Feature Request: Backup/Restore Settings

[patnj]

Following updating from .138 to .179 and performing a factory reset (as advised on this forum), it took me around an hour to re-configure the router around the following areas;

• Re-adding fixed IP addresses to DHCP for around 20 devices
• Re-adding Traffic Rules for kids PC and devices
• Renaming the devices in Device Manager (43 devices)
• Re-adding QoS Traffic Prioritisation
• Re-creating Ad-Blocker List (Domains)

Whist I appreciate the need to perform Factory resets, especially after firmware upgrades, I feel it is imperative that a mechanism for backing up and restoring configuration data is needed urgently.

I am aware that NetDuma are very open to adding feature requests to the development backlog, but it would be good have some "voting" capability for the NetDuma R2 community to influence the priority of feature request backlog (excluding defects 😊).

I am sure I'm not the only one that would like such a feature to be added, but it would be great to see if this is truly the case with the rest of the R2 community.

There are many product based companies in the UK that use this to great affect, where features requests are voted on. For example, new request made and the initial status is assigned (Status: Under Consideration), then if NetDuma accept the feature (Status: Accepted to Backlog), then when development starts (Status: Under Development). If not accepted (Status: Rejected). When the feature request status changes to (Under Development) a yearly quarter delivery estimate is given i.e. Q2 2020, or Q4 2020.

The previous paragraph is only a suggestion, but the backup/restore feature request is something that I feel is needed to stop one getting pi##ed off every time a factory reset is required 😊

Speaking for myself, I am more than happy to support NetDuma with constructive feedback on defects on early or new firmware releases, but without the suitable tools to help make this process easier, it is a little hard to justify, when in the back of my mind, I am thinking I need to spend an hour to re-configure the router after a new firmware update, which needs a factory reset to resolve a possible issue.

[jb68]

Yeah, I agree with that too, the only way you can back up (export) is the device names, saves a bit of time but I still have to change the device to computer etc.

[Guest Killhippie]

Cloud backups would be best as a image file can bring low level corruption onto new firmware updates. Maybe @Netduma Fraser could add this to the christmas hamper of new ideas, or put it in a zip file.

[Netduma Alex]

Thanks for the suggestion. This is something that we've been planning to add for a long time, but we haven't done it yet.

The way I see it, we should have the settings be downloadable, and we should allow the user to be selective about what is included.

When uploading a settings file, we should allow the user to choose which elements of the file are restored.

But I'm just spitballing ideas, we haven't actually decided yet on how this functionality will be implemented. Cloud Backups might be an interesting solution, but I predict they will require our cloud services to be made more robust beforehand. We do have an account system tied to the Rapp Store (for show only right now), so perhaps we could use that. The user might be asked during the Setup Wizard to login to their DumaOS account...

Or we could just allow the user to link to an existing cloud storage service.

Honestly though I think we'll probably go with the downloadable config file option, despite the risk of low level corruption.

[patnj]

"Honestly though I think we'll probably go with the downloadable config file option, despite the risk of low level corruption."

Could you not implement some kind of "checksum" validation to compare the downloaded config file to the one generated in memory at the point of export ?

[TheVisualFeast]

However this is implemented, if the recommendation for every firmware update is a factory reset, this functionality becomes critical imo.