# Back up, Restore, and Compare Cisco Startup Config and Runtime Configuration Files ## Cisco Config Backup Tool With too many devices to manage manually, administrators end up dealing with network downtime caused due to erroneous configuration changes. Automation of network configuration management simplifies processes like scheduling regular backups (backup router config) and helps you easily locate a backup file at the time of need. Routers/switches often get upgraded or swapped out for a number of reasons. Hence, it is important to maintain the latest and history of the router's/switch's configuration files. Backup Cisco switch config tool helps to maintain the Startup (Cisco startup config) and Runtime configuration (Cisco running config) files of the Cisco router/switch. ![Cisco Config Backup File](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/config_mgmt.png) ### Cisco Config File Manager Features - [Retrieve the startup and running configuration files from the Cisco switches/routers.](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/cisco-config-file-manager.html#real_cisco_config) - [Take a scheduled backup of the configuration files at defined intervals (Daily, Monthly and Yearly).](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/cisco-config-file-manager.html#sche_cisco-config) - [View the colored difference between the startup and running config file of a Cisco router/switches.](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/cisco-config-file-manager.html#real_cisco_config) - [Compare the configuration files are any Cisco router/switches.](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/cisco-config-file-manager.html#compare_config_files) - [Upload the configuration files to the Cisco router/switch through TFTP.](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/cisco-config-file-manager.html#uplaod_config_files) ## Scheduled Backup for Cisco Config Files CISCO Config File Management provides an option to take scheduled backup of the startup and running configuration files of the Cisco routers/switches. CISCO router configuration backup tool provides the flexibility to schedule backing up of the files on a daily, monthly, and yearly basis. CISCO configuration backup tool retrieves the Cisco configuration files at the defined intervals and stores them in the file system. The backed up configuration files can be viewed from the history in Cisco Configuration File Management. ![Backup Cisco Config](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/general_oputils.png) ![Cisco Backup Switch Config](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/sheduler.png) ## Real-time Monitoring of Cisco Config Files Using the "Refresh" option in the CISCO config backup software, the latest startup and runtime configuration files of the Cisco routers/switches can be retrieved. It helps to view the recent configuration files. **Note:** 1. The SNMP community string specified while adding a Cisco device (Switch / Router) is used for subsequent downloads of the startup and running config files. If the community string is changed in the device at a later date, subsequent downloads will fail. 2. The Cisco devices should have the CISCO-COPY-CONFIG MIB implemented in order to download the startup config files. ![Cisco Configuration Backup Tool](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/startup_config_oputils.png) ![Backup Running Config Cisco](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/running_config_oputils.png) ## Compare Cisco Config Files OpUtils backup and restore CISCO config provides an option to compare the configuration files that are retrieved from the Cisco routers/switches. The comparison can be on any of the following: - Compare startup and running configuration files of routers/switches. - Compare the startup configuration files of any two routers/switches. - Compare the running configuration files of any two routers/switches. - Compare the startup and running configuration files of any two routers/switches. Cisco Switch Configuration Backup helps to compare the configurations between any two Cisco routers/switches and correct the erroneous configurations, if any. ![Cisco Router Comparison](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/compare_opUtils.png) ## Upload Cisco Config Files All configurations that are made to the Cisco devices are finally stored in the config files from where the device reads and executes in the Cisco Router Configuration Backup. The CISCO switch configuration backup enables uploading of the configuration files to the device through TFTP server. IT administrators can make the necessary changes to the file and then upload this file to the device. It reduces the administrators' time when the same configuration has to be made to several similar devices. ![Cisco Router Configuration Tool](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/history_oputils.png) ![Cisco Switch Configuration Software](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/upload_single_oputils.png) There is also an option to upload multiple devices and start either Startup Config or Running Config, based on the necessity. ![Cisco Backup Software](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/images/upload_mulitple_oputils.png) ## Free CISCO Configuration Backup Tool The CISCO Configuration backup tool can be used to manage Cisco routers/switches in the OpUtils Free edition. The CISCO router backup config tool is an additional tool in OpUtils which helps the network admin in many ways. For more details on tools available in Free edition, refer to [Free Network Tools](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/free-network-tools.html). For more details, refer to the [Cisco Config File Manager](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/help/cisco_uitlities/config_file_viewer_tool.html#cisco-config-file-manager-tool) topic in the online help. For troubleshooting tips, refer to the [Cisco Tools Knowledge Base](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/cisco-tools-knowledge-base.html#cisco-tools-kbase). **Please note:** Currently, the Config File Manager in OpUtils only supports if the managed device responds to CISCO-CONFIG-COPY-MIB. ## Related Products - [Network Monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring/?relPrd) - [Bandwidth Monitoring & Traffic Analysis](https://www.manageengine.com/products/netflow/?relPrd) - [Network Configuration Management](https://www.manageengine.com/network-configuration-manager/?relPrd) - [Switch Port & IP Address Management](https://www.manageengine.com/products/oputils/?relPrd) - [Firewall Management](https://www.manageengine.com/products/firewall/?relPrd) - [Network Monitoring Software for MSPs](https://www.manageengine.com/network-monitoring-msp/?relPrd) - [IT Operations Management](https://www.manageengine.com/it-operations-management/) - [Application Performance Monitoring](https://www.manageengine.com/products/applications_manager/?relPrd)