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This chapter describes how to work with configuration files on the Cisco NX-OS device.
This chapter includes the following sections:
Configuration files contain the Cisco NX-OS software commands used to configure the features on a Cisco NX-OS device. Commands are parsed (translated and executed) by the Cisco NX-OS software when the system is booted (from the startup-config file) or when you enter commands at the CLI in a configuration mode.
To change the startup configuration file, you can either save the running-configuration file to the startup configuration using the copy running-config startup-config command or copy a configuration file from a file server to the startup configuration.
The Cisco NX-OS software has two types of configuration files, running configuration and startup configuration. The device uses the startup configuration (startup-config) during device startup to configure the software features. The running configuration (running-config) contains the current changes that you make to the startup-configuration file. The two configuration files can be different. You may want to change the device configuration for a short time period rather than permanently. In this case, you would change the running configuration by using commands in global configuration mode but not save the changes to the startup configuration.
To change the running configuration, use the configure terminal command to enter global configuration mode. As you use the Cisco NX-OS configuration modes, commands generally are executed immediately and are saved to the running configuration file either immediately after you enter them or when you exit a configuration mode.
To change the startup-configuration file, you can either save the running configuration file to the startup configuration or download a configuration file from a file server to the startup configuration.
Except for removing the configuration for a missing module, the configuration file operations are local to the virtual device context (VDC). You can remove the missing module configuration only from the default VDC. For more information on VDCs, see the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Virtual Device Context Configuration Guide, Release 4.2.
The following table shows the licensing requirements for this feature:
Product |
License Requirement |
---|---|
Cisco NX-OS |
Configuration files require no license. Any feature not included in a license package is bundled with the Cisco NX-OS system images and is provided at no extra charge to you. For a complete explanation of the Cisco NX-OS licensing scheme, see the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Licensing Guide, Release 4.2. |
This section describes how to manage configuration files.
You can save the running configuration to the startup configuration to save your changes for the next time you that reload the device.
For information on saving the running configuration for all VDCs on the physical device, see the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Virtual Device Context Configuration Guide, Release 4.2.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | show running-config Example: switch# show running-config |
(Optional) Displays the running configuration. |
Step 2 | copy running-config startup-config Example: switch# copy running-config startup-config |
Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration. |
You can copy a configuration file stored in the internal memory to a remote server as a backup or to use for configuring other Cisco NX-OS devices.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | copy running-config scheme://server/[url /]filename Example: switch# copy running-config tftp://10.10.1.1/sw1-run-config.bak |
Copies the running-configuration file to a remote server. For the scheme argument, you can enter tftp:, ftp:, scp:, or sftp:. The server argument is the address or name of the remote server, and the url argument is the path to the source file on the remote server. The server, url, and filename arguments are case sensitive. |
Step 2 | copy startup-config scheme://server/[url /]filename Example: switch# copy startup-config tftp://10.10.1.1/sw1-start-config.bak |
Copies the startup-configuration file to a remote server. For the scheme argument, you can enter tftp:, ftp:, scp:, or sftp:. The server argument is the address or name of the remote server, and the url argument is the path to the source file on the remote server. The server, url, and filename arguments are case sensitive. |
You can configure your Cisco NX-OS device by using configuration files that you created on another Cisco NX-OS device and uploaded to a remote server. You then download the file from the remote server to your device using TFTP, FTP, Secure Copy (SCP), or Secure Shell FTP (SFTP) to the running configuration.
Ensure that the configuration file that you want to download is in the correct directory on the remote server.
Ensure that the permissions on the file are set correctly. Permissions on the file should be set to world-read.
Ensure that your Cisco NX-OS device has a route to the remote server. The Cisco NX-OS device and the remote server must be in the same subnetwork if you do not have a router or a default gateway to route traffic between subnets.
Check connectivity to the remote server using the ping or ping6 command.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | copy scheme://server/[url/]filename running-config Example: switch# copy tftp://10.10.1.1/my-config running-config |
Downloads the running-configuration file from a remote server. For the scheme argument, you can enter tftp:, ftp:, scp:, or sftp:. The server argument is the address or name of the remote server, and the url argument is the path to the source file on the remote server. The server, url, and filename arguments are case sensitive. |
Step 2 | show running-config Example: switch# show running-config |
(Optional) Displays the running configuration. |
Step 3 | copy running-config startup-config Example: switch# copy running-config startup-config |
(Optional) Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration. |
Step 4 | show startup-config Example: switch# show startup-config |
(Optional) Displays the startup configuration. |
You can configure your Cisco NX-OS device by using configuration files that you created on another Cisco NX-OS device and uploaded to a remote server. You then download the file from the remote server to your device using TFTP, FTP, Secure Copy (SCP), or Secure Shell FTP (SFTP) to the startup configuration.
