Active Boot Configuration File - Allied Telesis AT-8100L/8 User Manual

Chapter 21: Hardware Stacking
Active Boot
Configuration
File
394
The master switch stores the settings of the stack in a file in its file system.
This file is called the active boot configuration file. The switch updates the
file with the most recent parameter changes whenever you issue the
WRITE or COPY RUNNING-CONFIG STARTUP-CONFIG command.
The BOOT.CFG file assigns the switch the factory IP address
169.254.1.1. The address is assigned to the Default VLAN, which contains
all of the ports on the device.
You may use the IP address during the initial management session of the
switch. You may perform the session locally through the Console port or,
using the default IP address, from a remote Telnet client connected to any
of the networking ports.
The BOOT.CFG file is the default active file. You may continue to use that
file to store the parameter settings of the switch or create another boot
configuration file in the file system. There are several ways to do that, the
easiest being the BOOT CONFIG-FILE command, because it both creates
the file and designates it as the active boot configuration file for the switch.
The name of the active boot configuration file of the stack may be up to 16
alphanumeric characters, plus the .CFG extension. For example, you
might name the file STACKBLF2RM4.CFG.
The master switch periodically sends the active boot configuration file over
the stacking ports to the other switches in the stack, which save the file in
their respective file systems. The master switch distributes the file so that
should it stop functioning or be removed from the stack, any of the other
switches can assume the role of master switch. Here are the events that
prompt the master switch to distribute the active boot configuration to the
member switches.
 When the stack performs the discovery process. The stack
performs the discovery process when it is powered on or reset,
and when a stacking cable is connected or disconnected from a
unit in the stack. At the completion of the discovery process, the
master switch sends its active boot configuration file to the
member switches.
 When you enter the WRITE command to save your changes to the
parameter settings, to the active boot configuration file. After
updating the file, the master switch sends it to the member
switches.
This is mentioned because the master switch changes the name of the
active boot configuration file to BOOT.CFG as it sends the file to the other
switches during the discovery process or in response to the WRITE
command. Additionally, it instructs the other switches to designate that
filename as the active boot configuration file so that they use that file if
they become the master switch.