Understanding Cisco Ios Command Modes - Cisco 4500M Software Manual

Understanding Cisco IOS Command Modes

Table 2-2
Command
Ctrl-N or the Down Arrow key
Switch# show history
1. The Arrow keys function only on ANSI-compatible terminals such as VT100s.
Understanding Cisco IOS Command Modes
For complete information about Cisco IOS command modes, refer to the Cisco IOS Configuration
Note
Fundamentals Configuration Guide and the Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Command
Reference at:
The Cisco IOS user interface has many different modes: user EXEC, privileged EXEC (enable), global
configuration, interface, subinterface, and protocol-specific. The commands available to you depend on
which mode you are in. To get a list of the commands in a given mode, enter a question mark (?) at the
system prompt. See the
information.
When you start a session on the switch, you begin in user mode, also called user EXEC mode. Only a
small subset of commands are available in EXEC mode. To have access to all commands, you must enter
privileged EXEC mode, also called enable mode. To access the privileged EXEC mode, you must enter
a password. When you are in the privileged EXEC mode, you can enter any EXEC command or access
global configuration mode. Most EXEC commands are one-time commands, such as show commands,
which display the current configuration status, and clear commands, which reset counters or interfaces.
The EXEC commands are not saved when the switch is rebooted.
The configuration modes allow you to make changes to the running configuration. If you save the
configuration, these commands are stored when you reboot the switch. You must start in global
configuration mode. From global configuration mode, you can enter interface configuration mode,
subinterface configuration mode, and a variety of protocol-specific modes.
You would use a separate mode called ROMMON when the switch cannot boot up properly. For example,
the switch might enter ROMMON mode if it does not find a valid system image when it is booting, or if
its configuration file is corrupted. For more information, see the
section on page
Table 2-3
Software Configuration Guide—Release 12.2(25)EW
2-4
History Substitution Commands (continued)
1
http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/software/ios122/122cgcr/index.htm
"Getting a List of Commands and Syntax" section on page 2-5
2-6.
lists and describes frequently used Cisco IOS modes.
Purpose
Returns to more recent commands in the history buffer
after commands have been recalled with Ctrl-P or the
Up Arrow key. Repeat the key sequence to recall more
recent commands.
Lists the last several commands you have entered in
EXEC mode.
"ROMMOM Command-Line Interface"
Chapter 2 Command-Line Interfaces
for more
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