Can I extract config data from PCM?

[Jason Scott]

The configuration audit of PCM is excellent, but is there a way of extracting those configs, or does anyone know which directory they are stored in? I need to make an external copy for times when we might not be able to access PCM.

Cheers,

[Les Ligetfalvy]

I would have to assume you are looking for a method that could be scripted or otherwise automated since you can block/copy/paste the information now. AFAIK, the data is stored in a database and not in any clear text flat file. I have not been able to find any documentation on how one may access the database through any external means.

Is this part of a disaster recovery plan? If so, I would think the PCM+ server would be part of it and therefore made always available. How many device configurations and how many history snapshots are you looking to export? Maybe this is something that could be added to the PCM 2 beta suggestion stream.

[Jason Scott]

Hi Les, thanks for taking the time to reply.

Prior to PCM we made manual copies of all our configs by cutting and pasting from a telnet session into a txt file. What I was hoping is a quick and dirty way to pull out the configs in text format from PCM to store on one of our network drives. This way we can access configs in the event of either a disaster, or when out and about and lacking access to PCM.

If the data in the dbase is not extractable we can simply copy and paste from PCM into text files, although it would've been nice to have an automated feature for this.

Are there discussions I could join re PCM beta 2? I have a few things I'd like to comment on.

[Les Ligetfalvy]

I have no news about the PCM 2 beta but if/when I do, will post back.

In the meantime, take a look in the PCM manual for the group CLI policy as I think you could probably set one up to TFTP the configs from all your switches. They end up as clear text files in the \Program Files\Hewlett-Packard\PNM\server\data\download\ folder for you to grab. Not sure though how you would script unique filenames... may still have to hand-job it. :(

Might be just as easy to copy/paste it off the config history.

Sorry

The interesting thing is that when you install PCM+ it prompts you whether to allow access from external programs but then there is no documentation to be found on how to access the data. Future consideration perhaps or a feature for the priveledged.

[Regnar Bang Lyngsø_2]

we are using another product called Rancid - it is a rather nice tool - if you don't have unixophobia that is (works with a number of different boxes - we use it with HP and Cisco).

Find it at

http://www.shrubbery.net/rancid/

[Jason Scott]

I think we'll be copying and pasting :| Rancid looks interesting but unfortunately (and to my dismay) we're all windows here.

Regards, Jason

[Ron Kinner]

Jason,

Kiwi Enterprises Cat-tools may be what you are looking for.

http://www.kiwisyslog.com/cattools2.htm

The free version is limited to only five systems but the pro version will do your whole network periodically so you always have an uptodate config file. ($149)

Ron