10 Cisco IOS Router file management commands every Cisco admin should know

Bill Detwiler: Just like Windows and Linux, the Cisco IOS has its own list of commands to manipulate files, and it's critical for Cisco network administrators to be very familiar with them.

I'm Bill Detwiler and in this IT Dojo video, I'll go over some basic Cisco file commands and show you how they can help you keep your network running smoothly.

One of the most basic commands is dir. When you type dir (space) ? your router displays a directory list of files on a filesystem. Every router will have at least flash memory and nvram (non-volatile random access memory).

Another very basic command is cd: change directory. Use cd to change your current directory to a different device or subdirectory on that device.

The copy command is used to copy the IOS or a configuration file. You would use this to copy the router s configuration off the router to a TFTP server or to make a local backup of it on the router. You would also use the copy command to upgrade the router with a new IOS from a TFTP server.

In this example, I am making a local backup of the router's running configuration.

The delete command deletes files and rm removes folders or directories. For example, use delete like this to delete the backup of a configuration file.

Show flash is used to show the files in your flash. It's similar to dir flash: but it provides a little more information on the size and type of flash memory in your router.

The erase and format commands can be a bit more confusing -- why would you erase one type of filesystem, but format another?

What you really need to know is that you format flash devices and erase nvram. The erase command is most used when you want to wipe out the router's configuration and start with a default configuration. This is done with erase startup-configuration.

The more command shows a text / configuration file. For example, you want to view a backup configuration file that you created. Just use the more command to view it.

The final three commands are verify, mkdir, and fsck.

Verify is used to verify the checksum or compute an MD5 signature for a file.

Just like in DOS, you use mkdir to create a directory or folder. You would do this to create an archive folder for backup configurations or old IOS files.

The FAT filesystem check, or fsck, is typically used to check your flash filesystem integrity. You may do this if you have experienced some corruption of your IOS files in flash.

That wraps up ten of the most important file management commands in Cisco.

Knowing these commands enables you to navigate the Cisco IOS filesystems confidently so that you always know what configuration files and what IOS files are on the router. You will also be able to back up your configurations and perform upgrades more easily if you have a firm grasp of these commands.

If you'd like more information on the commands I've covered in this video, check out David Davis' article, "The 10 Cisco IOS Router file management commands you must know," which I'll link to in the IT Dojo blog.

Are there other commands that you would add to the list as being just as important? What other basic Cisco tips are you most interested in? Let us know in the IT Dojo blog.

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I'm Bill Detwiler. Thanks for visiting TechRepublic's IT Dojo.