Archive functionality
Cool useful functionality this time around. Even though it has little to do with CCIE (in the way i have not encountered it on any blueprint :)), i was asked to implement a functionality to make sure we always had the most recent configuration from our routers.
The archive functionality hits right on the spot, and with more features than i expected it to.
Basically what it provides is the capability to store your configuration file to an external target whenever you perform a change and write it to your startup-config. Its really easy to set up from a router perspective. The real work actually lies in your server configuration.
archive
target
write-memory
And thats it! 🙂
The real power and the features lie in what sort of protocols are available for you to use to put the file onto an external target.
TFTP is a very well known protocol for Cisco people. FTP is also really useful, but what is really cool (imho anyways) is the ability to use SCP. A usage of SSH which we’ve used quite heavily in the VMware world to put stuff onto our datastores, is also available for the archive command.
Here’s your options:
R1(config-archive)#path ?
flash: Write archive on flash: file system
ftp: Write archive on ftp: file system
http: Write archive on http: file system
https: Write archive on https: file system
pram: Write archive on pram: file system
rcp: Write archive on rcp: file system
scp: Write archive on scp: file system
slot0: Write archive on slot0: file system
tftp: Write archive on tftp: file system
What is appealing to me with this protocol, is that it offers me a way of setting this up on alot of our clients and transfer the configuration of their devices in a secure fashion.
The downside? Well, it seems its not supported on switches and ASA firewalls. I really hope this is something which will get fixed or another alternative exists which provide the same functionality. If any of you know of a similar feature, id love to know!!
Anyways, head over to blindhog.net for more information, especially on setting up a windows server to be a target for SCP.
http://www.blindhog.net/cisco-automatic-configuration-backup/