How to Fully Back Up Panorama VM in Azure

[Aneeg_Ashfaq]

We’re trying to implement a full backup solution for a Panorama VM hosted in Azure, including all sensitive elements like auth credentials, private keys, and user passwords.

Here’s what we’ve found:

• The XML API config export works, but it sanitizes sensitive info.

• category=device-state is not supported on Panorama (it errors out saying a device must be specified).

• Azure VM snapshots and Azure Backup are unsupported due to Panorama’s serial number licensing model.

• Palo Alto recommends:

  • Manual backup via web interface

  • Scheduled CLI backup via SCP
    (but SFTP is not supported, which raises concerns for some customers)

Questions:

1. Is there any supported method to fully back up Panorama VM config including sensitive data?

2. Why does Panorama only support SCP, and not SFTP?

3. Are there any plans to improve backup options for Panorama in cloud/VM environments?

[ozheng]

Hello @Aneeg_Ashfaq ,

1- SCP is the supported method if you want some automated export.
Or you have the XMLAPI, have you checked api/?type=export&category=configuration ?

2- Maybe you can approach your PANW account team to raise a feature request. 

3- see point2.

Olivier