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Managing a Cisco Router

Router Internals

Router Components
Component Location Description
Bootstrap stored in microcode in ROM Boots router and loads IOS
P.O.S.T. stored in microcode in ROM Checks basic functionality of router hardware and determines which interfaces are present
ROM Monitor stored in microcode in ROM Used for manufacturer testing and troubleshooting
Mini IOS stored in microcode in ROM Also called RXBOOT or bootloader, Small IOS in ROM can be used to bring up an interface and load a Cisco IOS into flash memory
RAM hardware Holds packet buffers, routing tables, software and data structures that allow the router to function. running-config is stored in RAM. IOS can be run from here on some routers
ROM hardware Used to start and maintain the router
Flash memory hardware Used to store the IOS. Not erased when the router is reloaded. An EEPROM chip.
NVRAM hardware Used to hold router or switch configuration. Not erased when the router or switch is reloaded. (holds startup-config) usually 32K in size.
Configuration Register in NVRAM Controls how the router boots

Backing Up and Restoring Cisco IOSs

Before upgrading or restoring an IOS, you should backup the current version to a TFTP server.  By default Flash memory is used to store the Cisco IOS.

Verify Flash 
   Router3>en
   Router3#show flash
   File  Length   Name/status
     1   10218508  /c2500-js-l_120-8.bin
   [10316471 bytes used, 6460745 available, 16777216 total]
   16384K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)
The last line shows the amount of flash memory on board (16384K bytes of processor board System flash) Filename for this IOS is c2500-js-l_120-8.bin

Filename Explained
c2500 Platform
j Enterprise image
s File contains extended capabilities
l Indicates file may be moved, not compressed
120-8 Revision number
.bin Executable binary file


Backup IOS

Use the show version command to determine the version of the IOS on the router and the filename of the image, you already got the size of flash from the previous command.

   Router_1#show version
   ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 12.0, RELEASE SOFTWARE
   BOOTFLASH: 3000 Bootstrap Software (IGS-BOOT-R), Version 11.0(10c)XB1, 
   RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

   Router_1 uptime is 11 minutes
   System restarted by power-on
   System image file is c2500-js-1_120-8.bin, booted via flash

   Bridging software.
   X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.
   1 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
   2 Serial network interface(s)
   32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
   8192K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)

   Configuration register is 0x2102

   Router_1#

Use the following command to copy the IOS from flash to a TFTP server:

   Router3#copy flash tftp
   System flash directory:
   File  Length   Name/status
      1   6078548  c2500-js-l_120-8.bin

   [6078612 bytes used, 2309996 available, 8388608 total]
   Address or name of remote host [255.255.255.255]? 192.168.1.70
   Source file name? c2500-js-l_120-8.bin
   Destination file name [c2500-js-l_120-8.bin]?
   Verifying checksum for 'c2500-js-l_120-8.bin' (file # 1)...  OK
   Copy 'c2500-js-l_120-8.bin' from Flash to server
   as 'c2500-js-l_120-8.bin'? [yes/no]yes
   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                      [cut for brevity]
   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   Upload to server done
   Flash copy took 0:01:44 [hh:mm:ss]

TFTP doesn't allow directory browsing or user authentication, so the file is put in the default directory of the TFTP server.

Restoring or Upgrading the IOS

Restoring from a TFTP server.

Make sure that file is in the TFTP's default directory (you won't be prompted for the directory from the TFTP server, you have to know where it is).

   Router3#copy tftp flash

                            ****  NOTICE  ****
   Flash load helper v1.0
   This process will accept the copy options and then terminate
   the current system image to use the ROM based image for the copy.
   Routing functionality will not be available during that time.
   If you are logged in via telnet, this connection will terminate.
   Users with console access can see the results of the copy operation.
                            ---- ******** ----
   Proceed? [confirm]

The above tells you that the router must reboot.

   System flash directory:
   File  Length   Name/status
     1   6078548  c2500-js-l_120-8.bin

   [6078612 bytes used, 2309996 available, 8388608 total]
   Address or name of remote host [192.168.1.70]? 192.168.1.70

If you've used a TFTP server before, it will use it as the default choice.

