Different between Config Backup & Database Backup in CP Management Server

[khineminn]

I would like to know the different between the config backup and database backup (migrate export) in Checkpoint Management Server.

[AkosBakos · Accepted solution]

Hi @khineminn 

Please check this link. This is what you need:

8. Comparison of Backup Methods

Enter the string to filter this table: 

	Snapshot Management	System Backup	"show configuration"	"upgrade_export" / "migrate export"
How much time does it take?	30 - 60 minutes	5 - 30 minutes	Few seconds	Depends on configuration
Size of output file on Security Gateway	5-100 GB	Depends on configuration	Few KB	N/A
Size of output file on Management Server	5-100 GB	5-100 GB	Few KB	Depends on configuration
Does it back up Gaia OS configuration?	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Does it back up Products configuration?	Yes	Yes	No	Yes
Does it back up Hotfixes?	Yes	No (does not apply to "mds_backup")	No	No
Does it back up Check Point logs?	No	No	No	Not by default. Use the flag "-l" in the syntax to back up the SmartView Tracker logs as well.
Does it support automatic scheduling?	R81 and higher - Yes R80.40 and lower - No	Yes	No	No
Can you restore from different version?	Yes Note: Snapshots cannot be restored from a version which includes different partitioning system (e.g. GPT) or default filesystem (e.g. XFS). For example, you cannot restore a snapshot from the R77.30 version on an R80.30 3.10 version.	No	With manual adjustments	Upgrade is performed when importing to a newer version
Does it require to close SmartConsole GUI clients?	No	R81 and higher - No R80.40 - No (only from R80.40 Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator Take 53) R80.30 - No (only from R80.30 Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator Take 215) R80.20 - Yes R80.10 - No (only from R80.10 Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator Take 278) R80 and lower - Yes	No	No
Does it require to stop Check Point services?	No	No	No	No
Does it require reboot?	No	No	No	No

https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk108902

[the_rock]

Hey @khineminn 

I would say what @AkosBakos sent is EXCELLENT, but I will also try explain it in simple terms, if you will.

Config backup, say if you were to go to clish and run save configuration config.txt (or whatever filename you give it), it would generate simple txt file in whatever dir you were in. Sao if you see my example below, it was /home/admin

[Expert@CP-FW-01:0]# pwd
/home/admin
[Expert@CP-FW-01:0]# ls
config.txt test.txt
[Expert@CP-FW-01:0]# ls -lh
total 12K
-rw-r--r-- 1 admin config 7.2K Aug 28 13:45 config.txt
-rw-rw---- 1 admin root 5 Aug 22 11:29 test.txt
[Expert@CP-FW-01:0]#

This file simply lets you copy the config back into clish if you say build new server or reinstall old one, its very convenient.

Now, if you get migrate_export, it will contain all the config that you can import later into another mgmt with same CP version.

If you want EVERYTHING backed up, then run snapshot. However, personally, I always prefer backups, because even though it does not restore the hotfix, its not a big deal, because 99% of the time, jumbo hotfixes matter for the gateways, not the management.

Hope that helps.

Andy

[AkosBakos]

Hi @khineminn 

I want to join to @the_rock and I want to explain with my words too 🙂 

You said that, you want to know from the MGMT server point to view:

If the MGMT is not a VM (e,g, VMware) I always use system backup because it contains all of the necessary things that I need for revert. I do tests on MGMT ant LOG server the steps are the following:

• I make a system backup and save it to an another location
  • before I do the next step I make and md5 hash on both side -> ensure the hashes are the same
• I reinstall the appliance (or open server)
• install the JHF what is required
• upload, and restrore the backup file
• test it, test it, test is

Don't forget, the backup does not contain the logs!!!

If you have time, do this steps in a LAB, and you will be confident in live situation 🙂

Akos

[the_rock]

Yes sir, excellent explanation @AkosBakos 

@khineminn I agree 100% with Akos, if you can, PLEASE test this in the lab, because you do not want to find out the hard way if anything breaks (fingers crossed it would not, but better be safe, than sorry, as they say)

Andy

[khineminn]

@AkosBakos  So, please let me go to next step.

Actually, I am going to migrate the management server from the existing device to a new one due to hardware end-of-life. In this case, is a configuration backup sufficient, or is a database migration still needed? (Assuming I don't need the logs and license files.)

Thanks in advance.

[the_rock]

I will let Akos give his opinion, of course, but I can tell you 100% for things like that, migrate_server is the BEST, by far, as it does NOT care about the platform type, as long as versions are the same, but you can simply follow below sk to actually migrate even if versions are different, but I prefer they be the same. It will import all the smart console objects, services, hosts, licences, etc, just IP and hostname wont change.

IM referring to below. If you need help with it, let us know, I did this probably 50 times already, no issues.

Andy

https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk135172

[AkosBakos]

Hi @khineminn 

No, the configuration backup is not enough. It is enough only for lets say the OS settings. So it is needed as first step.

I'm not 100% sure the backup will work correcly between different HW-s, so  is would use migrate_export something like that in this scenario:

1. I install the new device and patch to the right JHF level
2. export the database
3. shutdown the existing device (or connect to an another segment to avoid of Ip address conflict)
4. Connect the new device to the prod LAN
5. import the database

Fortunately you have the chance to test it without disconnect the old device from the net ( skip from point 3.). 

This short description is an overview only, the devil is in the deatils always. Try it, and if you stuck somewhere drop us an update

Akos