Working With Configuration Files; Information About Configuration Files; Types Of Configuration Files - Cisco MDS 9000 Series Configuration Manual

Working with Configuration Files

This chapter describes how to work with your device configuration files.
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Information About Configuration Files

Configuration files contain the Cisco NX-OS software commands used to configure the features on a Cisco
NX-OS device. Commands are parsed (translated and executed) by the Cisco NX-OS software when the
system is booted (from the startup-config file) or when you enter commands at the CLI in a configuration
mode.
To change the startup configuration file, you can either save the running-configuration file to the startup
configuration using the copy running-config startup-config command or copy a configuration file from a
file server to the startup configuration.

Types of Configuration Files

The Cisco NX-OS software has two types of configuration files, running configuration and startup configuration.
The device uses the startup configuration (startup-config) during device startup to configure the software
features. The running configuration (running-config) contains the current changes that you make to the
startup-configuration file. The two configuration files can be different. You might want to change the device
configuration for a short time period rather than permanently. In this case, you would change the running
configuration by using commands in global configuration mode but not save the changes to the startup
configuration.
To change the running configuration, use the configure terminal command to enter global configuration
mode. As you use the Cisco NX-OS configuration modes, commands generally are executed immediately
and are saved to the running configuration file either immediately after you enter them or when you exit a
configuration mode.
OL-29291-02
Information About Configuration Files, page 111
Managing Configuration Files, page 112
Verifying the Device Configuration, page 122
Examples of Working with Configuration Files, page 123
C H A P T E R
Cisco MDS 9000 Family NX-OS Fundamentals Configuration Guide
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