How to Back Up and Restore Configuration in SONiC

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Prerequisites
• Make Backup
• Restore Backup
• Important Notes
• Documentation
• Useful links

Introduction

SONiC stores its persistent configuration in the file:
/etc/sonic/config_db.json

This file contains interface settings, VLANs, routing configuration, and most system parameters.
Backing up this file allows you to restore the switch configuration in case of hardware failure, misconfiguration, or device replacement.

This guide explains how to safely back up and restore SONiC configuration.

Prerequisites

• SSH or console access to the SONiC switch
• SSH/SFTP access to a remote backup server
• User account with read/write permissions on the backup server
• Basic Linux CLI knowledge

Step-By-Step Guide

Make Backup

STEP 1: Ensure the running configuration is written to disk:

sudo config save -y

Example:

STEP 2: Verify configuration file exists

ls -l /etc/sonic/config_db.json

Example:

STEP 3: Create a local backup copy

cp /etc/sonic/config_db.json config-backup_db.json

STEP 4: Transfer backup to remote server

scp config-backup_db.json stordis@192.168.1.200:/SONIC/Backup

Example:

If you haven't previously connected to the remote host via SSH, the following message will be displayed.

Check the fingerprint on the remote host and confirm the connection by entering "yes."

Restore Backup

Important: Restoring configuration replaces the entire current setup.

STEP 1: Copy backup file to the switch

sudo scp stordis@192.168.1.200:/SONIC/Backup/config-backup_db.json . 

Verify the file:

ls -l config-backup_db.json

STEP 2: Restore configuration from backup

sudo cp config-backup_db.json /etc/sonic/config_db.json

STEP 3: Reload the configuration

sudo config reload -y

This applies the restored configuration.

STEP 4: Verify Configuration After Restore

After reload, verify the system state:

show runningconfiguration all
show interfaces status
show ip route
show version

Important Notes

• Backups should match the same SONiC version whenever possible.

• Always keep multiple backup versions.

• Test restore procedures in a lab before applying in production.

• Automating backups via scripts or Ansible is recommended for large deployments.

   

Useful links

If you want to explore more topics, be sure to check out our other guides, including:

How to install and deploy SONiC on network switches?

How can I set up a console connection to Edgecore Open Networking switch?

How to add user and change the password in SONiC – STORDIS Support Portal

Where to download the SONiC Virtual Switch (VS) community pre-built image?

For more free resources, visit: 

https://stordis.com/free-resources/

Still have questions? You can find more answers in our full FAQ - just follow the link below.

STORDIS Support Portal FAQ