

Insert the backup policy to list in Kron.

The contents of the backup policy is:

Router (config) # policy-list Kroner backup

I make cronjob with the name of the backup policy

Router (config-Kroner-policy) # cli ip ftp username erik

Authentication FTP server username

Router (config-Kroner-policy) # cli ip ftp password erik