Backing up and restoring manager settings

Administrator Help | Forcepoint Email Security | Version 8.4.x

The email management server maintains several important configuration setting files, including

Database configuration

Appliances list

Administrator settings

Presentation report templates and data

You may want to retain a backup copy of these settings to use if a system recovery operation is necessary. A backup and restore utility is included with the Email Security module.

The Backup/Restore function includes a Backup and Restore Log, which displays time-stamped backup and restore activities for the manager.


	Note Because the Backup/Restore utility stops the module service, backup and restore activities are recorded only in the Backup and Restore log.

Backup and restore functions for an appliance cluster work properly only when cluster settings have not changed between the backup and restore operations. You may have unexpected results if any of the following settings have been changed between the backup and restore.

Appliance mode (cluster or standalone)

IP address or hostname

You may need to rebuild a cluster if a restore operation encounters problems.


	Note If you specify your backup file location for a remote server, ensure that your restore operation is configured to restore configuration files from that remote server location.

Backing up settings

Backup and restore functions are available on the Settings > General > Backup/Restore page. Backup and restore settings made on 1 appliance are applied to all the appliances in your network.

To back up your Email Security module configuration settings, click Backup to activate the utility and specify a local folder for the backup file. That folder location appears in the File Location field in the Restore Settings section of the page.

If you want to save your backup settings on the Log Database server, mark the check box next to that option in the Backup Settings section. When you make this selection, the Remote Log Database Server Access box is enabled for you to enter the following server information:

Domain/Hostname. Enter the domain if a domain account is used; otherwise, enter the hostname of the SQL Server machine.

User name. Enter a user with SQL Server log-in permission.

Password. The password may not contain more than 1 double quotation mark.

Backup/Restore file path. Enter the shared folder path on the remote SQL Server machine (for example, \\10.1.1.2\shared\).

Note

The version of the backed up settings must match the version of the currently installed product.

Backup and restore settings must both use either local or remote file storage. You cannot restore a local file using remote settings.

The backup settings file size may not exceed 10 MB.

The following special characters are not supported in backup server entries: |, <, >, and &.

Click Check Status to ensure that the remote log database server is accessible.

Restoring the settings

Click Restore to use the backup/restore utility to return your settings to their original, backed up state on the Log Database server. The restore function retrieves the location of the backed up settings and applies them to the Email Security module configuration files. The Email Security module service restarts automatically after configuration settings are restored.