Administrator Guide

Images and File Management 475
Managing Images
When you download a new image to the switch, it overwrites the backup
image, if it exists. To use the new image, it must be activated and reloaded on
the switch. The image that was previously the active image becomes the
backup image after the switch reloads. If the switch is upgraded to a newer
image and the image is found to be incompatible with the network, the
switch can revert to the original image.
If a new image is activated and reloaded on the switch, and the switch is
unable to complete the boot process due to a corrupt image or other problem,
the boot menu can be used to activate the backup image. The administrator
must connect to the switch through the console port to access the boot
menu. The image files may contain firmware for the PHY processors on the
switch. The PHY firmware may be updated to the firmware version supported
by the switch firmware during the boot process or, in the case of switches that
support the hot swap of cards, when the card is inserted into the switch.
Editing and Downloading Configuration Files
Each configuration file contains a list of executable CLI commands. The
commands must be complete and in a logical order, as if you were entering
them by using the switch CLI.
When you download a startup-config or backup-config file to the switch, the
new file replaces the previous version. To change the running-config file, you
execute CLI commands either by typing them into the CLI or by applying a
configuration script with the script apply command. The startup-config and
backup-config files can also be applied to the running-config by using the
script apply command.
Creating and Applying Configuration Scripts
When you use configuration scripting, keep the following considerations and
rules in mind:
• The application of scripts is partial if the script fails. For example, if the
script executes four of ten commands and the script fails, the script stops
at four, and the final six commands are not executed.
• Scripts cannot be modified or deleted while being applied.
• Validation of scripts checks for syntax errors only. It does not validate that
the script will run.