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Cisco ME 3400 EthernetAccess Switch SoftwareConfiguration Guide
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AppendixB Working with the Cisco IOS File System, Configuration Files, and Software Images
Working with Configuration Files
Working with Configuration Files
This section describes how to create, load, and maintain configuration files.
Configuration files contain commands entered to customize the function of t he Cisco I OS sof tware. A
way to create a basic configuration file is to use the setup program or to enter the setup privileged EXEC
command. For more information, see Chapter 3, “Assigning the Switch IP Address and Default
Gateway.”
You can copy (download) configuration files from a TFTP, FTP, or RCP server to the running
configuration or startup configuration of the switch. You might want to perform this for one o f th ese
reasons:
•To restore a backed-up configuration file.
•To use the configuration file for another switch. For example, you might add another switch to your
network and want it to have a configuration similar to the original switch. By copying the file to the
new switch, you can change the relevant parts rather than recreating the whole file.
•To load the same configuration commands on all the switches in your network so t hat al l t he
switches have similar configurations.
You c an cop y (uploa d) configuration files from the switch to a file server by using TFTP, FTP, or RCP.
You might perform this task to back up a current configuration file to a server before changing its
contents so that you can later restore the original configuration file from the server.
The protocol you use depends on which type of server you are using. The FTP and RCP transport
mechanisms provide faster performance and more reliable del ivery of da ta th an T F TP. These
improvements are possible because FTP and RCP are built on and use the TCP/IP stack, which i s
connection-oriented.
These sections contain this configuration information:
•Guidelines for Creating and Using Configuration Files, page B-8
•Configuration File Types and Location, page B-9
•Creating a Configuration File By Using a Text Editor, page B-9
•Copying Configuration Files By Using TFTP, page B-10
•Copying Configuration Files By Using FTP, page B-11
•Copying Configuration Files By Using RCP, page B-15
•Clearing Configuration Information, page B-18

Guidelines for Creating and Using Configuration Files

Creating configuration files can aid in your switch configuration. Configuration files can contain some
or all of the commands needed to configure one or more switches. For example, you might want to
download the same configuration file to several switches that have the same hardware configuration.
Use these guidelines when creating a configuration file:
•We recommend that you connect through the console port for the in itial c onfig uratio n of the switch.
If you are accessing the switch through a network connection instead of through a direct connection
to the console port, keep in mind that some configuration changes (such as changing the switch IP
address or disabling ports) can cause a loss of connectivity to the switch.
•If no password has been set on the switch, we recommend that you set one by us ing the enable secret
secret-password global configuration command.