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1  Configuration File Management 
Introduction to Configuration File 
A configuration file records and stores user configurations performed to a switch. It also enables users 
to check switch configurations easily. 
Types of configuration 
The configuration of a device falls into two types: 
z  Saved configuration, a configuration file used for initialization. If this file does not exist, the device 
starts up without loading any configuration file. 
z  Current configuration, which refers to the user’s configuration during the operation of a device. This 
configuration is stored in dynamic random-access memory (DRAM). It is removed when rebooting. 
Format of configuration file 
Configuration files are saved as text files for ease of reading. They:  
z  Save configuration in the form of commands.  
z  Save only non-default configuration settings.  
z  The commands are grouped into sections by command view. The commands that are of the same 
command view are grouped into one section. Sections are separated by comment lines. (A line is a 
comment line if it starts with the character “#”.) 
z  The sections are listed in this order: system configuration section, logical interface configuration 
section, physical port configuration section, routing protocol configuration section, user interface 
configuration, and so on. 
z  End with a return.  
The operating interface provided by the configuration file management function is user-friendly. With it, 
you can easily manage your configuration files.  
Main/backup attribute of the configuration file 
Main and backup indicate the main and backup attribute of the configuration file respectively. A main 
configuration file and a backup configuration file can coexist on the device. As such, when the main 
configuration file is missing or damaged, the backup file can be used instead. This increases the safety 
and reliability of the file system compared with the device that only support one configuration file. You 
can configure a file to have both main and backup attribute, but only one file of either main or backup 
attribute is allowed on a device. 
The following three situations are concerned with the main/backup attributes: 
z  When saving the current configuration, you can specify the file to be a main or backup or normal 
configuration file. 
z  When removing a configuration file from a device, you can specify to remove the main or backup 
configuration file. Or, if it is a file having both main and backup attribute, you can specify to erase 
the main or backup attribute of the file.