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Setting the Edit Configuration Mode

When sending operation data to the NETCONF server, you have the option to specify how a router should handle these configuration changes. This is known as the edit configuration mode. You can set the edit configuration mode globally for the entire session. You can also set the edit mode only for specific elements within the session.

To set the mode globally for the session, place a configuration mode value within <default-operation> tags:



<rpc>
  <edit-config>
    <default-operation>ConfigModeValue</default-operation>
  <edit-config>
</rpc>

You can also set the mode for a specific configuration statement by adding an operational attribute with a value of replace to the configuration element:



<rpc>
  <edit-config>
    <config>
      <configuration>
        <protocols>
          <rip>
            <message-size operation=”replace”>255</message-size>
          </rip>
        </protocols>
      </configuration>
    </config>
  </edit-config>
</rpc>

You can set a global edit configuration mode for an entire set of configuration changes and specify a different mode for individual elements that you want handled in a different manner. For example:



<rpc>
  <edit-config>
    <default-operation>merge</default-mode>
    <config>
      <configuration>
        <protocols>
          <rip>
            <message-size operation=”replace”>255</message-size>
          </rip>
        </protocols>
      </configuration>
    </config>
  </edit-config>
</rpc>

The router has the following edit configuration modes:

merge—The router merges new configuration data into the current candidate configuration. This is the default.
replace—The router replaces existing configuration data with the new configuration data.
no-change—The router does not change the existing configuration unless the new configuration element includes an operation attribute.

Specifying the merge Data Mode

By default, the NETCONF server merges new configuration data into the candidate configuration. Thus, if no edit-configuration mode is specified, the routers will merge the new configuration elements into the existing candidate configuration. Merging configurations is performed according to the following rules:

A configuration element (hierarchy level or configuration object) that exists in the candidate configuration but not in the new configuration remains unchanged.
A configuration element that exists in the new configuration but not in the candidate configuration is added to the candidate configuration.
If a configuration element exists in both configurations, the following results occur:
- If a child statement of the configuration element (represented by a child tag element) exists in the candidate configuration but not in the new configuration, it remains unchanged.
- If a child statement exists in the new configuration but not in the candidate, it is added to the candidate configuration.
- If a child statement exists in both configurations, the value in the new data replaces the value in the candidate configuration.

To explicitly specify that data be merged, the application can include the <default-operation> tag element with the value merge in the <edit-config> tag element:



<rpc>
    <edit-config>
        <default-operation>merge</default-operation> 

        <!- - other child tag elements of the <edit-config> tag element - ->
    </edit-config>
</rpc>
]]>]]>

Specifying the replace Data Mode

In the replace edit configuration mode, the new configuration data completely replaces the candidate configuration. To specify that the data be replaced,, set the <default-operation> tag element value to replace.



<rpc>
    <edit-config>
        <default-operation>replace</default-operation> 

    </edit-config>
</rpc>
]]>]]>

We recommend using the global replace mode only when you plan to completely overwrite the candidate configuration with new configuration data. Furthermore, when the edit configuration mode is set to replace, we do not recommend using the operation attribute on individual configuration elements.

You can also replace individual configuration elements while merging or creating others. See Replacing Configuration Elements.

Specifying the no-change Data Mode

In the no-change mode, configuration changes to the configuration are ignored. This mode is useful when you are deleting elements, and it prevents the NETCONF server from creating parent hierarchy levels for an element that is being deleted. For more information, see Deleting Configuration Elements:

You can set the no-change edit configuration mode globally, by setting the <default-operation> tag value to none,



<rpc>
  <edit-config>
    <default-operation>none</default-operation>
  </edit-config>
</rpc>

Note: If the new configuration data includes a configuration element that does not exist in the candidate, the NETCONF server returns an error. We recommend using no-change mode only when removing configuration elements from the candidate configuration. When creating or modifying elements, applications need to use merge mode. For more information, see Deleting Configuration Elements.

When the no-change edit configuration mode is set globally, using the <default-operation> tag, you can override this behavior by specifying a different edit configuration mode for a specific element using the operation attribute. For example:



<rpc>
  <edit-config>
    <default-operation>none</default-operation>
    <config>
      <configuration>
        <system>
          <services>
            <outbound-ssh>
              <client>
                <name>test</name>
                <device-id>test</device-id>
                <keep-alive>
                  <retry operation=”merge”>4</retry>
                  <timeout operation=”merge”>15</timeout>
                </keep-alive>
              </client>
            </outbound-ssh>
          </services>
        </system>
      </configuration>
    </config>
  </edit-config>
</rpc>

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