Command Modes - Cisco IE-4000 Software Configuration Manual

Using the Command-Line Interface
Information About Using the Command-Line Interface
This chapter describes the Cisco IOS command-line interface (CLI) and how to use it to configure your switch.

Command Modes

The Cisco IOS user interface is divided into many different modes. The commands available to you depend on which
mode you are currently in. Enter a question mark (?) at the system prompt to obtain a list of commands available for each
command mode.
When you start a session on the switch, you begin in user mode, often called user EXEC mode. Only a limited subset of
the commands are available in user EXEC mode. For example, most of the user EXEC commands are one-time
commands, such as show commands, which show the current configuration status, and clear commands, which clear
counters or interfaces. The user EXEC commands are not saved when the switch reboots.
To have access to all commands, you must enter privileged EXEC mode. You must enter a password to enter privileged
EXEC mode. From this mode, you can enter any privileged EXEC command or enter global configuration mode.
Using the configuration modes (global, interface, and line), you can make changes to the running configuration. If you
save the configuration, these commands are stored and used when the switch reboots. To access the various
configuration modes, you must start at global configuration mode. From global configuration mode, you can enter
interface configuration mode and line configuration mode.
Table 1 on page 9 describes the main command modes, how to access each one, the prompt you see in that mode, and
how to exit the mode. The examples in the table use the hostname Switch.
Table 1 Command Mode Summary
Mode Access Method
User EXEC Begin a session with
your switch.
Privileged EXEC While in user EXEC
mode, enter the
enable command.
Global configuration While in privileged
EXEC mode, enter
the configure
command.
Prompt
Switch>
Switch#
Switch(config)#
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9
Exit Method About This Mode
Enter logout or Use this mode to
quit.



Enter disable to Use this mode to verify
exit. commands that you have
entered. Use a password to
protect access to this mode.
To exit to privileged Use this mode to configure
EXEC mode, enter parameters that apply to the
exit or end, or entire switch.
press Ctrl-Z.
Change terminal settings.
Perform basic tests.
Display system
information.