

# Migrating a full configuration
<a name="migration-at-a-glance"></a>

In this approach, you take a configuration from an existing system and migrate it to a new system. This process will copy an existing configuration, IP addresses, certificates, keys, pass phrases, and sign-in credentials. 

The primary reason for migrating an entire configuration is for a like-for-like system replacement, such as a hardware upgrade or an RMA. Typically, these concepts do not apply to the AWS Cloud. 

You can use UCS or SCF files to migrate a full configuration, and the following tables provide an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of using them. 


**Use a UCS or qkview file**


- **All files are moved as a single archive.**
  - The primary use case for using a UCS file would be to replace a failed device. The archive contains device-specific information that might make the F5 BIG-IP workload unreachable. 

- **Local user accounts are preserved. If they are integrated with your active directory, then the configuration is preserved.**
  - If you have configured a directory integration, you might have access issues. If you do not have access to the user passwords, you might also have access issues.

- **All virtual server configurations are preserved.**
  - You might have to edit the IP addresses of the device, virtual servers, and pool members.

- **The file structure is preserved. **
  - You must know which files to edit.
  - This process is more complex than an SCF or object-by-object move.
  - Increased error risk, including a redeployment or potential for the configuration to fail to load.
  - Designed for entire system replacement workflows.


**Use an SCF file**


<table>
<thead>
  <tr><th>Advantages</th><th>Disadvantages</th></tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
  <tr><td>Creates a text file of the configuration.</td><td>Edits will be required because there will be device-specific properties in the file that can impact access if the file is simply loaded.</td></tr>
  <tr><td>Easily editable in any Unix or Linux text editor.</td><td>You must understand the configuration and file structure to make the edits.</td></tr>
  <tr><td>The configuration file has the correct order of load operations.</td><td rowspan="2">You must know which parts of the file to remove to prevent one from overwriting device-specific configurations.</td></tr>
  <tr><td>You can easily find objects that are to be migrated.</td></tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Advantages	Disadvantages
Creates a text file of the configuration.	Edits will be required because there will be device-specific properties in the file that can impact access if the file is simply loaded.
Easily editable in any Unix or Linux text editor.	You must understand the configuration and file structure to make the edits.
The configuration file has the correct order of load operations.	You must know which parts of the file to remove to prevent one from overwriting device-specific configurations.
You can easily find objects that are to be migrated.