How can I preserve my AI Search configuration in Dev before I do a clone?

[Lisa22]

I am about to do a clone from Live to Dev and I don't want to lose all my AI search configuration. What is the best way to preserve it?

[Mary Beth Hutch]

I am following - this has been quite an "experience" for me; from cloning prod to DEV and reloading my update sets (numerous issues), and even pushing from DEV to INT (less issues, but still issues). There is a LOT of Unlinking/Relinking that needed to happen, and I just plain broke things (evams) due to a new "model" being generated on the INT Instance. 

I am using a custom search application and profile. 

[Gerard Dwan]

Hi Lisa,

Many customers have done the following: 

Follow normal Update Set best practices to promote AI Search related update sets to higher instances. Here are a few documentation links for reference:

• Guidelines on when to use Update Sets versus App repositories and other tools

• Update set administration

• Creating testing and moving updates between instances

On the destination environment: 

• Activate AI Search on the instance

• Install all the AI Search related plugins on target instance i.e; Advanced AI Search Management Tools.

• Preview and commit the AI Search related update sets to propagate all the needed AI Search changes on the destination instance.

• Once the update sets are committed on destination instance, it is best to re-index the AI Search index sources on the destination instance and Publish the Search profiles.

[Gerard Dwan]

Hi Lisa,

In re-reading your question, this information may be helpful in saving existing configurations: 
KB0870490 

This article describes what you can save for configuration files/xml and reload as needed.