Backup

ToolsCopy Anchor Link

• Create System Backup
• List Backup Files
• Create Full Configuration Export
• Export Configuration Section
• Download File from Device
• Upload File to Device
• Restore System Backup
• Import RouterOS Configuration Script
• Remove File from Device
• Get Backup File Details

create_backupCopy Anchor Link

Create System Backup · Risk: write

Creates a binary system backup (/system backup save) — a full encrypted snapshot of all device configuration, suitable for disaster recovery and full-config restore. Unlike create_export or export_section which produce human-readable text files, this produces an opaque .backup binary that can only be applied via restore_backup. Name defaults to backup_<device-datetime> if omitted; dont_encrypt=true skips encryption; include_password=false omits credentials from the snapshot. Returns file details of the created .backup file on success.

list_backupsCopy Anchor Link

List Backup Files · Risk: read

Lists .backup binary files on the device filesystem (/file print where type=backup). By default shows only binary backup files; set include_exports=true to also include .rsc script files. Filter by name substring with name_filter. For detailed metadata on a specific file use backup_info. Returns a table of matching files or a not-found message.

create_exportCopy Anchor Link

Create Full Configuration Export · Risk: read

Exports the complete device configuration to a .rsc plain-text script file (/export file=<name>), re-applicable via import_configuration. Unlike create_backup, the result is human-readable plain text — not a binary snapshot — and passwords are hidden by default (hide_sensitive=true). file_format changes only the file extension used when looking up the saved file — no format= flag is ever sent to RouterOS, so the content is always RouterOS script text regardless of the chosen extension; selecting json or xml will also cause the post-export file lookup to fail because RouterOS saves the file as .rsc. ALWAYS default to a FULL configuration export: leave compact and verbose off (the plain full export) unless the user explicitly asks for less or more. Set compact ONLY when the user wants a smaller diff that omits default values, or verbose ONLY when they want every parameter (including defaults). export_type only controls where the file= argument is positioned in the command and does not independently drive compactness or verbosity. For a single subsection only use export_section. Returns file details of the created export file.

export_sectionCopy Anchor Link

Export Configuration Section · Risk: read

Exports one RouterOS subsection to a .rsc script file (/<section> export file=<name>). Use when you need only a partial config snapshot rather than the full device export. section is the RouterOS command path without a leading slash — e.g. "ip address", "interface vlan", "ip firewall filter", "ip firewall nat", "queue simple". For the full device configuration use create_export; to apply the resulting file use import_configuration. Returns file details of the created .rsc file.

download_fileCopy Anchor Link

Download File from Device · Risk: read

Downloads a file from the device filesystem over SFTP and returns its raw bytes base64-encoded as FILE_CONTENT_BASE64:<data>. Works for any file type — .backup, .rsc, .p12 certificates, keys, etc. Verifies file existence first (/file print count-only). The SSH user MUST have the read policy (and sensitive for .backup / certificate files) on RouterOS for SFTP downloads to work. NOT available on MAC-Telnet devices (Layer-2 has no file transfer). To list available files use list_backups; for file metadata use backup_info; to push a file onto the device use upload_file.

upload_fileCopy Anchor Link

Upload File to Device · Risk: write

Transfer a file to the device filesystem over SFTP (the file subsystem RouterOS exposes on its SSH server) — this actually pushes the bytes, then verifies the file appears in /file. Use it to put a file on the router before another tool can use it: a .rsc config script (then apply with import_configuration), a .backup file (then restore_backup), or a certificate/key (then import_certificate). filename is the DESTINATION path on the device — root by default (e.g. config.rsc), or an external-disk path (e.g. disk1/cert.pem). content_base64 is the file's raw bytes, base64-encoded (binary-safe — works for .backup/cert files, not just text). Overwrites any existing file of the same name. NOT available on MAC-Telnet devices (Layer-2 has no file transfer) — there, have the router pull the file itself with /tool fetch from a reachable URL.

restore_backupCopy Anchor Link

Restore System Backup · Risk: dangerous

Loads a .backup file from the device filesystem and replaces the running configuration (/system backup load). DANGEROUS: the device REBOOTS immediately — all current config is replaced with the snapshot. Verifies file existence first (/file print count-only). Provide password if the backup was created with encryption. For applying a text .rsc script without rebooting use import_configuration; to create a new backup first use create_backup.

import_configurationCopy Anchor Link

Import RouterOS Configuration Script · Risk: dangerous

Executes a .rsc script file already on the device filesystem (/import file=<filename>). Use to apply a configuration exported by create_export or export_section. DANGEROUS: the script's commands run immediately and can overwrite live configuration; unlike restore_backup no reboot is triggered. run_after_reset=true defers execution until after the next factory-reset; verbose=true logs each command as it runs. Returns the script execution output or a success message.

remove_fileCopy Anchor Link

Remove File from Device · Risk: dangerous

Permanently deletes a named file from the device filesystem (/file remove <filename>). DANGEROUS: deletion is immediate and irreversible — applies to any file type (.backup, .rsc, logs, etc.). Verifies existence first via /file print count-only; returns success or a not-found message.

backup_infoCopy Anchor Link

Get Backup File Details · Risk: read

Returns detailed metadata for a specific file on the device filesystem (/file print detail where name=<filename>). Shows size, creation time, type, and other file attributes. For scanning all backup files use list_backups; to retrieve the file contents use download_file.