My backup files don't seem to contain any configuration data. If I backup, hard reset, restore; the only thing that changes is the Time Service Settings & the speed dial list.
I tried a backup with each available option. What am I missing.
You can look at your backup files with IE. Are they in fact missing all your configueation data?
they won't open in IE for me. I get an xml error. I open them in excel and I see nothing pertaining to configuration settings
you can view it here
http://thejmart.com/backup.xml
It opens fine in IE(9) for me.
If you check 'Use OBi Version' when you save them, they'll be much more readable.
Are you backing up from USER mode instead of ADMIN mode?
doesn't open for me.
I thought that was Obi version
I replaced it with obi version, see if any difference.
open or not, if I backup and then restore the only changes are the time and speed dials, nothing else
Let me clarify what I meant...
You need to be in ADMIN mode if you want to backup everything.
I am at the web interface signed in with the webpage admin password that was set at Obitalk
The backup file you posted does appear to contain only User settings. The only way I know how to make that happen is to backup while being logged in as User. If you're backing up while being logged in as Admin, I don't know why the OBi isn't saving the rest of your configuration.
I don't know. I'll try on another system.
update:
backup and restore worked ok from another laptop. Both are running wireless and the one that worked is older with older version of IE, way out of date updates etc.
but now the service provider shows "backing off" and the attendant says no service.
maybe it will change.
update 2:
backing off would not change until I made a call from gmail. I will try the whole thing again.
The real test is to Backup Configuration, Reset Configuration, then Restore Configuration.
Quote from: RonR on March 25, 2011, 05:33:33 PM
The real test is to Backup Configuration, Reset Configuration, then Restore Configuration.
restoration is not getting good results so far. I don't get the service providers in the restore.
And importing to Obi Expert gets nothing.
I've done Backup Configuration, Reset Configuration, and Restore Configuration countless times during testing and they've worked every time.
I just tried importing my current backup file into OBi Expert and it's all there just as expected.
If I do backup, reset configuration, restore; all the configuration is there but both providers show "backing off"
Are you remembering to re-enter your password's and pin's? They aren't saved in a backup file.
yea, I found that I needed to do that.
I am trying to find a way to use this Expert Configuration to it's full potential for remote management.
The first fault with it is there is no way to backup from it. You still have to have local access to get a backup file.
As far as I know, there's no way to export an OBi Expert configuration. Like you, I feel this is a significant deficiency if OBi Expert is to be used for unattended remote configuration. A remote login capability in the OBi would be a much better approach for remote configuration and would totally avoid this business of trying to maintain a mirror of the OBi's configuration on someone else's web site which you have no control over.
In general, be it a local or unattended remote installation, if one gets to relying completely on OBiTALK / OBi Expert for configuration and the OBiTALK web server goes down, you're hung out to dry. If you revert to configuring the OBi directly, you've got to remember to disable auto-provisioning to avoid having your changes wiped out when the server is restored. Then if you want to return to using OBiTALK / OBi Expert for configuration, you've got to first get the server caught up manually with any changes you've made in its absence before you can re-enable auto-provisioning.
For the first time user, OBiTALK is a great way to get up and running quickly. It can also serve as a tool to learn what goes into actually configuring an OBi by observing the parameters it generates for a particular scenario that it's capable of handling. If your needs are reasonably simple and OBiTALK configures everything you need, then you're done.
But for things that are beyond what OBiTALK can handle, the picture changes. Except for the isolated case of unattended remote configuration (needed due to the lack of remote login capability), I just don't see what configuring through OBi Expert accomplishes over making changes locally. If you possess the knowledge necessary to use OBi Expert, then you don't need it (or OBiTALK) and it only adds to the complexity. But all this is just one person's opinion.
That is a great summation, and one that I agree with.
I agree. OBi Expert configuration tool adds a layer of complexity the way it is designed. Remote login via port forwarding to the OBi unit would provide the Remote administration feature without Obi central being in the middle. In hindsight alot of effort must have gone into this to avoid the "Configure using OBi portal or Obi web unit, but not both". It seems there are too many potential points of failure for this to be the solution for the "OBi Expert" family IT manager.
With the new firmware update does the backup from the obi device restore on the online obi expert page? I noticed on the portal that there is an area to import saved config file.