Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

Which command would you use to save the running configuration to the startup configuration after making changes?

1. #copy run start

2. #write memory

3. #save config

4. #backup config

The correct answer is: #copy run start

The command to save the running configuration to the startup configuration is indeed "copy running-config startup-config," which is often abbreviated to "copy run start." This command effectively takes the current operational configuration that is held in memory (the running configuration) and writes it to the non-volatile memory of the device (the startup configuration). This ensures that any changes made during the current session are retained when the device is rebooted. Using this command is critical for maintaining the desired configuration, as the startup configuration is what the device will reference the next time it powers on or reloads. Without saving changes in this manner, any modifications made will be lost if the device is restarted. The other options do not achieve this specific task. "Write memory" is a legacy command that performs the same function as "copy run start" but is less frequently used in modern practice. "Save config" and "backup config" are not standard Cisco IOS commands and would not execute the intended action on a router or switch.