Technical Tip: Common remote file transfer operations with FortiClient EMS 7.4 (EMSCLI)

There are four distinct categories with various use cases that involve FortiClient EMS 7.4 and remote file transfer operations via protocols like FTP, SFTP or SCP.

These categories are:

1. FortiClient EMS Backup Management.
   1. Taking FortiClient EMS backup and sending it to remote file server.
   2. Restoring backup from the remote file server.
2. FortiClient EMS Diagnostics.
   1. Collecting and sending FortiClient EMS diagnostics to remote file server.
3. FortiClient EMS Upgrade.
   1. Upgrading FortiClient EMS from the remote file server.
4. Applying Hotfix.
   1. Applying hotfix file from a remote file server.

Below are detailed instructions for each use case.

FortiClient EMS Backup Management.

Taking and transferring FortiClient EMS backup to remote file server as well as restoring FortiClient EMS backup from the remote server is described in the following article: Technical Tip: EMS Database Backup and Restore using EMSCLI.

In addition, the above article explains how to setup OpenSSH server on Windows which may be helpful for any use case described in this article.

FortiClient EMS Diagnostics.

EMSCLI supports collecting and transferring FortiClient EMS diagnostics to remote file server, and the EMSCLI utility to do that is emscli execute diagnostic.

Example command that involves FortiClient EMS diagnostic file transfer to a remote server may look like this:

emscli execute diagnostic --copy.service scp --remote.folder /remote-host/dst/folder/ --remote.ip X.X.X.X --remote.password qwerty_pwd --remote.user admin_user --yes

Above command will collect FortiClient EMS diagnostics and transfer the file to a remote SCP server with IP-address of X.X.X.X over port 22 to a folder of /remote-host/dst/folder using admin_user username and the qwerty_pwd password.

In order to include the FortiClient EMS backup, along with diagnostics logs, add --backup.password and --include.db parameters 

emscli execute diagnostic --copy.service scp --backup.password fortinet123! --include.db --keep.file /exchangce --remote.folder /remote-host/dst/folder/ --remote.ip X.X.X.X --remote.password qwerty_pwd --remote.user admin_user --yes

For more options of the above command, refer to execute diagnostic official document.

FortiClient EMS Upgrade.

The EMSCLI utility to upgrade FortiClient EMS is emscli execute upgrade ems.

Example command to upgrade FortiClient EMS with a file stored on the remote file server:

emscli execute upgrade ems --remote.file /remote-host/dst/folder/forticlientems_7.4.X...bin --remote.ip X.X.X.X --remote.password qwerty_pwd --remote.user admin_user​

The command above downloads the forticlientems_7.4.X...bin file located in the /remote-host/dst/folder/folder on the remote host with the IP-address of X.X.X.X via SCP protocol over port 22. Username is admin_user while the password us qwerty_pwd.

For other emscli execute upgrade ems command options refer to execute upgrade ems documentation.

Applying a Hotfix.

EMSCLI enables downloading and applying hotfixes from a remote file server via FTP, SFTP or SCP protocols.

In order to do so, follow the instructions provided in Technical Tip: Applying Hotfix to EMS VM Appliance.