VMware ESXi and vSphere Cluster Management

Cisco Configuration Professional (CCP) Example: Changing a Router Hostname

Learn how to change a Cisco router hostname in Cisco Configuration Professional, deliver the configuration, save it to startup configuration, and verify persistence.

Cisco Configuration Professional (CCP) is a graphical management application for configuring supported Cisco routers. It provides an alternative to the Cisco IOS command-line interface (IOS CLI) for many common management tasks, which can help administrators who are still learning IOS commands.

This example changes a router hostname from the CCP interface. The workflow has three distinct parts: edit the setting, deliver the pending configuration to the router, and optionally save the active configuration so the change survives a reboot.

Prerequisites

Basic knowledge of the purpose of a Cisco router.
A management workstation with CCP available in an appropriate supported lab or administrative environment.
Basic IP reachability between the workstation and the router.
Valid management credentials.
The router must appear in the CCP community or device list.
A basic understanding that active configuration and saved configuration are different.

CCP Terms Used in This Procedure

Term	Meaning
Community	The CCP-managed collection or view containing discovered or added devices.
Configure	The CCP interface area used to access device feature settings.
Router Options	The configuration section containing general router properties, including hostname settings.
Hostname	The configured device name used to identify the router.
Device Properties	The dialog used to edit basic device information, such as the host name.
Deliver Configuration to Device	The deployment action that applies pending GUI changes to the selected router.

Example Goal: Rename a Branch Router

Assume a router is reachable and already visible in the CCP community. The goal is to change its generic name to BRANCH-RTR-01. A meaningful, unique hostname makes the device easier to identify in prompts, management tools, logs, and configuration displays.

Use a name appropriate for the organization and follow its naming standard. Avoid spaces, punctuation, or formats that the router does not accept. Simple letters, numbers, and hyphens are commonly used, but the exact accepted format can depend on the IOS software and platform.

Step-by-Step CCP Workflow

1. Select the managed router

Open the CCP community or device list and select the router that should be renamed. Selecting the correct device is essential when several routers are managed from the same workstation.

2. Open the configuration area

With the router selected, choose Configure. CCP displays a feature or navigation pane containing the configuration functions available for that router.

3. Open Router Options

In the feature pane, navigate through Router to Router Options. Locate the Hostname item in the Router Options list.

Open the hostname settings, typically by double-clicking Hostname. CCP opens the Device Properties dialog.

4. Enter the new hostname

In the Device Properties dialog, enter BRANCH-RTR-01 in the Host field. Review the spelling and naming format, then confirm the dialog. Confirming the dialog prepares the change in CCP; it does not necessarily mean that the router has received it yet.

5. Deliver the configuration to the router

Use Deliver Configuration to Device to send the pending configuration to the selected router. Review the deployment prompt before continuing.

During delivery, CCP may offer an option to save the running configuration to the startup configuration. Select that option when the hostname should remain after a reboot. Complete the delivery and inspect the status or confirmation window for a successful result.

6. Verify the result

After delivery, verify that the router's displayed device name or router prompt reflects BRANCH-RTR-01. Refresh the device view or reconnect to the router if the old name is still displayed by the management interface.

When the startup-save option was selected, verify that CCP reports a successful save. A reboot check should be performed only in a lab or during an approved maintenance window.

CCP Hostname Change Workflow

Step	CCP location or action	Expected result	Persistence impact
Select managed router	Choose the target from the community or device list.	The intended router becomes the configuration target.	No configuration change yet.
Open Configure	Choose Configure.	The router feature and navigation pane opens.	No configuration change yet.
Navigate to Router Options	Open Router, then Router Options.	General router settings, including Hostname, are visible.	No configuration change yet.
Edit Hostname in Device Properties	Open Hostname, enter the value in the Host field, and confirm.	The pending hostname change is prepared in CCP.	Not persistent until delivered and saved.
Deliver configuration	Choose Deliver Configuration to Device.	The pending change is applied to the router.	Normally changes the running configuration.
Save running configuration to startup configuration	Select the startup-save option in the delivery process.	The active configuration is copied to saved device storage.	The hostname survives a reboot.
Review delivery status	Read the status or confirmation window.	Successful delivery and saving are confirmed.	Provides evidence that the intended persistence choice completed.

