Table Of Contents
Information About Configuration Partitioning
Retrieving the Running Configuration for Display or Copy Operations
Benefits of Partitioning the Running Configuration
How to Use the Configuration Partitioning Feature
Displaying Configuration Partitions
Disabling the Configuration Partitioning Feature
Configuration Examples for Configuration Partitioning
Displaying Configuration Partitions: Example
Feature Information for Configuration Partitioning
Configuration Partitioning
First Published: February 26, 2007Last Updated: February 26, 2007The Configuration Partitioning feature provides modularization ("partitioning") of the running configuration state to provide granular access to the running configuration in Cisco IOS software.
This feature is enabled by default in Cisco IOS software images that include this feature.
The configuration state of a device is retrieved dynamically whenever a user issues the show running-config command. When the Configuration Partitioning feature is enabled, the system groups the configuration state of the device into parts (called "partitions") so that only the configuration state the user wishes to review is retrieved when generating a displayed list of commands in the running configuration. This feature improves performance for high-end systems with complex configurations because only a part of the running configuration state is processed when generating the running configuration command list, as opposed to the existing method of processing the entire system configuration state.
Default configuration partitions are provided by the introduction of this feature; other Cisco IOS software features may define their own command partitions in later releases.
Finding Feature Information in This Module
This feature was introduced in software images for the Cisco 7600 series in Release 12.2(33)SRB. Additional release integration updates will be added to the "Feature Information for Configuration Partitioning" section as they become available.
Contents
•Information About Configuration Partitioning
•How to Use the Configuration Partitioning Feature
•Configuration Examples for Configuration Partitioning
•Feature Information for Configuration Partitioning
Information About Configuration Partitioning
To use the Configuration Partitioning feature, you should understand the following concepts:
•System Running Configurations
•Retrieving the Running Configuration for Display or Copy Operations
•Benefits of Partitioning the Running Configuration
System Running Configurations
Managing the configuration of any Cisco IOS software-based device involves managing the startup configuration (startup-config), which is a file stored in nonvolatile memory, and the running configuration (running-config), which is the set of all configuration options currently in effect on the system. Typically, the startup configuration file is loaded when the system boots, and changes to the system's running configuration, applied using the command-line interface (CLI), are saved by copying the running configuration to a configuration file (either locally or on the network), which can then be used to configure the device at startup, or used to configure other devices.
Retrieving the Running Configuration for Display or Copy Operations
In the Cisco IOS software configuration model, the configuration state is maintained in a distributed manner, with each component storing its own configuration state. To retrieve global configuration information, the software must poll every component to collect the distributed information. This configuration state retrieval operation is performed by a process known as nonvolatile generation (NVGEN), and it is invoked by commands such as show running-config, which is used to display the current configuration state, and copy system:running-configuration, which is used to save the running configuration by copying it to a file. When invoked, the NVGEN process queries each system component, each interface instance, and all other configured component objects in a standard sequence. A running configuration file is constructed as NVGEN traverses the system performing these queries, and it is this "virtual file" that is displayed or copied.
Benefits of Partitioning the Running Configuration
The Configuration Partitioning feature is the latest in a series of Configuration Generation Performance Enhancement Features for Cisco IOS software. (See the "Related Documents" section for related features.) This feature improves the system's response time by providing a method for querying only the system component you wish to review when issuing the show running-config command.
When the Configuration Partitioning feature is enabled, the system groups the configuration state of the device into parts (called "partitions") for the purpose of generating the virtual running configuration file (the list of configuration commands). A new command, show running-config partition, allows you to display only the part of the running configuration that you want to examine, rather than having to display the entire running configuration at once, or displaying only lines that match a certain string.
The key benefit of this feature is that it increases system performance by allowing the system to run the NVGEN process for only the collection of system components (such as specific interfaces) that you need to display. This is in contrast to other existing extensions to the show running-config command, which only filter the generated list after all system components have been processed.
The selective processing of the system's configuration state for the purpose of generating a partial running configuration is called "configuration partitioning."
More granular access to configuration information offers important performance benefits for high-end routing platforms with very large configuration files, while also enhancing configuration management by allowing advanced configuration features to be implemented at a more granular level. Advanced configuration options include Cisco IOS software support for provisioning of customer services, Config Rollback, Config Locking, and configuration access control.
How to Use the Configuration Partitioning Feature
This section contains the following tasks:
•Displaying Configuration Partitions (optional)
•Disabling the Configuration Partitioning Feature (optional)
Displaying Configuration Partitions
The main method of taking advantage of this feature is by using the show running-config partition part command, which is a specialized extension to the show running-config command.
