Configuration Management

Configuration Management

The CISCO / BushNET Serial Manager provides comprehensive configuration management tools for backing up, comparing, restoring, and templating switch configurations.

Overview

Tool Purpose
Configuration Backup Scheduled and manual backup/restore of switch configurations
Configuration Diff Side-by-side comparison of running vs startup configurations
Configuration Templates Reusable configuration templates with categories

Access these tools from the Tools menu in the main application window.

Configuration Backup

The Configuration Backup dialog provides both manual and scheduled backup functionality.

Manual Backup

  1. Open Tools → Configuration Backup
  2. Set the backup folder path (click Browse to select)
  3. Choose what to back up:
    • ✅ Running Configuration — Current active configuration
    • ✅ Startup Configuration — Saved configuration in NVRAM
  4. Click Backup Now
  5. The backup is saved with a timestamp in the filename

Scheduled Backups

Automate configuration backups on a regular schedule:

  1. Enable Scheduled Backups checkbox
  2. Set the backup interval (in minutes)
  3. Click Start to begin the schedule
  4. The next backup time is displayed in the status area

Scheduled backups run automatically in the background while the application is connected to the switch.

Restoring a Backup

  1. Select a backup from the backup list
  2. Click Restore
  3. Confirm the restore operation
  4. The backup configuration is sent to the switch line-by-line

Warning

Restoring a configuration will overwrite the current running configuration. Always verify the backup contents before restoring.

Managing Backups

  • Backup List — Shows all backups in the configured folder with timestamps
  • Delete — Remove selected backup files
  • Settings — Backup folder path and schedule settings are persisted between sessions

Configuration Diff

Compare the running configuration against the startup configuration to see unsaved changes.

Usage

  1. Open Tools → Configuration Diff
  2. Click Fetch Configs to retrieve both configurations from the switch
  3. The dialog displays:
    • Left pane — Running configuration
    • Right pane — Startup configuration
    • Bottom pane — Diff output highlighting changes

Understanding the Diff

The diff viewer highlights differences between the two configurations:

  • Added lines — Lines present in running-config but not startup-config (unsaved changes)
  • Removed lines — Lines present in startup-config but not running-config (removed settings)
  • Modified lines — Lines that differ between the two configurations

Exporting

Click Export Diff to save the comparison results to a file for documentation or review.

Tip

Run a config diff after making changes to verify what needs to be saved with write memory.

Configuration Templates

Create, manage, and apply reusable configuration templates for common setup tasks.

Template Categories

Templates are organised into categories for easy browsing:

  • Security — Hardening, AAA, port security templates
  • VLAN — VLAN creation and port assignment templates
  • Interface — Port configuration templates
  • Management — SNMP, logging, NTP configuration
  • General — Miscellaneous templates

Using Templates

Browsing Templates

  1. Open Tools → Configuration Templates
  2. Use the Category dropdown to filter by category
  3. Select a template from the list to view its contents

Applying a Template

  1. Select the desired template
  2. Review the commands in the editor pane
  3. Modify any parameters as needed (e.g., IP addresses, VLAN IDs)
  4. Click Apply to send the commands to the switch

Creating a Template

  1. Click New Template
  2. Enter a Name and Description
  3. Select a Category
  4. Enter the Cisco IOS commands in the editor
  5. Click Save

Default Templates

The application includes built-in templates for common configurations:

Template Description
Basic Security Hardening Disable unused services, set passwords, configure SSH
Management VLAN Setup Create management VLAN with SVI and default gateway
Port Security Config Enable port security with sticky MAC and violation modes
SNMP Setup Configure SNMPv2c/v3 with communities and trap receivers
NTP Configuration Set up NTP servers and timezone
Logging Configuration Configure syslog server, buffer, and log levels

Template Storage

Templates are stored in the application settings and persist between sessions. Custom templates can be created, modified, and deleted at any time.

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