![]() Caution |
This procedure disrupts all traffic on the Cisco NX-OS device. |
Log in to a session on the console port.
Ensure that the configuration file you that want to download is in the correct directory on the remote server.
Ensure that the permissions on the file are set correctly. Permissions on the file should be set to world-read.
Ensure that your Cisco NX-OS device has a route to the remote server. The Cisco NX-OS device and the remote server must be in the same subnetwork if you do not have a router or a default gateway to route traffic between subnets.
Check connectivity to the remote server using the ping or ping6 command.
Command or Action | Purpose | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Step 1 | write erase Example: switch# write erase |
Erases the startup configuration file. |
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Step 2 | reload Example: switch# reload This command will reboot the system. (y/n)? [n] y ... Enter the password for "admin": <password> Confirm the password for "admin": <password> ... Would you like to enter the basic configuration dialog (yes/no): n switch# |
Reloads the Cisco NX-OS device.
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Step 3 | copy scheme://server/[url /]filename running-config Example: switch# copy tftp://10.10.1.1/my-config running-config |
Downloads the running configuration file from a remote server. For the scheme argument, you can enter tftp:, ftp:, scp:, or sftp:. The server argument is the address or name of the remote server, and the url argument is the path to the source file on the remote server. The server, url, and filename arguments are case sensitive. |
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Step 4 | copy running-config startup-config Example: switch# copy running-config startup-config |
Saves the running configuration file to the startup configuration file. |
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Step 5 | show startup-config Example: switch# show startup-config |
(Optional) Displays the running configuration. |
You can copy configuration files to an external flash memory device as a backup for later use.
Insert the external Flash memory device into the active supervisor module.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | dir {slot0: | usb1: | usb2:}[directory/] |
(Optional) Displays the files on the external flash memory device. |
Step 2 | copy running-config {slot0: | usb1: | usb2:}[directory/]filename Example: switch# copy running-config slot0:dsn-running-config.cfg |
Copies the running configuration to an external flash memory device. The filename argument is case sensitive. |
Step 3 | copy startup-config {slot0: | usb1: | usb2:}[directory/]filename Example: switch# copy startup-config slot0:dsn-startup-config.cfg |
Copies the startup configuration to an external flash memory device. The filename argument is case sensitive. |
You can configure your Cisco NX-OS device by copying configuration files created on another Cisco NX-OS device and saved to an external flash memory device.
Insert the external flash memory device into the active supervisor module.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | dir {slot0: | usb1: | usb2:}[directory/] Example: switch# dir slot0: |
(Optional) Displays the files on the external flash memory device. |
Step 2 | copy {slot0: | usb1: | usb2:}[directory/]filename running-config Example: switch# copy slot0:dsn-config.cfg running-config |
Copies the running configuration from an external flash memory device. The filename argument is case sensitive. |
Step 3 | show running-config Example: switch# show running-config |
(Optional) Displays the running configuration. |
Step 4 | copy running-config startup-config Example: switch# copy running-config startup-config |
(Optional) Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration. |
Step 5 | show startup-config Example: switch# show startup-config |
(Optional) Displays the startup configuration. |
You can recover the startup configuration on your Cisco NX-OS device by downloading a new startup configuration file saved on an external flash memory device.
Insert the external flash memory device into the active supervisor module.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | dir {slot0: | usb1: | usb2:}[directory/] |
(Optional) Displays the files on the external flash memory device. |
Step 2 | copy {slot0: | usb1: | usb2:}[directory /]filename startup-config Example: switch# copy slot0:dsn-config.cfg startup-config |
Copies the startup configuration from an external flash memory device. The filename argument is case sensitive. |
Step 3 | show startup-config Example: switch# show startup-config |
(Optional) Displays the startup configuration. |
You can copy configuration files to the internal memory as a backup for later use.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | copy running-config [filesystem:][directory/] | [directory/]filename Example: switch# copy running-config bootflash:sw1-run-config.bak |
Copies the running-configuration file to a remote server. The filesystem, directory, and filename arguments are case sensitive. |
Step 2 | copy startup-config [filesystem:][directory/] | [directory/]filename Example: switch# copy startup-config bootflash:sw1-start-config.bak |
Copies the startup-configuration file to a remote server. The filesystem, directory, and filename arguments are case sensitive. |
Problems, such as memory corruption, can occur that make it necessary for you to recover your configuration from a backed up version.
