NSE4 System and Network Administration Practice Question
Which command is used to back up the FortiGate configuration to a TFTP server?
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates familiar with Cisco IOS may mistakenly choose 'copy config tftp' (Option D), which is valid for Cisco but not for FortiGate, where the correct syntax requires 'execute backup config tftp'.
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 tftp <filename> <server_ip>
The correct command to back up the FortiGate configuration to a TFTP server is 'execute backup config tftp <filename> <server_ip>'. This is because FortiGate uses the 'execute' command for operational tasks, and 'backup config tftp' specifically instructs the system to export the running configuration to a TFTP server. The other options use incorrect syntax or commands that are not recognized by the FortiGate CLI.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
save config tftp <filename> <server_ip>
Why it's wrong here
The FortiGate CLI does not recognize 'save' as a configuration management verb. Configuration backups are invoked via the 'execute' keyword, which triggers privileged operational commands. Therefore, 'save config tftp <filename> <server_ip>' is not a valid syntax and will be rejected by the command parser.
- ✗
backup tftp config <filename> <server_ip>
Why it's wrong here
Although 'backup' is the correct operation, the keyword order is wrong in 'backup tftp config'. In FortiOS, the destination protocol (tftp) must follow the object 'config', resulting in 'execute backup config tftp <filename> <server_ip>'. The command 'backup tftp config <filename> <server_ip>' fails because it lacks 'execute' and misplaces the protocol keyword.
- ✓
execute backup config tftp <filename> <server_ip>
Why this is correct
This is the exact and only valid FortiGate CLI command for backing up configuration to a TFTP server. The 'execute' verb initiates an administrative task, 'backup config' specifies the operation, and 'tftp <filename> <server_ip>' supplies the transfer protocol and destination. After entering the command, the FortiGate prompts for confirmation and then uploads the complete configuration file to the specified TFTP server.
- ✗
copy config tftp <filename> <server_ip>
Why it's wrong here
The 'copy' command is not used for configuration backup in FortiOS; it is a common syntax inherited from Cisco IOS, but FortiGate does not implement it. Even if 'copy' exists for other file operations, it cannot perform a configuration backup to TFTP. The correct verb for this operation is 'execute backup config', making 'copy config tftp <filename> <server_ip>' invalid.
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