14/01/2020 Best Practices - Backup on Gaia OS

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Best Practices - Backup on Gaia OS

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Solution ID sk108902
Product All
Version R75.40, R75.40VS, R75.45, R75.46, R75.47, R76, R77, R77.10, R77.20, R77.30, R80, R80.10, R80.20, R80.30
OS Gaia
Platform / Model All
Date Created 30-nov-2015
Last Modified 04-dez-2019

Solution
Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Snapshot Management
3. System Backup (and System Restore)
4. Save Configuration (and Load Configuration)
5. Recommended backup plan
6. Recommended steps in case of Disaster Recovery
7. Related backup tools
8. Comparison of backup methods
9. Related documentation
10. Related solutions

1. Introduction

There are a few methods to perform a backup of your Check Point system running Gaia OS. They differ by size, time of creation and content. This article provides overv
all available backup methods and recommendation for configuring effective backup scheme.

The built-in Gaia backup procedures:

Snapshot Management
System Backup (and System Restore)
Save/Show Configuration (and Load Configuration)

All methods can be used to backup your Security Gateways, Security Management and Multi-Domain Server.

All methods are appliance-specific and can only be restored on the same model of appliance.

2. Snapshot Management

The snapshot creates a binary image of the entire root (lv_current) disk partition. This includes Check Point products, configuration, and operating system.

Starting in R77.10, exporting an image from one machine and importing that image on another machine of the same type is supported.

The log partition is not included in the snapshot. Therefore, any locally stored FireWall logs will not be saved.

3. System Backup (and System Restore)

System Backup can be used to backup current system configuration. A backup creates a compressed file that contains the Check Point configuration including the
networking and operating system parameters, such as routing and interface configuration etc., but unlike a snapshot, it does not include the operating system, produ
binaries, and hotfixes.

4. Save Configuration (and Load Configuration)

Allows saving Gaia OS configuration settings as a ready-to-run CLI script. This allows you review your current setup and quickly restore the Gaia OS configuration.

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14/01/2020 Best Practices - Backup on Gaia OS

5. Recommended backup plan

For complete backup of the system and maximum confidence, Check Points recommends combining all three methods as part of the backup plan (Snapshot Managem
System Backup/Restore, Save/Load Configuration). This will allow multiple restore points, redundancy and reliability of overall restore procedure.

Collect:

Snapshot - after a fresh installation, before an upgrade, and before a hotfix installation.
Scheduled Backup - monthly or weekly, depending how frequently you perform changes in your configuration and policy.

6. Recommended steps in case of Disaster Recovery

1. Revert to a Snapshot - restores the Check Point version with all the setup details, including type (management/gateway) and installation of hotfixes.
2. Restore from Backup - restores latest system configuration with all recent network and security configuration.
3. Compare the output of Clish command "show configuration" to the saved configuration to verify that Gaia OS configuration was restored properly.
4. Install policy on this machine (if it is a Security Gateway / StandAlone).

7. Related backup tools

Tool Description

The migrate tool is located in the $FWDIR/bin/upgrade_tools/ directory.

This command backs up all Security Management configuration, independent of hardware, OS or Check Point version.
migrate export The output file does not include OS information.
For built-in help, run:
[Expert@HostName:0]# $FWDIR/bin/upgrade_tools/migrate --help

eva_db_backup.csh These tools are used to backup SmartEvent / SmartReporter Server R77.30 and lower.
For details, refer to sk102452.
evs_backup

This tool is used to perform advanced backup of Multi-Domain Security Management Server.
mds_backup Refer to Multi-Domain Security Management Administration Guide (R76, R77) - Chapter 12 'Multi-Domain Security Management Comma
and Utilities' - Command Line Reference - mds_backup.

8. Comparison of backup methods

"upgrade_e
Snapshot System "show
/
Management Backup configuration"
"migrate ex

How much time 30 - 60 Depends

5 - 30 minutes Few seconds
does it take ? minutes configura

Size of output file

Depends on
on Security 5-100 GB Few KB N/A
configuration
Gateway

Size of output file

Depends
on Management 5-100 GB 5-100 GB Few KB
configura
Server

Does it back up
Gaia OS Yes Yes Yes No
configuration ?

Does it back up
Products Yes Yes No Yes
configuration ?

Does it back up
Yes No (*) No No
Hotfixes ?

Does it back up No No No Not by def

Check Point Use the fla
logs ? in the syn
to backup
SmartVi

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14/01/2020 Best Practices - Backup on Gaia OS
Tracke
logs as w

Does it support
automatic No Yes No No
scheduling ?

Upgrade
Can you restore perform
With manual
from different Yes No when impo
adjustments
version ? to
a newer ve

Does it require to R7x - No

close R80 - Yes

No No No
SmartConsole GUI Note: Backup on R80.10 Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator Take 245, R80.20 Jumbo Hotfix
clients ? Accumulator Take 103, R80.30 Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator Take 71 - No

Does it require to
stop
No No No No
Check Point
services?

Does it require
No No No No
reboot ?

(*) Does not apply to "mds_backup".

9. Related documentation

Gaia Administration Guide (R77):

Chapter 10 'Maintenance' - System Configuration Backup
Multi-Domain Security Management Administration Guide (R76, R77):
Chapter 12 'Multi-Domain Security Management Commands and Utilities' - Command Line Reference - mds_backup
Chapter 12 'Multi-Domain Security Management Commands and Utilities' - Command Line Reference - mds_restore

10. Related solutions

sk102234 - Backing up Gaia system level configuration

sk91400 - System Backup and Restore feature in Gaia
sk82960 - Scheduled backup in Gaia
sk98068 - Gaia Limitations after Snapshot Recovery
sk92308 - Gaia OS Backup and Gaia OS Restore operations are not supported in Expert mode
sk33329 - How to exclude or include files in the Backup on SecurePlatform or Gaia OS
sk102452 - How to backup and migrate SmartEvent / SmartReporter Server R77.30 and lower
sk110173 - How to migrate events database from SmartEvent server R7x to SmartEvent R80 and above server
sk98153 - How to take a snapshot of Endpoint Security Management Server database on Gaia OS
sk115144 - "Cannot export snapshot, insufficient space in /var/log/." error when exporting a snapshot in Gaia Portal / Gaia Clish
sk100395 - How to backup and restore VSX gateway
sk54100 - How to back up your system on SecurePlatform

Applies To:
This SK replaces sk105385

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