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Backing Up DTC Configuration Files

Owned by Panna .
Jun 30, 2023
9 min read

Infoblox recommends that you regularly back up DTC configuration files. You can either schedule a backup to run at a designated date and time or you can manually back up the files. You can back up the DTC files to the following:

  • A local directory

  • A TFTP server

  • An FTP server. This option requires that you have a valid username and password on the server prior to backing up files.

  • An SSH server that supports SCP. This option requires that you have a valid username and password on the server prior to backing up files.

For information about these options, see Backing Up and Restoring Configuration Files.

Automatically Backing Up DTC Files

To automatically back up DTC configuration files:

  1. From the Grid tab, select the Grid Manager tab, and then click Backup -> DTC Backup -> Schedule Backup from the Toolbar.

  2. In the Schedule DTC Backup dialog box, select the destination of the backup file from the Backup to drop-down list:

    • TFTP: Back up system files to a TFTP server.

      • Keep local copy: Select this to also save a local copy of the backup file on your appliance. This is disabled by default. The local backup contains only the Grid backup, it does not contain backups for reporting and Network Automation. Note that when you select this, the total backup time will increase.

      • IP Address of TFTP Server: Enter the IP address of the TFTP server to which you want to back up the system files.

      • Directory Path: Enter the directory path of the file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups. The directory path cannot contain spaces. The folder or directory you enter here must already exist on the specified server. Do not include the file name in the directory path.

      • Recurrence: Select how often you want to back up the files. You can select Weekly, Daily, or Hourly from the drop-down list. When you select Weekly, complete the following:

        • Every: Choose a day of the week from the drop-down list.

        • Time: Enter a time in the hh:mm:ss AM/PM format. You can also click the clock icon and select a time from the drop-down list. The Grid Master creates a backup file on the selected day and time every week.
          When you select Daily, enter a time in the hh:mm:ss AM/PM format. You can also select a time from the drop-down list.
          When you select Hourly, complete the following:

        • Minutes after the Hour: Enter the minute after the hour when the Grid Master creates a backup file. For example, enter 5 if you want the Grid Master to create a backup file five minutes after the hour every hour.

      • Disable Scheduled Backup: Select this if you want to disable automatic backups from occurring now. You can still save the settings for future use.

    • FTP: Back up system files to an FTP server.

      • Keep local copy: Select this to also save a local copy of the backup file on your appliance. This is disabled by default. The local backup contains only the Grid backup, it does not contain backups for reporting and Network Automation. Note that when you select this, the total backup time will increase.

      • IP Address of FTP Server: The IP address of the FTP server.

      • Directory Path: Enter the directory path of the file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups. The directory path cannot contain spaces. The folder or directory you enter here must already exist on the specified server. Do not include the file name in the directory path.

      • Username: Enter the username of your FTP account.

        Note if you have configured AD server for authentication, you must specify "domain name\\username". 

      • Password: Enter the password of your FTP account.

      • Recurrence: Select how often the scheduled backups should occur. You can select Weekly, Daily, or Hourly. 

      • Every: Choose a day of the week from the drop-down list.

      • Disable Scheduled Backup: Select this if you want to disable automatic backups from occurring now, but want to save the settings for future use.

    • SCP: Back up system files to an SSH server that supports SCP.

      • Keep local copy: Select this to also save a local copy of the backup file on your appliance. This is disabled by default. The local backup contains only the Grid backup, it does not contain backups for reporting and Network Automation. Note that when you select this, the total backup time will increase.

      • IP Address of SCP Server: The IP address of the SCP server.

      • Directory Path: Enter the directory path of the file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups. The directory path cannot contain spaces. The folder or directory you enter here must already exist on the specified server. Do not include the file name in the directory path.

      • Username: Enter the username of your SCP account.

        Note if you have configured AD server for authentication, you must specify "domain name\\username".

      • Password: Enter the password of your SCP account.

      • Recurrence: Select how often the scheduled backups should occur. You can select Weekly, Daily, or Hourly. For information, see the TFTP section.

      • Every: Choose a day of the week from the drop-down list.

      • Disable Scheduled Backup:Select this if you want to disable automatic backups from occurring now. You can still save the settings for future use.

        When you select FTP or SCP, ensure that you have a valid user name and password on the server prior to backing up the files.

    • Grid Master (local): Back up to a local directory on the Grid Master. This is the default.
      By default, the Grid Master generates a backup file and saves it locally in its own storage at 3:00 AM daily.
      Be aware that backing up the Grid and saving it locally on an hourly basis increases the turnover of files stored on the Grid Master. Backing it up hourly to a remote server increases the overall amount of traffic on your network.

  3. Save the configuration and click Restart if it appears at the top of the screen.

Manually Backing Up DTC Files

You can manually back up DTC configuration files in addition to scheduling your backups. To back up manually:

  1. From the Grid tab, select the Grid Manager tab, and then click Backup -> DTC Backup -> Manual Backup from the Toolbar.

  2. In the Manual DTC Backup wizard, select the destination of the backup file from the Backup to drop-down list:

    • My Computer: Back up system files to a local directory on your computer. This is the default.

    • TFTP: Back up system files to a TFTP server.

      • Filename: Enter the directory path and the file name of the backup file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups/Infoblox_2009_10_20_15_30.

      • IP Address of TFTP Server: Enter the IP address of the TFTP server to which you want to back up the system files.

    • FTP: Back up system files to an FTP server.

      • Filename: Enter the directory path and the file name of the backup file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups/Infoblox_2009_10_20_15_30.

      • IP Address of FTP Server: The IP address of the FTP server.

