optimum speed for pasting switch configuration using putty

[r.mulholland]

I am pasting a number of full configs onto networked switches using vty access and find that the connection freezes when I use the default data rate in putty which is 38300bps. Can anyone suggest an optimum speed that can be used to paste configs onto cisco switches in one go.

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[Peter Paluch]

Hello,

The speed of 38300 bps is not a valid RS-232 port speed - do you mean 38400 bps?

In any case, regardless of what RS-232 port speed you choose in the valid range of 1200 up to 115200 bps, there is a different problem: some commands cause the IOS to perform an extensive action, momentarily consuming lots of CPU. This in turn may cause some bytes received at the console to be lost for good. The result is that when the CPU returns to handling the commands entered by console, it does not properly parse the incoming command - either fusing two lines together, or missing characters or even entire lines.

The only reliable way of pasting configuration to a device is to actually store it on the device as a file in its FLASH memory, and use the copy flash:filename running-config command. Pasting large configurations via console has always been unreliable for me even on 9600 bps.

Best regards,

Peter

[turnera · Accepted solution]

I also echo Peter's comments. Copying directly to a config file from programs such as hyperterm or Putty is not an issue when you are using smaller snippets of configurations. Once you get into entire configuration files you stand a better chance of running into the problem you describe. Copying it from Putty to flash and then to running or startup areas is a much cleaner way for you to operate. This way you do not lose anything in the transmission. And it is much easier to manage in the long run.

[r.mulholland]

Hi Peter,

Correction the default speed is as you mention 38400bps.

Thanks for your reply I will look at using alternative methods for loading config if possible in my scenario.

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