# cli_config – Push text based configuration to network devices over network_cli

New in version 2.7.

- Synopsis
- Parameters
- Notes
- Examples
- Return Values
- Status

## Synopsis

- This module provides platform agnostic way of pushing text based configuration to network devices over network_cli connection plugin.

## Parameters

Parameter | Choices/Defaults | Comments
--- | --- | ---

backup
boolean
added in 2.8

Choices:
- no ←
- yes

This argument will cause the module to create a full backup of the current running config from the remote device before any changes are made. If the `backup_options` value is not given, the backup file is written to the `backup` folder in the playbook root directory or role root directory, if playbook is part of an ansible role. If the directory does not exist, it is created.

backup_options dictionary added in 2.8 |  | This is a dict object containing configurable options related to backup file path. The value of this option is read only when `backup` is set to yes, if `backup` is set to no this option will be silently ignored.

dir_path
path

This option provides the path ending with directory name in which the backup configuration file will be stored. If the directory does not exist it will be first created and the filename is either the value of `filename` or default filename as described in `filename` options description. If the path value is not given in that case a backup directory will be created in the current working directory and backup configuration will be copied in `filename` within backup directory.

| filename - |  | The filename to be used to store the backup configuration. If the the filename is not given it will be generated based on the hostname, current time and date in format defined by <hostname>_config.<current-date>@<current-time>

commit
boolean

Choices:
- no
- yes

The `commit` argument instructs the module to push the configuration to the device. This is mapped to module check mode.

commit_comment string |  | The `commit_comment` argument specifies a text string to be used when committing the configuration. If the `commit` argument is set to False, this argument is silently ignored. This argument is only valid for the platforms that support commit operation with comment.
config string |  | The config to be pushed to the network device. This argument is mutually exclusive with `rollback` and either one of the option should be given as input. The config should have indentation that the device uses.

defaults
boolean

Choices:
- no ←
- yes

The defaults argument will influence how the running-config is collected from the device. When the value is set to true, the command used to collect the running-config is append with the all keyword. When the value is set to false, the command is issued without the all keyword.

diff_ignore_lines - |  | Use this argument to specify one or more lines that should be ignored during the diff. This is used for lines in the configuration that are automatically updated by the system. This argument takes a list of regular expressions or exact line matches. Note that this parameter will be ignored if the platform has onbox diff support.

diff_match
-

Choices:
- line
- strict
- exact
- none

Instructs the module on the way to perform the matching of the set of commands against the current device config. If `diff_match` is set to line, commands are matched line by line. If `diff_match` is set to strict, command lines are matched with respect to position. If `diff_match` is set to exact, command lines must be an equal match. Finally, if `diff_match` is set to none, the module will not attempt to compare the source configuration with the running configuration on the remote device. Note that this parameter will be ignored if the platform has onbox diff support.

diff_replace
-

Choices:
- line
- block
- config

Instructs the module on the way to perform the configuration on the device. If the `diff_replace` argument is set to line then the modified lines are pushed to the device in configuration mode. If the argument is set to block then the entire command block is pushed to the device in configuration mode if any line is not correct. Note that this parameter will be ignored if the platform has onbox diff support.

multiline_delimiter string |  | This argument is used when pushing a multiline configuration element to the device. It specifies the character to use as the delimiting character. This only applies to the configuration action.

replace
string

If the `replace` argument is set to `yes`, it will replace the entire running-config of the device with the `config` argument value. For devices that support replacing running configuration from file on device like NXOS/JUNOS, the `replace` argument takes path to the file on the device that will be used for replacing the entire running-config. The value of `config` option should be None for such devices. Nexus 9K devices only support replace. Use net_put or nxos_file_copy in case of NXOS module to copy the flat file to remote device and then use set the fullpath to this argument.

rollback - |  | The `rollback` argument instructs the module to rollback the current configuration to the identifier specified in the argument. If the specified rollback identifier does not exist on the remote device, the module will fail. To rollback to the most recent commit, set the `rollback` argument to 0. This option is mutually exclusive with `config`.

## Notes

Note

- This module is supported on `ansible_network_os` network platforms. See the Network Platform Options for details.

## Examples

    - name: configure device with config
      cli_config:
        config: "{{ lookup('template', 'basic/config.j2') }}"

    - name: multiline config
      cli_config:
        config: |
          hostname foo
          feature nxapi

    - name: configure device with config with defaults enabled
      cli_config:
        config: "{{ lookup('template', 'basic/config.j2') }}"
        defaults: yes

    - name: Use diff_match
      cli_config:
        config: "{{ lookup('file', 'interface_config') }}"
        diff_match: none

    - name: nxos replace config
      cli_config:
        replace: 'bootflash:nxoscfg'

    - name: junos replace config
      cli_config:
        replace: '/var/home/ansible/junos01.cfg'

    - name: commit with comment
      cli_config:
        config: set system host-name foo
        commit_comment: this is a test

    - name: configurable backup path
      cli_config:
        config: "{{ lookup('template', 'basic/config.j2') }}"
        backup: yes
        backup_options:
          filename: backup.cfg
          dir_path: /home/user

## Return Values

Common return values are documented here, the following are the fields unique to this module:

Key | Returned | Description
--- | --- | ---
backup_path string | when backup is yes | The full path to the backup file Sample: /playbooks/ansible/backup/hostname_config.2016-07-16@22:28:34
commands list | always | The set of commands that will be pushed to the remote device Sample: ['interface Loopback999', 'no shutdown']

## Status

- This module is not guaranteed to have a backwards compatible interface. [preview]
- This module is maintained by the Ansible Network Team. [network]

### Red Hat Support

More information about Red Hat’s support of this module is available from this Red Hat Knowledge Base article.

### Authors

- Trishna Guha (@trishnaguha)

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