Technology / Analysis & practical perspectives

Before changing MikroTik, prepare your rollback

A short checklist for remote MikroTik changes: Backup versus Export, Safe Mode, emergency access and clear rollback criteria.

ADArdeshir Daryani··2 min read
Conceptual router diagram showing the main connection, return path and protected configuration copy.
An original AI-generated conceptual illustration; not an accurate depiction of a commercial product or architecture.

Technical resources: Configuration management MikroTik and Backup – MikroTik. Checking the list and prioritizing below is the independent proposal of this note.

The main risk of remote change is not just a mistake of writing a law; we may cut off the same path that we need to correct the mistake. In my opinion, the quality of a network change should be measured by the possibility of a return.

Do not confuse backup with a readable document.

Binary Backup is used to restore settings and is a sensitive file. Text export is better for browsing and comparison, but not all assets, including user code and keys. Having export does not mean having a full version of recovery. Keep files out of your router and with limited access.

They should be clear before they apply.

  • Which service is going to change and who confirms the result?
  • What interface and direction does the current management connection pass?
  • Where is the version stored before the change and the method of using it?
  • If access is interrupted, is the console or person available at the site?
  • What sign will stop working and return?

Safe mode helps, no miracle.

Safe mode can restore the changes recorded during its unusual cut. But it’s best to apply it to a small, controlled set of changes; the limits of the history and changes of other managers’ time should be considered. Don’t replace an emergency access path.

In a hypothetical example, a website’s access law is expected to be added. First, we only target the same destination and port, measure the result from the external path and then go to the next stage. Wide open firewalls for “which works right now” make it difficult to recognize results.

Before the change, write a sentence: “If this review fails, I will return this change.”

Related study: Documentary a service page..

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