Manage NetScaler Gateway configuration settings

Last published : Sep 03, 2026
When you make configuration changes to NetScaler Gateway, the changes are saved in log files. You can view several types of configuration settings:
  • Saved configuration. You can view the settings you have saved on NetScaler Gateway.
  • Running configuration. You can view active settings, such as a virtual server or authentication policy, that you have configured but have not saved as a saved configuration to NetScaler Gateway.
  • Running versus saved configuration. You can compare side by side the running and saved configuration on NetScaler Gateway.
You can also clear configuration settings on NetScaler Gateway.
Important:
If you choose to clear settings on NetScaler Gateway, certificates, virtual servers, and policies are removed. Citrix recommends that you do not clear the configuration.
Related information
Install and configure the NetScaler Gateway appliance

Save the NetScaler Gateway Configuration

You can save your current configuration on NetScaler Gateway to a computer in your network, view the current running configuration, and compare the saved and running configurations.

To save the configuration on NetScaler Gateway

  1. In the configuration utility, above the details pane, click the Save icon and then click Yes.

To view and save the configuration file on NetScaler Gateway

The saved configuration are the settings that are saved in a log file on NetScaler Gateway, such as settings for virtual servers, policies, IP addresses, users, groups, and certificates.
When you configure settings on NetScaler Gateway, you can save the settings to a file on your computer. If you need to reinstall the NetScaler Gateway software or you accidentally remove some settings, you can use this file to restore your configuration. If you need to restore the settings, you can copy the file to NetScaler Gateway and restart the appliance by using the command-line interface or a program, such as WinSCP, to copy the file to NetScaler Gateway.
  1. In the configuration utility, on the Configuration tab, in the navigation pane, expand System and then click Diagnostics.
  2. In the details pane, under View Configuration, click Saved configuration.
  3. In the Saved Configuration dialog box, click Save output text to a file, name the file, and then click Save. Note: Citrix recommends saving the file using the file name ns.conf.

To view the current running configuration

Any changes to NetScaler Gateway that occur without an effort to save them is called the running configuration. These settings are active on NetScaler Gateway, but are not saved on the appliance. If you configured additional settings, such as a policy, virtual server, users, or groups, you can view these settings in the running configuration.
  1. In the configuration utility, on the Configuration tab, in the navigation pane, expand System and then click Diagnostics.
  2. In the details pane, under View Configuration, click Running configuration.

To compare the saved and running configuration

You can see which settings are saved on the appliance and compare those settings against the running configuration. You can choose to save the running configuration or make changes to the configuration.
  1. In the configuration utility, on the Configuration tab, in the navigation pane, expand System and then click Diagnostics.
  2. In the details pane, under View Configuration, click Saved v/s running.

Clear the NetScaler Gateway configuration

You can clear the configuration settings on NetScaler Gateway. You can choose from among the following three levels of settings to clear:
Important:
Citrix recommends saving your configuration before you clear the NetScaler Gateway configuration settings.
  • Basic. Clears all settings on the appliance except for the system IP address, default gateway, mapped IP addresses, subnet IP addresses, DNS settings, network settings, high availability settings, administrative password, and feature and mode settings.
  • Extended. Clears all settings except for the system IP address, mapped IP addresses, subnet IP addresses, DNS settings, and high availability definitions.
  • Full. Restores the configuration to the original factory settings, excluding the system IP (NSIP) address and default route, which are required to maintain network connectivity to the appliance.
When you clear all or part of the configuration, the feature settings are set to the factory default settings.
When you clear the configuration, files that are stored on NetScaler Gateway, such as certificates and licenses, are not removed. The file ns.conf is not altered. If you want to save the configuration before clearing the configuration, save the configuration to your computer first. If you save the configuration, you can restore the ns.conf file on NetScaler Gateway. After you restore the file to the appliance and restart NetScaler Gateway, any configuration settings in ns.conf are restored.
Modifications to configuration files, such as rc.conf, are not reverted.
If you have a high availability pair, both NetScaler Gateway appliances are modified identically. For example, if you clear the basic configuration on one appliance, the changes are propagated to the second appliance.

To clear NetScaler Gateway configuration settings

  1. In the configuration utility, on the Configuration tab, in the navigation pane, expand System and then click Diagnostics.
  2. In the details pane, under Maintenance, click Clear configuration.
  3. In Configuration Level, select the level you want to clear and then click Run.