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This chapter describes basic system startup and use. Information in this chapter will help you with the following tasks:
The setup command facility enables you to start using your communication server quickly and without extensive background knowledge. It does this by prompting you for the information required to perform basic configuration procedures.
You use the setup facility both at initial system configuration and for basic changes at any time. In addition, the facility itself is a teaching tool that aids in familiarizing you with the expected command sequence as you step through the process. Because of these unique characteristics, Cisco refers to setup as a command facility rather than simply as a command.
You can use the setup command facility to configure system-wide (global) and interface-specific characteristics.
These global configuration activities are available with setup:
These interface-specific configuration activities are handled with setup:
For more advanced applications, you must enter a privileged-level configuration session, discussed later in this chapter.
At any time during use of the setup command facility, you can request help by entering a question mark (?) at a given prompt. If the prompt requires a yes or no answer, no further help is available. However, if the prompt offers a range of acceptable answers, the help facility will give you some guidance. For example, if you are prompted to select the number of bits in a subnet mask, the help facility might inform you that you can choose a decimal number between 0 and 16.
For many of the prompts, default answers appear in square brackets following the question. These defaults are used when you answer the question by pressing the Return key. If the system was previously configured, the defaults that appear are the currently configured values. If this is the first time the system has been configured, the factory defaults are provided. If there is no factory default, as in the case of passwords, nothing is displayed after the question. In the descriptions that follow, the factory defaults are shown.
The setup command facility knows what kind of network interface is installed and prompts for configuration information as appropriate.
When you first power up your console and ASM-CS communication server, a script similar to the following will appear on the screen. The first section of the script displays the banner information, including the software version.
CS Software (CS3-L), Version 9.1(1) Copyright (c) 1986-1992 by cisco Systems, Inc. Compiled Thu 26-Mar-92 00:57
The next portion of the display is a list of the installed hardware and software options. By reading the installed hardware, the system automatically presents the appropriate interfaces during the configuration process.
CSC3 (68020) processor with 4096K bytes of memory. 1 MCI Controller 1 Ethernet/IEEE 802.3 interface. 96 terminal lines 32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
The System Configuration Dialog message and configuration steps automatically appear next, offering the prompts for which you will provide the answers to configure your system. Press the Return key to accept the default settings (if any are available). The System Configuration Dialog message provides the following initial information:
--- System Configuration Dialog ---
At any point you may enter a question mark '?' for help.
Refer to the 'Getting Started' Guide for additional help.
Default settings are in square brackets '[]'.
Continue with configuration dialog? [yes]:
Press the Return key to continue with the setup dialog; enter no to terminate the process at this point.
At any --More-- prompts, press the space bar to continue the display.
The remainder of the script is the actual configuration process, with each prompt appearing automatically. The following paragraphs briefly describe each prompt provided during the setup process. A sample setup script is provided at the end of this section.
Configuration using the setup command facility has two main steps:
Step 1: Specify information for global, or system-wide parameters.
Step 2: Configure the network interfaces, based on the information previously provided.
The step-by-step discussions that follow briefly define the global and interface parameters that can be set using the setup command facility.
The streamlined setup command facility gives you an opportunity to continue booting your system even though there may be problems with the configuration file when you are attempting to netboot an image.
The communication server enters the streamlined setup command facility under the following circumstances:
If any of the listed items apply to your communication server, you will see the following screen:
--- System Configuration Dialog ---
Refer to the 'Getting Started' Guide for additional help.
Default settings are in square brackets '[]'.
Configuring interface IP parameters for netbooting:
Configuring interface Ethernet0:
Is this interface in use? [yes]:
IP address for this interface: 131.108.169.23
Number of bits in subnet field [0]: 8
Class B network is 131.108.0.0, 8 subnet bits; mask is
255.255.255.0
Configuring interface Ethernet1:
Is this interface in use? [yes]:
IP address for this interface: 131.108.163.23
Number of bits in subnet field [8]:
Class B network is 131.108.0.0, 8 subnet bits; mask is
255.255.255.0
"Configuring interface IP parameters for netbooting" appears only if you are netbooting and your configuration has insufficient IP information.