![]() Note |
Each time that you enter a copy running-config startup-config command, a binary file is created and the ASCII file is updated. A valid binary configuration file reduces the overall boot time significantly. A binary file cannot be uploaded, but its contents can be used to overwrite the existing startup configuration. The write erase command clears the binary file. |
Command or Action | Purpose | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Step 1 | write erase Example: switch# write erase |
Clears the current configuration of the switch. |
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Step 2 | reload Example: switch# reload |
Restarts the device. You will be prompted to provide a kickstart and system image file for the device to boot and run. |
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Step 3 | copy configuration_file running-configuration Example: switch# copy bootflash:start-config.bak running-configuration |
Copies a previously saved configuration file to the running configuration.
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Step 4 | copy running-config startup-config Example: switch# copy running-config startup-config |
Copies the running configuration to the start-up configuration. |
When you remove an I/O module from the chassis, you can also remove the configuration for that module from the running configuration. You can only remove the configuration for a missing module from the default VDC.
![]() Note |
You can only remove the configuration for an empty slot in the chassis. |
Ensure that you are in the default VDC.
Remove the I/O module from the chassis.
Command or Action | Purpose | |
---|---|---|
Step 1 | show hardware Example: switch# show hardware |
(Optional) Displays the installed hardware for the device. |
Step 2 | purge module slot running-config Example: switch# purge module 3 running-config |
Removes the configuration for a missing module from the running configuration. |
Step 3 | copy running-config startup-config Example: switch# copy running-config startup-config |
(Optional) Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration. |
You can erase the configuration on your device to return to the factory defaults.
You can erase the following configuration files saved in the persistent memory on the device:
Command or Action | Purpose | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Step 1 | write erase [boot | debug] Example: switch# write erase Warning: This command will erase the startup-configuration. Do you wish to proceed anyway? (y/n) [n] y |
Erases configurations in persistent memory. The default action erases the startup configuration. The boot option erases the boot variable definitions and the IPv4 configuration on the mgmt0 interface. The debug option erases the debugging configuration.
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To verify the device configuration, perform one of the following tasks:
Command |
Purpose |
---|---|
show running-config |
Displays the running configuration. |
show startup-config |
Displays the startup configuration. |
For detailed information about the fields in the output from these commands, see the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Fundamentals Command Reference, Release 4.2.
This section includes examples of working with configuration files.
This example shows how to overwrite the contents of an existing configuration in NVRAM:
switch# copy nvram:snapshot-config nvram:startup-config Warning: this command is going to overwrite your current startup-config. Do you wish to continue? {y/n} [y] y
This example shows how to copy a running configuration to the bootflash: file system:
switch# copy system:running-config bootflash:my-config
This example shows how to create a snapshot of the startup configuration in a predefined location on the device (binary file):
switch# copy startup-config nvram:snapshot-config
This example shows how to back up the startup configuration to the bootflash: file system (ASCII file):
switch# copy startup-config bootflash:my-config
This example shows how to back up the startup configuration to the TFTP server (ASCII file):
switch# copy startup-config tftp://172.16.10.100/my-config
This example shows how to back up the running configuration to the bootflash: file system (ASCII file):
switch# copy running-config bootflash:my-config
To roll back your configuration to a snapshot copy of a previously saved configuration, you need to perform the following steps:
Clear the current running image with the write erase command.
Restart the device with the reload command.
Copy the previously saved configuration file to the running configuration with the copy configuration_file running-configuration command.
Copy the running configuration to the start-up configuration with the copy running-config startup-config command.
This section includes additional information related to managing configuration files.
Related Topic |
Document Title |
---|---|
Licensing |
Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Licensing Guide, Release 4.2 |
Command reference |
Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Fundamentals Command Reference, Release 4.2 |
Feature Name |
Releases |
Feature Information |
---|---|---|
Configuration files |
5.0(2) |
No change from Release 4.2. |