configure replace - Replacing Your Running-Config

I ran across post on CiscoBlog.com about the configure replace command. I had not ever seen this command before, but I could have used it quite a few times in the past. Essentially it will let you replace the running config with another config instead of the standard copy command which just merges the two configs.

Below is the link for more information on Cisco's website

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios124/124tcr/tcf_r/cf_02ht.htm#wp1031947

This command was first introduced in 12.3(7)T

Useful Tools

For some reason I am feeling a bit too lazy to write up a useful post on commands tonight, so I thought I would throw out a list of some of the tools that I use for testing and troubleshooting. I would love to see a list of any of the tools that I am missing or if you think there is a better tool out there than what I use, let me know!

STG - Graphs SNMP Data
Wireshark - Used to be Ethereal, a great free sniffer
ipload - Traffic generation tool, great for testing QoS or through-put
Pumpkin - TFTP Server
Quick'n Easy FTP Server - Nice standalone FTP server, requires no installation
PuTTY - The best free SSH and telnet client out there

As you may have noticed, these are all Windows based tools. Although there are some great UNIX based tools, the laptop I use on a daily basis is Windows XP so these are the tools I use on it.

do - Executing Commands in Configuration Mode

Ever need to execute a command when you have already dropped into the configuration mode? I used to spend alot of time dropping out of config mode to either look at an interface configuration or verify that a command I had just entered actually affected my device as I had expected before moving on to more configuration tasks. As of IOS 12.2(8)T Cisco added a new command called do. This allows you to run an EXEC level command in configuration mode. Simple, just run do show run int fa0/0 and you'll get the output without having to go into EXEC mode. A quick example:


Router#
Router#config t
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
Router(config)#sh run int fa0/0
^
% Invalid input detected at '^' marker.

Router(config)#do sh run int fa0/0
Building configuration...

Current configuration : 133 bytes
!
interface FastEthernet0/0
description 3mb Internet Connection
ip address 172.16.1.60 255.255.255.248
speed 100
full-duplex
end

Router(config)#


A brief overview of the command can be found here:

http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios124/124tcr/tcf_r/cf_02ht.htm#wp1035222

Welcome - First Post

Welcome. I decided to give this blog a try and see how it will work out.

I plan to add some random notes on various network things I run into in my daily life. I intend to pick up my CCIE studies again in the near future after getting tired of it a few years back. I should start posting some more interesting information once I start that back up. Until then I'll post information and links to some of the lesser known commands that I find useful in hopes they will help someone out. If you have any ideas for something I should put here, let me know!

Thanks