In this post we will see how to take configuration back up of WLCs using Prime Infrastructure. If you have multiple controllers, then Prime Infrastructure would be the easiest way to automate the WLC configuration backup at regular interval. I have used Prime Infrastructure Release 1.4.1 to illustrate this.
You can use FTP/TFTP/SFTP method to take the configuration backup. First we will see how to backup WLC configuration to a local FTP server of PI. You can enable (by default it is disabled) this under “Administration -> Background Tasks -> Controller Configuration Backup” section as shown below.
Once you schedule the backup, you will see WLC configuration will be backup in default FTP folder of your Prime Infrastructure (disk:/ftp)
primedev/admin# dir disk:/ftp Directory of disk:/ftp 9767 Jan 12 2014 15:00:06 10_129_0_7_140112_1500.cfg 17367740 Nov 26 2013 15:40:01 PI_1.4_0_45_Update_1-16.tar.gz 52501585 Jan 12 2014 12:06:33 PI_1.4_0_45_Update_1-39.gz Usage for disk: filesystem 1098838016 bytes total used 27784806400 bytes free 30455668736 bytes available
Now you can use any FTP client software to export it where ever you like. I have use FileZilla FTP client to export it to my PC
If you need to see the WLC configuration, then you can open it on a text editor & review the configuration.
Now let’s see how you can directly backup to external FTP server. To do this you need to first add external FTP server onto your Prime. You can do this under “Configure -> FTP/TFTP/SFTP” section as shown below.
Now if you go to “Administration -> Background Tasks -> Controller Configuration Backup” section you can modify the settings to point to newly created FTP server. You need to update FTP username/password according to your FTP server setting.
Now you can see the controller backup is saved in your external FTP server.
Here is my external FTP server root folder when configuration backup is saved.
If you would like you can use TFTP as well. Below shows configuration backup is saved in a TFTP server on my PC.
Now you can modify the Controller Backup Configuration settings under Background Tasks to pointing to your TFTP server.
Now you can see your WLC configuration backed up to your TFTP server specified location & verify the successful backup entry on prime itself.
This is really useful if you have multiple controllers which needs to be backed up regularly. Always better to keep the configuration backup external to Prime itself, in case a issue with the Prime Infrastructure
