BROCADE IP PRIMER

Chapter 6: The Brocade CLIThis is a very simple config. The show config command tells the switch to displaythe configuration file as it exists in flash memory. The config is simply alist of settings that change the switch's behavior.In the above example, there really is only one setting that will change theswitch's behavior. The “!” are blank lines. They simply space out the lines ofthe configuration to make it easier to read. The first text line tells us that theconfiguration file is stored in flash. Then, the startup configuration starts. Theline “ver 03.0.01cT3e1” tells you what version of the Brocade OS you're currentlyrunning. Now, we finally get to the one setting that changes this switch'sbehavior: “hostname Switch.” The hostname command sets the name of theswitch. This is purely for your own reference. Finally, you see the “end” of theconfig.Again, this is a very simple config. The more configuration options you changefrom the default, the more items will appear in your config file. You makechanges to your config file by entering the Global config mode.But there are actually two versions of a config on a running switch. As I mentioned,the config is stored in the switch's flash memory. When the switchboots, it copies that config file from flash memory into RAM. Like a computer,RAM is memory that the switch actively uses while it has power (while it's“on”). It's operational memory. When you go into the Global config mode, youare making changes to the config that's in RAM, not the config that's in theswitch's flash memory. If you were to make a change to the config, and thenpull the plug (causing the switch to lose power), and then boot the switch up,you would notice that your change would not be there. RAM is very fast memory,but its contents only exist when there's electricity applied to it. When thatelectricity is gone, so are the contents of the RAM.To make a permanent change, you need to copy the config file in RAM to overwritethe config file in flash:Switch#write memoryOr, even shorter:Switch#write memYou may often hear experienced network engineers refer to performing a writemem. You're simply saving your changes to the config from volatile memory(RAM) to more permanent memory (flash). On most switches, the shortestabbreviation would be wr m. It accomplishes the same thing.To see the config in RAM, you can use:Switch#show running-configOr, for short:Switch#show runAnd this one will also work:Switch#write terminal126 Brocade IP Primer