Exporting and Importing the Imperva Management Server

Imperva is one of leading Web Application Firewall appliances on the market. In this article, we will discuss based on our experience on how to do exporting and importing the Imperva Management Server. This procedure also can be considered as backup and restoring the configuration.This backup will include the configuration files, the SecureSphere database, and alert data. Later, you can use the file for following purposes:

a. Migrating into  another machine.

b. Backing up the database

For backing up, you have two options for the procedure in the following ways:

a. Backing up via the Management Server GUI

b. Backing up /Restoring via the Management Server CLI

Backing up via the Management Server GUI

1. Log into your GUI console

2. Go to Admin workspace, and click Maintenance

3. Click Export System from the Maintenance menu

4. Enter the Database Dump Password (this is the system password)

5. Choose the Archiving Action. We usually use the default option

6. Choose the Scheduling option if you want to make this procedures occur daily/weekly/monthly

7. Click Save

Backing up via the Management Server CLI

1. Log into CLI using your root credential

2. Type command full_expimp.sh

3. After that, you will be asked to choose and put information for the options:

– Choose option 1 when you are being asked for the option Operation

– Enter the System Password

– Select option 1 for the Export Type

– Select N for the archive files

– Enter the Encryption Password for the dump file.

– Enter your backup filename.

4. Type Y for starting the backup

Restoring via the Management Server CLI

1. Log into CLI as root.

2. Stop all the service by typing command impctl server stop

3. Type the command full_expimp.sh

4. After that, you will be asked to choose and put information for the options:

– Choose option 2 when you are being asked for the option Operation

– Enter the System Password

– Select option 1 for the Import Type

– Select option  1 for Copy Option to copy the configuration files

– Enter the Secure Password (CLI user password)

– Enter your full path backup file name from your previous export procedures for the Import File.

– If you are being asked for the encryption password then enter the encryption password from the export procedures.

– After that type Y for starting the process.

– After that, start the service by typing the command impctl server start

Those all the procedures to help us backing up and restoring the database and configuration from Management Server. If there are any further questions, you may ask via the comment below.