What's Backed Up?

Every time you export a backup from an Alta Labs device, you get a .json file containing its complete setup. While it looks like a wall of code, it breaks down into four simple areas as below.

1. Device Info & Cloud Pairing

Tells the system what the hardware is and links it securely to your account.

• Identity: Device name, model, hardware MAC address (id), and current firmware version.
• Cloud & Security: The Site ID it belongs to, a cryptographic public key (pubkey) for encrypted management, and the unique cloud management ID (mid).
• Hardware settings: LED settings, chassis color, and disconnect alert preferences.
• Dynamic DNS (DDNS): Stores the device’s unique DDNS hostname ID and private authentication token so remote access continues to work if your public IP changes.

2. Management Network (LAN)

How the device communicates with your network and the internet.

• IP Configuration: Network mode (dhcp), fallback static IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway.
• DNS: Primary and secondary DNS server addresses.
• VLAN: The specific management VLAN tag assigned to the device.

3. Device-Specific Settings

Depending on whether the hardware is an Access Point, Switch, or Router, this section changes:

• Access Points (APs):
  • Wi-Fi channels and channel widths for 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz radios.
  • Active broadcast BSSIDs (virtual MACs for your SSIDs).
  • PoE passthrough status.
• Switches:
  • Port overrides (such as Energy Efficient Ethernet / eee settings).
  • Performance toggles like Jumbo Frames and IGMP Snooping.
• Routers / Gateways (Route 10):
  • WANs & LANs: WAN uplink configurations (DHCP/Static) and local LAN bridge setups.
  • DHCP Server: Subnet ranges, IP pool size, reserved IPs, and local DNS distribution.
  • Local DNS: Custom internal domain redirects (e.g., pointing setup.lan to the router).

4. Topology & Dependencies

• Upstream Link (lastLink): Notes exactly which switch or router port this unit was plugged into, along with the neighbour's name and MAC address.

• Dependencies: Lists the site-wide VLANs and WAN profiles required for the device to function properly.

   

Back up your Alta Devices

To download the configuration backup from the Alta Cloud Management platform (manage.alta.inc):

1. Sign in to Alta Control

   • Open your browser, navigate to manage.alta.inc, and log in to your account.

2. Select the Target Site

   • If you manage multiple locations, use the site switcher in the top navigation bar to choose the site where the device is located.

3. Navigate to the Network

   • Click on the Network tab in the main navigation menu to view your list of Access Points, Switches, and Route10.

4. Open Device Window

   • Click directly on the Icon of the device (e.g., your AP6-Pro, S8, or Route10) to open its side-panel configuration sheet.

5. For APs and Switches

   • Click on Settings, then Advanced, then click Download (next to Backup).

6. For Route10 

   • Under the Ports, click on Advanced and click Download (next to Backup).
      

Restore your Alta Devices

Restoring a configuration backup depends on whether you are recovering the original device (after a factory reset or misconfiguration) or migrating settings to a brand-new replacement unit.

Scenario A: Restoring onto the Same Device (Post-Reset or Rollback)

Use this method if the original hardware is still in service and simply needs its saved state restored. This is typically not necessary unless you have deleted the device from the site, or have since changed settings that you'd like restored.

1. Log in to Alta Control

   • Go to manage.alta.inc and select the correct site from the top navigation.

2. Navigate to the Network

   • Click on the Network tab.

3. Open the Device Window

   • Click on the target device's icon to open its window.

4. Navigate to Settings / Advanced

   • For APs/Switches: Click the Settings tab, then click Advanced.

   • For Route10: Stay on the Ports tab, then click Advanced.

5. Upload the Backup File

   • Click Restore.

   • Select your saved .json file from your local computer.

6. Confirm and Apply

   • Confirm the prompt. The cloud controller will validate the schema and push the configuration payload down to the unit. The device will then apply network interfaces, radio parameters, port profiles, etc.

Scenario B: Restoring onto a New Replacement Unit (RMA or Hardware Swap)

Use this method if you are replacing a faulty device with a new one.

1. Power On and Set Up the New Unit

   • Connect the replacement hardware to your network.

   • In Alta Control under Network, locate the new unit under the discovered list and click Set Up.

   • Allow it to complete initial setup, click the button to update it (if applicable), and wait for it to be Connected again.

2. Restore the JSON configuration to the New Unit

   • In the Network tab, click on the device's icon to pull open it's Device Window.

   • For APs/Switches, click Settings, then Advanced.

   • For Route10, stay on Ports, then click Advanced.

   • Scroll down to Backup and Restore near the bottom.

   • Click Restore.

   • Select the appropriate .json file.

   • The controller will strip the earlier hardware identifiers and apply only the network and service configurations to the new hardware.

Important: Please keep in mind that these backup files are JSON files which are not encrypted, so please handle them appropriately when transferring them.