NCM - backup F5 devices (UCS) - file saved in two places

Hi all,

NCM 7.6.

I am attempting to use NCM to back-up configuration of our F5 devices, specifically the *.UCS backups, and have followed the instructions at

Back up the F5 UCS file in NCM 7.5 and other binary files such as .tgz and .tar - SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC. Help and Su…

The running config (SCF – single configuration text file) and startup config (UCS file) are being backed up successfully to <network share>\<devicename>\<date>\<device name>-Running.Config and <network share>\<device name>\<date>\<device name>-Startup.Config respectively.

This corresponds with the settings at Settings> All Settings > NCM Settings> Config Archive Folder Locations:

Enter a path for the archive directory on this main or additional polling engine NCM server:configured with <network share>

Specify a template that should be used for naming config files: configured with ${NodeGroup}\${Caption}\${Date}\${Caption}-${ConfigType}.Config.

However, I am also getting a copy of the UCS file (i.e. a file identical to <devicename>-Startup.Config referenced above) at the root of the network share, named <apparently random string>.config (note lower case 'c' in config), for example 93cf1641-7bc3-4fa0-acf2-6b5e421e9a13.config.

The same network share specified under Config Archive Folder Locations is also configured in the Binary Config Storage Settings under Settings> All Settings> NCM Settings.

The F5 device template I’m using is as follows:

<Configuration-Management Device="F5 Big IP VPR-C2400" SystemOID="1.3.6.1.4.1.3375.2.1.3.4.48">

                <Commands>

                                <Command Name="RESET" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="Reboot" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="EnterConfigMode" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="ExitConfigMode" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="Startup" Value="ucs" IsBinary="true"/>

                                <Command Name="Running" Value="config file"/>           

                                <Command Name="DownloadConfig" Value="tmsh -q show running-config"/>

                                <Command Name="UploadConfig" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="DownloadConfigIndirect" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="UploadConfigIndirect" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="DownloadConfigIndirectSCP" Value="tmsh save /sys ${ConfigType} /var/local/NCM.ucs${CRLF}${TransferProtocol} /var/local/NCM.ucs ${SCPServerUserName}@${SCPStorageAddress}:${StorageFilename}${CRLF}yes${CRLF}${SCPServerPassword}"/>

                                <Command Name="UploadConfigIndirectSCP" Value="${TransferProtocol} ${SCPServerUserName}@${SCPStorageAddress}:${StorageFilename} /var/local/NCM.ucs${CRLF}${SCPServerPassword}${CRLF}tmsh load /sys ${ConfigType} /var/local/NCM.ucs"/>

                                <Command Name="EraseConfig" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="SaveConfig" Value=""/>

                                <Command Name="Version" Value="tmsh show /sys version"/>

                                <Command Name="Disconnect" Value=""/>

                </Commands>

</Configuration-Management>

The F5 node has the following connection profile:

Global Connection Profile: <No Profile>  
Login Credentials:  Device
Username:   admin
Password:   ••••••••••••
Enable Level:   <No Enable Login>
Enable Password:  •••••••••••••••••••••••
Execute Scripts Using:  SSH2
Request Configs Using:  SSH2
Transfer Configs Using:  SCP
Telnet Port:   ${GlobalTelnetPort}
SSH Port:   ${GlobalSSHPort}

  I would like to not have the <apparently random string>.config file generated (as it is not obvious which of our multiple F5 devices it comes from, and it is a duplicate anyway and so uses up disk space unnecessarily) but I can’t find what part of the NCM configuration is causing it to be generated and copied to that location.

Any thoughts/advice much appreciated.

Stuart