      • Username: Enter the username of your FTP account.

        Note if you have configured AD server for authentication, you must specify "domain name//username".

      • Password: Enter the password of your FTP account.

    • SCP: Back up system files to an SSH server that supports SCP.

      • Filename: Enter the directory path and the file name of the backup file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups/Infoblox_2009_10_20_15_30.

      • IP Address of SCP Server: The IP address of the SCP server.

      • Username: Enter the username of your SCP account.

        Note if you have configured AD server for authentication, you must specify "domain name//username".

      • Password: Enter the password of your SCP account.

        When you select FTP or SCP, ensure that you have a valid username and password on the server prior to backing up the files.

  3. Click Backup.

Downloading DTC Backup Files

You can save an existing backup file, or create and save a new one to your local management system, a TFTP server, an FTP server, or a SCP server.
To download an existing backup file:

  1. From the Grid tab, select the Grid Manager tab, and the click Backup -> DTC Backup -> Manage Local Backup from the Toolbar. Grid Manager displays the current backup files in the Manage Local Backups dialog box.

  2. To download a backup file, select the checkbox of a backup file, and then click the Transfer icon. You cannot select multiple files for downloading.

  3. Select one of the following from the Backup to drop-down list:

    • My Computer: Backup to a local directory on your computer. This is the default.

    • TFTP: Save the backup file to a TFTP server.

      • Filename: Enter the directory path and the file name of the backup file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups/Infoblox_2009_10_20_15_30 .

      • IP Address of TFTP Server: Enter the IP address of the TFTP server to which you want to save the backup file.

    • FTP: Save the backup file to an FTP server.

      • Filename: Enter the directory path and the file name of the backup file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups/Infoblox_2009_10_20_15_30.

      • IP Address of FTP Server: The IP address of the FTP server.

      • Username: Enter the username of your FTP server account.

      • Password: Enter the password of your FTP server account.

    • SCP: Save the backup file to an SSH server that supports SCP.

      • Filename: Enter the directory path and the file name of the backup file. For example, you can enter/archive/backups/Infoblox_2009_10_20_15_30.

      • IP Address of SCP Server: The IP address of the SCP server.

      • Username: Enter the username of your SCP server account.

      • Password: Enter the password of your SCP server account.

        When you select FTP or SCP, ensure that you have a valid username and password on the server prior to backing up the files.

  4. Click Transfer Copy.

Restoring DTC Backup Files

You must log in with a superuser account to back up and restore files. NIOS provides three ways to restore a backup file:

  • From a local directory or the management system you use to operate the appliance

  • From a TFTP server

  • From a remote server using FTP. This option requires that you have a valid username and password on the FTP server prior to performing a backup or restore.

Note

When you restore NIC interfaces to a VM, ensure that you provision appropriate NIC interfaces with the database content that must be restored to avoid any errors. 

To restore a DTC backup file to the same independent appliance or Grid Master:

  1. From the Grid tab, select the Grid Manager tab, and then click Restore -> Restore DTC from the Toolbar.

  2. In the Restore dialog box, choose one of the following from the Restore from drop-down list:

    • My Computer: Restore a file from your local computer. This is the default.

      • Filename: Click Select File to navigate to the configuration file.

    • TFTP: Restore a file from a TFTP server.

      • Filename: Enter the directory path and the file name you want to restore. For example, you can enter /archive/backups/Infoblox_2009_10_20_15_30 .

      • IP Address of TFTP Server: Enter the IP address of the TFTP server from which you restore the configuration file.

    • FTP: Restore a file from an FTP server.

      • Filename: Enter the directory path and the file name of the backup file. For example, you can enter /archive/backups/Infoblox_2009_10_20_15_30.

      • IP Address of FTP Server: The IP address of the FTP server.

      • Username: Enter the username of your FTP server account.

      • Password: Enter the password of your FTP server account.

    • Grid Master (Local): Restore from a local directory on the Grid Master. In the Backup Set table, select the file you want to restore.

  3. To restore NIOS configuration data, select the NIOS data checkbox.

  4. To download a backup file from one appliance to a different appliance, select Force Restore from Different Grid to enable the feature, and then select one of the following:

    • Retain Current Grid Master IP Settings (this is the default)

    • Overwrite Grid Master IP Settings

  5. Click Restore. In the Confirm Restore dialog box, click Yes.
    After restoring the file, the appliance restarts. The restore process overwrites all existing data. All pending scheduled tasks are not restored or reverted.

  6. Close your current browser window, wait a few minutes, and then reconnect to the NIOS appliance.

Downloading DTC Backup Files from a Different Appliance

When you "force restore" a NIOS appliance, you download a backup file from one appliance to a different appliance. To restore a backup file to the same appliance or Grid Master, use the Restore function as described in the previous section, see Restoring DTC Backup Files.
To download a backup file from one appliance to a different appliance:

  1. From the Grid tab, select the Grid Manager tab, and then click Restore -> Restore DTC from the Toolbar.

  2. In the Restore wizard, do the following:

    • Restore from: Choose a source from which you restore the configuration file, as described in as described in the previous section, see Restoring DTC Backup Files.

  3. Select Force Restore from Different Grid to enable the feature, and then select one of the following:

    • Retain Current Grid Master IP Settings (this is the default)

    • Overwrite Grid Master IP Settings

  4. Click Restore. In the Confirm Restore dialog box, click Yes.
    After restoring the file, the appliance reboots. The restore process overwrites all existing data. All pending scheduled tasks are not restored or reverted.

  5. Close your current browser window, wait a few minutes, and then reconnect to the NIOS appliance.