This How To will explain the process to back up your IOS image. Your IOS image is stored as a file in the non-volatile memory of your switch or router. This image file is compressed to reduce its size and reduce the transfer times as much as possible.
Before starting the procedure of IOS file backup, you will need to install TFTP server software on a PC connected to the router Ethernet interface. There are many free downloadable TFTP servers’ software on the Internet.
- Solarwinds TFTP Server
- TFTPD32
- haneWin
- OpenTFTP Server (SourceForge)
- WinAgents TFTP
- WhatsUp Gold TFTP
- Spiceworks
You will also need to know the IP address of your computer or the server that is running the TFTP function.
With that in place, make sure to direct the TFTP server to the folder that you want to contain the backups, and that the TFTP server has enough free space to contain the backups.
Backup Procedure
1. Create a console connection to the switch or router with the default settings (9600 baud, 8 databits, 0 parity bits, 1 stop bit, no flow control).
2. Check the connectivity between the router and the TFTP server with the ‘ping’ command.
3. Start copying the IOS file with one of the following command:
Router#copy flash tftp
Use this command if your router has internal flash memory (ex: 2600). If your router uses PCMCIA flash cards (ex: 3600), use the following command:
Router#copy slot1: tftp >>> or Slot0: depending on the file you want to copy
4. Now you will be asked for the IP address of the TFTP server:
Address or name of remote host []? XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX
Afterwards, you will be asked for a destination file name to be saved on the TFTP server
Destination filename [cXXXX-X-XX.XXX-XX.bin]?
It is better to leave the IOS file name as it is so you would not be confused when you want to restore it.
Now you will see the progress of the files transfer. The number of exclamation marks and the time will be unique to your system and IOS image, this is just a sample:
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!
[OK – xxxx bytes]
xxxxxx bytes copied in yy.yyy secs (zzz bytes/sec)
We hope that helps with this relatively simple process.