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Database Rollback

Database Architecture

The BOLT is configured with two main databases; candidate and running.

  • The Candidate database is where changes are stored.
  • The candidate database is not persistent.
  • Running Database is persistent
    • Different from some switches, it insures the user doesn't lose a change.
    • It doesn't require a startup database since the running database is persistent.
  • A commit will add the candidate database changes to the running database, and the changes are stored persistently.
  • If the user fails to commit the changes on exiting the config mode, the system will issue a warning.

The rollback command allows a user to replace the running database with a previous database contained in the candidate database rollback folder. While in config mode, all changes are stored in the candidate database queue.  This database mirrors the running database and will not affect the current traffic flow. The rollback changes will not take effect until the commit command is executed. When the commit command is executed, the previous database in the candidate database will replace the data in the running database. The new and old data is stored, with a timestamp and name, in a rollback folder. 

Video

Access OLT Command Line Interface (CLI)

Connect via Console Serial RJ45

The BOLT is equipped with a Console Serial RJ45 interface which provides direct access to the Command Line Interface (CLI) found on all Tellabs OLTs. To use this interface, attach a standard Cisco serial cable from the OLT Console port to any serial port or USB to serial cable.

Once the cable is connected, open a serial terminal program (TeraTerm, putty, HyperTerminal, etc.) Typically, a serial port for the connection is automatically created. Select the correct port and login to the BOLT CLI interface to begin the turnup process.

When connecting directly to the OLT using the serial port, the serial parameters should be configured for standard N-8-1 (115, 200 bit/s, N, 8, 1) settings as follows: 

  • Speed: 115200
  • Parity: none
  • Data bits: 8
  • Stop bits: 1

 

  1. Log into the OLT CLI. The default username and password for the system are: admin/tellabs 
    Tellabs Linux BOLT 3.1.33 MDS1-ESUA ttyS0

MDS1-ESUA login: admin <enter>
Password: tellabs <enter>
Welcome, admin!
Last login: Mon Sep 15 18:22:55 EDT 2025 from 10.99.99.110 on pts/1

admin connected from 127.0.0.1 using console on MDS1-ESUA

     

Display System Configuration

The following example shows the contents of the running-config database.

  1. From the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input show running-config, and press Enter. The system will display the entire contents of the database. With up to 8,000 ports, it can be quite long, so for these examples we will use a filter and specific configurations.
      
    MDS1-ESUA# show running-config <enter>

---- will show the whole databaee with up to 8000 ports---
---- more---
---- more--- 
---- more---
---- more--- 
---- more---
aborted: by user
MDS1-ESUA#

 

The following examples will filter out the NTP data.

  1. From the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input show running-config tolt system ntp, and press Enter. The following will display the NTP configuration.
      
    MDS1-ESUA# show running-config tolt system ntp <enter>
tolt system ntp config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.1
tolt system ntp config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.2
MDS1-ESUA#

Database Removal Procedure

To conduct a database rollback, perform the following steps:

To perform any changes to the system, the user will need to first enter configuration mode. In addition, changes need to be committed for the change to take effect. Changes are buffered in the candidate database queue, until changes are committed.

  1. From the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input config, and press Enter. Output similar to the following is displayed: 
    MDS1-ESUA# config <enter>
Entering configuration mode terminal 
MDS1-ESUA(config)#
 
The following procedure contains the steps necessary to delete a configuration file and recover the configuration file using the rollback command. 
To demonstrate the rollback command, we will first view the NTP and DNS files, view the commit data, and then remove the files.
Note: The user may remove (no command) as many configuration files as required, they will reside in the queue until the commit command is issued. This allows the user to batch the removals. For this example, we will remove files one at a time.
Next we will view the rollback folder contents, and then, rollback (restore) the removed files. 
 
  1. From the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input show running-config tolt system ntp and press Enter. The  NTP configuration is displayed.
      
    MDS1-ESUA# show running-config tolt system ntp <enter>
tolt system ntp config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.1
tolt system ntp config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.2
MDS1-ESUA#

 

  1. From the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input show running-config tolt system dns, and press Enter. The DNS configuration is displayed.
      
    MDS1-ESUA# show running-config tolt system dns <enter>
tolt system dns config admin-state enabled
  admin-state     enabled
  key-phrase      ""
  key-id          58
  encryption type none
!
tolt system dns config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.2
  admin-state     enabled 
  encryption type none 
!
MDS1-ESUA#

 

  1. The removal of any file is a two-step procedure. First, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input no tolt system ntp and press Enter. The NTP file is now residing in the candidate database queue. 

    MDS1-ESUA(config)# no tolt system ntp <enter> 
MDS1-ESUA(config)#

 

  1. To show the changes residing in the candidate queue, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input show configuration and press Enter. The following displays the NTP file that is now residing in the candidate database queue. 
    MDS1-ESUA(config)# show configuration <enter> 
no tolt system ntp config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.1
no tolt system ntp config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.2
MDS1-ESUA(config)#_

 

  1. Next, remove the DNS file from the current database and add it to the candidate database rollback folder, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input commit and press Enter. The DNS file is now residing in the candidate database rollback folder.

