Configuration Management

General Information
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 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.

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

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 TYPE SIZE CREATION-TIME
0 test.backup backup 12567 sep/08/2004 21:07:50
[admin@MikroTik] >
Example

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
Description

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 INTERFACE
0 10.1.0.172/24 10.1.0.0 10.1.0.255 bridge1
1 10.5.1.1/24 10.5.1.0 10.5.1.255 ether1
[admin@MikroTik] >

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 TYPE SIZE CREATION-TIME
0 address.rsc script 315 dec/23/2003 13:21:48
[admin@MikroTik] >
Importing Configuration
Command name: /import
Description

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.

Note that it is impossible to import the whole router configuration using this feature. It can only be used to import a part of configuration (for example, firewall rules) in order to spare you some typing.
Command Description
file=[filename] - loads the exported configuration from a file to router

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] >
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
reset - erases router's configuration

Notes

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] >