# Import and export utilities > Move files and directories between Cloud Management Platform (CMP) instances with the cb_export and cb_import utilities --- Site [llms.txt](/llms.txt) --- There are two utilities: - **cb_import:** Import files and directories to CMP instances - **cb_export:** Archive and compress files and directories into a single .tar.gz file ## Access utilities On a CMP instance, you can access the import and export utility scripts from the following location: ```bash /opt/cloudbolt/manage.py /opt/cloudbolt/manage.py cb_export /opt/cloudbolt/manage.py cb_import ``` ## Export utility By default, cb_export includes the following directories: - `VARDIR/opt/cloudbolt`, where `VARDIR` is defined in Django settings - `MEDIA_ROOT` and `STATIC_TESTS_DIR`, where each is defined in Django settings Specific files and directories can be included or excluded as required. Refer to [Options](#options) for more details. ### Prerequisites To prevent CMP from attempting to alter files and directories during compression, the export utility will not run if the Apache HTTP Server or the job engine is active. - Stop the Apache HTTP Server: `service httpd stop` - Stop the job engine: `supervisorctl stop jobengine:*` ### Usage Call the export utility as a Python script from anywhere on the filesystem once copied to your CMP instance, for example, `python /tmp/cb_export.py -is`, or as a Django management command. Whether called as a Python script or a Django management command, the utility runs as a Django management command behind the scenes. ### Options | Option | Name | Description | | --- | --- | --- | | -h, --help | Help | Utility help information. | | -l, --list-defaults | Default Files | Review what will be included in the default export. Includes file and directory size. | | -d, --dry-run | Dry Run | Run the utility without making changes to examine the output messages. | | -nj, --no-job-logs | Job Logs | The job logs directory, defined by `JOBTHREAD_LOGPATH`, is included in the export by default. Exclude it with this option. Job logs must be migrated to any new CMP instance to preserve previous jobs. If your directory is particularly large, you may wish to exclude it and transfer it separately. | | -nm, --no-mysql | MySQL | A dump of the default MySQL database, defined by `DATABASES`, is included in the export. If the password is not defined, you will be prompted to provide it. Includes the default MySQL configuration files `/etc/my.cnf` and `/etc/mysql/my.cnf`, if they exist. Use this option to exclude the MySQL dump. | | -na, --no-apache | Apache | Apache files `/etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf`, `/etc/httpd/conf.d/ssl.conf`, and `/etc/httpd/conf.d/wsgi.conf` are included in the export by default. Use this option to exclude them. | | -is, --include-secrets | CloudBolt Secrets | The CMP secrets directory `/var/opt/cloudbolt/secrets` is excluded by default. Include it with this option. The directory contains secret keys used to encrypt and decrypt sensitive fields stored in the CMP database. Your new instance must have access to these keys. | | -ic, --include-certs | SSL Certificates | Add certificates from the `/etc/pki/tls/certs` and `/etc/pki/tls/private` directories to the export. Consider the security implications of including certificates in an unencrypted .tar.gz file before using this option. | | -ex, --exclude | Exclude Files and Directories | Specify files and directories to exclude. Exclude paths override default paths and include paths. | | -o, --output | Output Directory | The export is saved to `/var/tmp/` by default. Use this option to specify a different directory. | | | Extra Files and Directories | Specify files and directories to include as arguments after the options. They will be moved to the same paths on the target by the import utility. |