We recently had to replace a Cisco MDS 9124e in our lab. I used to use this method to copy and restore configuration files to MDS switches.
switch# copy tftp://192.168.0.20/switch.cfg startup-config Trying to connect to tftp server...... Connection to server Established. Copying Started..... | TFTP get operation was successful This command is deprecated. To obtain the same results, please use the sequence 'write erase' + 'reload' + 'copy <file> running-config' + 'copy running-config startup-config'.
It was rough, but it used to work. So now I do this.
switch# copy tftp://192.168.0.20/switch.cfg bootflash: Trying to connect to tftp server...... Connection to server Established. Copying Started..... | TFTP get operation was successful switch# dir 15155 Feb 05 21:37:37 2013 switch.cfg write erase reload copy switch.cfg running-config copy run start
It makes sense, as the write erase and reload commands make you think about what you’re doing, and you need to be sure that you want to overwrite the running or startup config.