184 Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide
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Configurations across a fabric
8

Configurations across a fabric

To save time when configuring fabric parameters and software features, you can save a
configuration file from one switch and download it to other switches of the same model type, as
shown in the following procedure.
Do not download a configuration file from one switch to another switch that is a different model or
firmware version, because it can cause the switch to fail. If you need to reset affected switches,
issue the configDefault command. Verify that all domain IDs are unique prior to using the
configDownload command because the switches will segment if they all have the same domain ID.
If you download an existing configuration file to a switch that has a different Interoperable mode
setting, the configDownload command will fail. You must first change the switch interoperability
mode to equal that of the configuration file, reboot the switch, then re-download the configuration
file.

Downloading a configuration file from one switch to another same

model switch

1. Configure one switch.
2. Use the configUpload command to save the configuration information. Refer to “Configuration
file backup” on page 178 for more information.
3. Run configDefault on each of the target switches, and then use the configDownload command
to download the configuration file to each of the target switches. Refer to “Configuration file
restoration” on page 180 for more information.

Security considerations

Security parameters and the switch identity cannot be changed by the configDownload command.
Parameters such as the switch name and IP address (lines in the configuration file that begin with
“boot”) are ignored. Security parameters (lines in the configuration file that begin with “sec”), such
as secure mode setting and version stamp, are ignored.
For more detailed information on security, refer to Chapter 6, “Configuring Protocols”.

Configuration management for Virtual Fabrics

You can use the configUpload -vf or configDownload -vf command to restore configurations to a
logical switch. The -vf option only restores the Virtual Fabrics configuration information on to a
switch of the same model.
The Virtual Fabric configuration on the switch defines all of the logical switches allowed and
configured for a particular platform.