Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Configuration File Management 1-1

1.1 Introduction to Configuration File. 1-1

1.2 Configuration Task List 1-2

1.2.1 Saving the Current Configuration. 1-3

1.2.2 Erasing the Startup Configuration File. 1-4

1.2.3 Specifying a Configuration File for Next Startup. 1-5

1.2.4 Displaying Switch Configuration. 1-6

 

Chapter 1  Configuration File Management

When configuring configuration file management, go to these sections for information you are interested in:

l           Introduction to Configuration File

l           Configuration Task List

1.1  Introduction to Configuration File

A configuration file records and stores user configurations performed to a switch. It also enables users to check switch configurations easily.

I. Types of configuration

The configuration of a switch falls into two types:

l           Saved configuration, a configuration file used for initialization. If this file does not exist, the switch starts up without loading any configuration file.

l           Current configuration, which refers to the user’s configuration during the operation of a switch. This configuration is stored in Dynamic Random-Access Memory (DRAM). It is removed when rebooting.

II. Format of configuration file

Configuration files are saved as text files for ease of reading. They:

l           Save configuration in the form of commands.

l           Save only non-default configuration settings.

l           The commands are grouped into sections by command view. The commands that are of the same command view are grouped into one section. Sections are separated by comment lines. (A line is a comment line if it starts with the character #.)

l           The sections are listed in this order: system configuration section, logical interface configuration section, physical port configuration section, routing protocol configuration section, user interface configuration, and so on.

l           End with a return.

The operating interface provided by the configuration file management function is user-friendly. With it, you can easily manage your configuration files.

III. Main/backup attribute of the configuration file

Main and backup indicate the main and backup attribute of the configuration file respectively. A main configuration file and a backup configuration file can coexist on the switch. As such, when the main configuration file is missing or damaged, the backup file can be used instead. This increases the safety and reliability of the file system compared with the switch that only support one configuration file. You can configure a file to have both main and backup attribute, but only one file of either main or backup attribute is allowed on a switch.

The following three situations are concerned with the main/backup attributes:

l           When saving the current configuration, you can specify the file to be a main or backup or normal configuration file.

l           When removing a configuration file from a switch, you can specify to remove the main or backup configuration file. Or, if it is a file having both main and backup attribute, you can specify to erase the main or backup attribute of the file.

l           When setting the configuration file for next startup, you can specify to use the main or backup configuration file.

IV. Startup with the configuration file

When booting, the system chooses the configuration files following the rules below:

1)         If the main configuration file exists, the switch initializes with this configuration.

2)         If the main configuration file does not exist but the backup configuration file exists, the switch initializes with the backup configuration.

3)         If neither the main nor the backup configuration file exists, the configuration file is automatically obtained through the automatic configuration function. For the detailed introduction to the automatic configuration function, refer to DHCP Configuration in this manual.

4)         If the switch fails to obtain the automatic configuration file, automatic configuration cannot be performed, and the switch initializes with the default configuration file config.def;

5)         If the default configuration file does not exist, the switch starts up without loading the configuration file.

1.2  Configuration Task List

Complete these tasks to configure configuration file management:

Task	Remarks
Saving the Current Configuration	Optional
Erasing the Startup Configuration File	Optional
Specifying a Configuration File for Next Startup	Optional

 

1.2.1  Saving the Current Configuration

You can modify the configuration on your switch at the command line interface (CLI). To use the modified configuration for your subsequent startups, you must save it (using the save command) as a configuration file.

Use the following command to save current configuration:

To do…	Use the command…	Remarks
Save current configuration	save [ cfgfile | [ safely ]  [ backup | main ] ]	Required Available in any view

 

I. Modes in saving the configuration

l           Fast saving mode. This is the mode when you use the save command without the safely keyword. The mode saves the file quicker but is likely to lose the original configuration file if the switch reboots or the power fails during the process.

l           Safe mode. This is the mode when you use the save command with the safely keyword. The mode saves the file slower but can retain the original configuration file in the switch even if the switch reboots or the power fails during the process.

