Manual Chapter :
Configuration Data Management
Applies To:
Show VersionsBIG-IP APM
- 17.1.2, 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP Analytics
- 17.1.2, 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP Link Controller
- 17.1.2, 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP LTM
- 17.1.2, 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP PEM
- 17.1.2, 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP AFM
- 17.1.2, 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP DNS
- 17.1.2, 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0
BIG-IP ASM
- 17.1.2, 17.1.1, 17.1.0, 17.0.0, 16.1.5, 16.1.4, 16.1.3, 16.1.2, 16.1.1, 16.1.0
Configuration Data Management
About BIG-IP system configuration data
When you perform configuration tasks on the BIG-IP system, it generates underlying configuration data.
The system stores this data so that the data is not lost when an unexpected system event
occurs or when you restart the system. Before the system can store this data, however,
the data must be saved.
The BIG-IP system configuration data exists in these states:
- The stored configuration comprises all of the configuration tasks that you have performed on the system and saved to the system configuration files.
- The running configuration comprises the stored configuration and all of the changes that you have made to the system since the last save operation. The BIG-IP system operates based on the running configuration.
This
information applies only to
tmsh
users. When you use the
Configuration utility, it manages and automatically saves all configuration data for you
as you complete each configuration task; you do not need to perform any additional steps
to save configuration data.About managing system configuration data using tmsh
When you use the Traffic Management Shell (
tmsh
) to
configure the system, you must explicitly issue a save command to store the
configuration data that you have generated. Otherwise, the newly-generated
configuration data is not actually stored on the system. For more information
about tmsh
, see the Traffic Management Shell (tmsh)
Reference Guide
.About the single configuration file (SCF)
A
single configuration file (SCF)
is a text file that contains the
configuration of a BIG-IP system. You can use this file
to easily replicate the configuration across multiple BIG-IP systems. This not
only saves you time, but also enables you to create a consistent, secure,
comprehensive local traffic management environment on your network.When you create an SCF, the BIG-IP system also creates a corresponding
.tar
file. By default, the system creates the .scf
(text) file and the .tar
file in the /var/local/scf
directory.This sample shows some of the information contained in an SCF file:
vlan external { tag 4093 interfaces 1.3 } vlan internal { tag 4094 interfaces 1.10 } pool dev_https3 { members { 10.60.10.105:https{} 10.60.10.106:https{} } }
The system configuration data contained in the text file includes any local
device certificate and keys used to establish device trust between this system and the
other devices in a BIG-IP device group. These certificates and keys are unencrypted in
the text file and are not included in the
.tar
file.Create and save
an SCF
You can use
tmsh
to create and save a single configuration file (SCF). The system configuration data contained in the text file
includes any local device certificate and keys used to establish device trust
between this system and the other devices in a BIG-IP device group. These
certificates and keys are unencrypted in the text file and are not included in the
.tar
file.If you create an SCF file twice (on two different occasions), you can compare the
contents of the two files.
- Open the TMOS Shell (tmsh).tmsh
- Create and save an SCF.save sys config file [filename]If you include the.scfextension in the file name, the system does not add an additional file extension.The system gathers all of the commands that make up the running configuration, and then saves the configuration to a.scffile with the name you specify. The system also creates a corresponding.tarfile. By default, the system stores these files in the/var/local/scfdirectory, but you can specify a different path if you prefer.
Load an
SCF onto a target BIG-IP system
You can use
tmsh
to load a single
configuration file (SCF) on one BIG-IP
system that you created on another BIG-IP system (hereafter referred to as the
target BIG-IP system). This saves you from having to recreate the configuration
multiple times. Loading an SCF resets the running configuration with the values
contained in the stored configuration.If you run a
load
command or restart the
system before you save your changes to the stored configuration, you will lose any
changes.To successfully load a configuration that you have replicated, make sure that no
line of the configuration is longer than 4096 characters. If there are more than
4096 characters in a single line, the system reverts to the previous running
configuration.
- Open the TMOS Shell (tmsh).tmsh
- On the target BIG-IP system, load the saved SCF file.tmsh load sys config file [filename]The system saves the stored configuration to a backup file named/var/local/scf/backup.scf, and then uses the configuration stored in the SCF that you are loading.
- Use a text editor to open the SCF and edit any data that is unique to the target BIG-IP system, such as the management IP address.
- Save the SCF to the target BIG-IP system.sys save config file [filename]If a backup SCF already exists, the system appends a number to the name of the existing backup file, and then creates a new backup file. In the case of multiple load and save operations:
- The first time the system backs up the running configuration during a load operation, the system names the backup file/var/local/scf/backup.scf.
- The next time the system backs up the running configuration, the system renames the file from/var/local/scf/backup.scfto/var/local/scf/backup-1.scfand creates a new file named/var/local/scf/backup.scf.
- If you run theloadcommand a third time, the system renames the file from/var/local/scf/backup-1.scfto/var/local/scf/backup-2.scf, renames the/var/local/scf/backup.scffile to/var/local/scf/backup-1.scf, and again creates a new file named/var/local/scf/backup.scf.
Using an SCF to
restore a BIG-IP system configuration
You can use
tmsh
to restore a BIG-IP system
configuration using either a specific single configuration file (SCF) or the factory
default configuration.- Open the TMOS Shell (tmsh).tmsh
- Restore the system configuration using one of these options:
- Restore a system to the factory default configuration by usingtmsh load sys config default. This command retains the management IP and the assigned root and administrator passwords. When you use this command, the system first saves the running configuration in thebackup.scffile, and then resets the local traffic management and the operating system configuration to the factory default settings by loading the factory default SCF (/defaults/defaults.scf).
- Restore a system with values defined in the specified SCF by usingtmsh load sys config file [filename]. When you use this command, the system first saves the running configuration in thebackup.scffile, and then resets the running configuration to the values contained in the specified SCF.You must run thesave sys config partitions allcommand to save the running configuration in the stored configuration files.
tmsh commands for single configuration files (SCFs)
You use
tmsh
to manage a single configuration file
(SCF). This table lists an overview of tmsh
commands used to
manage SCF files.tmsh command |
Description |
---|---|
save sys config file [filename] |
Saves a copy of the currently running configuration to an
SCF. Saving a configuration to an SCF
does not affect the running or stored configuration of the
BIG-IP system on which you run the
command. |
load sys config file [filename] |
Replaces or restores an SCF with a saved configuration.
When you use this command, the system saves any previously
running configuration to the
/var/local/scf/ directory, by
default. |
load sys config default |
Restores the factory default settings of the configuration
file, while retaining the management IP address and the
administrator user name and password. |