Dynamic Configuration Loading - Brocade Communications Systems FastIron Administration Manual

Dynamic configuration loading

You can load dynamic configuration commands (commands that do not require a reload to take effect)
from a file on a TFTP server into the running-config on the Brocade device. You can make configuration
changes off-line, then load the changes directly into the device running-config, without reloading the
software.
Dynamic configuration usage considerations
• Use this feature only to load configuration information that does not require a software reload to take
effect. For example, you cannot use this feature to change statically configured memory (system-
max command) or to enter trunk group configuration information into the running-config.
• Do not use this feature if you have deleted a trunk group but have not yet placed the changes into
effect by saving the configuration and then reloading. When you delete a trunk group, the command
to configure the trunk group is removed from the device running-config, but the trunk group remains
active. To finish deleting a trunk group, save the configuration (to the startup-config file), then reload
the software. After you reload the software, then you can load the configuration from the file.
• Do not load port configuration information for secondary ports in a trunk group. Since all ports in a
trunk group use the port configuration settings of the primary port in the group, the software cannot
implement the changes to the secondary port.
Preparing the configuration file
A configuration file that you create must follow the same syntax rules as the startup-config file the
device creates.
• The configuration file is a script containing CLI configuration commands. The CLI reacts to each
command entered from the file in the same way the CLI reacts to the command if you enter it. For
example, if the command results in an error message or a change to the CLI configuration level, the
software responds by displaying the message or changing the CLI level.
• The software retains the running-config that is currently on the device, and changes the running-
config only by adding new commands from the configuration file. If the running config already
contains a command that is also in the configuration file you are loading, the CLI rejects the new
command as a duplicate and displays an error message. For example, if the running-config already
contains a a command that configures ACL 1, the software rejects ACL 1 in the configuration file, and
displays a message that ACL 1 is already configured.
• The file can contain global CONFIG commands or configuration commands for interfaces, routing
protocols, and so on. You cannot enter User EXEC or Privileged EXEC commands.
• The default CLI configuration level in a configuration file is the global CONFIG level. Thus, the first
command in the file must be a global CONFIG command or " ! ". The ! (exclamation point) character
means "return to the global CONFIG level".
NOTE
You can enter text following " ! " as a comment. However, the " !" is not a comment marker. It returns
the CLI to the global configuration level.
FastIron Ethernet Switch Administration Guide
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Dynamic configuration loading
101