The next prompt is for the source filename, which must be in the TFTP's root directory.

   Source file name? c2500-js-l_120-8.bin
   Destination file name [c2500-d-l_113-5.bin]?
   Accessing file 'c2500-d-l_113-5.bin' on 192.168.1.70...
   Loading 'c2500-js-l_120-8.bin' from 192.168.1.70 (via Ethernet0): ! [OK]

Next you are prompted three times to confirm that the current flash file will be erased, you will be prompted to backup the running-config to startup-config if it has been changed since the router will reboot.

   Erase flash device before writing? [confirm]
   Flash contains files. Are you sure you want to erase? [confirm]
   
   System Configuration has been modified. Save? [yes/no]: yes
   Building configuration...
   [OK]
   Copy 'c2500-js-l_120-8.bin' from server
   as 'c2500-js-l_120-8.bin' into Flash WITH erase? [yes/no]yes

Router reboots and loads the Mini IOS from ROM in order to erase the flash since the flash can't be erased while it's in use.

   %SYS-5-RELOAD: Reload Requested
   %FLH: c2500-js-l_120-8.bin from 192.168.1.70 to flash ...
   System flash directory:
   File  Length   Name/status
     1   6078548  c2500-js-l_120-8.bin
   [8121064 bytes used, 8656152 available, 16777216 total]
   Accessing file 'c2500-js-l_120-8.bin' on 192.168.1.70...
   Loading c2500-js-l_120-8.bin from 192.168.1.70 (via Ethernet0): ! [OK]

New file is copied

   Erasing device... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
   eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
   Loading c2500-js-l_120-8.bin from 192.168.1.70 (via Ethernet0):
   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
                           [output cut for brevity]
   !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After copy

   [OK 10935532/16777216 bytes]
   
   Verifying checksum... OK (0x2E3A)
   Flash copy took 0:05:45 [hh:mm:ss]
   %FLH: Re-booting system after download

Router reboots and new IOS is used

Reload the Router

After upgrading the IOS, you will have to reload the router to use the new software.  Note that some routers reboot automatically when you copy a new version of software to the router if it doesn't, use the following command.

   Router_2#reload
   Proceed with reload? [confirm] yes
   %SYS-5-RELOAD: Reload requested

Backing Up and Restoring System Configuration

Any changes made to the router configuration are stored in running-config, copying the running-config to the startup-config in NVRAM will ensure that changes made to the system configuration are saved in the event that the router is reloaded.  Use the following command to save configuration changes.

   Router#copy running-config startup-config
   Building configuration...
   [OK]  
   
   Router#
Copying running-config to TFTP

Copying the running-config to a TFTP server allows you to maintain a second copy in the event that you make irreversible errors to running-config and startup-config.  Use the following command and answer the questions such as server's IP address and destination filename.

   Router_2#copy running-config tftp 
   Remote host []? 192.168.1.70
   Name of configuration file to write [router-confg]?  < Enter > 
   Write file router-confg on host 192.168.1.70? [confirm]  < Enter > 
   Building configuration...
   Writing router-confg !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!![OK]
Restoring Configuration Files

If you've made changes to the running-config, the easiest way to undo all of the changes is to copy the startup-config to the running-config.  Providing, of course, that you haven't saved any of the changes you want to get rid of.  If you saved changes to the startup-config, you can load a config file from a TFTP server as long as you remembered to back it up before making changes.

From startup
To restore the startup-config file from NVRAM to the running-config in RAM use the following command and note that running-config will be overwritten with the startup-config file information.

   Router3#copy startup-config runnning-config
From TFTP
You can also restore the running-config file from a TFTP server, providing that you have backed it up there.

   Router_2#copy tftp running-config 
   Host or network configuration file [host]? < Enter > 
   Address of remote host [255.255.255.255]? 192.168.1.70
   Name of configuration file [router-confg]? router-confg 
   Configure using router-confg from 192.168.1.70 [confirm]? < Enter > 
   Loading router-confg from 192.168.1.70 (via serial 0)  !!!!!!
   [OK - 882/32723]
Erasing the Configuration

Use the following command to erase the startup file and enter setup mode whenever the router is reloaded.

   Router_2#erase startup-config

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