Config Viewer tool

With the Config Viewer tool in ETS for the Desktop you can:

• Download configurations from Cisco routers and switches.
• Compare date-based configurations of Cisco routers and switches.
• Upload configurations to Cisco routers and switches.
• Back up configurations.
• Print configurations.
• View and make changes to running router and switch configurations.

See the following sections:

Open the Config Viewer tool

• To launch the tool from the Toolset Launch Pad, locate the Config Viewer 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 Viewer, click More, and click Run as administrator.

Download a config from a Cisco router or switch

The Config Viewer makes it easy to download configs from your devices.

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

2. Select community string, or SNMP version 3 credentials.

3. To test the credentials, click Test.

4. Click OK.

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

6. Click Download.

7. Select the config to be downloaded, currently running config, or the start-up config in the router memory.

Automatically archive downloaded configuration files

Config Viewer creates an archive of each configuration file as it is downloaded. Archived config files are saved in subdirectories of the install directory. These sub-directories are named using a date stamp in the format mm-dd-yyyy.

When you download a configuration, a copy is placed in the archive directory. Automatic archiving makes it easy to compare an older configuration with a current configuration to review changes.

Compare the startup and running configurations

Compare the startup and running configs on a device to ensure that any changes made to the configuration were committed to non-volatile memory.

1. Click File > Compare Startup vs. Running Configs.

   Config Viewer shows compared files side-by-side with changes highlighted in yellow. Red designates missing lines. Green highlights mark added lines.

Compare two configurations

Config Viewer enables comparison of text-based configurations. You can compare the configurations of different routers or switches, or compare an older version with the current configuration.

1. Click File > Compare Two Config Files.

2. Provide the path to each file.

   Config Viewer shows compared files side-by-side with changes highlighted in yellow. Red designates missing lines. Green highlights mark added lines.

Decrypt passwords

Config Viewer can decrypt enter 7 Cisco passwords. The password decryption feature is often used with AS5200 and other Cisco access servers devices. The Config Viewer can download the configuration and decrypt all the login passwords in seconds. This is useful when converting AS5200 logins to TACACS or RADIUS.

Decrypt all Cisco passwords

To decrypt all enter 7 passwords in a configuration file, click Edit > Decrypt Passwords.

Config Viewer searches and decrypts all enter 7 passwords and highlights them in green.

For more information about resetting enter 7 or secret enter 5 passwords, see the following sections:

• Example configuration files
• Reset login or enable passwords using SNMP

Troubleshoot the Config Viewer

Consider the following notes to help troubleshoot any issues you encounter. Ensure you have also reviewed the notes following the download procedure.

• Is the TFTP Server setting correct?

  Select File > Preferences, and then confirm that the TFTP Server Address settings are correct. You might need to restart the Config Viewer after making these changes.

• Does the device support the writeNet MIB?

  Config Viewer uses the writeNet MIB. Devices that do not support this MIB do not support the tool.