You will be asked to provide an IP address and subnet mask bits. You can enter the subnet mask bits as a decimal value such as 8.
The configuration information you provide at this screen is temporary and is requested only to allow you to proceed with booting your system. Your original configuration is left intact; when you reload the system that configuration will be used.
The following global configuration activities are handled via the setup command:
Each step in the global configuration setup process is described sequentially in the descriptions that follow.
Specify the name of the host computer for the communication server. This host name is used in the system prompts. You must enter a host name in order to continue.
Help: Type a string, then press Return. A host name can consist of from 1 to 80 alphanumeric characters and is case sensitive.
Your system has two levels of security: user and privileged. The commands available at the user level are a subset of those available at the privileged level. Because many of the privileged commands are used to set operating parameters, these are password-protected to prevent unauthorized use. This is accomplished by setting up an enable password.
An enable password allows a user access to the privileged command level. You must enter an enable password in order to continue.
Default: Blank initially
Help: Type a string, then press Return. An entry must be made in order to continue with configuration.
An enable password can consist of from 1 to 80 alphanumeric characters and is case sensitive; a number cannot be the first character. Spaces are also valid password characters; for example, "two words" is a valid password.
In addition to the enable password, each virtual terminal line can also have an individual password. By default, virtual terminals require a password. If you do not set a password, the system will respond to attempted connections by displaying an error message and closing the connection. (Virtual terminals are used when remotely accessing the communication server via the network.) If desired, you can allow line connections without a password.
Default: Blank initially
Help: Type a string, then press Return.
A virtual terminal password can consist of from 1 to 80 alphanumeric characters and is case sensitive; a number cannot be the first character. Spaces are also valid password characters; for example, "two words" is a valid password.
The Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is the most widely supported open standard for network management. It provides a means to access and set configuration and runtime parameters of the routers and communication servers. SNMP defines a set of functions that may be used to monitor and control network elements. Answer yes to configure SNMP on a system-wide basis. Refer to "Configuring the Simple Network Management Protocol" in the "System Configuration" chapter for details about specific SNMP parameters.
Answer no if you do not want to run SNMP.
Default: Yes
Cisco supports the Network Computing Device, Inc. XRemote feature on all communication servers and protocol translators. When fonts used by X applications are not included in ROM on the NCD terminal, one or more font servers must be identified from which the communication server and the NCD terminal can obtain non-ROM fonts. Answer yes to specify one or more XRemote font servers. Refer to the "XRemote Configuration and Management" chapter for details about specific XRemote parameters. Answer no if you do not want to specify XRemote font servers.
Default: No
A yes response to the previous prompt displays this prompt. Font servers must be reachable and IP-addressable entities. In order to obtain fonts from a specific host (or hosts), you must enter the IP addresses.
Enter the Internet address of the font server in dotted decimal form (for example, 131.108.2.5). If you do not know the Internet address, consult your network manager.
This step is equivalent to specifying the IP address of a font server when using the xremote tftp host global configuration command. However, a host name cannot be entered when setup is running, since the name service facility is not yet running. Refer to the "XRemote Configuration and Management" chapter for more details about XRemote configuration options.
Respond to the prompt by pressing Return to stop entering font server IP addresses.
Default: None
Help: Enter an Internet address of the form X.X.X.X, where each letter corresponds to a decimal number between 0 and 255.
The following interface configuration activities are handled via the setup command:
Each interface configuration step in the setup process is described sequentially in the descriptions that follow.
The setup command facility automatically presents the installed interface for you to configure.
Internet addresses are 32-bit quantities assigned to hosts that use the TCP/IP protocols. These addresses are usually written as four decimal numbers separated by periods (for example, 192.17.5.100). Each number is an eight-bit value between 0 and 255.
The addresses are divided into three classes; the classes differ in the number of bits allocated to the network and host portions of the address.
