E
NTERING
C
OMMANDS
3-7Understanding Command Modes
The command set is divided into Exec and Configuration classes.
Exec commands generally display information on system status or
clear statistical counters. Configuration commands, on the other
hand, modify interface parameters or enable certain switching
functions. These classes are further divided into different modes.
Available commands depend on the selected mode. You can
always enter a question mark “?” at the prompt to display a list of
the commands available for the current mode. The command
classes and associated modes are displayed in the following table:
Exec Commands
When you open a new console session on the switch with the user
name and password “guest,” the system enters the Normal Exec
command mode (or guest mode), displaying the “Console>”
command prompt. Only a limited number of the commands are
available in this mode. You can access all commands only from the
Privileged Exec command mode (or administrator mode). To
access Privilege Exec mode, open a new console session with the
user name and password “admin.” The system will now displays
the “Console#” command prompt. You can also enter Privileged
Exec mode from within Normal Exec mode, by entering the
Class Mode
Exec Normal
Privileged
Configuration* Global
Interface
Line
VLAN
* You must be in Privileged Exec mode to access any of the configuration
modes.