IOS-XE

IOS-XE platform CLI navigation, configuration management, and programmability features.

System Information

Show IOS-XE version, uptime, hardware platform, and license status
show version
Show full running configuration — pipe to section for targeted output
show running-config
show running-config | section interface
show running-config | include hostname
show running-config interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0
Show tech-support — comprehensive dump for TAC cases
show tech-support
show tech-support | redirect flash:tech-support.txt

Interface Verification

Show all interfaces with IP, status, and protocol state
show ip interface brief
Show detailed interface counters, errors, and CRC — essential for L1 troubleshooting
show interfaces GigabitEthernet0/0/0
Show only interfaces that are up/up — filter noise on large chassis
show ip interface brief | include up

Routing Table

Show full IP routing table — C (connected), S (static), O (OSPF), D (EIGRP), B (BGP)
show ip route
Show routes for a specific protocol or prefix
show ip route ospf
show ip route 10.50.1.0 255.255.255.0
show ip route 10.50.1.50

Logging and Diagnostics

Show buffered log messages — most recent events at bottom
show logging
show logging | include %LINK
Set logging buffer size and severity — 7 (debug) captures everything, 5 (notifications) is production-safe
configure terminal
logging buffered 65536 informational
logging console warnings
end

Configuration Mode

Enter global config, exit to privileged exec, and abort changes
configure terminal
! Make changes here
end
Configure terminal lines — console and VTY (remote access)
configure terminal
line console 0
 logging synchronous
 exec-timeout 30 0
 login local
!
line vty 0 15
 transport input ssh
 login local
 exec-timeout 15 0
end

Configuration Management

Save running config to NVRAM — both forms are equivalent
copy running-config startup-config
write memory
Archive running config to flash with timestamp
configure terminal
archive
 path flash:archive-config
 maximum 14
 write-memory
end
Compare running config against startup — find unsaved changes
show archive config differences system:running-config nvram:startup-config
Reload the device — schedule or immediate
reload
reload in 30
reload cancel

Privilege Levels and Security

Privilege levels — 0 (minimal), 1 (user exec), 15 (full privileged exec)
configure terminal
username admin privilege 15 algorithm-type scrypt secret <password>
enable algorithm-type scrypt secret <enable-password>
end
Verify current privilege level
show privilege
Service password encryption — encrypts plaintext passwords in running-config (weak Type 7, but better than plaintext)
configure terminal
service password-encryption
end

Essential Show Commands

Show CDP neighbors — discover directly connected Cisco devices
show cdp neighbors
show cdp neighbors detail
Show NTP synchronization status
show ntp status
show ntp associations
Show platform hardware and memory utilization
show processes cpu sorted
show processes memory sorted
show platform