Enter your Internet address in dotted-decimal format (for example, 131.108.2.5). If you do not know your Internet address, consult your network manager.
| Class | First Byte | Network Bits | Host Bits |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 1-126 | 8 | 24 |
| B | 128-191 | 16 | 16 |
| C | 192-223 | 24 | 8 |
Default: None
Help: Enter an Internet address using the form X.X.X.X, where each letter corresponds to a decimal number between 0 and 255.
Subnetting is an extension of the Internet addressing scheme, that allows multiple, physical networks to exist within a single Class A, B, or C network. The usual practice is to use a few of the leftmost bits in the host portion of the network address for a subnet field. The subnet field, or mask, controls whether or not subnetting is in effect on a network.
Internet addressing conventions allow either 24, 16, or 8 bits for a subnet mask, depending on whether your address is Class A, B, or C, respectively. However, because the last two of these bits are used for the host address, the setup command facility allows you to specify up to 22, 14, or 6 bits for your subnet mask.
A caveat applies to all classes of addresses: users cannot specify 1 as a number of bits for the subnet mask. Such a specification would provide either an all zeros or all ones subnet mask, both of which are reserved by Internet conventions.
Default: 0
Help: A decimal number between 0 and 22, 14, or 6, depending on whether your network is Class A, B, or C, respectively.
LAT is by default enabled on any network interface for a communication server (if the LAT option has been purchased). Refer to the "LAT Configuration and Management" chapter, for details about specific LAT parameters. Enter yes to enable LAT (or simply press Return).
Answer no if you do not want to enable LAT.
Default: Yes
The system requires that you provide an answer. Answer yes and the configuration is stored in nonvolatile memory. Answer no and the configuration is not saved. This marks the end of the configuration process.
Default: None
You are now ready to try using the other commands available to you, including the show and configure commands. To make changes to the configuration using the setup command facility, type setup at the EXEC prompt. Refer to the "System Configuration" chapter, and protocol-specific chapters of this manual for advanced configuration.
The setup command facility operates automatically the first time you power up your communication server. To use setup on subsequent occasions, you must invoke it as you would any other command, by typing it at the EXEC privileged-level prompt (described later in this chapter). Your system will also automatically run the setup program when it cannot find its configuration in memory.
Before you start using the setup command facility, you need to do the following:
Step 1: Attach an RS-232 ASCII terminal to the system console port located at the rear of the Cisco server (or any port on the 500-CS).
Refer to the hardware publication for your server for details about cabling considerations and establishing electrical connections.
Step 2: Configure the terminal to operate at: 9600 baud, 8 data bits, no parity, 2 stop bits.
Step 3: Power up the communication server (the setup program runs automatically for initial startup).
The server will prompt you for specific parameters including network numbers, IP addresses, and subnet masks, when applicable.
The following is a sample of a setup session, including the prompts provided after setup has completed.
--- System Configuration Dialog ---
At any point you may enter a question mark '?' for help.
Refer to the 'Getting Started' Guide for additional help.
Default settings are in square brackets '[]'.
Continue with configuration dialog? [yes]:
Enter host name [TS]: trifid
Enter enable password:password
Enter virtual terminal password:password
Configure SNMP Network Management? [yes]:
Configure Xremote font servers? [no]:
Configuring interface Ethernet0:
IP address for this interface: 131.108.161.28
Number of bits in subnet field [0]: 8
Class B network is 131.108.0.0, 8 subnet bits; mask is 255.255.255.0
Configure LAT on this interface? [yes]:
Configuring interface Serial0:
IP address for this interface: 131.108.15.45
Number of bits in subnet field [0]: 8
Class C network is 192.31.7.0, 4 subnet bits; mask is 255.255.255.240
Configure LAT on this interface? [yes]:
The following configuration command script was created:
hostname trifid
enable password password
line vty 0 9
password password
snmp-server community
xremote tftp host 131.108.14.44
!
!
interface Ethernet0
ip address 131.108.161.28 255.255.255.0
lat enabled
mop enabled
!
!
interface Serial0
ip address 131.108.15.45 255.255.255.0
lat enabled
end
Use this configuration? [yes/no]: yes
Press RETURN to get started!
