User guide

How is the Information Organized? About This Guide
page xiv OmniSwitch 7700/7800/8800 Switch Management Guide April 2006
This guide provides overview material on software features, how-to procedures, and tutorials that will
enable you to begin configuring your OmniSwitch. However, it is not intended as a comprehensive refer-
ence to all CLI commands available in the OmniSwitch. For such a reference to all OmniSwitch 7700/
7800/8800 CLI commands, consult the OmniSwitch CLI Reference Guide.
How is the Information Organized?
Chapters in this guide are broken down by software feature. The titles of each chapter include protocol or
features names (e.g., 802.1Q, RIP, server load balancing) with which most network professionals will be
familiar.
Each software feature chapter includes sections that will satisfy the information requirements of casual
readers, rushed readers, serious detail-oriented readers, advanced users, and beginning users.
Quick Information. Most chapters include a specifications table that lists RFCs and IEEE specifications
supported by the software feature. In addition, this table includes other pertinent information such as mini-
mum and maximum values and sub-feature support. Most chapters also include a defaults table that lists
the default values for important parameters along with the CLI command used to configure the parameter.
Many chapters include a Quick Steps section, which is a procedure covering the basic steps required to get
a software feature up and running.
In-Depth Information. All chapters include overview sections on the software feature as well as on
selected topics of that software feature. Topical sections may often lead into procedure sections that
describe how to configure the feature just described. Serious readers and advanced users will also find the
many application examples, located near the end of chapters, helpful. Application examples include
diagrams of real networks and then provide solutions using the CLI to configure a particular feature, or
more than one feature, within the illustrated network.
Documentation Roadmap
The OmniSwitch user documentation suite was designed to supply you with information at several critical
junctures of the configuration process. The following section outlines a roadmap of the manuals that will
help you at each stage of the configuration process. Under each stage, we point you to the manual or
manuals that will be most helpful to you.
Stage 1: Using the Switch for the First Time
Pertinent Documentation: OmniSwitch 7700/7800 Getting Started Guide
OmniSwitch 8800 Getting Started Guide
Release Notes
A hard-copy OmniSwitch 7700/7800 Getting Started Guide is included with OmniSwitch 7700/7800
switches and a hard-copy OmniSwitch 8800 Getting Started Guide is included with OmniSwitch 8800
switches; these guides provide all the information you need to get your switch up and running the first
time. These guides provide information on unpacking the switch, rack mounting the switch, installing NI
modules, unlocking access control, setting the switch’s IP address, and setting up a password. They also
include succinct overview information on fundamental aspects of the switch, such as hardware LEDs, the
software directory structure, CLI conventions, and web-based management.
At this time you should also familiarize yourself with the Release Notes that accompanied your switch.
This document includes important information on feature limitations that are not included in other user
guides.