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Scripted Backup

Network Device Config Backup — Cisco, Juniper

Automated SSH and TFTP backups for routers, switches, firewalls, and servers. Pre-built templates for 19 device types - Cisco, Juniper, pfSense, FortiGate, MikroTik, Palo Alto, and more. Automatic diffs between backups track every configuration change over time.

19 device templates
SSH & TFTP
Automatic diffs
Full audit trail
Custom scripts

19 Built-In Device Templates

Select a sample script, point it at a device, and you're backing up in minutes. Every template is tested against real hardware.

Cisco
IOS6 commands · 120s
IOS-XE7 commands · 120s
IOS-XR6 commands · 120s
NX-OS6 commands · 120s
Firewalls
FortiGate6 commands · 180s
pfSense1 command · 60s
OPNsense1 command · 60s
Palo Alto PAN-OS4 commands · 180s
Routers & Switches
Juniper JunOS5 commands · 120s
Arista EOS6 commands · 120s
HP/Aruba ProCurve5 commands · 90s
MikroTik RouterOS4 commands · 120s
Ubiquiti EdgeOS5 commands · 90s
VyOS4 commands · 90s
OpenWRT5 commands · 60s
Dell OS105 commands · 90s
Servers
Linux Server6 commands · 60s
Generic Server5 commands · 60s
Generic Network3 commands · 90s

Any device with SSH or TFTP access can be backed up using a custom script - not just listed platforms.

How It Works

Three tabs, three minutes. Scripts → Targets → History.

1
Add a Script
Click "Add Script" and select a sample script for your device type. Pre-built templates for all 19 supported platforms - or create a custom command sequence.
2
Add a Remote Target
Enter device name, IP/hostname, connection type (SSH or TFTP), and credentials. Select which script to run. Click "Test Connection" to verify before saving.
3
Run & Review
Click "Run Backup Now" to execute immediately, or assign a backup policy for automatic scheduling. View results in Backup History with status, diff, and full conversation log.
Remote Targets

Each target is a device you want to back up. Set a name, host, connection type (SSH or TFTP), and which script to run. Run backups on demand or let a policy schedule them automatically.

  • Name - descriptive label
  • Host - IP address or hostname
  • Connection - SSH or TFTP
  • Script - which template to execute
Scripts

Scripts define the command sequence to execute on a device - prompts, expected responses, and output capture. Start with a sample script or write your own for custom equipment.

  • Command sequences with expected prompts
  • Output handling and file capture
  • Configurable timeout per script
  • Custom scripts for any SSH device
Backup History

Every job logged with status, duration, and generated files. Filter by target, script, date range, or text search. Download the backup file, view the diff, or read the full conversation log.

  • Filter by target, script, or date
  • Download backup or view diff
  • Full SSH conversation log
  • Status: completed, failed, running

What Gets Backed Up

Every built-in template captures the data that actually matters for your device type - not just a ping response.

Cisco IOS / NX-OS
  • Running config
  • Startup config
  • Version info
  • Routing tables
  • Interface status
Juniper JunOS
  • Full config (set format)
  • Version
  • Route summary
  • Interface status
pfSense / OPNsense
  • Complete XML config
  • Firewall rules
  • NAT & VPN
  • DHCP leases
MikroTik RouterOS
  • Full config export
  • System resources
  • IP addresses
  • Routes
Linux Servers
  • Hostname & kernel info
  • Network config
  • Filesystem mounts
  • Disk usage
  • NFS exports
All Devices
  • Diff vs. previous backup
  • Full SSH conversation log
  • Timestamp & duration
  • Custom command output

Automatic Change Tracking

After every backup, ShadowCradle generates a diff against the previous version. At a glance you can see exactly what changed on a device - a new firewall rule, an updated routing table, a modified interface - without manually comparing files.

Line-by-line diff between consecutive backups
View in browser or download raw file
Full history retained per backup policy
SSH conversation log for audit trails and debugging
cisco-core-sw - diff 2026-02-25 vs 2026-02-24
interface GigabitEthernet0/1
- shutdown
+ no shutdown
!
ip route 10.20.0.0 255.255.0.0 10.0.0.1
+ ip route 10.30.0.0 255.255.0.0 10.0.0.1
!
ntp server 10.0.0.253
- ntp server 10.0.0.254
+ ntp server 10.0.0.100

Common Issues

Connection test fails
Verify IP/hostname, port (default 22), username, and password or SSH key. Check firewall allows SSH/TFTP from appliance. Confirm SSH service is enabled on device.
Backup job fails
Open the conversation log - it shows the full SSH session transcript. Common causes: wrong script for device type, unexpected prompt, permission error. Try the sample script first.
No diff generated
Expected for first backup - there is no previous backup to compare against. Diffs appear automatically starting from the second run.

Best Practices

Use sample scripts for supported devices - they are tested and reliable
Always test the connection and run a manual backup before assigning a backup policy
Review conversation logs for failed jobs to understand exactly where the session stopped
Schedule automatic backups daily for critical network devices
Use descriptive target names that include device role and location (e.g., "core-sw-nyc-01")
Rotate SSH credentials regularly - update targets in ShadowCradle when you do

Back Up Every Device in Your Network

SSH config backup for Cisco, Juniper, pfSense, FortiGate, and 15 more - included in every ShadowCradle appliance.

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