Compare firewall backups

That would be comfortable, maybe someone else knows about such method. Another one could be export your configuration as printable, restore your backup and export again a printable configuration. Compare these printable configuration. You find these under Support in the menu. Best regards Alex

I run utm virtualized.  I had in mind to install a 2nd instance with just a local lan port defined.  I don't recall if the installer will install with just one interface.  If it doesn't I can make a second virtual interface that goes nowhere (for wan).  That way the objects are available for viewing in their native place.

The idea above needs further investigation.  Is it possible to generate an xml file with all the settings?

Note, file generated above includes passwords too.

I did follow Alex's idea and if you go to Support > Printable Configuration, you can generate a report that can be viewed in WebAdmin format or confd format. I just realized that these are actually XML files. So tonight I'll restore my backup, generate this xml file and then compare it to the one I currently have. Hopefully it will be that easy.

Running UTM virtualized sounds like a great idea for a lab environment! I did not realize you could do that. Did you create the VM from an appliance or did you start out with a VM? And do you build it as a linux VM and then install the latest ISO for UTM, or does Sophos already offer it as a pre-built VM? (Wondering how I could do this).

 

What is the difference between these two (webadmin vs confd formats)?

• in WebAdmin format - direct link to the objects
• in Confd format (including internal nodes and attributes) - direct link to the objects

As these are xml's, perhaps use notepad++'s compare function to locate the differences, or some other xml parser?

Sophos has an appliance iso one could install from.  That's what I used when I installed the utm instance directly into a vm. So started out as a VM.  No linux installation needed, the iso installs the full OS.  No prebuilt vm appliances unfortunately.  I suppose that's better from a security standpoint.

I recently started over.  Previous install was over a year old and getting sluggish.  Used the iso to install into the same vm, formatting the drive as part of it.  Once fully installed, restored a backup file.  Other than having to change some interface/nic assignments, everything was just as before and faster.

You can also play around with it under vmworkstation.  Production use is under esxi.

What is the difference between these two (webadmin vs confd formats)?

• in WebAdmin format - direct link to the objects
• in Confd format (including internal nodes and attributes) - direct link to the objects

As these are xml's, perhaps use notepad++'s compare function to locate the differences, or some other xml parser?

Sophos has an appliance iso one could install from.  That's what I used when I installed the utm instance directly into a vm. So started out as a VM.  No linux installation needed, the iso installs the full OS.  No prebuilt vm appliances unfortunately.  I suppose that's better from a security standpoint.

I recently started over.  Previous install was over a year old and getting sluggish.  Used the iso to install into the same vm, formatting the drive as part of it.  Once fully installed, restored a backup file.  Other than having to change some interface/nic assignments, everything was just as before and faster.

You can also play around with it under vmworkstation.  Production use is under esxi.

Awesome. Thanks for the info. 

Looks like the only difference between the WebAdmin format and the confd format is just the format of the xml. Unfortunately, it does not look like either one includes ALL the data. In other words, it will create a nicely structured XML file and this file could contain well over 150,000 lines. But within the config there are hundreds (if not, thousands?) of links to other config pages.

I found a post on this community page with some tips on how to export a complete configuration page (https://community.sophos.com/products/unified-threat-management/f/general-discussion/22706/howto-export-complete-printable-configuration) - haven't tried it yet but it looks tedious.

Having a VM clone of my UTM appliance would be excellent. I could just restore my old backup to the VM and then put both web interfaces side by side on my screen and compare the rules.