Configuring Cisco Connected Grid Swap Drive

 

This chapter describes how to configure the Cisco Connected Grid Swap Drive feature in Cisco IOS Release 15.0(2)ED for the Supported Hardware.

This chapter contains the following sections:

Supported Hardware

 

Feature
Supported Hardware
Minimum Software Release
Related Documentation

Connected Grid Swap Drive

Cisco Connected Grid Ethernet Switch Module (ESM)

15.0(2)ED

Cisco Connected Grid Ethernet Switch Module Interface Card Software Configuration Guide

Release Notes for Cisco IOS Release 15.0(2)ED

Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Command Reference

Cisco 2010 Connected Grid Router (CGR 2010)

Cisco IOS Release 15.2(2)T

Note Recommended: Cisco IOS Release 15.3(1)T for CGR 2010

Cisco Connected Grid Router Software Configuration Guide

Cisco Connected Grid Routers 2010 Hardware Installation Guide

Information About Connected Grid Swap Drive

With the Connected Grid Swap Drive feature, you can transfer system configuration from one CGR 2010 to another CGR 2010 by using a compact flash memory card (or compact flash card ) while the router is operating. (See Figure 2-1.) This functionality enables you to quickly configure a new router with a standard configuration with little or no manual configuration.


Note When an ESM is installed within the router, you can also use the swap drive feature to store and copy its standard configuration for installation on a new ESM. The ESM employs the same compact flash card within the CGR 2010 to save and transfer its configuration.


During normal operation, the software stores the running configuration on the router internal bootflash memory. When you enable the Connected Grid Swap Drive feature on the router, the software saves the configuration information (router and/or ESM) to the bootflash and to the router compact flash memory card (CF0, flash0). After saving the running configuration to the compact flash card, you can insert the card into another router. When the new router reboots, it uses the configuration from the compact flash card as the running and startup configuration.

You can use this configuration method for:

  • Configuring new or replacement routers with or without ESM
  • Recovering the configuration of a failed router with or without ESM

This section includes the following topics:

Required ROM Monitor Version

This feature requires that the router is using ROM monitor (ROMmon) version 15.0(1r)M13 or later. The ROMmon is sometimes referred to as the bootstrap program. For more information on using ROMmon with the router, refer to the “Using ROM Monitor” chapter in the router software configuration guide noted in Supported Hardware.

Check ROMmon Version

Enter the show rom-monitor slot privileged EXEC command to verify the version of ROMmon that is running on the router:

router# show rom-monitor slot
System Bootstrap, Version 15.0(2)ED, RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 2013 by Cisco Systems, Inc.

Upgrade ROMmon Version

Use the upgrade rom-monitor privileged EXEC command to upgrade router ROMmon as needed to use the Connected Grid Swap Drive feature.

Refer to the Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Command Reference for detailed information about using this command.

Router Compact Flash Memory Cards

The router supports a maximum of two compact flash memory cards. The router ships with one compact flash card installed and supports a second, optional flash card that you can order with the router or supply separately. Figure 2-1 illustrates the location of the compact flash card slots on the router.

Figure 2-1 Cisco Connected Grid 2010 Router—Compact Flash Memory Card Slot Locations

 

 

Item
Label on router
Description
Cisco IOS Interface Name

1

CF1

This slot supports an optional compact flash card that you can order with the router or supply separately. The Connected Grid Swap Drive feature is not supported on this slot.

flash1:

2

CF0

This is the required slot for use with the Connected Grid Swap Drive feature. The router comes with a compact flash card already installed in this slot.

Note The Connected Grid Swap Drive feature is supported on this CF slot only.

flash or
flash0 :

For additional information about the router compact flash memory support, refer to the the router hardware installation guide noted in Supported Hardware.

Configuring the Connected Grid Swap Drive Feature

In this section, the existing router, from which you copy the configuration information we refer to as the source router , and the router to which you transfer the configuration information we refer to as the new router . The new router can be a new router, a replacement router, or a router that has failed.

This section includes the following topics:

Enable the Connected Grid Swap Drive Feature


Note The feature is only supported for the compact flash card installed in slot CF0 of the router.


The Connected Grid Swap Drive feature is disabled by default on the router and the ESM.

  • When this feature is disabled , the write memory command saves the running configuration of the router and/or ESM to the router system bootflash only (default write memory behavior).
  • When this feature is enabled , the write memory command saves the router and/or ESM running configuration to both the router system bootflash and to the router compact flash card installed in slot CF0. (See Figure 2-1.)

To enable the swap drive feature, enter the following global configuration command:

CGR2010(config)# swap-drive
 

Note When you enable the swap drive feature on the router, this enables the feature on the ESM. You do not need to separately enable the feature on the ESM.


 

To disable the swap drive feature, enter the following command:

CGR2010(config)# no swap-drive

Save Source Running Configuration to the Flash Memory Card

Follow these steps while the source system is operating normally to save the running configuration to the compact flash card.

