Cisco Nexus Backup Python Script

uni1389 · ‎01-19-2026

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

Marcel Zehnder · ‎01-19-2026

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

balaji.bandi · ‎01-20-2026

i use below both EEM and Python check :

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

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

BB

=====Preenayamo Vasudevam=====

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