[OK]
Use the enabled mode 'configure' command to modify this configuration.
trifid#
Before exploring the commands provided with Cisco communication servers, you should take time to familiarize yourself with the basic command line user interface that is integral to all Cisco products. This section introduces you to the basic Cisco communication server user interface environment. This environment is generally referred to as the EXEC command interpreter (or EXEC).
The EXEC interprets the commands you enter and carries out the corresponding operations. You can enter commands when you see the system prompt, which is the host name followed by an angle bracket (>).
You can enter commands in uppercase, lowercase, or both uppercase and lowercase letters. You can also abbreviate commands and other keywords to the number of characters that cause the command to be a unique abbreviation. For example, you can abbreviate the show command to sh.
If you make a typing mistake, you can erase characters with the Delete or the Backspace key. Press either key to erase the last character you entered. To erase the entire line, enter Ctrl-U. (This notation means "Hold down the Ctrl key and press the U key.")
The communication server acts on most commands after you press the Return key. You can end a command at any time by entering Ctrl-C.
To list available EXEC commands, type a question mark (?). You can often enter a question mark (help command) to obtain more information about commands. For example, type terminal ? to obtain a list of terminal commands or show ? to obtain a list of show commands.
Certain EXEC commands produce multiple screens of output. At the end of each screen, the EXEC pauses and displays:
-More-
Type a space to continue the output; type anything else to return to the system command prompt.
For security purposes, the EXEC has two levels of access: user and privileged. The commands available at the user level are a subset of the commands available at the privileged level. Because many of the privileged commands set communication server operating parameters, the privileged level should be password-protected to prevent its unauthorized use. The system prompt for the privileged level ends with a pound sign (#) instead of an angle bracket (>).
The enable command allows access to the privileged level, prompting for a password if one has been set with the enable-password configuration command. For more information, see the "Establishing Passwords and System Security (TACACS)" section in the "System Configuration" chapter. To list available EXEC commands, use the ? (question mark) command. At the user level, the ? command produces this list:
CS> ?
connect <host> Connect to host - same as typing just a host name
disconnect <cn> Break the connection specified by name or number
exit, quit Exit from the EXEC
lat <service> Connect to service using DEC LAT protocol
lock Lock the terminal
name-connection Give a connection a logical name
resume Make the named connection be current
rlogin <host> Connect to host using rlogin protocol
show <cmd> Information commands, type "show ?" for list
slip <addr> Enter SLIP mode
systat Show terminal lines and users
telnet <host> Connect to host using telnet protocol
tn3270 <host> Connect to host using telnet protocol (3270)
terminal Change terminal's parameters, type "terminal ?"
where Show open connections
xremote Enter XRemote mode
<cr> To resume connection
At the privileged level, the ? command lists the full communication server command set:
CS# ?
clear Reinitialization functions, type "clear ?" for list
configure Configure from terminal or over network
connect <host> Connect to host - same as typing just a host name
copy copy flashmem->tftp or tftp->flashmem
debug Enable debugging functions, type "debug ?" for list
disable Turn off privileged commands
disconnect <cn> Break the connection specified by name or number
enable Turn on privileged commands
exit, quit Exit from the EXEC
lat <service> Connect to service using DEC LAT protocol
lock Lock the terminal
name-connection Give a connection a logical name
ping Send echo messages
reload Halt and reload system
resume Make the named connection be current
rlogin <host> Connect to host using rlogin protocol
send <line>|* Send message to a terminal line or lines
setup Initialize system configuration
show <cmd> Information commands, type "show ?" for list
slip <addr> Enter SLIP mode
systat Show terminal lines and users
telnet <host> Connect to host using telnet protocol
tn3270 <host> Connect to host using telnet protocol (3270)
terminal Change terminal's parameters, type "terminal ?"
test Run hardware tests, type "test ?"
trace <address> Trace route to <address>
undebug Disable debugging functions, type "undebug ?" for list
where Show open connections
write Write configuration memory, type "write ?" for list
xremote Enter XRemote mode
<cr> To resume connection
Use the privileged EXEC command configure to begin configuration of the communication server.
