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Last updated on 6/30/22

Save Your Configurations

Configure the Router File System

In a large network, you have lots of interconnected equipment and it’s impossible to configure all of this equipment manually using step-by-step commands.

Fortunately, there are various ways of copying or updating your configurations. The Cisco IFS (IOS File System) enables an administrator to navigate the various directories and list the files in a directory. The administrator can also create subdirectories in flash memory or on disk.

VPNRouter# show file systems 
File Systems: 

         Size(b)        Free(b)    Type   FlagsPrefixes     
*    255744000       221896413     disk     rw flash0: flash:# 
        262136          255005    nvram     rwnvram: 
VPNRouter#

This command provides some useful information, such as:

  • Total and free memory space

  • File system type

  • File authorization 

Levels of authorization include read only (ro), write only (wo), and read-write (rw). Note that the asterisk*in front of the flash file system indicates that it’s the current default file system; the bootable IOS is located in flash memory. As a result, the#symbol is appended to the flash listing to indicate that it’s a bootable disk.

Because the flash file system is the default file system, thedircommand lists the contents in flash memory.

VPNRouter# dir 
Directory of flash0:/ 

 3     -rw-    33591768     <no date> 
c1900-universalk9-mz.SPA.151-4.M4.bin
 2     -rw-       28282     <no date>   sigdef-category.xml
 1     -rw-      227537     <no date>   sigdef-default.xml 

255744000 bytes total (221896413 bytes free) 
VPNRouter#

A number of files are stored in flash memory but only the first one is of interest to us. It’s the name of the current Cisco IOS file image that is running in RAM.

Save in Non-Volatile Memory (NVRAM)

Non-volatile memory (NVRAM) is a type of memory that stores data even when it’s no longer connected to a power supply. To display the contents of the NVRAM, use:

  • thecd(change directory) command, to change the default file system.

  • thepwdcommand, to display the current directory and check that you're displaying the NVRAM directory.

  • thedircommand, to list the contents of the NVRAM. 

A number of different files are shown, but the one we’re interested in is the file called “startup-config”, which defines the configuration at startup (as the name suggests!).

Screenshot of a command terminal
Commands entered on a real-life Cisco 1941 router using remote access via the console port

So, if you want your configurations to be saved after rebooting your network devices, you must copy them to the non-volatile RAM.

You know this command, because you’ve already used it several times:copy running-config startup-config. You can also perform the reverse operation if you want to reload your initial configuration without having to reboot the equipment.

VPNRouter# copy running-config startup-config 
Destination filename [startup-config]? 

Building configuration... 
[OK] 
VPNRouter# copy startup-config running-config 
Destination filename [running-config]? 

950 bytes copied in 0.416 secs (2283 bytes/sec) 
VPNRouter# 
%SYS-5-CONFIG_I: Configured from console by console 

VPNRouter#

Save Your Configurations in Cisco Packet Tracer

You can save and restore your configurations in Cisco Packet Tracer. You just need to go to the connectivity device and select the Config menu.

Screenshot of the VPNRouter configuration interface
The Config menu allows you to save and restore: NVRAM, Startup Config and Running Config

Okay, here’s a short video to show you how to save within Cisco Packet Tracer.

Save Your Configurations on an TFTP Server

You can also save and restore your configurations using a TFTP server. And what’s great is that this service exists within Cisco Packet Tracer!

Screenshot of the Packet Tracer configuration interface for File-Server
TFTP service in Cisco Packet Tracer—as if by magic, the service is already enabled!

To copy your configurations onto a TFTP server, use thecopy running-config tftpcommand and specify the IP address of the server:

VPNRouter# copy running-config tftp 
Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.30.3 
Destination filename [VPNRouter-confg]? 

Writing running-config.....!! 
[OK - 950 bytes] 

950 bytes copied in 7.047 secs (134 bytes/sec) 
VPNRouter#

You just need to enter thecopy tftp running-config command to restore the configuration to the memory currently in use (running-config) from a TFTP server:

VPNRouter# copy tftp running-config 
Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.30.3 
Source filename []? VPNRouter-confg 
Destination filename [running-config]?

Accessing tftp://192.168.30.3/VPNRouter-confg... 
Loading VPNRouter-confg from 192.168.30.3: ! 
[OK - 950 bytes] 

950 bytes copied in 0 secs 
VPNRouter#

Time for a video:

Let's Recap!

In this chapter, you’ve seen:

  • how to display different router file systems using the command  show file systems  .

  • how to save your configurations in non-volatile memory using the command  copy running-config startup-config  .

  • how to save your connectivity device configurations in Cisco Packet Tracer using the Config menu.

  • how to save your configurations onto a TFTP server using the command  copy tftp running-config  .

You’ve reached the end of the course. Congratulations! You’ve made a great leap in the huge world of networks. Cisco Packet Tracer is a fantastic tool not only to learn how networks operate, but primarily to simulate corporate networks so that connectivity devices can be configured.

Before finishing up, go ahead and do the final practical exercise and the quiz so that you can get your course completion certificate. Good luck! And I’ll see you soon on a new adventure!  

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