Technical data

BMD00142, November 2009 15
CHAPTER 1
The Command Line Interface
Your RackSwitch G8124 is ready to perform basic switching functions right out of the box. Some of
the more advanced features, however, require some administrative configuration before they can be
used effectively.
The extensive BLADE OS switching software included in your switch provides a variety of options
for accessing and configuring the switch:
 A built-in, text-based command line interface and menu system for access via a Telnet session
or serial-port connection
 SNMP support for access through network management software such as IBM Director or HP
OpenView
 BLADE OS Browser-Based Interface (BBI)
The command line interface is the most direct method for collecting switch information and
performing switch configuration. Using a basic terminal, you are presented with a hierarchy of
menus that enable you to view information and statistics about the switch, and to perform any
necessary configuration.
This chapter explains how to access the Command Line Interface (CLI) for the switch.
Connecting to the Switch
You can access the command line interface in any one of the following ways:
 Using a Telnet connection over the network
 Using an SSH connection
 Using a serial connection via the serial port on the G8124