Note The partition part command extension is not available for the more:system running-config command.
Because this feature offers improved performance for existing commands, this feature is enabled by default in Cisco IOS software images that support this feature. To quickly determine if this feature is supported and running on your system, issue the show running-config partition ? command in privileged EXEC mode.
SUMMARY STEPS
1. show running-config partition ?
2. show runningconfig partition part
DETAILED STEPS
Step 1 show running-config partition ?
Issuing this command will show you the list of running configuration parts available for display on your system.
If the Configuration Partitioning feature is supported on your system and is enabled, you will see the string "
config partition is TRUE
" as the first line of help output.If you receive an error message when entering the command syntax shown here, this feature is not supported on your system. See the command documentation for the show running-config command for existing extensions of that command in other releases that allow you to show only part of the running configuration.
Note The list of available configuration parts may vary by software image and is dependent on what features are currently configured.
Router# show running-config partition ?config partition is TRUEaccess-list All access-list configurationsboot All boot configurationsclass-map All class-map configurationscommon All remaining unregistered configurationsglobal-cdp All global cdp configurationsinterface All Interface specific Configurationsip-as-path All IP as-path configurationsip-community All IP community list configurationsip-domain-list All ip domain list configurationsip-prefix-list All ip prefix-list configurationsip-static-routes All IP static configurationsline All line mode configurationspolicy-map All policy-map configurationsroute-map All route-map configurationsrouter All routing configurationssnmp All SNMP configurationstacacs All TACACS configurationsChoose the part of the running configuration you want to display, and use the associated keyword as the part argument in Step 2.
Step 2 show running-config partition part
As an example, to have the system perform the NVGEN process on only the components associated with the access-list parts of the running configuration state, and display only the access-list related configurations, you would enter the show running-config partition access-list command:
Router# show running-config partition access-listBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 127 bytes!Configuration of Partition access-list!!!access-list 90 permit 0.0.0.0 1.2.3.5access-list 100 permit 10 any any!end
Note This command also allows you to run the NVGEN process and display the resulting output for specific interfaces. This is a key capability of this feature, as it was designed for systems with numerous active interfaces.
In the following example, the main configuration partition is the interface configuration, and the specific part of the configuration to be generated is the configuration for FastEthernet interface 0/0.
Router# show running-config partition interface fastethernet0/0Building configuration...Current configuration : 213 bytes!Configuration of Partition interface FastEthernet0/0!!interface FastEthernet0/0ip address 10.4.2.39 255.255.255.0no ip route-cache cefno ip route-cacheduplex halfipv6 enableno cdp enable!!endDisabling the Configuration Partitioning Feature
Because this feature offers improved performance for existing commands, this feature is enabled by default for Cisco IOS software images that support this feature. However, you may want to disable this feature if you determine that it is not needed, as this feature does use a small amount of system resources (memory and CPU utilization). To disable configuration partitioning, perform the following task, which assumes you are starting in user EXEC mode.
SUMMARY STEPS
1. enable
2. configure terminal
3. no parser config partition
DETAILED STEPS
What to Do Next
To reenable the feature after it has been disabled, use the parser config partition command in global configuration mode.
Note As this feature is enabled by default, only the no form will appear in the running configuration file, or will be written to the startup configuration file when you issue the copy running-config startup-config command.
Configuration Examples for Configuration Partitioning
This section provides examples of displaying configuration partitions with the show running-config partition command:
•Displaying Configuration Partitions: Example
Displaying Configuration Partitions: Example
In this example, the show running-config partition command is used with related commands in a series of steps an administrator might take to check the status of a specific interface and the current configuration of some of the system's other components. Comparable filtered output from the standard show running-config command (for example, show running-config | include access-list) is included for demonstration purposes.
