Cisco Catalyst 3550 Command Reference Manual page 15

Preface
Audience
This guide is for the networking professional using the Cisco IOS command-line interface (CLI) to
manage the Catalyst 3550 switch, hereafter referred to as the switch or the multilayer switch. Before
using this guide, you should have experience working with the Cisco IOS and the switch software
features. Before using this guide, you should have experience working with the Cisco IOS and be
familiar with the concepts and terminology of Ethernet and local area networking.
Purpose
The Catalyst 3550 switch is supported by either the standard multilayer software image (SMI) or the
enhanced multilayer software image (EMI). The EMI provides a richer set of enterprise-class features,
including hardware-based IP unicast and multicast routing, inter-VLAN routing, routed access control
lists (ACLs), and the Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP). All Catalyst 3550 Gigabit Ethernet switches
are shipped with the EMI pre-installed. Catalyst 3550 Fast Ethernet switches are shipped with either the
SMI or the EMI pre-installed. After initial deployment, you can order the Enhanced Multilayer Software
Image Upgrade kit to upgrade Catalyst 3550 Fast Ethernet switches from the SMI to the EMI.
This guide provides the information you need about the Layer 2 and Layer 3 commands that have been
created or changed for use with the Catalyst 3550 family of switches. For information about the standard
Cisco IOS Release 12.1 commands, refer to the Cisco IOS documentation set available from the Cisco.com
home page by selecting Service and Support > Technical Documents. On the Cisco Product
Documentation home page, select Release 12.1 from the Cisco IOS Software drop-down list.
This guide does not provide procedures for configuring your switch. For detailed configuration
procedures, refer to the Catalyst 3550 Multilayer Switch Software Configuration Guide for this release.
This guide does not describe system messages you might encounter. For more information, refer to the
Catalyst 3550 Multilayer Switch System Message Guide for this release.
78-11195-09
Catalyst 3550 Multilayer Switch Command Reference
xv