Supported Platforms
Understanding Configuration Files
A configuration file stores the complete configuration of a switch. The current configuration of a switch is called the active configuration. You can alter this current configuration and you can also return to a previous configuration or to a rescue configuration.
Juniper Networks Junos OS saves the 50 most recently committed configuration files on a switch so that you can return to a previous configuration. The configuration files are named:
- juniper.conf.gz—The current active configuration.
- juniper.conf.1.gz to juniper.conf.49.gz—Rollback configurations.
To make changes to the configuration file, you have to work in the configuration mode in the CLI. When making changes to a configuration file, you are viewing and changing the candidate configuration file. The candidate configuration allows you to make configuration changes without causing operational changes to the active configuration or causing potential damage to your current network operations. Once you commit the changes made to the candidate configuration, the system updates the active configuration.
