Backing up Cisco configurations using the Opengear TFTP Server

Configuring Cisco equipment for automatic config archiving can reduce costly network downtime after an accidental misconfiguration, reset or equipment failure.

You can use your Opengear device's built-in TFTP server to backup these configurations to its internal storage.  This storage is non-volatile and persists across reboots.  Consult your Opengear device's product specifications for internal storage availability and capacity.

To enable Opengear TFTP server:

• Login to the Opengear web UI as root or an admin user
• Click System -> Services -> Service Access and along the TFTP Server row, check the network interfaces on which to allow access, and Apply
• Click System -> Services -> Service Settings, check Enable TFTP service and Apply

To access Opengear TFTP directory:

• The TFTP directory is available in the Opengear filesystem under: /var/mnt/storage.*/tftpboot/
• For Opengear devices with internal USB mass storage, e.g. IM7200, the path is: /var/mnt/storage.usb/tftpboot/
• For Opengear devices with NAND flash, e.g. ACM7000, the path: /var/mnt/storage.nvlog/tftpboot/
• More information is available in the Internal Storage section of the User Manual
• The simplest way to manage files in this directory is to connect to the Opengear using an SFTP client, e.g. WinScp, or the OpenSSH sftp command, and browse to this directory

Below are example commands to enable a Cisco IOS router to archive daily and whenever configuration is saved, full details are available in this guide from Cisco.

Router>en
Password:
Router#conf t
Enter configuration commands, one per line.  End with CNTL/Z.
Router(config)#archive
Router(config-archive)#path ?
  flash:  Write archive on flash: file system
  ftp:    Write archive on ftp: file system
  http:   Write archive on http: file system
  https:  Write archive on https: file system
  pram:   Write archive on pram: file system
  rcp:    Write archive on rcp: file system
  scp:    Write archive on scp: file system
  tftp:   Write archive on tftp: file system

Router(config-archive)#path tftp://address.of.opengear/$h
Router(config-archive)#time-period ?
    Number of minutes to wait between archive creation

Router(config-archive)#time-period 1440
Router(config-archive)#write-memory
Router(config-archive)#exit
Router(config)#exit
*Dec  5 15:12:11.339: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console
Router#copy run start
Destination filename [startup-config]?
Building configuration...
[OK]!
Router#show archive
The maximum archive configurations allowed is 10.
The next archive file will be named tftp://address.of.opengear/Router-<timestamp>-1
 Archive #  Name
   1        tftp://address.of.opengear/Router-Dec--5-15-12-16.907-0
   2         
   3         
   4         
   5         
   6         
   7         
   8         
   9         
   10        
Router#exit