Router Source Running Configuration

To save the running configuration of the router and boot parameters to the router compact flash card installed in slot CF0, do as follows:


Step 1 Enter the following command at the EXEC command prompt:

CGR2010> write memory
 

The write memory command creates two text files on the compact flash card:

  • swap_drive_config.txt —Running configuration of the router
  • system_boot_config.txt —Router boot parameters, including boot path, configuration register, and checksum.

Note When the compact flash card already contains files with these names, the software overwrites the existing files with the new files. You will not be prompted to confirm this action.


Step 2 (Optional) Enter the dir flash: privileged EXEC command to verify the two text files are on the compact flash card. In the example output shown below, the lines 2 and 5 list the text files:

CGR2010# dir flash:
Directory of flash0:
 
1 -rw- 63822856 Oct 13 2012 21:22:58 cgr2010-universalk9-mz.SPA.152-1.14.T0.2
2 -rw- 1181 Oct 26 2012 17:26:50 system_swap_drive_config.txt
3 -rw- 50865812 Jul 18 2012 18:34:28 cgr2010-universalk9-mz.SPA.151-3.T1.bin
4 -rw- 57747592 Aug 24 2012 21:01:32 cgr2010-universalk0-mz.SSA-swapdr5-2
5 -rw- 87 Oct 26 2012 17:26:50 system_boot_config_txt
 

Step 3 Remove the compact flash card from the slot labeled CF0 on the source router according to the “Removing and Installing Compact Flash Memory Cards” instructions in the router hardware installation guide noted in Supported Hardware.


 

ESM Source Running Configuration

To save the ESM running configuration and boot parameters to the router compact flash card installed in slot CF0, do as follows:


Tip When saving the ESM configuration file, you must be logged into the ESM console. For details, refer to the “Access the Switch Module from the Host Router” chapter within the
Cisco Connected Grid Ethernet Switch Module Interface Card Software Configuration Guide.



Step 1 Enter the following commands :

CGR2010# service-module gigabitethernet 0/0/0 session <--Identifies and logs into ESM
GRWIC-8PC> write memory
 

The write memory command creates two text files on the compact flash card:

  • For the ESM in slot 0:

sm0_swap_drive_config.txt —Running configuration of the ESM

sm0_boot_config.txt —ESM boot parameters, including boot path, configuration register, and checksum.

  • For the ESM in slot 2:

sm2_swap_drive_config.txt —Running configuration of the ESM

sm2_boot_config.txt —ESM boot parameters, including boot path, configuration register, and checksum.


Note When the compact flash card already contains files with these names, the software overwrites the existing files with the new files. You will not be prompted to confirm this action.


Step 2 (Optional) Enter the dir flash: privileged EXEC command to verify the two text files are on the compact flash card. In the example output shown below, the lines 2 and 5 list the text files:

CGR2010# dir flash:
Directory of flash0:
 
1 -rw- 63822856 Oct 13 2012 21:22:58 cgr2010-universalk9-mz.SPA.152-1.14.T0.2
2 -rw- 1181 Oct 26 2012 17:26:50 sm0_swap_drive_config.txt
3 -rw- 50865812 Jul 18 2012 18:34:28 cgr2010-universalk9-mz.SPA.151-3.T1.bin
4 -rw- 57747592 Aug 24 2012 21:01:32 cgr2010-universalk0-mz.SSA-swapdr5-2
5 -rw- 87 Oct 26 2012 17:26:50 sm0_boot_config_txt
 

Step 3 Remove the compact flash card from the slot labeled CF0 on the source router according to the “Removing and Installing Compact Flash Memory Cards” instructions in the router hardware installation guide noted in Supported Hardware.


 

Transfer the Configuration to the New Router

Follow these steps to transfer the saved configuration files to the new router (with or without ESM). This procedure can be performed when the router is off or while the router is operating normally.


Step 1 Install the compact flash card in the slot labeled CF0 on the new router according to the “Removing and Installing Compact Flash Memory Cards” instructions in the router hardware installation guide noted in Supported Hardware.

Step 2 If the router is off, power on the router. If the router is already running, enter the reload privileged EXEC command to reboot the router.

When the router boots up, the ROM monitor software verifies that:

  • A compact flash card is installed in the router CF0 slot (flash0)
  • The swap_drive_config.txt file exists on the flash card

When the router detects the swap_drive_config.txt file on flash0, the following steps take place:

  • The router boots up using the configuration contained in the file.
  • The router saves the configuration contained in the file as the new startup config.


 

Additional Information

  • When the new router system boot flash parameters differ from the parameters in the system_boot_config.txt file, the router ROM monitor saves the parameters contained within the system_boot_config.txt file to the new router system boot flash. The system software starts up using the new parameters from the system_boot_config.txt file.
  • When the new router boots up, the software automatically enables the Connected Grid Swap Drive feature.

Verify Swap Drive Configuration

 

Command
Purpose

show running-config

Display the new router running configuration and verify that the new router is using the configuration from the source router

show startup-config

Display the configuration that is stored in the new router NVRAM and verify that it is the configuration from the source router