Chabot College ELEC 99.08 IOS Images

IOS Image Topics Sources of the IOS Image Process for finding the IOS Ways to modify the source used to load the IOS Configuration register Boot system commands Copying the IOS to/from a TFTP server.

Sources of the IOS Image Routers boot Cisco IOS software from: Flash TFTP server ROM (limited version) Having more than one option provides flexibility and fallback alternatives.

Finding the IOS 1. Examine configuration register. Look where it directs. 2. If config register points to NVRAM, examine NVRAM for boot system commands. Look where those commands say. 3. If instructions fail, follow a fallback sequence: First, get IOS from FLASH. If empty, get IOS from TFTP server or from ROM (depending on hardware platform)

The Config Register 0x2102 A 16-bit number stored in NVRAM. Written as a four digit hexadecimal number: 0x2102

The Config Register The last four bits of the register are called the boot field. The boot field determines where the router should look for the IOS. In hexadecimal, the last digit represents the value of those four bits: 0x2102

Where can you find it? Issue the show version command. The last line of the display shows the values of the config register: now after next reload oak#sh ver …. configuration register is 0x2102 (will be 0x2102 at next reload)

The Config Register Usually, the last digit is 2: 0x2102 Effects:

Setting the Config Register Global config mode command: oak(config)#config-register 0x2102

Boot System Commands If the last digit of the config register is 2, the router examines NVRAM for boot system commands entered in the config file: oak(config)#boot system flash file-name oak(config)#boot system tftp file-name 192.168.3.10 oak(config)#boot system rom

Boot System Flash To boot the IOS from flash: Notes: oak(config)#boot system flash file-name Notes: standard boot location not vulnerable to network failures that can occur when loading system images from TFTP servers

Boot System TFTP To boot the IOS from a TFTP server: Notes: oak(config)#boot system tftp file-name 192.168.3.10 Notes: Purpose: backup Purpose: testing of new IOS versions, before copying to flash

Boot System ROM To boot the IOS from ROM : Notes: oak(config)#boot system rom Notes: “last resort” fallback option when other boot instructions fail loads only a “mini” IOS, lacking the features & protocols of the full version

Boot System Commands The commands take effect in the order they were entered to in the config file. These produce different results: oak(config)#boot system flash file-name oak(config)#boot system tftp file-name 192.168.4.10 oak(config)#boot system rom oak(config)#boot system tftp file-name 192.168.4.10 oak(config)#boot system flash file-name oak(config)#boot system rom

Boot System Commands The commands are read from NVRAM at boot time. You must save them to NVRAM with copy run start oak(config)#boot system flash file-name oak(config)#boot system tftp file-name 192.168.4.10 oak(config)#boot system rom oak(config)#^Z oak#copy run start

Removing Boot System Commands Use no oak(config)#no boot system flash file-name oak(config)#no boot system tftp file-name 192.168.4.10 oak(config)#no boot system rom

Review: Locating the IOS Software

Review: Locating the IOS Software In a default config: config register is set to 0x---2 no boot system commands are present so the IOS loads from default sources in an order determined by the hardware platform: 2500 Series (per Cisco 2500 documentation) Flash ROM Others (per text & curriculum) TFTP

Copying the IOS to/from TFTP Prepare start tftp server process ping show flash Copy from FLASH to TFTP server to create a “backup” copy of the IOS Copy from TFTP server to FLASH to upgrade to a new IOS version.

Preparing for TFTP 1. If necessary, start the TFTP server process running: On the desktop of your console PC, double-click the shortcut labeled "Shortcut to Tftpsrv” A window opens, verifying that the server process is now running.

Preparing for TFTP 2. ping to verify connectivity from router to TFTP server: oak#ping 192.168.4.10 Type escape sequence to abort. Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.4.10, timeout is 2 seconds: .!!!! Success rate is 80 percent (4/5), round-trip min/avg/max = 1/2/4 ms

Preparing for TFTP 3. show flash to verify size of IOS file verify the exact IOS file name oak#sh flash System flash directory: File Length Name/status 1 6890600 c2500-d-l.120-10 [6890664 bytes used, 1497944 available, 8388608 total] 8192K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)

IOS Naming Convention c2500-d-l.120-10 4 parts: Hardware platform Special features of image Area of memory used, compression status Version & release number c2500-d-l.120-10

Memory relocatable, not compressed IOS Naming Convention c2500-d-l.120-10 Version 12(10) Cisco 2500 Platform Desktop Feature Set IP, IPX, Appletalk) Memory relocatable, not compressed

IOS Naming Convention PPPP = Platform FFFF = Features MM = Run-time memory and compression format

Backing Up oak#copy flash tftp Source filename []? c2500-d-l.120.10 Address or name of remote host []? 192.168.4.10 Destination filename [c2500-d-l.120-10]? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 6890600 bytes copied in 87.788 secs (79202 bytes/sec)

Upgrading (Don’t try this in our lab!) oak#copy tftp flash Loads a new IOS image into FLASH, for regular production use. Useful for IOS version upgrades.

Strategies Why load the IOS from different places? Testing. If your router has enough FLASH memory to hold two copies of the IOS: Use boot system commands to boot the IOS temporarily from TFTP to test a new version. Copy both an old and a new IOS version from TFTP server to FLASH. Select among them using boot system commands.

Summary The source for the Cisco IOS software depends on the settings of: configuration register boot system commands default “fallback sequence” The boot system command boot system tftp filename IPaddress causes the router to boot IOS from TFTP server. copy flash tftp saves the IOS currently running on the router to a TFTP server.