Begin by entering the privileged level of the EXEC. This is done by entering the enable command at the EXEC prompt:
CS> enable
The EXEC then prompts you for the privileged-level password:
Password:
Type in the password. For security purposes, the password will not be displayed. (Also note that the password is case sensitive.) When you enter the correct password, the system displays the privileged-level prompt:
CS#
To begin configuration mode, enter the configure command at the privileged-level prompt:
CS# configure
When you enter this command, the EXEC prompts you for the source of the configuration subcommands.
Configuring from terminal, memory, or network [terminal]?
The default is to type in commands from the terminal console. Pressing the Return key begins this configuration method. Each configuration method (terminal, memory, and network) is described in more detail later in this chapter.
The EXEC provides you with a simple editor for entering the configuration commands, and explains the editing functions:
Enter configuration commands, one per line. Edit with DELETE, CTRL/W, and CTRL/U;end with CTRL/Z
Any configuration information you enter takes effect immediately after you press Ctrl-Z.
Table 1-2 lists the edit key functions and their meanings.
| Key | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Delete or Backspace | Erases one character. |
| Ctrl-W | Erases a word. |
| Ctrl-U | Erases a line. |
| Ctrl-R | Redisplays a line. |
| Return | Executes single-line commands. |
| Ctrl-Z | Ends configuration mode and returns to the EXEC. |
The configuration commands are categorized by these functions:
The descriptions of the commands include the command type and give examples of their use.
As with EXEC commands, you can type configuration subcommands in uppercase letters, lowercase letters, or both. You can also shorten all commands and other keywords to unique abbreviations. You can add comments by preceding the line with an exclamation point (!). Comments do not affect command processing.
If you make a typing mistake, use the Delete or Backspace key to erase a character, Ctrl-W to erase a word, and Ctrl-U to erase a line. To redisplay a line, use Ctrl-R. See Table 1-2 for a list of valid commands.
The communication server executes single-line commands when you press the Return key. The communication server does not display confirmation messages as it executes the commands. If the communication server encounters a problem, it displays an error message on the console terminal. When you type Ctrl-Z, the communication server exits the configuration mode.
In most cases, you can negate a configuration subcommand or restore a default by typing no before the subcommand keyword. You can usually omit the arguments of the subcommand when you negate it with no. The command descriptions note any exceptions to these rules.
The following sections provide some examples of configuration files to illustrate how to enter the configuration commands.
Global configuration commands enable functions that affect the entire system rather than a particular line or interface, and can appear any place within the configuration file. An example of this is the global configuration command to define the host name, or the name of the communication server:
hostname termserv-1
Interface subcommands modify the operation of an interface such as an Ethernet, FDDI, or serial port. Interface subcommands always follow an interface command that defines the interface type.
The following example illustrates how to enable LAT and DEC MOP on interface Ethernet 0:
interface ethernet 0 mop enabled lat enabled
If you forget to enter the interface command, the system displays the message "must specify a network interface."
Line subcommands modify the operation of a serial terminal line. Line subcommands always follow a line command that defines the line number. If you forget to enter the line command, the system displays the message "must specify a line or range of lines."
The following example illustrates how to set the password on line 5:
line 5 password secretword
Type Ctrl-Z to end your configuration sessions, and the disable command to leave privileged-level mode.
If you use the setup facility's interactive dialog prompts to start your configuration file, it is saved in nonvolatile memory when you finish the prompts. If you chose not to create your configuration file this way, you may now choose from several options to create the configuration file.
The communication server holds configuration information in two places--in running memory and nonvolatile memory. Configuration information in running memory is temporary and will not be stored if power is shut off. Configuration information in nonvolatile memory is always available.
You use the EXEC command write memory to copy current (running) configuration information to nonvolatile memory. This command stores all nondefault configuration information as configuration commands in text format. The command also records a checksum for the information to protect against data corruption.
The EXEC command show configuration displays information stored in nonvolatile memory. You can use this command and the write terminal command to find differences between the current configuration (in running memory) and that stored in nonvolatile memory. You use the EXEC command write erase to clear the contents of nonvolatile memory.
The write commands create their output by examining the state of the system currently running. The output produced by the write commands is generated by the software, and will not necessarily match the text the user entered to create the current configuration.
