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Overview of the Configure Command

You (the network administrator) use the configure command to enter CLI configuration mode. You can also use it to gather other information, such as which other users are currently in configuration mode.

Forms of the configure Command

Junos OS supports three forms of the configure command: configure, configure private, and configure exclusive. These forms control how users edit and commit configurations. You can use this command to coordinate the work of multiple users who manage the network and device configuration.

Table 1: Forms of the configure Command

Command

Edit Access

Commit Access

configure

  • No one can lock the configuration. All users can make configuration changes.

  • When you enter configuration mode, the CLI displays the following information:

    • A list of other users editing the configuration

    • Hierarchy levels the users are viewing or editing

    • Whether the configuration has been changed, but not committed

  • When more than one user makes changes to a configuration, the most recent changes take precedence when the configuration is committed.

  • All users can commit any changes to the configuration.

  • If you and another user make changes and the other user commits changes, your changes are committed as well.

configure exclusive

  • One user locks the configuration and makes changes without interference from other users.

  • If you enter configuration mode while another user has locked the configuration (with the configure exclusive command), the CLI displays the user’s PID and the hierarchy level the user is viewing or editing.

  • If you enter configuration mode when another user has locked the configuration, you can attempt to forcibly log out that user using the request system logout operational mode command. For details, see the CLI Explorer.

  • Only the user who has locked the configuration can commit it.

  • Other users can enter and exit configuration mode, but they cannot commit any changes they attempt to make to the configuration until it is unlocked.

configure private

  • Multiple users can edit the configuration at the same time.

  • Each user has a private candidate configuration to edit independently of other users.

  • When multiple users enter conflicting configurations, the first commit operation takes precedence over subsequent commit operations.

  • When you commit the configuration, the device does not immediately accept your private candidate configuration as the new operational configuration. Before the device accepts your configuration, it verifies that no other user has modified the operational (running) configuration .

  • If another user has modified the configuration, you can merge the modifications into your private candidate configuration and attempt to commit again.

See Also

How to Use the configure Command

Up to 32 users can work in configuration mode simultaneously; all can make changes to the configuration at the same time. When you commit changes to the configuration, you may be committing a combination of changes that you and other users have made. For this reason, you must keep track of who is in configuration mode with you.

To see other users currently logged in to the same device in configuration mode:

Use the configure command to enter CLI configuration mode.

If other users are in configuration mode, the message displayed indicates who the users are and what portion of the configuration each person is viewing or editing.

How to Use the configure exclusive Command

If you enter configuration mode using the configure exclusive command, you lock the candidate global configuration for as long as you remain in configuration mode. (The candidate global configuration is also known as the shared configuration or shared configuration database.) Using the configure exclusive command, you can make changes without interference from other users. Other users can enter and exit configuration mode, but they cannot make any permanent changes to the configuration. Also, any attempted changes by other users while the configuration is in the locked state are discarded as soon as the other users exit configuration mode.

If another user has locked the configuration, and you need to forcibly log them out, use the operational mode command request system logout pid pid_number. You can locate the pid_number in the notification you receive upon entering configuration mode when someone else has locked it for exclusive access.

If you enter configuration mode while another user is also in configuration mode and has locked the configuration, a message identifies the user. The message also identifies the portion of the configuration that the user is viewing or editing. For example, in the following example, the pid_number of the user who has locked the configuration for exclusive access is 1088:

In configure exclusive mode, any uncommitted changes are discarded when you exit:

When you use the yes option to exit configure exclusive mode, Junos OS discards any uncommitted changes and rolls backs the configuration to its previously committed state. The no option enables you to continue editing or to commit your changes in configure exclusive mode.

When one user exits configure exclusive mode while another user is in configure private mode, Junos OS rolls back any uncommitted changes in the private mode session.

Another rollback can happen if you enter configuration mode with the configure exclusive command and issue the commit confirmed command, but without confirming the commit within the specified interval. By not confirming the commit within the specified interval, you trigger an automatic rollback. After an automatic rollback occurs, the operating system removes the exclusive lock from your session. As a result, the error message “access has been revoked” appears. This error message appears because the session is no longer an exclusive session. This means that the configuration is back to the default state: anyone with access can edit the configuration, commit it, or both. To re-lock the configuration, you must use the configure exclusive command again.

If you initiate a configure exclusive session, issue the commit confirmed command, and confirm the commit, your session retains the exclusive lock. You can continue to make changes to the configuration while still in a locked exclusive session.

See Also

How to Work with the Correct Configuration

When you are in configure private mode, you must work with a copy of the most recently committed shared configuration. If the global configuration changes, you can issue the update command to update your private candidate configuration. When you update your private candidate configuration, that configuration contains a copy of the most recently committed configuration with your private changes merged in.

Note:

Merge conflicts can occur when you issue the update command.

You can also issue the rollback command to discard your private candidate configuration changes and obtain the most recently committed configuration.

Note:

Junos OS does not support using the configure private command to configure statements corresponding to third-party YANG data models such as OpenConfig data models or custom YANG data models.