Managing IOS images using TFTP

Managing IOS images using TFTP

5.2.5

The page will show students how to store IOS images on a TFTP server.
The IOS may need to be backed up, upgraded, or restored using the copy command. When a router first arrives, the IOS should be backed up. The IOS backup can be initiated from the privileged EXEC mode with the copy flash tftp command. This IOS image can be stored in a central server with other IOS images. These images can be used to restore or upgrade the IOS on the routers and switches in a network. This server should have a TFTP service running. The router will prompt the user to enter the IP address of the TFTP server and to specify a destination filename.
To restore or upgrade the IOS from the server use the copy tftp flash command as shown in Figure . The router will prompt the user to enter the IP address of the TFTP server. Next, the router will prompt the user for the filename of the IOS image on the server. The router may then prompt the user to erase flash. This often happens if there is not sufficient flash available for the new image. As the image is erased from flash, a series of e’s will appear to show the erase process.
As each datagram of the IOS image file is downloaded, an exclamation mark (!) will be displayed. This IOS image is several megabytes and may take a long time to download.
The new flash image will be verified after it is downloaded. The router is now ready to be reloaded to use the new IOS image.
The Lab Activity will allow students to back up a copy of a router IOS onto a TFTP server.
The next page will show students how ROMmon and Xmodem can be used to manage IOS images.

Managing configuration files using copy and paste

Managing configuration files using copy and paste

5.2.4

This page will explain how HyperTerminal can be used to copy a configuration. The file is then edited and pasted back into the router.
Another way to create a backup copy of the configuration is to capture the output of the show running-config command. To do this from the terminal session, copy the output, paste it into a text file, and then save the text file. This file will need to be edited before it can be used to restore the router configuration.  
Perform the following steps to capture the configuration from a HyperTerminal screen:

1. Select Transfer.
2. Select Capture Text.
3. Specify a name for the text file to capture the configuration.
4. Select Start to start capturing text.
5. Use the show running-config command to display the configuration on the screen.
6. Press the Spacebar when each "-More -" prompt appears.

After the complete configuration has been displayed, use the following steps to stop the capture:

1. Select Transfer.
2. Select Capture Text.
3. Select Stop.

After the capture is complete, the configuration file needs to be edited to remove extra text. Remove any unnecessary information from the captured configuration so it can be pasted back into the router. Comments may also be added to explain the various parts of the configuration. To add a comment, begin a line with an exclamation mark (!).
The configuration file can be edited from a text editor such as Notepad. To edit the file from Notepad click on File > Open. Find the captured file and select it. Click Open.
The lines that need to be deleted contain the following information:

• show running-config
• Building configuration...
• Current configuration:
• - More -
• Any lines that appear after the word "End"

Add the no shutdown command to the end of each interface section. Click File > Save to save a clean version of the configuration.
The backup configuration can be restored from a HyperTerminal session. Before the configuration is restored any remaining configuration should be removed from the router. To do this, enter the erase startup-config command at the privileged EXEC prompt and then enter the reload command to restart the router.
HyperTerminal can be used to restore a configuration. Use the following steps to copy a clean backup of the configuration into a router:

1. Enter router global configuration mode.
2. Click on Transfer > Send Text File in HyperTerminal.
3. Select the name of the file for the saved backup configuration.
4. Watch as the lines of the file are entered into the router.
5. Observe any errors.
6. Press Ctrl-Z to exit global configuration mode after the configuration is entered.
7. Restore the startup configuration with the copy running-config startup-config command.

The next page will explain how TFTP can be used to mange IOS images.

Managing configuration files using TFTP

Managing configuration files using TFTP

5.2.3

This page will explain how a TFTP server can be used to back up the configuration files for a Cisco device.
In a Cisco router or switch, the active configuration is in RAM and the default location for the startup configuration is NVRAM. The startup configuration should be backed up in case the configuration is lost. One of these backup copies of the configuration can be stored on a TFTP server. The copy running-config tftp command can be used to do this. The steps for this process are listed below:

• Enter the command copy running-config tftp.
• Enter the IP address of the TFTP server to store the configuration file.
• Enter the name to assign to the configuration file or accept the default name.
• Type yes to confirm each choice.

The backup configuration file can be loaded from a TFTP server to restore the router configuration. The steps below outline this process:

• Enter the command copy tftp running-config.
• Select a host or network configuration file at the prompt.
• Enter the IP address of the TFTP server where the configuration file is located.
• Enter the name of the configuration file or accept the default name.
• Confirm the configuration filename and the server address that the system supplies.

The Lab Activity on this page will teach students how to back up a copy of a router configuration file and load it from a TFTP file server.
The next page will show students how the copy and paste feature can be used to manage configuration files.

The IOS naming convention

The IOS naming convention

5.2.2

This page will introduce the Cisco IOS naming convention. Students will learn why it is used and what each field represents.
There are many different versions of the Cisco IOS. The IOS supports varied hardware platforms and features. New versions of the IOS are continuously developed and released.
To identify the different versions, there is a naming convention for IOS files. This IOS naming convention uses different fields in the name. The fields include the hardware platform identification, the feature set identification, and the numerical release. 
The first part of the Cisco IOS file name identifies the hardware platform for which an image is designed.
The second part of the IOS file name identifies the various features that a file contains. There are many different features to choose from. These features are packaged in software images. Each feature set contains a specific subset of Cisco IOS features. Here are some examples of feature-set categories:

• Basic - A basic feature set for a hardware platform such as IP and IP/FW
• Plus - A basic feature set plus additional features such as IP Plus, IP/FW Plus, and Enterprise Plus
• Encryption - A 56-bit data encryption feature set, such as Plus 56, that is combined with a basic or plus feature set. Examples include IP/ATM PLUS IPSEC 56 or Enterprise Plus 56.

The encryption designators for Cisco IOS Release 12.2 or later are k8 and k9:

—k8 - Less than or equal to 64-bit encryption in IOS version 12.2 and later

—k9 - Greater than 64-bit encryption in IOS version 12.2 and later

The third part of the file name indicates the file format. It specifies if the IOS is stored in flash in a compressed format and whether the IOS is relocatable. If the flash image is compressed, the IOS must be expanded during boot as it is copied to RAM. A relocatable image is copied from flash into RAM to run. A non-relocatable image is run directly from flash.
The fourth part of the file name identifies the release of the IOS. The numerical version number increases for newer versions of the IOS.
The Interactive Media Activity will help students become familiar with the fields in an IOS image name.
The next page will show students how a TFTP server can be used to manage configuration files.