The communication server also allows you to store the configuration file on a network host. (This allows you to use an editor on the host to edit and create the configuration file.) Use the EXEC command write network to copy the current configuration information to a server host on the network. This command is described later in this section.
To issue configuration commands from the console terminal (ASM-CS) or any terminal line (500-CS), enter the EXEC command configure at the privileged-level EXEC prompt and enter configuration mode.
The communication server responds with a prompt asking you to specify the terminal, a file, or nonvolatile memory as the source of configuration commands.
Configuring from terminal, memory, or network [terminal]?
To begin configuration, type terminal at the prompt or just press Return (since terminal is the default) to start command collection. (See the "The Configure Command" section earlier in this chapter for more information.)
During command collection, the communication server accepts one configuration command per line. You can enter as many configuration subcommands as you want.
Enter Ctrl-Z when you finish entering configuration commands. This returns you to the EXEC where you can test your configuration, or write the configuration commands to memory.
At periodic intervals, you need to write the configuration information into nonvolatile memory or to a configuration file stored on a remote host. This will make checking, adding information to, and booting the configuration file an easier task. The procedures for writing information to nonvolatile memory are described next.
After you enter the desired configuration information at the console terminal, use the privileged EXEC command write memory to make a copy of the configuration information in nonvolatile memory. Nonvolatile memory stores the current configuration information in text format as configuration commands, recording only nondefault settings. A checksum of memory is done to guard against corrupted data.
As part of its startup sequence, the communication server startup software always checks for configuration information in the nonvolatile memory. Once nonvolatile memory holds valid configuration commands, the communication server executes the commands automatically at startup. If the communication server detects a problem with the nonvolatile memory or the configuration information it contains, the communication server may enter the setup mode, prompting for configuration information. Problems can include a bad checksum for the information in nonvolatile memory and the absence of critical information.
To display the configuration information stored in nonvolatile memory, enter the show configuration EXEC command at the privileged-level EXEC prompt.
To clear the contents of nonvolatile memory, enter the write erase EXEC command at the privileged-level EXEC prompt.
To re-execute the configuration commands stored in nonvolatile memory, enter memory at the configure mode prompt:
Configuring from terminal, memory, or network [terminal]? memory
To store configuration information on a remote host, enter the privileged EXEC command write network. This command sends a copy of the current configuration information to a remote host. The command will prompt you for the destination host's address and a filename, as the following example illustrates.
Tokyo#write networkRemote host [131.108.2.155]? Name of configuration file to write [tokyo-confg]? Write file tokyo-confg on host 131.108.2.155? [confirm]yWriting tokyo-confg... [OK]
To retrieve and/or add to the configuration information stored on a host file on a device on your network, enter network at the configure-mode prompt (see "The Configure Command" section in this chapter for more information):
Configuring from terminal, memory, or network [terminal]? network
The system will ask you to select a host or network configuration file. It will also ask you for the address of the host and for a file name. The following example illustrates this process.
Host or network configuration file [host]?
IP address of remote host [255.255.255.255]? 131.108.2.155
Name of configuration file [tokyo-confg]?
Configure using tokyo-confg from 131.108.2.155? [confirm] y
Booting tokyo-confg from 131.108.2.155: !! [OK - 874/16000 bytes]
The communication server can be configured to automatically load additional configuration information from a network host. You might want to keep an up-to-date version of configuration information on another host, where you can change it as necessary, and use the nonvolatile memory as a bootstrap or backup mechanism. You can instruct the communication server software to load configuration information over the network by entering the service config subcommand and then writing the information to nonvolatile memory using the write memory command. Loading configuration information over the network is the default if nonvolatile memory is not installed. (The service configuration subcommand is described in "Tailoring Use of Network Services" in the "System Configuration" chapter)
After loading configuration information fro nonvolatile memory, the communication server will attempt to load two configuration files from remote hosts. The first is the network configuration file, which contains commands that apply to all communication servers and communication servers on a network. The second is the host configuration file, which contains commands that apply to one communication server in particular.