Note The part argument can consist of multiple partition name keywords, as in show running-config part router eigrp 1.
gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition ?access-list All access-list configurationsboot All boot configurationsclass-map All class-map configurationsglobal-cdp All global cdp configurationsinterface All Interface specific Configurationsip-as-path All IP as-path configurationsip-community All IP community list configurationsip-domain-list All ip domain list configurationsip-static-routes All IP static configurationsline All line mode configurationspolicy-map All policy-map configurationsroute-map All route-map configurationsrouter All routing configurationsservice All service configurationssnmp All SNMP configurationsgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition access-listBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 87 bytes!!!!access-list 90 permit 0.0.0.0 1.2.3.5access-list 100 permit 10 any any!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config | include access-listaccess-list 90 permit 0.0.0.0 1.2.3.5access-list 100 permit 10 any anygt3-7200-3#gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition bootBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 51 bytes!boot network tftp:/service_config.txt!!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition class-mapBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 78 bytes!!!class-map match-all abcmatch anyclass-map match-all xyz!!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config | begin class-mapclass-map match-all abcmatch anyclass-map match-all xyz!!gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition global-cdpBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 43 bytes!!!cdp timer 20cdp holdtime 100!endgt3-7200-3# sh run | inc cdp
cdp timer 20cdp holdtime 100gt3-7200-3#gt3-7200-3# show ip interface briefInterface IP-Address OK? Method Status ProtocolFastEthernet0/0 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downEthernet2/0 10.4.2.32 YES NVRAM up upEthernet2/1 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downEthernet2/2 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downEthernet2/3 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downSerial3/0 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downSerial3/1 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downSerial3/2 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downSerial3/3 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downLoopback0 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downLoopback234 unassigned YES NVRAM administratively down downgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface fastethernet0/0Building configuration...Current configuration : 98 bytes!!!interface FastEthernet0/0no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdownduplex half!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface ethernet2/0Building configuration...Current configuration : 122 bytes!!!interface Ethernet2/0ip address 10.4.2.32 255.255.255.0no ip proxy-arpno ip route-cacheduplex half!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface ethernet2/1Building configuration...Current configuration : 94 bytes!!!interface Ethernet2/1no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdownduplex half!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface ethernet2/2Building configuration...Current configuration : 94 bytes!!!interface Ethernet2/2no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdownduplex half!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface ethernet2/3Building configuration...Current configuration : 94 bytes!!!interface Ethernet2/3no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdownduplex half!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface serial3/0Building configuration...Current configuration : 103 bytes!!!interface Serial3/0no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdownserial restart-delay 0!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface serial3/1Building configuration...Current configuration : 103 bytes!!!interface Serial3/1no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdownserial restart-delay 0!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface serial3/2Building configuration...Current configuration : 103 bytes!!!interface Serial3/2no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdownserial restart-delay 0!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface serial3/3Building configuration...Current configuration : 103 bytes!!!interface Serial3/3no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdownserial restart-delay 0!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface loopback0Building configuration...Current configuration : 79 bytes!!!interface Loopback0no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdown!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface loopback1^% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface loopback234Building configuration...Current configuration : 81 bytes!!!interface Loopback234no ip addressno ip route-cacheshutdown!!endgt3-7200-3# configure terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.gt3-7200-3(config)# interface ethernet 2/0.1gt3-7200-3(config-subif)# exit
gt3-7200-3(config)# exit
gt3-7200-3#00:13:05: %SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by consolegt3-7200-3#sh run part int e2/0.1gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition interface ethernet2/0.1Building configuration...Current configuration : 58 bytes!!!interface Ethernet2/0.1no ip route-cache!!endgt3-7200-3# show run partition ip?ip-as-path ip-community ip-domain-list ip-static-routesgt3-7200-3#sh run part ip-as
gt3-7200-3#sh run part ip-as-path
Building configuration...Current configuration : 125 bytes!!!ip as-path access-list 2 permit $ABCip as-path access-list 2 permit $xyz*ip as-path access-list 2 permit qwe*!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition ip-communityBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 92 bytes!!!ip community-list standard asd permitip community-list expanded qwe deny uio*!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config | include ip communityip community-list standard asd permitip community-list expanded qwe deny uio*gt3-7200-3#gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition ip-domain-listBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 70 bytes!ip domain-list iopip domain-list tyuip domain-list jkl!!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition ip-static-routes
Building configuration...Current configuration : 98 bytes!!!ip route 0.0.0.0 0.0.0.0 Ethernet2/0ip route 171.69.1.129 255.255.255.255 10.4.29.1!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition lineBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 489 bytes!!!!line con 0exec-timeout 0 0transport output lat pad v120 mop telnet rlogin udptn nasistopbits 1line aux 0transport output lat pad v120 mop telnet rlogin udptn nasistopbits 1line vty 0password lablogintransport input lat pad v120 mop telnet rlogin udptn nasitransport output lat pad v120 mop telnet rlogin udptn nasiline vty 1 4logintransport input lat pad v120 mop telnet rlogin udptn nasitransport output lat pad v120 mop telnet rlogin udptn nasi!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition policy-mapBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 162 bytes!!!policy-map qwerdescription policy-map qwer.class xyzshape peak 8000 32 32policy-map p1policy-map sdfclass abcset precedence 4!!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition route-mapBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 65 bytes!!!route-map iop permit 10!route-map rty permit 10!!endgt3-7200-3#sh run part router bgp 1
Building configuration...Current configuration : 111 bytes!!!router bgp 1no synchronizationbgp log-neighbor-changesdistance bgp 2 2 2no auto-summary!!endgt3-7200-3#sh run part router egp ?
