USB Flash Drive Usage

[BrianPro]

This may be a dumb question, but I would like to leave a USB flash drive plugged into my Fortigate at all times in order to save configs to. In the docs, it states this is doable, but am wondering if you need to pre-format the drive or anything in order to have it be detected by the unit. There is no mention of this AFAIK in the docs, so I figured I' d ask here. Also, anyone here get around to trying scripting this via SSH (auto config backups)?

[billp]

I had asked this question a while back. Many are using " stubby" USB drives for backup. In addition to storing configs, they are also good for emergency restores of FortiOS if you put the image on the drive. Can' t remember the format type -- I think it' s FAT -- but it can be done in the CLI.

[BrianPro]

Ah found it in the CLI docs : http://docs.fortinet.com/fgt/handbook/40mr2/cli_html/execute.25.67.html#1655471 I' ll have to give it a shot. It would be cool to be able to store log files and reports to this as well since it can' t be any slower on the writes than the 60C SD cards. :)

[ede_pfau]

gate # exe usb-disk 
 delete    delete file from the USB disk
 format    format the USB disk
 list      display the contents of the USB disk
 rename    rename file in the USB disk
 

Do you see that the ' copy' option is missing? Besides, you can only log to memory, a local disk or a FAZ. You don' t have to pre-format the USB stick, just use the command listed above. FYI I leave a USB stick connected all the time and manually save the config to it after each change. Auto-restore of config is checked. That way, if I mess up the box at a remote location all it takes to get it going again is a phone call to someone there to pull the mains cord. For 24/7 usage it helps if the stick is as small as possible. I use a ' nano' type which protrudes merely 5 mm.

[Geom]

Ede, Do you use it for storing firmware as well? If so, how do you get the firmware onto the usb stick without sending one to the remote sites? Thanks, Geoff

[ede_pfau]

Yes I do. I rename the current image file to " image.out" so that the config (System>Maintenance>USB) can be kept identical for all versions. In addition, I store the Release Notes PDF on the stick. The FGT is set to replace both the config and the image on reboot if one or both differ from the versions on the stick. As firmware is changed much less often and usually affects the configuration I get along with preparing the USB stick on my PC. There is no direct way to store an image file onto the stick (that might have changed in v4.3). In case of version upgrades I am (or someone else knowledgeable is) present at the remote location.