Configuring Cisco IOS Configuration Engine
How to Configure Cisco IOS Configuration Engine
Figure 6
Initial Configuration Overview
Configuration
Incremental (Partial) Configuration
After the network is running, new services can be added by using the Cisco IOS agent. Incremental (partial)
configurations can be sent to the switch. The actual configuration can be sent as an event payload by way of the event
gateway (push operation) or as a signal event that triggers the switch to initiate a pull operation.
The switch can check the syntax of the configuration before applying it. If the syntax is correct, the switch applies the
incremental configuration and publishes an event that signals success to the configuration server. If the switch does not
apply the incremental configuration, it publishes an event showing an error status. When the switch has applied the
incremental configuration, it can write it to NVRAM or wait until signaled to do so.
Synchronized Configuration
When the switch receives a configuration, it can defer application of the configuration upon receipt of a write-signal
event. The write-signal event tells the switch not to save the updated configuration into its NVRAM. The switch uses the
updated configuration as its running configuration. This ensures that the switch configuration is synchronized with other
network activities before saving the configuration in NVRAM for use at the next reboot.
How to Configure
Configuring Cisco IOS Agents
CNS Event Agent and Cisco IOS CNS Agent embedded in the Cisco IOS software on the switch allows the switch to be
connected and automatically configured. Both agents must be enabled and the CNS configuration can be initial or
partial. The partial configuration allows you to use Configuration Engine to remotely send incremental configuration to
the switch.
Enabling CNS Event Agent
Before You Begin
You must enable CNS Event Agent on the switch before you enable Cisco IOS CNS Agent.
Engine
V
Distribution layer
Access layer
switches
Cisco IOS Configuration Engine
TFTP
server
WAN
DHCP
server
DHCP relay agent
default gateway
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