<0-65535> Remote autonomous system numbergt3-7200-3#sh run part router egp 1
Building configuration...Current configuration : 46 bytes!!!router egp 1timers egp 20 20!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router ?bgp Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)egp Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP)eigrp Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)isis ISO IS-ISiso-igrp IGRP for OSI networksmobile Mobile routesodr On Demand stub Routesospf Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)rip Routing Information Protocol (RIP)gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router eigrp ?<1-65535> Autonomous system numbergt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router eigrp 1Building configuration...Current configuration : 13 bytes!!!!endgt3-7200-3#gt3-7200-3# sh run part router eigrp 2
Building configuration...Current configuration : 57 bytes!!!router eigrp 2variance 10auto-summary!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router ?bgp Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)egp Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP)eigrp Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)isis ISO IS-ISiso-igrp IGRP for OSI networksmobile Mobile routesodr On Demand stub Routesospf Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)rip Routing Information Protocol (RIP)gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router isis ?WORD ISO routing area tag| Output modifiers<cr>gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router isis qweBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 86 bytes!!!router isis qweset-attached-bit route-map qweruse external-metrics!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router isis ?WORD ISO routing area tag| Output modifiers<cr>gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router isogt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router iso-igrp ?WORD ISO routing area tag| Output modifiers<cr>gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router iso-igrpBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 31 bytes!!!router iso-igrp!!endgt3-7200-3# show running-config | begin isorouter iso-igrp!router isis qweset-attached-bit route-map qweruse external-metrics!router egp 1timers egp 20 20!router bgp 1no synchronizationbgp log-neighbor-changesdistance bgp 2 2 2no auto-summary!gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router ?bgp Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)egp Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP)eigrp Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)isis ISO IS-ISiso-igrp IGRP for OSI networksmobile Mobile routesodr On Demand stub Routesospf Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)rip Routing Information Protocol (RIP)gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router mobile ?| Output modifiers<cr>gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router mobileBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 42 bytes!!!router mobiledistance 20!!endgt3-7200-3# sh run | include router
router mobilerouter odrrouter eigrp 2router ospf 4router iso-igrprouter isis qwerouter egp 1router bgp 1gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router ?bgp Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)egp Exterior Gateway Protocol (EGP)eigrp Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)isis ISO IS-ISiso-igrp IGRP for OSI networksmobile Mobile routesodr On Demand stub Routesospf Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)rip Routing Information Protocol (RIP)gt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router ospf ?<1-65535> Process IDgt3-7200-3# show running-config partition router ospf 4Building configuration...Current configuration : 64 bytes!!!router ospf 4log-adjacency-changesdistance 4!!endgt3-7200-3# sh run part service
Building configuration...Current configuration : 190 bytes!no service padservice timestamps debug uptimeservice timestamps log uptimeno service password-encryptionservice internalservice udp-small-serversservice tcp-small-servers!!!endgt3-7200-3# sh run part snmp
Building configuration...Current configuration : 84 bytes!!!snmp-server community user101 RWsnmp mib target list qwe host 0.0.0.0!endAdditional References
The following sections provide references related to the Configuration Partitioning feature.
Related Documents
Related Topic Document TitleRunning configuration performance enhancement—parser config cache for interfaces.
Configuration Generation Performance Enhancements (Phase 1) feature module, Release 12.2(25)S
Provisioning of customer services, Config Rollback, Config Locking, and configuration access control
Contextual Configuration Diff Utility feature module, Release 12.2(33)SRA
Configuration management—Config change logging.
Configuration Change Notification and Logging feature module, Release 12.2(33)SRA)
Configuration management —Quick-save for config change logging1 .
Configuration Logger Persistency feature module, Release 12.2(33)SRA
Cisco IOS software configuration access control and config session locking ("Config Lock").
