Cisco Systems 5000 manual Preparing for Network Connections, Connecting to the Console Port

Chapter 3 Connecting the Switch

Preparing for Network Connections

Se n d d o c u m e n t a t i o n c o m m e n t s t o n ex u s 5 k d o c s @ c i s c o . c o m .

Preparing for Network Connections

When preparing your site for network connections to the Cisco Nexus 5500 Platform switch or Cisco Nexus 5000 Platform switch, consider the following for each type of interface, and gather all the required equipment before connecting the ports:

•Cabling required for each interface type

•Distance limitations for each signal type

•Additional interface equipment required

Connecting to the Console Port

Note This section applies to the Cisco Nexus 5500 Platform switches and the Cisco Nexus 5000 Platform switches.

The console port is an RS-232 port with an RJ-45 interface. (See Figure 3-1.) The console port is an asynchronous (async) serial port; any device connected to this port must be capable of asynchronous transmission.

We recommend using this port to create a local management connection to set the IP address and other initial configuration settings before connecting the switch to the network for the first time.

Caution The console port can be used to connect to a modem. If you do not connect it to a modem, connect it either before powering the switch on or after the switch has completed the boot process.

Figure 3-1shows how to connect to the console port on the Cisco Nexus 5000 Platform switch. The process is identical for the Cisco Nexus 5500 Platform switch.

Figure 3-1 Connecting to the Console Port on a Cisco Nexus 5000 Platform Switch

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Cisco Nexus 5500 Platform and Cisco Nexus 5000 Platform Hardware Installation Guide

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