156-215.80 · Question #552
Which back up method uses the command line to create an image of the OS?
The correct answer is D. snapshot. In Check Point Gaia OS, the 'snapshot' CLI command creates a complete image of the operating system that can be used to restore the system to a prior state.
Question
Which back up method uses the command line to create an image of the OS?
Options
- ASystem backup
- BSave Configuration
- CMigrate
- Dsnapshot
How the community answered
(52 responses)- A8% (4)
- B2% (1)
- C2% (1)
- D88% (46)
Why each option
In Check Point Gaia OS, the 'snapshot' CLI command creates a complete image of the operating system that can be used to restore the system to a prior state.
System backup is a general descriptive term and does not correspond to a specific Gaia CLI command that produces an OS image.
Save Configuration exports only Gaia OS-level settings such as network interfaces and routing, and does not create a complete bootable OS image.
Migrate is a Check Point utility used to transfer security policy and configuration data between management servers or gateway versions, not to create a local OS image backup.
The 'snapshot' command in Check Point Gaia is executed from the command line and produces a full system image that includes the OS, installed packages, and configuration. This image can later be used to revert the gateway to the exact state captured at snapshot time, making it the only option that creates a true OS-level image via CLI.
Concept tested: Check Point Gaia snapshot CLI OS image backup
Source: https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/R81.20/WebAdminGuides/EN/CP_R81.20_Gaia_AdminGuide/Content/Topics-GAG/Snapshots.htm
Topics
Community Discussion
7
Eitan E.Jun 5, 2026The correct answer is D, snapshot. In Gaia, the "add snapshot" command run from clish creates a full image of the operating system partition, not just the configuration, which is what separates it from every other option on this list. System Backup and Save Configuration both export configuration data, but neither captures the OS layer itself, so you cannot use them to restore a gateway that has a corrupted Gaia installation. Migrate is a separate utility for moving configuration between major versions, not for creating a restorable OS image. The mnemonic I give my students is "snap the whole system, save just the settings," and that distinction has appeared on the 80-series exam in more than one form, so lock it in.
Yusuf A.Jun 23, 2026D is the one here and my senior actually walked me through this a few weeks ago on a lab gateway. The snapshot command runs from Gaia's command line (or Expert mode) and captures a full image of the OS, including the configuration, so you can roll the whole system back if something goes sideways after an upgrade. Save Configuration just exports the config file, and System Backup is more of a scheduled GUI-driven thing, so neither of those touch the OS image itself. Migrate is for moving configs between appliances, not for creating a local restore point. Good question to memorize because I mixed up Save Configuration and snapshot on my first practice run and they are easy to confuse if you have not actually run the command yourself.
Bao N.May 26, 2026Snapshot is right, though I have seen people second-guess themselves here and pick Save Configuration because they confuse config export with a full OS image. The snapshot command in Gaia actually captures a complete OS image from the CLI, which is exactly what distinguishes it from a config backup.
Ingrid P.Jun 18, 2026Snapshot caught me off guard until I remembered clish and the CLI image, nailed it.
Hiroshi T.Jun 19, 2026Worth adding that the Gaia Administration Guide spells out exactly when snapshot reverts are supported versus when you need a full backup restore, and that distinction has shown up on the exam more than once.
Hiroshi T.Jun 13, 2026I keep seeing people say D but if you read the R80 Admin Guide section on backup and restore, the migrate command in the command line is specifically designed to export a full image of the OS and configuration, which fits the question exactly. Save Configuration only grabs the policy and objects, and snapshot in the context of this exam maps to a different restore workflow. The clgw_migrate export command runs from expert mode CLI and produces a portable OS-level image, which is precisely what the question describes.
Yusuf A.Jun 13, 2026Hey Hiroshi, I actually had the same instinct you did, but my senior walked me through this and the snapshot option is D, and it wins here because Gaia snapshot produces that full OS-level image you described, while migrate export is really built for moving config between different appliances or versions, not for the standard backup and restore scenario the question is testing.