Exclusive Configuration Change Access and Access Session Locking, Release 12.2(33)SRA
1 The "Configuration Logger Persistency" feature allows saving just the commands entered since the last startup-config file was generated, rather than saving the entire startup configuration.
Standards
MIBs
MIB MIBs LinkNo new or modified MIBs are supported by this feature, and support for existing MIBs has not been modified by this feature.
—
RFCs
RFC TitleNo new or modified RFCs are supported by this feature, and support for existing RFCs has not been modified by this feature.
—
Technical Assistance
Command Reference
This section documents only commands that are new or modified.
•show running-config partition
parser config partition
To disable the partitioning of the running configuration use the no parser config partition command in global configuration mode. To reenable configuration partitioning, use the parser config partition command.
Note This command is not related to disk partitioning.
parser config partition
no parser config partition
Syntax Description
No arguments or keywords.
Command Default
Enabled
Command Modes
Global configuration (config)
Command History
Usage Guidelines
This command controls (enables or disables) the Configuration Paritioning feature.
Note This command is not related to disk partitions or disk partitioning.
To display the list of commands that make up the current running configuration for a specific part ("partition") of the system's global running configuration, use the show running-config partition command in privileged EXEC mode.
The Configuration Partitioning feature uses a small amount of system resources. The no parser config partition command allows you to disable this feature if the feature is not needed on your system.
Note Only the no form of this command will appear in configuration files. To determine if config partitioning is supported on your system and whether it is enabled, use the show running-config parser ? command.
Examples
The following example shows the steps required to disable partitioning of the system running configuration:
Router> enableRouter# config tEnter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.Router(config)# no parser config partitionSystem configuredRelated Commands
show running-config partition
To display the list of commands that make up the current running configuration for a specific part of the system's global running configuration, use the show running-config partition command in Privileged Exec mode.
show running-config partition part
Syntax Description
Command Default
None
Command Modes
Privileged Exec
Command History
Release Modification12.2(33)SRB
This command was introduced for Cisco 7600 series images in Cisco IOS Release 12.2(33)SRb.
Usage Guidelines
When the Configuration Partitioning feature is enabled, the system groups the configuration state of the device into parts (called "partitions") for the purpose of generating the virtual running configuration file (the list of configuration commands). The selective processing of the system's configuration state for the purpose of generating a partial running configuration is called "configuration partitioning."
Note This command is not related to hard drive or flash drive partitioning.
This granular access to configuration information offers important performance benefits for high-end routing platforms with very large configuration files, as the system wide generation of a complete virtual configuration file from all components on systems with large and complex configurations can become overly resource intensive and be unacceptably slow.
The show running-config partition command allows you to display only the part of the running configuration that you want to examine, while also allowing the system to process only the collection of system components (such as specific interfaces) that you need to display. This is in contrast to other existing extensions to the show running-config command, which only filter the generated list after all system components have been processed.
The Configuration Partitioning feature is enabled by default in Cisco IOS software images that support the feature. To disable the feature, use the no parser config partition command.
Examples
In the following example, the system generates a view of the running configuration by polling only the components associated with the access-list parts of the running configuration state, and then displays only those access-list-related configuration commands.
Router# show running-config partition access-listBuilding configuration...Current configuration : 127 bytes!Configuration of Partition access-list!!!access-list 90 permit 0.0.0.0 1.2.3.5access-list 100 permit 10 any any!endIn the following example, only the main configuration partition associated with the interface configuration is queried, and only the configuration commands associated with FastEthernet interface 0/1 are displayed.
Router# show running-config partition interface fastethernet0/1Building configuration...Current configuration : 213 bytes!Configuration of Partition interface FastEthernet0/1!!interface FastEthernet0/1ip address 10.4.2.39 255.255.255.0no ip route-cache cefno ip route-cacheduplex halfipv6 enableno cdp enable!!endRelated Commands
Feature Information for Configuration Partitioning
Table 1 lists the release history for this feature.
Not all commands may be available in your Cisco IOS software release. For release information about a specific command, see the command reference documentation.
Note Table 1 lists only the Cisco IOS software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given Cisco IOS software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that Cisco IOS software release train also support that feature.
Table 1 Feature Information for Configuration Partitioning
Feature Name Releases Feature InformationConfiguration Partitioning
12.2(33)SRB
This feature was introduced.
Any Internet Protocol (IP) addresses used in this document are not intended to be actual addresses. Any examples, command display output, and figures included in the document are shown for illustrative purposes only. Any use of actual IP addresses in illustrative content is unintentional and coincidental.
© 2007 Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.