topic Re: Cisco Nexus Backup Python Script in Nexus Devices

Cisco Nexus Backup Python Script

uni1389 — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:41:25 GMT

Hello Team ,

am using python script to do TFTP configuration backup , but am not able to backup as it shows no errors after complete script execution. If I try to do from directly from Nexus device it is working fine.

from datetime import datetime

from getpass import getpass

from netmiko import ConnectHandler

import time

import os

#today = str(datetime.now().strftime('%Y-%m-%d-%H-%M'))

today = str(datetime.now().strftime('%d%m%Y%H%M'))

filename = (today + "_Switch.txt")

print('******************************************************************************')

password = getpass()

ipaddrs = ["192.168.3.71","192.168.3.72"]

devices = [

{

"device_type": "cisco_nxos",

"host": ip,

"username": "admin",

'password': 'cisco',

'port' : 22, # optional, defaults to 22

'secret': 'cisco',

}

for ip in ipaddrs

]

for ip in ipaddrs:

response = os.popen('ping ' + ip).read()

if 'Received = 4' in response:

print(ip, 'is up')

else:

print(ip, 'is down')

tftp = input('**** Enter TFTP server IP addr **** :- ')

for device in devices:

print('******************************************************************************\n')

print(f'Connecting to the IP/Device... {device["host"]}')

net_connect = ConnectHandler(**device)

# getping = net_connect.send_command('show interface brief')

# print(getping)

gethostname= net_connect.send_command('sh run | i host').split()[1]

#print(gethostname)

showint = net_connect.send_command('show int mgmt0 | inc Internet')

#print(showint)

showver = net_connect.send_command('show version | inc .bin')

#print(showver)

print("Successfully Connected to.... "+gethostname)

#filename = (today + "-"+gethostname+ ".txt")

filename = (gethostname+ ".txt")

copy_cmd = "copy running-config tftp: vrf management"

net_connect.enable()

time.sleep(1)

output1 = net_connect.send_command_timing(copy_cmd)

if 'Source filename' in output1:

output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing('\n')

if 'remote host' in output1:

output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing(tftp)

if 'Destination filename' in output1:

output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing(filename)

print (output1)

print('******************************************************************************\n')

print('Backup Completed Successfully....')

print('******************************************************************************')

Output is following

> python3 .\CiscoTFTPBackupNexusTestedOK.py
******************************************************************************
Password:
192.168.3.71 is up
192.168.3.72 is up
**** Enter TFTP server IP addr **** :- 192.168.0.26
******************************************************************************

Connecting to the IP/Device... 192.168.3.71
Successfully Connected to.... DC01-NX-BL-71

******************************************************************************

Connecting to the IP/Device... 192.168.3.72
Successfully Connected to.... DC01-NX-BL02-72

******************************************************************************

Backup Completed Successfully....
******************************************************************************

Directly from device it is working fine.

DC01-NX-BL-71(config-line)# copy running-config tftp: vrf management
Enter destination filename: [DC01-NX-BL-71-running-config]
Enter hostname for the tftp server: 192.168.0.26
Trying to connect to tftp server......
Connection to Server Established.
TFTP put operation was successful

Re: Cisco Nexus Backup Python Script

Marcel Zehnder — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 07:42:53 GMT

Hi @uni1389

If your pasted output is correct, it looks like your script never hits the if-statements after the copy command. Can you add some "debug-prints" to verify and paste the output:

from datetime import datetime from getpass import getpass from netmiko import ConnectHandler import time import os today = str(datetime.now().strftime('%d%m%Y%H%M')) filename = (today + "_Switch.txt") print('******************************************************************************') password = getpass() ipaddrs = ["192.168.3.71","192.168.3.72"] devices = [ { "device_type": "cisco_nxos", "host": ip, "username": "admin", 'password': 'cisco', 'port' : 22, # optional, defaults to 22 'secret': 'cisco', } for ip in ipaddrs ] for ip in ipaddrs: response = os.popen('ping ' + ip).read() if 'Received = 4' in response: print(ip, 'is up') else: print(ip, 'is down') tftp = input('**** Enter TFTP server IP addr **** :- ') for device in devices: print('******************************************************************************\n') print(f'Connecting to the IP/Device... {device["host"]}') net_connect = ConnectHandler(**device) gethostname= net_connect.send_command('sh run | i host').split()[1] showint = net_connect.send_command('show int mgmt0 | inc Internet') showver = net_connect.send_command('show version | inc .bin') print("Successfully Connected to.... "+gethostname) filename = (gethostname+ ".txt") copy_cmd = "copy running-config tftp: vrf management" net_connect.enable() time.sleep(1) output1 = net_connect.send_command_timing(copy_cmd) print(output1) if 'Source filename' in output1: output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing('\n') print(output1) if 'remote host' in output1: output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing(tftp) print(output1) if 'Destination filename' in output1: output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing(filename) print(output1) print (output1) print('******************************************************************************\n') print('Backup Completed Successfully....') print('*

If you don't see the expected ouput, you may need to tweak your commands and make sure to include the prompts:

output1 = net_connect.send_command_timing(copy_cmd, strip_prompt=False, strip_command=False) print(output1) if 'Source filename' in output1: output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing('\n', strip_prompt=False, strip_command=False) print(output1) if 'remote host' in output1: output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing(tftp, strip_prompt=False, strip_command=False) print(output1) if 'Destination filename' in output1: output1 += net_connect.send_command_timing(filename, strip_prompt=False, strip_command=False) print(output1) print (output1)

PS: If copy via SCP is an option for you, check out Netmikos secure copy support, it might be easier: https://pynet.twb-tech.com/blog/expanding-netmiko-secure-copy-support.html

Re: Cisco Nexus Backup Python Script

balaji.bandi — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 08:23:52 GMT

i use below both EEM and Python check :

https://www.balajibandi.com/?p=717

https://www.balajibandi.com/?p=1437