    MDS1-ESUA(config)# commit (enter>
Commit complete
MDS1-ESUA(config)#_
 

  1. In this example, we will remove the DNS data and instead of entering the commit command, we will use the exit command line. The system will inform the user that there is data in the candidate database queue.

  2. To remove the current DNS file, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input no tolt system dns and press Enter. The DNS file is now residing in the candidate database queue. 

    MDS1-ESUA(config)# no tolt system dns <enter> 
MDS1-ESUA(config)#_
 
  1. To show the list of changes, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input show configuration and press Enter. The following displays the removed configuration. 
    MDS1-ESUA(config)# show configuration <enter> 
no tolt system dns config admin-state enabled
no tolt system dns config dns-hosts-list [ 10.50.0.102 10.50.0.103 ]
no tolt system dns config default-domain-list [ tellabs.com ]
MDS1-ESUA(config)#_

 

  1. Next, remove the DNS file from the current database and add it to the candidate database rollback folder, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input exit and press Enter.  There is data in the queue, so the system will ask the following questions.

    • yes - commits the data
    • no - does not commit, but the data resides in the candidate queue.
    • CANCEL - removes the data from the queue and leaves the config mode.
  2. Go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input yes and press Enter. 
    MDS1-ESUA(config)# exit <enter>
Uncommited changes found, commit them? [Yes/no/CANCEL] yes <enter>
MDS1-ESUA#_

 

Database Rollback Procedure

To do a rollback, the user will view the configuration removal history. It is organized as last in first out. Select a file to rollback and use the commit command to restore the selected file to the running database.

  1. To show the last entry to the rollback folder, go to the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input show configuration rollback changes, and press Enter. The last entry is displayed. 
    MDS1-ESUA# show configuration rollback changes <enter>
no tolt system dns config admin-state enabled
no tolt system dns config dns-hosts-list [ 10.50.0.102 10.50.0.103 ]
no tolt system dns config default-domain-list [ tellabs.com ]
MDS1-ESUA#_

 

  1. To show all entries to the rollback folder, go to the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input show configuration rollback changes, and press Enter. The entire list of entries is displayed. 
    MDS1-ESUA# show configuration rollback changes <enter>
Possible completions:
0    2025-09-26 17:09:21 by admin via cli
1    2025-09-26 17:08:13 by admin via cli
2    2025-09-26 17:04:39 by admin via cli
3    2025-09-26 17:08:43 by admin via cli
4    2025-09-26 16:59:42 by admin via cli
5    2025-09-26 16:58:10 by admin via cli
6    2025-09-22 16:55:14 by ems via mmapi
:    output modifiers
<cr> latest
MDS1-ESUA#_

 

  1. To show a specific entry from the rollback folder, select a entry from the list, go to the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input show configuration rollback changes 1, and press Enter. Entry 1 is displayed. 
    MDS1-ESUA# show configuration rollback changes 1 <enter>
no tolt system ntp config admin-state enabled
no tolt system dns config dns-hosts-list [ 10.50.0.102 10.50.0.103 ]
no tolt system dns config default-domain-list [ tellabs.com ]
MDS1-ESUA#_

 

  1. To show another specific entry from the rollback folder, select an entry number from the list, go to the MDS1-ESUA# command line, input show configuration rollback changes 3, and press Enter. The following displays the last entry.
      
    MDS1-ESUA# show configuration rollback changes 3 <enter>
tolt system dns config admin-state enabled
  admin-state     enabled
  key-phrase      ""
  key-id          58
  encryption type none
!
tolt system dns config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.2
  admin-state     enabled 
  encryption type none 
!
MDS1-ESUA#

 

  1. To rollback a data file, go into Config Mode, select an entry number to rollback, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input rollback configuration 1, and press Enter. The configuration 1 data is now in the candidate queue, ready to commit to the running database.
      
    MDS1-ESUA# config <enter>
MDS1-ESUA(config)# rollback configuration 1 <enter>
MDS1-ESUA(config)#

 

  1. To view the rollback data in the queue, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input show configuration, and press Enter. The following displays configuration 1 data in the candidate queue.
      
    MDS1-ESUA(config)# show configuration <enter>
tolt system dns config admin-state enabled
  admin-state     enabled
  key-phrase      ""
  key-id          58
  encryption type none
!
tolt system dns config ntp-peer-list 132.163.97.2
  admin-state     enabled 
  encryption type none 
!
MDS1-ESUA#

 

  1. To rollback data into the queue, go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input commit, and press Enter. The system will now add the Rollback data into the running database.
  2. The system is now running with the restored data.
  3. Go to the MDS1-ESUA(config)# command line, input exit, and press Enter to exit the config mode.
      
    MDS1-ESUA(config)# commit <enter>
commit complete.
MDS1-ESUA(config)# exit <enter>
MDS1-ESUA#_

 

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