Manage configuration baselines

Baseline management helps you detect configuration drift by comparing a device's current running configuration with a known, trusted configuration (the baseline).

When a running configuration is downloaded, the system automatically performs a line‑by‑line comparison between the latest running configuration and the baseline configuration.

• Match: There are no differences between the running configuration and the baseline.

• Conflict: The latest running configuration differs from the baseline.

• Baseline not defined: The baseline has not been configured.

• Needs New Backup: The baseline is configured but you need to download a new version of the configuration to be compared to the baseline.

This topic covers:

Before you begin

• Only one baseline can be defined per device.

• A baseline can be created from a running or a startup configuration.

• You can exclude specific configuration lines from comparison by defining comparison criteria. For more information, see Comparison Criteria.

• After you define or update comparison criteria, you must download a fresh running configuration from the device to update the Running vs Baseline status.

• Comparisons are performed only against downloaded running configurations.

• Required permissions: Only the built-in Owner and Admin roles can perform these actions. For custom roles, the user must have Configuration Management > Configs > Full Access permission.

Set a baseline configuration

1. In SolarWinds Observability, select Network > Configuration Management > Managed Devices.

2. Click the vertical ellipsis for a device and click Set Baseline.

   If you cannot see this option, ensure that the device has at least one downloaded configuration and that your user account has sufficient privileges.

3. Select which configuration to use as the baseline for the selected device(s):

   • Use Latest Configuration: Sets the most recently downloaded configuration as the baseline.

   • Choose Configuration: Select a configuration to be used as the baseline.

   The Download new running configuration check box is selected by default. The system downloads a fresh running configuration when you set it as a baseline. Keep this option selected to ensure that the Running vs Baseline status on Managed Devices shows relevant data; the baseline comparison is applied only to newly downloaded configurations.

4. Click Set Baseline and confirm your settings.

After you set the baseline, the Running vs Baseline item on the Managed Devices page changes to Needs New Backup. When the backup is downloaded, the column displays whether the new backup is a match or a conflict when compared to the baseline.

Set a baseline configuration for multiple devices

When defining baselines for multiple devices in bulk, the system automatically selects the most recently downloaded configuration for each device as that device baseline.

If a selected device does not have any downloaded configurations, these devices are skipped and no baseline is set for them.

1. In SolarWinds Observability, select Network > Configuration Management > Managed Devices.

2. Select the devices and click Set Baselines.

   If you cannot see this option, ensure that the device has at least one downloaded configuration and that your user account has sufficient privileges.

   After you set the baseline, the Running vs Baseline item on the Managed Devices page changes to Needs New Backup. When the backup is downloaded, the column displays whether the new backup is a match or a conflict when compared to the baseline.

Clear the baseline configuration

1. In SolarWinds Observability, select Network > Configuration Management > Managed Devices.

2. Select one or more devices and click Clear Baselines.

The baseline configuration currently defined for the devices is removed. The Running vs Baseline status column on Managed Devices displays Baseline not defined.

View baseline conflicts

1. Click Network > Configuration Management.

2. Review the Baseline Conflicts widget on the Overview tab.

3. Click the widget title to open Managed Devices with a filter that only displays devices with conflicts.

View the baseline configuration

1. In SolarWinds Observability, select Network > Configuration Management > Managed Devices.

2. Click the vertical ellipsis for a device and select View Baseline. This opens the baseline configuration in the Inspector Panel.

Revert a device to its baseline configuration

Uploading the baseline configuration does not guarantee that the device will be fully restored to the baseline state. During an upload, the current running configuration on the device is merged with the uploaded configuration. Review the upload script carefully and make any necessary changes to achieve the expected restore result.

1. In SolarWinds Observability, select Network > Configuration Management > Managed Devices.

2. Find a device with a conflict in the Running vs Baseline column.

3. Click the conflict to open the comparison in the Inspector Panel.

4. Click Revert to Baseline in the Inspector Panel. The Revert to Baseline wizard opens.

5. Review the configuration. If necessary, modify the baseline configuration directly in the wizard.

6. Select Write to NVRAM if you want to write the configuration to NVRAM after upload.

7. Select the Reboot box if you want to reboot the device after the configuration is uploaded.

8. Click Next to sign the script to be sent to the device. See Sign scripts or upload jobs.