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Cisco ASA 5500 Series Configuration Guide using the CLI
APPENDIX
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Using the Command-Line Interface

This appendix describes how to use the CLI on the ASA and includes the following sections:
Firewall Mode and Security Context Mode, pageA-1
Command Modes and Prompts, pageA-2
Syntax Formatting, pageA-3
Abbreviating Commands, pageA-3
Command-Line Editing, pageA-3
Command Completion, pageA-4
Command Help, page A-4
Filtering show Command Output, pageA-4
Command Output Paging, pageA-5
Adding Comments, page A-5
Text Configuration Files, pageA-5
Supported Character Sets, page A-8
Note The CLI uses similar syntax and other conventions to the Cisco IOS CLI, but the ASA operating system
is not a version of Cisco IOS software. Do not assume that a Cisco IOS CLI command works with or has
the same function on the ASA.

Firewall Mode and Security Context Mode

The ASA runs in a combination of the following modes:
Transparent firewall or routed firewall mode
The firewall mode determines if the ASA runs as a Layer 2 or Layer 3 firewall.
Multiple context or single context mode
The security context mode determines if the ASA runs as a single device or as multiple security
contexts, which act like virtual devices.
Some commands are only available in certain modes.