Use of the 'copy' command in the Matrix N-Series / DFE

[FAQ_User]

Article ID: 5035

Products
Matrix N-series
DFE

Protocols/Features
TFTP

Commands
'copy'

Goals
How to upgrade firmware
Download firmware image
How to backup and restore the configuration
Upload configuration
Download configuration

Cause
The N-Series of switches uses the 'copy' command set for two different purposes:

1. Downloading firmware files to the distributed forwarding engines
2. Uploading/Downloading configuration files

Solution

How to download firmware to the device. A firmware upload can be accomplished as well, as long as it is not the operational image.

• Start and minimize a TFTP Server application. If you don't have one, a third-party freeware BootP server is available here.
• To view the current files the system uses, use the 'dir' command:
  dir
  
• To copy an image 42111 from the dfe directory of a tftp server running on10.0.0.1, to the DFE switch serving as the MGMT module:
  copy tftp://10.0.0.1/dfe/42111 42111
  
• To view the result, including the new 42111 file, again use the 'dir' command:
  dir
  
• To make this working image operational, use the 'set boot system' command:
  set boot system 42111
  
• This will reboot all the DFE switches in the chassis and bring up the 42111image. A different destination file naming convention can be used, but for clarity should not vary excessively.

See also: 5040.

How to copy the configuration file. This can be used to copy a configuration so that it can be imported from an external source, moved between chassis, or exported via tftp for archival or troubleshooting purposes. These are simple text files, which may as desired be created or edited offline, outside the confines of a DFE system.

• Start and minimize a TFTP Server application. If you don't have one, a third-party freeware BootP server is available here.
• To create a slot-local configuration file from a running, chassis-wide, NVRAM-based distributed configuration, use the 'show config' command:
  show config outfile slot1/henry.cfg
  This will create the configuration file 'henry' on the module 'slot1'. If 'slot1' is removed (5036), the configuration file will follow it.
  
• Copy (upload) this configuration file to the tftp server:
  copy slot1/henry.cfg tftp://10.0.0.1/dfe/henry.cfg
  
• Assuming it is necessary to run this configuration on another chassis, copy (download) the file into slot 5 of the other chassis:
  copy tftp://10.0.0.1/dfe/henry.cfg slot5/henry.cfg
  
• To ensure that the file is available, use the 'dir' command:
  dir
  
• To activate this configuration file on behalf of the entire chassis, making it the running configuration with a copy placed into NVRAM on all modules in the system, use the 'configure' command:
  configure slot5/henry.cfg (forces a reboot)
  -or-
  configure slot5/henry.cfg append (appends to existing config w/ no reboot)
  The appending of Router commands is not supported with earlier firmware (5690).
  DFEs installed in a 6C105 chassis (5275) will not properly execute the non-append form of the 'configure' command. The workaround is to clear the configuration (5296), allow the system to boot back up, and then issue the append form of the command as exemplified above.

Caution! Activating a saved configuration file could result in loss of password/secret data. Prior to using the 'configure' command, please review the possibilities and safeguards discussed in 5335.

For more information, please review the appropriate Configuration Guide for your firmware.