Technical Tip: Automated configuration backups with variable names based on the date

Description

This article describes how to configure automation stitch settings to generate configuration files with different names based on the date the script triggers.

Scope

FortiGate v6.4.9+ and v7.0.2+GA releases, v7.2.4.

Solution

1. Create a trigger with the type 'Schedule'.

The following script will be triggered daily at 20:00 (according to the time configured on FortiGate).

config system automation-trigger

    edit "TFTP_Backup_Daily"

        set trigger-type scheduled

        set trigger-frequency daily

        set trigger-hour 20

    next

end

2. Create an action with the 'CLI Script' type with a %%date%% variable:

config system automation-action

    edit "backup_date"

        set action-type cli-script

        set script "execute backup config tftp Μy_Config_Name%%date%%.conf TFTP_IP_Address"

        set accprofile "super_admin"

    next

end

Note 1:

The command given in the script can be modified for different file transfer methods.

FTP:

execute backup config ftp <backup_filename> <ftp_server>[<:ftp_port>] [<user_name>] [<password>] [<backup_password>]

TFTP:

execute backup config tftp <backup_filename> <tftp_servers> [<backup_password>]

SFTP:

execute backup config sftp <backup_filename> <sftp_server>[<:sftp_port>] <user> <password> [<backup_password>]

• The 'backup_password' is optional. When it is set the configuration file will be encrypted or password-protected.

• For multiple VDOM Scenario (for example global VDOM):

set script "config global

execute backup config tftp Μy_Config_Name%%date%%.conf TFTP_IP_Address"

Or:

config global

execute backup config tftp Μy_Config_Name%%date%%.conf TFTP_IP_Address

For more information, refer to: Technical Tip: How to configure Automation Stitches for Multi VDOM for automated Firewall configuration backup

3. Create an automation stitch (see automation stitches):

config system automation-stitch

    edit "date_test"

        set trigger "TFTP_Backup_Daily"

            config actions

                edit 1

                    set action "backup_date"

                    set required enable

                next

            end

end

4. The configuration backup files on the TFTP server will then look like this:

Μy_Config_Name2022-08-19
Μy_Config_Name2022-08-20
Μy_Config_Name2022-08-21
Μy_Config_Name2022-08-22

Note 2: 

In v7.2.4, %%date%% and %%time%% do not work as expected in an automation stitch. Use %%log.date%% and %%log.time%% instead. Executing the command directly from the FortiGate CLI will not function as intended.

It will only work when triggered through the automation stitch.

For example:

config system automation-action

    edit "backup_date"

        set action-type cli-script

        set script "execute backup config tftp Μy_Config_Name%%log.date%%_%%log.time%%.conf TFTP_IP_Address"

        set accprofile "super_admin"

    next

end

Note 3: 

%%time%% or %%log.time%% not working for some of the TFTP/SFTP/FTP servers as it analyzed as bad characters for the title.

Here is the output:

Note 4:

To check if the backup configuration is working with variables (date/ time) needs to be done using automation stitch only and does not change the variables if checking from CLI console or SSH.

Due to Windows limitations, the Windows FTP server will not allow file saves with ':' in them for automation stitch with variable date and time, therefore it will only save the configuration file name with variable date.

Note 5:

FortiSwitches also support automation stitches. However, prior to versions 7.4.7 and 7.6.2, the variable '%%date%%' was not processed correctly. As a result, the stitch would not complete and backups would not be created. This behavior was fixed in the aforementioned versions and the feature is now available to be used. See the release notes about bug ID 1117174 under Resolve Issues.

Related articles:
Technical Tip: How to configure Automation Stitches for Multi VDOM for automated Firewall configuration backup

Technical Tip: Automatic backup and precautions using date variables