CHAPTER
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Catalyst 6500 Series Switch Command Reference—Release8.1
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Command-Line Interfaces
This chapter describes the command-line interfaces (CLI) available on the Catalyst 6500 series switches
and contains these sections:
•Switch CLI, page 1-1
•ROM Monitor CLI, page 1-17
For information regarding the ATM CLI and commands, refer to the ATM Software Configuration Guide
and Command Reference—Catalyst 5000 Family and 6500 Series Switches publication.
For information regarding the IDSM CLI and commands, refer to t he Ca ta lyst 6500 Series
Intrusion Detection System Module Installation and Configuration Note publication.
For definitions of terms and acronyms listed in this publication, see AppendixA, “Acronyms.”

Switch CLI

Catalyst 6500 series switches are multimodule systems. Commands you enter from the CLI can apply to
the entire system or to a specific module, port, or VLAN.
You can configure and maintain the Catalyst 6500 series switches by entering commands from the switch
CLI. The CLI is a basic command-line interpreter similar to the UNIX C shell. Using the CLI session
command, you can access the router configuration software and perform tasks such as history
substitution and alias creation.
Note The Catalyst 6500 series consists of the Catalyst 6500 and 6000 series switches. The Catalyst 6500 series
consists of the Catalyst 6006, 6009, 6503, 6506, 6509, 6509-NEB, and 6513 switches. Throughout this
publication and all Catalyst 6500 series documents, the phrase Catalyst 65 00 series switches refers to
these switches, unless otherwise noted.

Accessing the Switch CLI

You can access the switch CLI from a console terminal connected to an EIA/TIA-232 port or t hrough a
Telnet session. The CLI allows fixed baud rates. Telnet sessions disconnect automatically after
remaining idle for a user-defined time period.