When you use the save safely command to save the configuration file, if the switch reboots or the power fails during the saving process, the switch initializes itself in the following two conditions when it starts up next time:

l           If a configuration file with the extension .cfg exists in the Flash, the switch uses the configuration file to initialize itself when it starts up next time.

l           If there is no .cfg configuration file in the Flash, but there is a configuration file with the extension .cfgbak (backup configuration file containing the original configuration information) or/and a configuration file with the extension .cfgtmp (temporary configuration file containing the current configuration information) in the Flash, you can change the extension .cfgbak or .cfgtmp to .cfg using the rename command. The switch will use the renamed configuration file to initialize itself when it starts up next time.

For details of the rename command, refer to the File System Management part of the manual.

II. Three attributes of the configuration file

l           Main attribute. When you use the save [ [ safely ] [ main ] ] command to save the current configuration, the configuration file you get has main attribute. If this configuration file already exists and has backup attribute, the file will have both main and backup attributes after execution of this command. If the filename you entered is different from that existing in the system, this command will erase its main attribute to allow only one main attribute configuration file in the switch.

l           Backup attribute. When you use the save [ safely ] backup command to save the current configuration, the configuration file you get has backup attribute. If this configuration file already exists and has main attribute, the file will have both main and backup attributes after execution of this command. If the filename you entered is different from that existing in the system, this command will erase its backup attribute to allow only one backup attribute configuration file in the switch.

l           Normal attribute. When you use the save cfgfile command to save the current configuration, the configuration file you get has normal attribute if it is not an existing file. Otherwise, the attribute is dependent on the original attribute of the file.

 

 

1.2.2  Erasing the Startup Configuration File

You can clear the configuration files saved on the switch through commands.

Use the following command to erase the configuration file:

To do…	Use the command…	Remarks
Erase the startup configuration file from the storage switch	reset saved-configuration [ backup | main ]	Required Available in user view

 

You may need to erase the configuration file for one of these reasons:

l           After you upgrade software, the old configuration file does not match the new software.

l           The startup configuration file is corrupted or not the one you needed.

The following two situations exist:

l           While the reset saved-configuration [ main ] command erases the configuration file with main attribute, it only erases the main attribute of a configuration file having both main and backup attribute.

l           While the reset saved-configuration backup command erases the configuration file with backup attribute, it only erases the backup attribute of a configuration file having both main and backup attribute.

 

 

1.2.3  Specifying a Configuration File for Next Startup

Use the following command to specify a configuration file for next startup:

To do…	Use the command…	Remarks
Specify a configuration file for next startup	startup saved-configuration cfgfile [ backup | main ]	Required Available in user view

 

You can specify a configuration file to be used for the next startup and configure the main/backup attribute for the configuration file.

I. Assigning main attribute to the startup configuration file

l           If you save the current configuration to the main configuration file, the system will automatically set the file as the main startup configuration file.

l           You can also use the startup saved-configuration cfgfile [ main ] command to set the file as main startup configuration file.

II. Assigning backup attribute to the startup configuration file

l           If you save the current configuration to the backup configuration file, the system will automatically set the file as the backup startup configuration file.

l           You can also use the startup saved-configuration cfgfile backup command to set the file as backup startup configuration file.

 

 

1.2.4  Displaying Switch Configuration

To do…	Use the command…	Remarks
Display the initial configuration file saved in the Flash of a switch	display saved-configuration [ unit unit-id ] [ by-linenum ]	Available in any view.
Display the configuration file used for this and next startup	display startup [ unit unit-id ]
Display the current VLAN configuration of the switch	display current-configuration vlan [ vlan-id ] [ by-linenum ]
Display the validated configuration in current view	display this [ by-linenum ]
Display current configuration	display current-configuration [ configuration [ configuration-type ] | interface [ interface-type ] [ interface-number ] ] [ by-linenum ] [ | { begin | exclude | include } regular-expression ]