NetScaler

Easily save, backup and restore your NetScaler configuration. You must use these features before performing an upgrade or for precautionary reasons.

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Save NetScaler configuration

Command line

By default, the NetScaler keeps a copy of the last 5 configuration changes made to the system in /flash/nsconfig when using the following command:

  • ns.conf (the last saved configuration)
  • ns.conf.0
  • ns.conf.1
  • ns.conf.2
  • ns.conf.3
  • ns.conf.4

GUI

Click on the save icon on the bottom right of the screenshot below:

Save NetScaler configuration
Save NetScaler configuration

Take a copy of the current saved configuration

Restore a saved NetScaler configuration

Backup NetScaler configuration

  • You cannot use the backup file taken from one appliance to restore a different appliance.
  • You can back up and restore appliances in an HA setup, but make sure that you restore to the same appliance from which the backup file was created. For example, if the backup was taken from the primary appliance of the HA pair, when restoring make sure that the appliance you are restoring is the same appliance, even if it is no longer the primary appliance.
  • You cannot perform the backup and restore operation on a NetScaler cluster.

Manually

The command below will backup the nsconfig folder including:

  • Current saved configuration
  • Previous 5 saved configuration
  • Licenses
  • Certificates
  • etc.

At this time nothing is changed to the configuration. The backup file (backup.tgz) will be stored in /var/tmp/.

Command line

Backed up image is stored as a single file in “/var/ns_sys_backup/” folder.

GUI

Connect to the NetScaler GUI, go to System then Backup and Restore.

NetScaler Backup 1
NetScaler Backup 1

Select Backup.

Enter the name and select Full or Basic, then press select Backup.

  • Basic – this level would backup all the important configuration files along with the key log files and downloaded objects used in functional features like Application Firewall and Responder.
  • Full – this level covers everything backed up using basic and adds other important files which are less frequently changed like SSL certificates/keys and license files.
NetScaler Backup 2
NetScaler Backup 2

The backup was successful.

NetScaler Backup 3
NetScaler Backup 3

Backed up image is stored as a single file in “/var/ns_sys_backup/” folder.

Backup file location
Backup file location

Restore NetScaler configuration

Command line

GUI

Go to System, then Backup and Restore.

Select the backup you want to restore, then select Action and Restore.

Restore Backup
Restore Backup

Then reboot your appliance.

List backups

Command line

List backups
List backups

GUI

list Backups
list Backups

 

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1 COMMENT

  1. If all of that doesn’t work, restore ns.conf on the netscaler from the latest saved configuration from the downloaded tgz file, after extracting the file.

    Before overwriting the file, duplicate the ns.conf to ns.conf.OLD and overwrite via WinSCP.

    Use 7-Zip to open the file and extract. Look under the nsconfig folder ns.conf.

    After you have uploaded the file, access the Netscaler via SSH Shell, and enter in “batch -f /nsconfig/ns.conf” to refresh the config. I’ve seen this happen with VPX devices before especially in an HA Configuration, when using the Restore in GUI and CLI.

    Hope this helps.

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