Allied Telesis at-8700xl series switch manual What is the GUI?, Accessing the Switch via the GUI

22 AT-8700XL Series Switch User Guide

What is the GUI?

The GUI (Graphical User Interface) is a web-based device management tool, designed to make it easier to configure and monitor the switch. The GUI provides an alternative to the CLI (Command Line Interface). Its purpose is to make complicated tasks simpler and regularly performed tasks quicker.

The GUI relies on an HTTP server that runs on the switch, and a web browser on the host PC. When you use the GUI to configure the switch, the GUI sends commands to the switch and the switch sends the results back to your browser, all via HTTP.

The tasks you may perform using the GUI are not as comprehensive as the command set available on the CLI, but for some protocols, a few clicks of the mouse will perform many commands.

The GUI is stored on the switch in the form of an embedded resource file, with file extension rsc. Resource files are model-specific, with the model and version encoded in the file name.

Accessing the Switch via the GUI

To use the GUI to configure the switch, you use a web browser to open a connection to the switch’s HTTP server. Therefore, you need a PC, a web browser and the switch. Supported browsers and operating systems, and the settings you need on your PC and browser, are detailed in the following section. Switch setup is detailed in “Establishing a Connection to the Switch” on page 24.

Browser and PC Setup

The GUI requires a web browser installed on a PC. Table 3 shows supported combinations of operating system and browser. A copy of Internet Explorer can be found on the switch’s Documentation and Tools CD-ROM.

Table 3: Supported browsers and operating systems

	IE 5.0	IE 5.5	IE 6.0	NS 6.2.2	NS 6.2.3
Windows 95	!
Windows 98	!	!	!
Windows ME	!	!	!	!	!
Windows 2000	!	!	!	!	!
Windows XP	!	!	!	!	!

JavaScript must be enabled. To enable JavaScript in Internet Explorer:

1.From the Tools menu, select Internet Options

2.Select the Security tab

3.Click on the Custom Level button

4.Under the Scripting section, ensure that “Active scripting” is enabled.

Software Release 2.6.1 C613-02030-00 REV B