Net Telnet Cisco

spickles has asked for the wisdom of the Perl Monks concerning the following question:

I am trying to copy a config to a switch from tftp. Everything works fine if I perform the steps manually, which seems to confirm connectivity, IP address, file name(s), tftp server, etc. However, when I run the script it times out at the command $session->cmd("copy tftp start\n -output omitted"); The error indicates a timeout, but I'm not waiting for any prompt matching, which is the most common reason for timeout. I believe it is timing out while waiting the 9 or 10s for the tftp transfer. I have tried using $session->cmd(String => $string, Timeout => 10) with no luck. Also, using $session->always_waitfor_prompt doesn't help, unless I've implemented it wrong. If I weren't bald already, this would certainly make me pull my hair out b/c this isn't anything difficult. Code below:

############# CONNECT TO THE SWITCH AND UPDATE THE CONFIG FILE #######
+##################################
my $tftp_server  = "172.16.0.100";
my $switch    = "172.16.1.2";
my $user         = "Cisco";
my $password     = "Cisco";
my $dest_file    = "startup-config";
my $copy_tftp    = "copy tftp start\n$tftp_server\n$config_file\n$dest
+_file\n";

#my $matchop      = $obj->prompt('/(?m:^\s*--More-- or \(q\)uit/');
# \s matches a whitespace
# \S is a negated \s and matches any non-whitespace character [^\s]
#  ? indicates to match 1 or 0 times, and is placed after the characte
+r to match
#  ^ indicates to match at the beginning of the line
#  $ indicates to match at the end of the line

my $session = Net::Telnet::Cisco->new(
Host => $switch, 
Input_log => "input.log", 
Output_log => "output.log", 
Timeout => 30);
$session->always_waitfor_prompt;
$boolean = $session->ignore_warnings;
$boolean = $session->ignore_warnings($boolean);

# Wait for the username prompt and enter username
@out = $session->waitfor('/Username:.*$/');
print "@out<br>\n";
@out = $session->print($user);
print "@out<br>\n";
# Wait for the password prompt and enter the password
@out = $session->waitfor('/Password:.*$/');
print "@out<br>\n";
@out = $session->print($password);
print "@out<br>\n";
@out = $session->cmd("copy tftp start\n$tftp_server\n$config_file\n$de
+st_file\n");
print "@out<br>\n";
@out = $session->cmd("delete vlan.dat\n\n\n");
print "@out<br>\n";
@out = $session->cmd("reload\n\n");
print "@out<br>\n";
@out = $session->close;
}
[download]

Cheers, Pickles

Comment on Net Telnet Cisco Download Code

Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: Net Telnet Cisco by NetWallah (Canon) on Jul 22, 2008 at 16:11 UTC
I'm not clear on the syntax for the cisco "copy tftp" command, but it seems to me that one of these options should work: Replace the \n by space (Leave \n at the end) Separate the sub commands (split on \n), and feed them individually, in 1-second intervals A couple of additional points: * You should not need the \n at the end of each line. I's been a while, but there may be an option you could turn on. * There IS a debug option to show the Telnet conversation. Apologies for incomplete research - I'm at a public computer without complete access. Have you been high today? I see the nuns are gay! My brother yelled to me...I love you inside Ed - Benny Lava, by Buffalax	[reply]
Re^2: Net Telnet Cisco by spickles (Scribe) on Jul 22, 2008 at 16:16 UTC
NetWallah, Not sure about the space before \n - I pulled my single line of code from the example outlined in the doc for Net::Telnet::Cisco of how to copy from the device to a tftp server and it looks essentially identical. How would I send each line in 1s intervals?	[reply]
Re: Net Telnet Cisco by jettero (Monsignor) on Jul 22, 2008 at 16:45 UTC
I take it you didn't get a complete solution last time you asked? Did karavelov's answer not work? If not, why not? -Paul	[reply]
Re^2: Net Telnet Cisco by spickles (Scribe) on Jul 22, 2008 at 17:18 UTC
Paul - Karavelov's answer did not work. I wish I knew why. As I said, this shouldn't be that difficult. I can see that all of my commands are being input by viewing the input and output logs. Their contents are as such: INPUT User Access Verification Username: Cisco Password: DistrictOffice#copy tftp start Address or name of remote host []? 172.16.0.100 Source filename []? ACES.cfg Destination filename startup-config? startup-config Accessing tftp://172.16.0.100/ACES.cfg... Loading ACES.cfg from 172.16.0.100 (via GigabitEthernet0/1): !! OK - 6231 bytes OK 6231 bytes copied in 9.320 secs (669 bytes/sec) DistrictOffice# OUTPUT Cisco Cisco copy tftp start 172.16.0.100 ACES.cfg startup-config reload The fact that my final 'reload' command shows up in my output log and not my input log tells me that the 9 or 10s time for the tftp file to download is where this is breaking. I entered a Prompt variable, but I shouldn't have to since Net::Telnet::Cisco already recognizes most prompts. I also have always_waitfor_prompt, but I'm not sure I've specified it correctly. In other words, is the syntax $session->always_waitfor_prompt all that is necessary? Current code: my $session = Net::Telnet::Cisco->new( Host => $switch, Prompt => '/.#/', Input_log => "input.log", Output_log => "output.log", Timeout => 30); $session->always_waitfor_prompt; # Wait for the username prompt and enter username @out = $session->waitfor('/Username:.$/'); print "@out\n"; @out = $session->print($user); print "@out\n"; # Wait for the password prompt and enter the password @out = $session->waitfor('/Password:.*$/'); print "@out\n"; @out = $session->print($password); print "@out\n"; @out = $session->cmd("copy tftp start\n$tftp_server\n$config_file\n$de +st_file\n"); print "@out\n"; @out = $session->cmd("reload\n\n"); print "@out\n"; @out = $session->close; [download] Regards, Scott	[reply] [d/l]
Re^3: Net Telnet Cisco by spivey49 (Monk) on Jul 22, 2008 at 18:17 UTC
Update: I didn't realize where you were timing out. Try session->waitfor('/#/') after the copy command instead of the sleep. That should avoid issues with a long TFTP copy Might be a timing\prompt issue. Here's your copy dialog prompt: DistrictOffice#copy tftp start Address or name of remote host []? 172.16.0.100 Using session->waitfor('/\?/') might work.	[reply]
Re^3: Net Telnet Cisco by karavelov (Monk) on Jul 22, 2008 at 18:51 UTC
You should "enable" yourself in order to download the config and issue "reload" command	[reply]
Re^4: Net Telnet Cisco by Anonymous Monk on Jul 18, 2012 at 16:25 UTC
Re^4: Net Telnet Cisco by spickles (Scribe) on Jul 24, 2008 at 02:24 UTC
Re^3: Net Telnet Cisco by spickles (Scribe) on Jul 22, 2008 at 18:11 UTC
I put a sleep 20; inbetween the copy command and reload. It seems to work ok...for now. Scott	[reply]