Manual Chapter : Managing Configuration Snapshots

Applies To:

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BIG-IQ Centralized Management

  • 5.1.0
Manual Chapter

What is snapshot management?

You can manage configuration snapshots for the configurations you have created on the BIG-IQ® Centralized Management system. A snapshot is a backup copy of a configuration. Configuration snapshots are created manually. This type of snapshot does not include events.

Creating a snapshot

You create a configuration snapshot to compare it to another configuration snapshot, or so you can save the current working configuration and then restore from that snapshot if needed.

  1. Log in to F5® BIG-IQ® Centralized Management with your user name and password.
  2. At the top left of the screen, select Change Management from the BIG-IQ menu.
  3. Under SNAPSHOT & RESTORE, select the service configuration from which to create the snapshot: Network Security or Web Application Security.
    The screen displays a list of snapshots that have been created for that service on this device.
  4. At the top of the screen, click Create.
    The Create Snapshot screen opens.
  5. Supply the values on the Create Snapshot screen, and click Create.

The system creates the snapshot and adds it to the list of snapshots on the Snapshot and Restore - screen, including information related to the snapshot, including the date it was created, what account created it, and any description.

Comparing snapshots

You can compare two snapshots to view their differences.

  1. Log in to F5® BIG-IQ® Centralized Management with your user name and password.
  2. At the top left of the screen, select Change Management from the BIG-IQ menu.
  3. Under SNAPSHOT & RESTORE, select the service containing the snapshots to compare: Network Security or Web Application Security.
    The screen displays a list of snapshots that have been created on this device.
  4. Select the check box to the left of each of the two snapshots to be compared.
  5. Click Compare.
    The Compare Snapshots screen displays.
  6. For the Target, select the snapshot to which you want to compare the snapshot listed as the Source.
  7. Compare the snapshots selected:
    • To compare firewall object differences, click Compare in the Compare Firewall row. This option is only available with the AFM™ service.
    • To compare ASM differences, click Compare in the Compare ASM row. This option is only available with the ASM™ service.
    • To compare shared security object differences, click Compare in the Compare Shared Security row.
  8. Analyze the configuration differences between the two snapshots, When you are finished, click Cancel to close the Differences screen, then click Close.
    The screen closes and you return to the Snapshot and Restore - screen.

Restoring a snapshot

You can restore a snapshot to change the working configuration to that of the snapshot. Restoring the snapshot merges objects from the snapshot into the BIG-IQ® configuration and removes all active locks. No objects in the BIG-IQ configuration are removed. Once the restore process starts, you cannot modify the BIG-IQ configuration until the process is completed or canceled. If the process is canceled, all configuration settings are rolled back.

  1. Log in to F5® BIG-IQ® Centralized Management with your user name and password.
  2. At the top left of the screen, select Change Management from the BIG-IQ menu.
  3. Under SNAPSHOT & RESTORE, select the service containing the snapshot to restore: Network Security or Web Application Security.
    The screen displays a list of snapshots that have been created on this device.
  4. Select the check box to the left of the snapshot to use to restore the current working configuration to the configuration of the snapshot.
  5. Click Restore.
    The Restore snapshot to Working Configuration screen opens.
  6. Compare the snapshot to restore to the working configuration:
    • To compare firewall object differences, click Compare in the Compare Firewall row. This option is only available with the AFM™ service.
    • To compare ASM™ differences, click Compare in the Compare ASM row. This option is only available with the ASM service.
    • To compare shared security object differences, click Compare in the Compare Shared Security row.
    The differences screen for the comparison is displayed for you to review. Click Cancel when done.
  7. Click Restore to restore the configuration in the snapshot and have it replace the working configuration.
  8. Click Restore in the popup screen to confirm that you want to restore the configuration, or click Cancel in the popup screen to stop the restore process for this the snapshot.
    You can also click Cancel after starting the restore process to roll back the restore.