Technical Tip: Upload config from another VM backup config

Fortigate VM.

Scenario: upload backup config from VMware machine to KVM machine 

Upon uploading a backup config from another VM, there is a chance that the FortiGate will reject the config with such warning 'Invalid configuration file or password required'.

For the config that needs password, you can easily identify it by openning the file .conf with notepad -- if it is unreadable -- so this is password protected. In this case you can't edit it. 

For "invalid configuration file" case,  

Here is a simple trick to resolve such an issue.

For example:

Here is the backup config from another VM – in this case VMware machine ( .conf file )  

# config-version=FGVM64-7.0.8-FW-build0418-221012:opmode=0:vdom=0:user=admin123

# conf_file_ver=25099393746596881

#buildno=0418

#global_vdom=1

                 ----- truncated-------

In this case, we will upload the config to the KVM machine.

Here is the step-by-step: 

1) Download the default config of the new KVM machine:

KVM original config:

# config-version=FGVMK6-7.0.8-FW-build0418-221012:opmode=0:vdom=0:user=admin

#conf_file_ver=68120822735079090

#buildno=0418

#global_vdom=1  

                ----- truncated-------

2)  Replace the top first 4 lines '#' of backup VM config – with the KVM original config, and save the edit config.

3) Try to upload the edit config.

The red warning should not appear, and the config should be successfully applied.

Note.

It is still possible to upload the config from different FortiOS version, however, it is not recommended for the version with different major versions ( for example 6.0 --> 6.2 ).

Related articles:

https://community.fortinet.com/t5/FortiGate/Technical-Tip-How-to-download-FortiGate-configuration-file-amp/ta-p/194670
https://community.fortinet.com/t5/FortiGate/Technical-Tip-How-to-download-a-FortiGate-configuration-file-and/ta-p/197125