System Software - Cisco 7000 Hardware Installation And Maintenance

Physical Description
NVRAM
The system configuration, software configuration register settings, and environmental monitoring
logs are contained in the 128-kilobyte (KB), nonvolatile random-access memory (NVRAM), which
is backed up with built-in lithium batteries that retain the contents for a minimum of five years. When
replacing an RSP7000, be sure to back up your configuration to a remote server so you can retrieve
it later.
Caution
Transfer Protocol (TFTP) file server so you can retrieve it later. If the configuration is not saved, the
entire configuration will be lost—inside the NVRAM on the removed RSP7000—and you will have
to reenter the entire configuration manually. For instructions on how to save the configuration file,
refer to the section "Saving and Retrieving the Configuration File," in the chapter "Maintenance."
This procedure is not necessary if you are temporarily removing an RSP7000 you will reinstall;
lithium batteries retain the configuration in memory until you replace the RSP7000 in the system.
Flash Memory
The imbedded or PCMCIA card-based Flash memory allows you to remotely load and store multiple
Cisco IOS and microcode images. You can download a new image over the network or from a local
server and then add the new image to Flash or replace the existing files. You can then boot routers
either manually or automatically from any of the stored images. Flash memory also functions as a
TFTP server to allow other servers to boot remotely from stored images or to copy the stored image
into their own Flash memory.
Note
replacing an RP with an RSP7000, you must reformat the Flash memory card if you want to use it
with your new RSP7000. You must also install the RSP7000 in slot 6 and have an RSP7000 Chassis
Interface (RSP7000CI) installed in slot 5, and be running Cisco IOS Release 10.3(9), or later, for the
new RSP7000 to work properly. Using the RSP7000, you cannot read data on the RP's Flash
memory card, nor can you use it as bootable media. You must reformat the RP's Flash card before
you can use it with the RSP7000. Flash memory cards formatted on the RP-based systems (7000
series routers) are formatted differently from Flash memory cards formatted on RSP-based systems
(7500 series routers).
Caution
loss of important data that might be stored on a Flash memory card, proceed carefully. If you want
to save the data on a Flash memory card, copy the data to a server before you format the card.

System Software

The Cisco 7000 series routers support downloadable system software and microcode for most Cisco
IOS and microcode upgrades, which enables you to remotely download, store, and boot from a new
image. Flash memory contains the default system software. An erasable programmable read-only
memory (EPROM) device contains the latest microcode version, in compressed form, for each
interface processor. At system startup, an internal system utility scans for compatibility problems
between the installed interface processor types and the bundled microcode images, then
decompresses the images into running dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). The bundled
microcode images then function the same as the EPROM images.
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Before you replace an RSP7000, back up the running configuration to a Trivial File
If you have a Flash memory card installed in the PCMCIA slot of your RP, and you are
The formatting procedure erases all information on the Flash memory card. To prevent the