NSE4 System and Network Administration Practice Question
An administrator wants to back up the FortiGate configuration to a remote FTP server. Which command should be used?
⚠ Common exam trap
Many candidates confuse the `backup` and `restore` commands, or using a Cisco-style command like `copy running-config startup-config`, which is not valid on FortiGate devices.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
execute backup config ftp <filename> <server>
The `execute backup config ftp` command is the specific FortiGate CLI command designed to back up the configuration file to a remote FTP server. This command directly initiates an FTP transfer of the current system configuration, ensuring the backup is stored externally for disaster recovery.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
execute restore config ftp <filename> <server>
Why it's wrong here
The `execute restore config ftp` command is used to retrieve a previously saved configuration file from an FTP server and load it into the running FortiGate, overwriting the current settings. Since the administrator's goal is to back up (export) the configuration, this command would reverse the process and potentially replace the active configuration with an older version. The backup counterpart is `execute backup config ftp`, which saves the live configuration to the FTP server. Using restore for a backup task is functionally opposite and can cause unintended configuration loss.
- ✗
copy running-config startup-config
Why it's wrong here
`copy running-config startup-config` is a Cisco IOS command that does not exist in FortiOS. FortiGate runs on its own proprietary operating system and manages a single merged configuration file, not separate running and startup configurations as seen on Cisco devices. On FortiGate, the correct way to back up the configuration is to use the `execute backup` command, for example `execute backup config ftp <filename> <server>`. Therefore, this option is syntactically invalid on a FortiGate and cannot perform the required backup operation.
- ✗
execute backup system ftp <filename> <server>
Why it's wrong here
The command `execute backup system ftp <filename> <server>` is invalid because FortiOS does not define a 'system' object for the `backup` command. FortiOS distinguishes between backing up the device configuration (`config`) and other operations; there is no `backup system` subcommand. The correct syntax for a standard configuration backup over FTP is `execute backup config ftp <filename> <server>`. Attempting `backup system` will result in an 'unknown command' error and will not initiate any backup.
- ✓
execute backup config ftp <filename> <server>
Why this is correct
`execute backup config ftp <filename> <server>` is the correct FortiGate CLI command to export the current configuration to a remote FTP server. The command specifies the object type `config` (the device configuration), the protocol `ftp`, the destination filename, and the server's hostname or IP address. FortiOS will prompt for FTP credentials if they are not provided, and the resulting backup file can later be restored with the corresponding `execute restore config ftp` command. This is the standard, supported method for a configuration backup via FTP.
Go deeper
Related to this question
About these practice questions
One of 773 original NSE4 practice questions on Courseiva, each with a full explanation and wrong-answer analysis — not exam dumps or protected exam content. Learn why practice questions differ from exam dumps →
JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This NSE4 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Fortinet certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the NSE4 exam.