When you export a management agent to file, FIM does not save the associated connector space and connector space objects. In addition, rules extensions, template input files, custom data configuration files, and run scripts that are associated with a management agent that is exported to file are not saved. You can save these files separately in the same location as the exported management agent.

When you export a management agent that you want to import to another server running FIM, you might also need to export the metaverse schema. You can then import the metaverse schema on the destination server prior to importing the management agent. When you import a metaverse schema, the existing metaverse schema is appended to the imported metaverse schema. You might need to do this when the destination server metaverse schema does not contain objects for the management agents that exist on the source server metaverse schema. For example, on source server A, management agent A is configured where object:person joins manually added metaverse object:account. Management agent A is then exported to file, and then metaverse schema A is exported to file. Metaverse schema A is then imported to destination server B. Server B's existing metaverse schema is appended with changes from server A's metaverse schema. Management agent A can then be imported onto destination server B with no conflicts because object:account now exists in server B's metaverse schema. The existing configuration of server B's metaverse schema is not lost.

When you export a management agent to file, the management agent is saved to file in XML format with an .xml file name extension.

For management agents for Active Directory, when you import from file and then change the Active Directory forest configuration settings, the run profile settings are not retained.

You can also use the command line tool, Maexport, to export a management agent to file.