Basic Operation Guide 2014/02

Changing or overriding the reboot configuration policy
You can boot the switch using any available startup-config file.
Changing the reboot configuration policy. For a given reboot, the switch automatically reboots
from the startup-config file assigned to the flash location (primary or secondary) being used for the
current reboot. For example, when you first download a software version that supports multiple
configuration files and boot from the flash location of this version, the switch copies the existing
startup-config file (named oldConfig) into memory slot 2, renames this file to workingConfig,
and assigns workingConfig as:
• The active configuration file
• The configuration file to use when booting from either primary or secondary flash.
In this case, the switch is configured to automatically use the workingConfig file in memory slot
2 for all reboots.
You can use the following command to change the current policy so that the switch automatically
boots using a different startup-config file.
Syntax:
startup-default [ primary | secondary ]
config <filename>
Specifies a boot configuration policy option:
[ primary | secondary ]config <filename>
Designates the startup-config file to use in a reboot with the software version stored
in a specific flash location. Use this option to change the reboot policy for either
primary or secondary flash, or both.
config <filename>
Designates the startup-config file to use for all reboots, regardless of the flash version
used. Use this option when you want to automatically use the same startup-config
file for all reboots, regardless of the flash source used.
For redundant management systems, this command affects both the active
management module and the standby management module. The config file is copied
immediately to the standby management module and becomes the default on that
module when the next bootup occurs, unless redundancy is disabled or the standby
module has failed selftest.
Note: To override the current reboot configuration policy for a single reboot instance,
use the boot system flash command with the options described under “Changing
or overriding the reboot configuration policy” (page 76).
For example, suppose:
• Software release “A” is stored in primary flash and a later software release is stored in
secondary flash.
• The system operator is using memory slot 1 for a reliable, minimal configuration (named
minconfig) for the software version in the primary flash, and slot 2 for a modified
startup-config file (named newconfig) that includes untested changes for improved network
operation with the software version in secondary flash.
The operator wants to ensure that in case of a need to reboot by pressing the Reset button, or if a
power failure occurs, the switch will automatically reboot with the minimal startup-config file in
memory slot 1. Since a reboot due to pressing the Reset button or to a power cycle always uses
the software version in primary flash, the operator needs to configure the switch to always boot
from primary flash with the startup-config file named minconfig (in memory slot 1). Also, whenever
76 Switch Memory and Configuration