The default name of the network configuration file is network-confg. The default name for the host configuration file is taken from the host name. The host name can be specified by the hostname configuration subcommand or can be derived from the Domain Name System (DNS); see the section "Setting the Host Name" in the "System Configuration" chapter for more information. To form the host configuration filename, the communication server converts the host name stripped of any DNS information to lower case and appends "-confg." If no hostname information is available, the default host configuration filename is ts-confg. Other names for these configuration files can be set using the boot command, which is described in "Setting Configuration File Specifications" in the "System Configuration" chapter."
The communication server uses TFTP to load and save configuration files. By default, the communication server uses an Internet address of all ones to broadcast TFTP Read Request messages. However, many hosts use an old style of broadcast address consisting of all zeros. You can change operation to accommodate hosts using the old style of broadcast address.
If the communication server fails to load a configuration file during startup, it tries again every ten minutes (default setting) until a host provides the requested files. With each failed attempt, the communication server displays a message on the console terminal.
If the communication server is unable to load the file named network-confg, it displays the following message.
Booting network-confg... [timed out]
To end these file load attempts, enter the following configuration command at the console terminal and save it in the nonvolatile memory:
no service config
This command prevents the communication server from trying to access nonexistent TFTP servers when it is booted.
As configured at the factory, the operating system software executes instructions in the onboard EPROM. If you have a CSC/3 CPU card on the ASM-CS you do not need to change the system EPROMs with each software update. Instead, you can download the latest software over the network. This process is called netbooting.
Netbooting works as follows: when you power up your Cisco communication server for the first time, it checks the processor configuration register or the nonvolatile memory for special netbooting instructions. If the system finds no special instructions, it executes the default EPROM software.
If the system finds netbooting instructions, it determines its interface address and then runs a special process to load the new software into memory.
On the ASM-CS you can specify boot loading in two ways--by resetting bits in the processor configuration register and by configuring specific instructions using the boot command.
By default, the communication server software continues sending TFTP Read Request messages until it receives a response. The communication server remains unusable as long as the network or the host with the specified file is unavailable. To limit the number of netbooting attempts on the ASM-CS, set bit 13 in the processor configuration register to 1. The software then gives up after five netbooting attempts and returns to the ROM operating software. The 500-CS is set to do this by default.
The communication server software can use any network interface, regardless of the media type or encapsulation method, to load operating software. If the interface does not support broadcasts (for example, a communication server using the X.25 interface does not), you must use the nonvolatile memory to specify the address of the server host with the desired file.
To display the Internet address of the server host that provided the current operating software, use the EXEC command show version.
Cisco communication servers support netbooting over both TFTP and MOP across all supported media types such as Ethernet, FDDI, serial, Token Ring, and HSSI. During a netbooting session, communication servers behave like hosts: they route via proxy ARP or a default gateway. However, they ignore routing information, static IP routes, and bridging information when netbooting. As a result, intermediate routers are responsible for handling ARP and TFTP requests correctly. For serial and HSSI media, ARP is not used.
If you need to netboot from a server, it is recommended that you "ping" the server from the ROM software. If you are unable to ping the server, there is a problem with the server configuration or hardware. Contact your technical support representative for assistance. See "Useful Information to Provide Technical Support" later in this section for details.
The sections that follow contain solutions to common problems that occur when netbooting. Note that these solutions apply only if you were able to successfully ping the server.
When netbooting, the client you netboot from sends an ARP request to the server over every available appropriate network interface (such as an Ethernet port or a Token Ring port). The client expects the server or a router to return an ARP response. If the client does not receive an ARP response from the server or a router, a message similar to the following displays at the client console:
Booting gs3-bfx..................[timed out]
One possible cause of not receiving an ARP response is that intermediate routers are not performing proxy ARP. Look for no ip proxy-arp in the configuration of the intermediate router. Another possible cause is that the client is using a broadcast address and the intermediate router does not have an IP helper address defined that points to the TFTP server.
