Extreme devices support three types of configuration files, default, startup, and running configuration files.
The startup configuration resides in the /var/config/vcs/scripts directory. Though the default configuration files are physically present in this directory, they are linked to the directory from their actual location.
When you boot up a device for the first time, the running configuration is identical to the startup configuration. As you configure the device, the changes are written to the running configuration. To save the changes, you must save the currently effective configuration (the running configuration) as the startup configuration. When the device reboots, the configuration changes become effective.
Default configuration files are part of the firmware package for the device and are automatically applied to the startup configuration under the following conditions:
The startup configuration is persistent. It is applied when the system reboots.
The startup configuration file name is startup-config.
The configuration currently effective on the device is referred to as the running configuration. Any configuration change you make while the device is online is made to the running configuration.
The running configuration file name is running-config.