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Catalyst 3550 Multilayer Switch Software Configuration Guide
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AppendixB Working with the IOS File System, Configuration Files, and Software Images
Working with Configuration Files
Copying Configuration Files By Using RCP
The Remote Copy Protocol (RCP) provides another method of down loa ding, u ploa ding, and c opyi ng
configuration files between remote hosts and the switch. Unlike TFTP, which uses User Datagram
Protocol (UDP), a connectionless protocol, RCP uses TCP, which is connection-oriented.
To use RCP to copy files, the server from or to which you will be copying files must support RCP. The
RCP copy commands rely on the rsh server (or daemon) on t he r emot e sys te m. To copy files b y us ing
RCP, you do not need to create a server for file distribution as you do with TFTP. You only need to have
access to a server that supports the remote shell (rsh). (Most UNIX systems support rsh.) Because you
are copying a file from one place to another, you must have read permission on the source file and write
permission on the destination file. If the destination file does not exist, RCP creates it for you.
The RCP requires a client to send a remote username with each RCP request t o a serv er. When you copy
a configuration file from the switch to a server, the Cisco IOS software sends the first valid username in
this list:
•The username specified in the copy command if a username is specified.
•The username set by the ip rcmd remot e-username username global configurat ion command if the
command is configured.
•The remote username associated with the current TTY (terminal) process. For example, if the user
is connected to the router through Telnet and was authenticated through the username command,
the switch software sends the Telnet username as the remote username.
•The switch host name.
For a successful RCP copy request, you must define an account on the network server for the remote
username. If the server has a directory structure, the configuration file is written to or copied from the
directory associated with the remote username on the server. For example, if the configuration file is in
the home directory of a user on the server, specify that user's name as the remote username.
This section includes this information:
•Preparing to Download or Upload a Configuration File By Using RCP, page B-16
•Downloading a Configuration File By Using RCP, page B-17
•Uploading a Configuration File By Using RCP, page B-18

Preparing to Download or Upload a Configuration File By Using RCP

Before you begin downloading or uploading a configuration file by using RCP, do these tasks:
•Ensure that the workstation acting as the RCP server supports the remote shell (rsh).
•Ensure that the switch has a route to the RCP server. The switch and the server must be in the same
subnetwork if you do not have a router to route traffic betwe en sub ne ts. Che ck c onn ect ivit y to t he
RCP server by using the ping command.
•If you are accessing the switch through the console or a Telnet session and you do not have a valid
username, make sure that the current RCP username is the one that you w ant to use f or the RCP
download. You can enter the show users privileged EXEC command to view the valid username. If
you do not want to use this username, create a new RCP usern ame by us ing t h e ip rcmd
remote-username username global configuration command to be used du ring all copy operations.
The new username is stored in NVRAM. If you are accessing the switch through a Telnet session
and you have a valid username, this username is used, and you do not need to set the RCP u sername.
Include the username in the copy command if you want to specify a use rname fo r only tha t copy
operation.