Configure Device Commands in rConfig V8 Core

Commands are the instructions rConfig V8 Core sends to a network device during a backup, with each command’s output captured and stored for change tracking and reporting. After reading this page you can create single commands and command sets, control their behaviour with the three configuration toggles, and bulk-assign commands to Command Groups.

When to use this

Use this page when you are building out what rConfig retrieves from your devices: adding a show running-config, grouping several show commands into one capture, or tuning whether a command saves unchanged output and sends change notifications. Set commands up once and every backup that runs the parent Command Group uses them.

Prerequisites

• Administrative access to rConfig V8 Core
• Knowledge of the command syntax used by your network equipment
• At least one Command Group to assign the command to

Note

Commands and Command Groups work together: a Command Group (previously called a Category) bundles the commands that run against a device during a backup. Create the group first, then add commands to it.

What is a command in rConfig?

A command is more than a text string sent to a device. Each one is a configured entity with its own behaviour and processing rules. When rConfig runs a backup it sends each command in turn and captures the output for storage and comparison.

Commands come in two forms:

• Single commands retrieve one piece of information, such as show ip int brief or show version.
• Command sets combine multiple commands separated by line breaks. rConfig sends each line in sequence and writes all of the output to a single configuration file.

Why command configuration matters

How you configure a command affects three things:

• Storage efficiency. The Keep Unchanged Config toggle saves a file only when the output changes, which reduces disk and database growth in stable networks.
• Change detection accuracy. Compare Options and diff exclusions keep benign noise (timestamps, counters) out of your diffs so real changes stand out.
• Notification relevance. The Change Notifications toggle sends alerts only for the commands you choose, which avoids alert fatigue.

Command types and examples

#	Type	Command	Notes
1	Single command	show ip int brief	Standard single command. Must be unique, 3 to 255 characters. Special characters including pipes are supported.
2	Command set	show clock\nshow version	Multiple commands separated by line breaks. All output is written to a single configuration file. Use this when commands are logically related or grouping reduces connection overhead.
3	Command with pipe	show running-config | section interface	Pipes and filters are fully supported, useful for retrieving a specific configuration section.

Command sets vs individual commands

Use a command set when the commands retrieve related information, run together in your normal procedures, and their output is fine to store and compare as one file.

Use individual commands when different commands need different Compare Options, when only some commands need the CIC, or when change notifications should fire independently per command.

Add or edit a command

1. Navigate to Inventory -> Commands in the main menu.
2. Click Add Command.
3. Enter the command string in the Command field.
4. Assign the command to one or more Command Groups.
5. Set the configuration toggles for this command (see below).
6. Save the command.

After saving, confirm the command appears in the commands table and is associated with the correct Command Group, then run a device backup to verify rConfig captures the output.

Command configuration toggles

Each command has three toggles that control how rConfig treats its output. They appear on the command form when you add or edit a command.

CIC (Configuration Integrity Check)

When enabled, rConfig runs a Configuration Integrity Check on the command output to confirm a complete, valid configuration was retrieved rather than a partial capture or an error response. Enable it on the commands that pull your core running or startup configuration, where a truncated capture would matter most.

Keep Unchanged Config

When enabled, rConfig writes a new configuration file on every backup even if the output is identical to the previous run. When disabled, rConfig saves a new file only when the output changes, which can sharply reduce storage in networks where most devices rarely change.

Storage in stable networks

In a network where most devices change rarely, disabling Keep Unchanged Config avoids storing a duplicate file every backup cycle while still capturing every genuine change.

Change Notifications

When enabled, rConfig sends an email notification when the command output changes compared to the previous backup. Enable it for security-sensitive or compliance-critical commands where a change needs immediate attention. Leave it disabled for commands whose output changes routinely, such as interface counters, to avoid alert fatigue.

Common mistakes

• A command must be unique across the installation and between 3 and 255 characters. Reusing an existing command string fails validation.
• Enabling Change Notifications without setting up diff exclusions means routine noise like timestamps and uptime counters triggers alerts. Configure exclusions first, then turn notifications on.
• Disabling Keep Unchanged Config does not lose data: rConfig still records that a backup ran, it just does not store a duplicate file when nothing changed.
• In a command set, the line breaks are the separators. Make sure each command sits on its own line or rConfig sends them as a single string.

Bulk assign commands

When you manage many commands across several Command Groups, bulk assignment lets you attach multiple commands to one or more groups in a single action.

1. Navigate to Inventory -> Commands.
2. Select the commands to assign using the row checkboxes.
3. Click the Bulk Assign action.
4. Choose the target Command Group or Groups.
5. Confirm the assignment, then verify the selected commands appear in the target groups.

Note

Bulk assignment is additive. Commands keep their existing Command Group associations unless you remove them explicitly.

Command syntax guidelines

Single command:

show running-config

Command set:

show clock
show version
show interfaces

Command with pipe:

show running-config | section interface

Requirements:

• Minimum length 3 characters, maximum 255 characters
• Must be unique within the rConfig installation
• Special characters and pipes are supported

What’s next

• Set up Command Groups to bundle commands for backups
• Configure diff exclusions to filter noise from your comparisons before enabling Change Notifications
• Review configuration diffs to confirm your commands capture meaningful changes