FDM Configuration Import/Export Tool

Automate FDM configuration backups and restores via REST API. Export your entire FDM config to a zip file, and import it to another (or the same) FDM device.

Stack: Python 3.8+, Cisco FDM REST API v6+

Why This Tool?

This is basically a disaster recovery tool. When FDM's built-in backup/restore isn't working or accessible, you can use this as an alternative method to export/import your configurations via the REST API.

Quick Start

# Clone and setup
git clone https://github.com/anvesh-pathak/FDM-Import-Export.git
cd FDM-Import-Export
python3 -m venv myenv
source myenv/bin/activate  # or myenv\Scripts\activate on Windows
pip3 install -r requirements.txt

# Export config
python3 fdm_config_retriever.py

# Import config
python3 fdm_config_importer.py

Requirements

Python 3.8+
FDM 7.2+ with API access
Network access to FDM management interface

pip3 install requests urllib3

Usage

Export (Backup)

python3 fdm_config_retriever.py

You'll be prompted for:

FDM IP/hostname
Username/password
Download path (default: current directory)
Custom filename (optional)

Downloads a .zip file containing your full FDM configuration.

Import (Restore)

python3 fdm_config_importer.py

Prompts for:

Target FDM IP/hostname
Username/password
Full path to config .zip file

Important: Import doesn't auto-deploy. After import completes, log into FDM GUI and deploy the changes manually.

Common Scenarios

Daily backups:

python3 fdm_config_retriever.py
# Save as: backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).zip

Device migration:

# Export from old FDM
python3 fdm_config_retriever.py  # IP: 10.1.1.10

# Import to new FDM
python3 fdm_config_importer.py   # IP: 10.1.1.20

Disaster recovery:

python3 fdm_config_importer.py
# Point to your latest backup zip

How It Works

Architecture

Three simple classes following SOLID principles:

FDMBaseClient - Shared auth and API calls
├── FDMConfigRetriever - Export functionality
└── FDMConfigImporter - Import functionality

What Gets Exported?

Everything in your FDM config:

Network/URL/Port objects
Access control policies
NAT policies
Interfaces and zones
Static routes
All other configuration items

Exported as a JSON array in a zip file.

API Endpoints Used

Endpoint	Purpose
`POST /fdm/token`	Authentication
`POST /action/configexport`	Start export job
`GET /jobs/configexportstatus/{id}`	Check export status
`GET /action/downloadconfigfile/{file}`	Download config
`POST /action/uploadconfigfile`	Upload config
`POST /action/configimport`	Start import job
`GET /jobs/configimportstatus/{id}`	Check import status

Troubleshooting

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'requests'

pip3 install -r requirements.txt

Connection refused

Check FDM IP is correct
Verify network connectivity
Ensure FDM is running

Import failed: Cannot import configuration with X objects to be deployed

You have pending changes on the target FDM
Deploy or discard them first, then retry import

Authentication failed: 401

Double-check username/password
Verify account has admin privileges

Known Limitations

No auto-deployment (you must deploy manually via GUI)
Import fails if target FDM has pending changes (deploy/discard first)
SSL verification disabled (most FDMs use self-signed certs)
May have issues importing across very different FDM versions

Tested On

FDM: 7.4.2, 7.6.2
Python: 3.8, 3.9, 3.10, 3.11
OS: macOS, Linux, Windows 10/11

Security Notes

Passwords entered via getpass (not echoed to terminal)
No credentials stored anywhere
All API communication over HTTPS
Config files may contain sensitive data - encrypt your backups!

Contributing

PRs welcome! This is a simple tool, so keep it simple:

Follow PEP 8
Add docstrings
Test with real FDM before submitting
Update README if adding features

Author

Anvesh Pathak - anvpatha@cisco.com

License

MIT - see LICENSE file

Credits

Note: Test in a lab before production use. Always validate backups work before you need them!