loading a configuration from a Flash card in a 2811 router.

[nickgreen]

Hello, hopefully someone will have the answer to this little puzzle I have. For security and support reasons it would be favourable to have remote routers boot and load a config from the flash card. It seems this is possible if the Flash Class is A, according to the Cisco web site using the

boot config flash:<Config file>

where <Config file> is the file on the flash.

Although this can be applied on 2811 routers, they fail to load the file on the flash card. I've since found that this router type has a Class C flash. So the question is, can either:

Is there a similar process for other classes of Flash cards, specifically Class C?

or

The router flash be set as a Class A to support this functionality,

The preferred resolution for this would be the first as there are many remote routers installed a diverse and difficult locations to visit, should a format/rebuild of the flash fail for some reason.

Please don't ask to list the output of a show boot or show bootvar, neither of these commands work. The Startup/Running config lists the boot config line.

Any advice would be useful.

[paolo bevilacqua]

Which ROMMON and IOS version are you using ?

Where did you found the reference to Compact Flash with letters denomination instead of the standard numeric classes ?

[nickgreen]

ROM : Version 12.4(13r)T

IOS :  Advanced IP Services K9, V12.4(10)b.

Updating IOS and or ROM versions is unlikely to be possible in the short term due to the volumes of devices installed.

The Flash information came from http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/12_2/configfun/configuration/guide/fcf007_ps1835_TSD_Products_Configuration_Guide_Chapter.html#wp1002058

specifically the following:

Specifying the Startup Configuration File

Normally, the router uses the startup configuration file in NVRAM or the Flash file system specified by the CONFIG_FILE environment variable (Class A Flash file systems only) at startup. See the "Specifying the CONFIG_FILE Environment Variable on Class A Flash File Systems" section for more information on setting the CONFIG_FILE variable.

[paolo bevilacqua]

I think what the manual is trying to say, that is only supported with Class A filesystems (old linear flash cards)

However, currently manufactured devices like the 2811 only support Class C exclusively (ATA Flash).

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/fundamentals/configuration/guide/cf_filesystem.html#wp1025230

I think that nowhere you can find stated that is supported on the 2811 - despite the presence of CLI commands.

However, you may want to to try with current IOS and Rommon to see if that has been changed.

[Rozsa Illes · Accepted solution]

You can use the following command:

boot host flash://

I have checked it with 15.0M IOS and it booted the config from the flash. Unfortunately, I could not find any document about this on CCO either.

[paolo bevilacqua]

Great info above that I've rated.