DFE Configuration Append support for Router Commands

[FAQ_User]

Article ID: 5690

Products
DFE
Firmware 5.32.06 and lower

Commands
'configure append'

Symptoms
Configuration append not supported for router commands
"router command out of place."

Cause
With earlier firmware, the appending of router configuration commands to a running router configuration by means of the 'append' option of the 'configure' command (5035) is not supported.

Here is an example of such an attempt:
Matrix(rw)->copy tftp://10.20.144.140/newlines.txt slot3/newlines.txt
Matrix(rw)->configure slot3/newlines.txt append
router command out of place.
Matrix(rw)->

If an appended configuration file consists of switching then routing commands, the switching commands are appended but the routing commands fail with the stated error message.
If an appended configuration file consists of routing then switching commands, the routing commands fail with the stated error message and the switching commands are ignored.

Solution
Upgrade to firmware 5.35.16 or higher.

Release notes state, in the 'Changes made in 5.35.16' section:
"The append form of the configure command is now supported for configuration files that contain active router configuration settings."

Appended commands are applied one at a time to the running system, from the top down - just as if you were manually entering them. This includes commands to delete existing commands, change to and from router/interface/ospf mode, etc. As with manual command entry, an entered command may generate an error from the editor, in which case the command is ignored and the system waits for the next command.

Thus, the commands required for appending router configurations are a permutation of the commands seen surrounding the router configurations in the output of a 'show config' command.
< -switching commands while in switching mode- >
begin router Required: Set to router mode
enable Required: Set to router enable mode
config t Required: Set to router config terminal mode
< -router commands while in router mode- >
write file Required: Save the router configuration
exit Required: Exit router config mode
disable Required: Disable router terminal mode
exit Required: Exit router enable mode
end router Required: Exit router mode
< -switching commands while in switching mode- >

This template applies to firmware 6.x and higher, which supports only one router instance (9964). With earlier firmware, you'd use syntax "begin router <slot#>".

Here is an example of a configuration append using 6.x firmware:
Matrix(rw)->configure slot6/testfile.txt append

Matrix(rw)->Router>enable
Matrix(rw)->Router#config t
Enter configuration commands:
Matrix(rw)->Router(config)#access-list 111 deny ip any 10.202.0.0 0.0.255.255
Matrix(rw)->Router(config)#access-list 111 permit icmp any any
Matrix(rw)->Router(config)#interface vlan 10
Matrix(rw)->Router(config-if(Vlan 10))#ip address 10.110.1.1 255.255.255.0
Matrix(rw)->Router(config-if(Vlan 10))#no shutdown
Matrix(rw)->Router(config-if(Vlan 10))#ip access-group 111 in
Matrix(rw)->Router(config-if(Vlan 10))#exit
Matrix(rw)->Router(config)#write file
Saving information to config...done
Matrix(rw)->Router(config)#exit
Matrix(rw)->Router#disable
Matrix(rw)->Router#exit

set port negotiation fe.6.3 enable
Matrix(rw)->