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Catalyst 3550 Multilayer Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter8 Configuring Interface Characteristics
Monitoring and Maintaining the Layer 2 In terface
Use the no description interface configuration command to delete the description.
This example shows how to add a description on Fast Ethernet i nterface 0/4 and to verify the description:
Switch# config terminal
Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z.
Switch(config)# interface fastethernet0/4
Switch(config-if)# description Connects to Marketing
Switch(config-if)# end
Switch# show interfaces fastethernet0/4 description
Interface Status Protocol Description
Fa0/4 up down Connects to Marketing
Monitoring and Maintaining the Layer 2 Interface
You can perform the tasks in these sections to monitor and maintain the interfaces:
Monitoring Interface and Controller Status, page 8-18
Clearing and Resetting Interfaces and Counters, page 8-20
Shutting Down and Restarting the Interface, page 8-21

Monitoring Interface and Controller Status

Commands entered at the privileged EXEC prompt display i nform at ion abou t the int erf ac e, incl udi ng
the version of the software and the hardware, the controller status, and statistics about the interfaces.
Table 8 -2 lists some of these interface monitoring commands. (You can display the full list of show
commands by using the show ? command at the privileged EXEC prom pt.) T hes e comm an ds a r e ful ly
described in the Cisco IOS Interface Command Reference for Release 12.1.
Step5 show interfaces interface-id description
or
show running-config
Verify your entry.
Step6 copy running-config startup-config (Optional) Save your entries in the configuration file.
Command Purpose
Table8-2 Show Commands for Interfaces
Command Purpose
show interfaces [interface-id] Display the status and configuration of all interfaces or a specific
interface.
show interfaces interface-id status [err-disabled] Display interface status or a list of interfaces in error-disabled state.
show interfaces [interface-id] switchport Display administrative and operational status of switching
(nonrouting) ports. You can use this command to determine if a port is
in routing or switching mode.
show interfaces [interface-id] description Display the description configured on an interface or a ll interfaces and
the interface status.