Secure by default: Perform backup and restore

General information

Backup and restore mechanisms are used for fast recommissioning after a possible system failure or device reset. The backups can be created locally via the Web‑based Management (WBM) and can also be signed and managed by the Device and Update Management (DaUM) and transferred to it.

The following data are included in the backup:

Application
Configuration

Note: The firmware is not included in the backup. Before restore, you must validate the appropriate firmware version and install it via the DaUM according to the application and configuration requirements.

The following application data are included in the backup:

PLC program
Safety PLC program
eHMI application
APP application default data (depending on app development)

The following configuration data (top level view) are included in the backup:

Network
Time configuration
System services
Web services
Certificates
Firewall
SD card
Security Profile
Users
Syslog
APPs
SSH access

Note: The licenses can be installed separately depending on the level of restore. Licences are bound to the hardware or the SD card. For more information on licenses, refer to the PLCnext Store Info Center.

Create a backup via Web‑based Management (WBM)

To create a backup locally via WBM, proceed as follows:

Return to topicHow do I get to the WBM again? Click here for more information...

Establishing a connection to the Web-based Management (WBM2):

Open a web browser on your computer.
In the address field, enter the URL https://<IP-address-of-the-controller>/wbm,
for example: https://192.168.1.10/wbm.

For further information, see WBM2.

Open the Backup & restore page (System → Backup & restore) and click the button.

↪ The 5-step modal dialog Create backup is displayed.
In step 1, select the following data categories to be include in this backup package: Configuration Data, Certificates, Engineer Project and Remaining Files.

For more information on the selectable data categories, refer to the main PLCnext Technology - Info Center.
Click the NEXT button.
In step 2, click the SKIP button.
In step 3, enter a meaningful name for the backup file to label the content of the package (1), then click the next button (2).
In step 4, enter a password (1) and then click the create backup button (2).
Note: A proper password in this context consists of maximum 127 characters: a-Z, A-Z, 0-9 and ASCII characters.

↪ The backup procedure is performed.
In step 5, click the FINISH button.

↪ The modal dialog closes and you should see the new backup file in the Available backups table.

For more information, refer to the backup & restore topic.

Backup in the DaUM

After you have carried out the steps in the WBM, you can load the backup file from the PLCnext Control into the DaUM. To do this, proceed as follows:

Open the DaUM interface.
On the Assets page, open the BACKUPS tab.
Load the backup created from the PLCnext Control into the DaUM using the Download button.

Once the backup has been successfully uploaded to the DaUM, it is diplayed on the Backups page on the detail page of the respective device.

If you click on the device, you will see the corresponding backup files listed on the BACKUPS tab on the Assets page.

For more information, refer to the Device and Update Management content.

Perform a restore

Before the restore:

Make sure that the device has the correct system time. If the device does not have the correct system time, the signature of the backup cannot be checked and an error is displayed.
If the device has been reset, you must assign the corresponding IP address to the device again.
When restoring the backup to a different device, certificates generated using a device-specific TPM key cannot be restored. The certificates must be manually regenerated for the device.