Documentation forSolarWinds

Config Upload tool

Use the Config Upload tool in ETS for the Desktop to upload configuration files to a Cisco router or switch. The Config Upload tool can be used to change an entire config or just one or two parameters. To use the Config Upload tool, you need the SNMP read and write community string for the router or switch that you are uploading changes into. You also need the SolarWinds TFTP Server for the router or switch to communicate with.

Some of the uses for the Config Upload tool are:

  • Shut down an interface
  • Reset or change a login or enable password
  • Change banners
  • Modify access lists
  • Modify any other configuration setting

See the following sections:

Open the Config Upload tool

  • To launch the tool from the Toolset Launch Pad, locate the Config Upload tool and click Launch.

  • You can add the tool to a tab in the Workspace Studio, and access it from there.

  • To launch the tool from the Windows Start menu:

    1. Click Start > All > SolarWinds Engineer's Toolset.

    2. Right-click Config Upload, click More, and click Run as administrator.

How the Config Upload tool works

The Config Upload tool sends instructions to a Cisco router or switch via SNMP. This is why the Cisco Upload tool requires the SNMP read and write community string for the target router or switch. The device then requests the new configuration file from the TFTP Server and merges the new configuration file with the running configuration. You can also have the Config Uploader write the new configuration changes to non-volatile RAM by checking Write to NVRAM also.

Upload a configuration change to a Cisco router or switch

  1. Confirm that your access list does not block SNMP queries.

  2. Create the new configuration file.

  3. Place the new configuration file in the TFTP Server root directory.

  4. Click Select Router, and then specify the IP address or host name of the device.

  5. Select to use a community string or SNMP version 3 credentials.

  6. To test the credentials, click Test.

  7. Click OK.

  8. If prompted, store the credentials you specified in the shared credentials database.

  9. Click Copy Config from PC to Router or Switch.

  • Devices must support the writeNet MIB to support this tool.

  • Cisco routers stop responding to SNMP queries while they are requesting a file from a TFTP Server. They also stop responding to SNMP while sending files to a TFTP Server. If you instruct a Cisco router to upload or download a new configuration file and it cannot, the action is attempted numerous times – repeating up to a minute. During this time, the router stops responding to SNMP queries. You must wait until the previous router action times out, and then try again.

Example configuration files

Configuration files are text files that contains commands to be merged with the running configuration. There are no special rules for naming this file. You can give it any file name you choose. The following examples illustrate some common configuration changes.

Shutdown Interface Ethernet0/2 interface Ethernet0/2shutdown
Replace the Login Banner banner motd $Internet-Gateway Cisco 7200Support Number: 800-555-1212Contract Number: A34511-23Serial Number: 123456789$
Reset the Enable Password to "New*Password" enable password New*Password

You can change and enable secret password the same way.

Change all buffer settings

buffers smallpermanent 500buffers small max-free 1000buffers small min-free 150buffers middle permanent 500buffers middle max-free 1000buffers middle min-free 150buffers big permanent 200buffers big max-free 400buffers big min-free 150buffers verybig permanent 150buffers verybig max-free 300buffers verybig min-free 50buffers large permanent 100buffers large max-free 200buffers large min-free 50buffers huge permanent 50buffers huge max-free 100buffers huge min-free 10

By creating a single configuration file with all the new buffer settings, and then uploading the change to all your routers using Config Uploader, you can avoid many typing errors.

Reset login or enable passwords using SNMP

The Config Upload tool can reset any login or enable a password on a Cisco router or switch. You do not need to know the password, just the SNMP read and write community string of the router or switch.

  1. Create a text file with a single line containing the new password and copy it to the TFTP Server root directory. This text file provides a set of configuration commands you want to merge with the running configuration. This is a simple text file. You may give it any file name you choose.

    The following example text resets the enable password to New*Password. This changes the Enable Password even if it has been set using the type 5 "secret" method.

    enable password New*Password.

    The following example text resets the login passwords for the vty (telnet) terminals:

    line vty 0 4password New*Passwordlogin

  2. Start the TFTP Server on your machine.

  3. Place the text file in the root directory of the TFTP Server.

  4. Enter the device address, community string, and the TFTP server IP address into the Config Uploader, and click Copy Config from PC to Router or Switch.

    In this example, Config Uploader did not write to non-volatile memory. If you restart or reboot the router, the enable secret password resets back to the previous password, prior to the changes. Write the changes to non-volatile memory if you want to ensure the router retains the new password after a restart.