Running Configuration and Startup Configuration

The running configuration is the active, in-memory configuration currently used by the router. A hostname change delivered only to running configuration can affect the current device identity immediately.

The startup configuration is the saved configuration that the router loads during its next boot. If the running configuration is not saved, a reload can remove changes that were made after the last save.

Configuration type	Where it is held	When it takes effect	Survives reboot	Relevant CCP action
Running configuration	Active memory on the router	When the configuration is delivered and applied	No, not by itself	Deliver Configuration to Device
Startup configuration	Saved device configuration storage	At the next boot or reload	Yes, when saved successfully	Select the option to save running configuration to startup configuration during delivery

IOS CLI Equivalent

CCP simplifies the workflow, but it does not replace foundational IOS knowledge. Certification learners should recognize the command-line equivalent for setting a hostname and saving the active configuration.

enable
configure terminal
hostname BRANCH-RTR-01
end

To make the active configuration persistent, use the standard copy command:

copy running-config startup-config

write memory is another command commonly associated with saving the configuration, but copy running-config startup-config is the preferred form to recognize and use in modern IOS study.

CCP task	IOS concept	Example CLI command or command family
Change hostname	Enter global configuration mode and set the hostname.	`configure terminal`, followed by `hostname BRANCH-RTR-01`
Save active configuration	Copy running configuration to startup configuration.	`copy running-config startup-config`

GUI experience alone is not sufficient for IOS-based troubleshooting or certification preparation. Administrators should understand how the same change appears in the CLI, how to verify it, and how to diagnose a failed deployment.

Verification and Persistence Checks

Check the CCP device view or confirmation output for the new hostname.
Reconnect to the router or refresh the management view if the old name remains visible.
Confirm that delivery completed without errors.
If persistence was selected, confirm that the save operation completed successfully.
In a lab or approved maintenance window, verify the name again after a reload.

Troubleshooting

The new hostname appears briefly but disappears after a reload

The change was probably applied to running configuration but was not saved to startup configuration. Run the delivery workflow again, select the option to save running configuration to startup configuration, and confirm the save status.

The dialog accepts the hostname, but the router does not change

The pending change may not have been delivered, delivery may have failed, or a different router may have been selected. Confirm the intended router in the community, run Deliver Configuration to Device, review the status output, and refresh or reconnect before verifying the name.

The router cannot be configured from CCP

Possible causes include a device that was never added to the community, failed management reachability, incorrect credentials, or an unsupported platform or software version. Confirm that the router appears in the community, validate reachability and authentication, and check compatibility with the CCP environment.

The Hostname setting cannot be found

Select the router first, open Configure, navigate to Router and Router Options, then open the Hostname entry to reach Device Properties.

CCP does not launch or work on the workstation

CCP is legacy management software and may have compatibility limitations involving current operating systems, browsers, runtime dependencies, or device software. Use an approved supported lab or administrative environment where required, consult current Cisco-supported management alternatives for production use, or perform the task through IOS CLI when GUI tooling is unavailable.

Key Points for Certification Study

CCP is a graphical interface for configuring supported Cisco routers.
A router must be discovered or added to the CCP community before it can be configured.
The hostname workflow is Configure, Router, Router Options, and Hostname.
Confirming Device Properties prepares the change, while Deliver Configuration to Device applies it.
Running configuration is active now; startup configuration is used after a reboot.
A hostname saved only to running configuration can be lost during a reload.
CCP can simplify common workflows, but IOS CLI fundamentals remain necessary for troubleshooting and IOS-based exams.