When netbooting, it is not unusual for the client to send additional requests before receiving a response to the initial ARP request. This can result in timeouts, out-of-order packets, and multiple responses. Timeouts (shown as periods on a netbooting display) and out-of-order packets (shown as 0s) do not necessarily prevent a successful boot. It is acceptable to have timeouts and out-of-order packets. The following examples show successful boots even though a timeout and out-of-order packets have occurred:
Booting gs3-bfx from 131.108.1.123: !.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Booting gs3-bfx from 131.108.1.123: !0.0!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Note that intermittent timeouts and out-of-order packets may occur throughout a netbooting session without being cause for concern. Excessive timeouts and out-of-order packets can be caused by bad routing paths on the intermediate routers, an extremely slow server, problems caused by multiple paths, or noise on the line. If your netbooting session appears to have excessive timeouts and out-of-order packets, contact your technical support representative and report the problem. Before calling technical support, you need to gather some information. See the section "Useful Information to Provide Technical Support" that follows for details.
Collect the following information for the technical support representative:
The TFTP session can sometimes fail. To help determine why a TFTP session failed, TFTP generates an "E" character if it receives an erroneous packet, and an "O" character if it receives an out-of-sequence packet. A period (.) indicates a timeout. The transfer session may still succeed even if TFTP generates these characters, but the output is useful for diagnosing the transfer failure.
To reload the operating system, use the reload EXEC command. The command syntax is:
reloadThe reload command halts the system. If the system is set to restart on error, it reboots itself.
With a CSC-MC+ Flash memory card and a CSC-MCI controller and appropriate cables, system software images may be written to Flash memory for booting. The Flash memory card is available for ASM-CS only. Refer to "Storing the System Image in Flash Memory" in the "System Configuration" chapter, for a description of the Flash configuration commands, and to the hardware installation and maintenance publication for your particular product for hardware installation instructions. The following sections describe the commands to copy images to Flash memory.
The copy tftp flash command copies a TFTP image into the current Flash configuration:
copy tftp flashIf the image fits into the current Flash configuration, it prompts you for the IP address of the TFTP server and the TFTP filename. You are given an option to erase existing Flash memory before writing onto it. The system then clears and initializes each Flash memory. A pound sign (#) prompt is displayed for each cleared and initialized device (16 total). The entire copying process takes several minutes and will differ from network to network.
The following shows sample output of copying a system image, which is named ts3-rx2, into the current Flash configuration.
CS# copy tftp flash IP address or name of remote host [255.255.255.255]? server1 Name of file to copy ? cs3-rx2 Copy cs3-rx2 from 150.136.128.191 into flash memory? [confirm] Erasure is needed before flash may be written. Erase flash before writing? [confirm] Clearing and initializing flash memory (please wait) ################ Loading from 150.136.128.191: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [OK - 1648952/4194176 bytes] Verifying via checksum... VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV Flash verification successful. Length = 1648952, checksum = 0x00C2
The series of pound signs (#) indicate each Flash device is being cleared and initialized; one per device (16 total). The last line in the sample configuration indicates that the copy is successful. During the actual copy process, the yellow LED on the CSC-MC+ will be lighted.
The exclamation points indicate the copy process.
The series of Vs in the above sample output indicate that a checksum verification of the Flash is occurring as it is loaded into memory for boot. It is verified only through data compare during programming of the Flash.
If the TFTP image is too large, a failure message of "buffer overflow - xxxx/xxxx" will appear, where xxxx/xxxx is the number of bytes read in/number of bytes available.
Use the output of show flash all to obtain the image name. See "Displaying Flash ROM Statistics" in the "System Management" chapter, for more information about this EXEC command.
You can copy an image back to a TFTP server using the copy flash tftp command. This copy of the system image can serve as a back-up copy and may also be used to verify that the copy in Flash is the same as on the original file on disk. The following example illustrates how to use this command:
CS#copy flash tftpIP address of remote host [255.255.255.255]?101.2.13.110filename to write on tftp host?csxx2writing csxx2 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! successful tftp write. CS#
Once you have configured Flash memory, you may want to configure the system with the no boot system flash command in order to revert to booting from ROM. See the section "Automatically Booting from Flash Memories" in the "System Configuration" chapter.
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