Users Guide

CLI Modes

Different sets of commands are available in each mode.

A command found in one mode cannot be executed from another mode (except for EXEC mode commands

preceded by the do command; for more information, refer to The do Command and EXEC Privilege Mode

commands).

You can set user access rights to commands and command modes using privilege levels; for more

information about privilege levels and security options, refer to Privilege Levels Overview.

The Dell Networking OS CLI is divided into three major mode levels:

• EXEC mode — is the default mode and has a privilege level of 1, which is the most restricted level. Only

a limited selection of commands is available, notably the show commands, which allow you to view

system information.

• EXEC Privilege mode — has commands to view configurations, clear counters, manage configuration

files, run diagnostics, and enable or disable debug operations. The privilege level is 15, which is

unrestricted. You can configure a password for this mode; for more information, refer to

Configuring the Enable Password.

• CONFIGURATION mode — allows you to configure security features, time settings, set logging and

simple network management protocol (SNMP) functions, and static address resolution protocol (ARP)

and MAC addresses on the system.

Beneath CONFIGURATION mode are sub-modes that apply to interfaces, protocols, and features. The

following example shows this sub-mode command structure. When configuring the chassis for the first time,

two sub-CONFIGURATION modes are important:

NOTE: At any time, entering a question mark (?) displays the available command options. For example,

when you are in CONFIGURATION mode, entering the question mark first lists all the available

commands, including the possible sub-modes.

• INTERFACE sub-mode — is the mode in which you configure Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols and IP

services specific to an interface. An interface can be physical (management interface, 10-Gigabit

Ethernet, 40-Gigabit Ethernet, or 2/4/8-Gigabit Universal Port) or logical (Loopback, Null, port channel,

or virtual local area network [VLAN]).

• LINE sub-mode — is the mode in which you to configure the console and virtual terminal lines.

EXEC

EXEC Privilege

CONFIGURATION

AS-PATH ACL

INTERFACE

GIGABIT ETHERNET

TEN GIGABIT ETHERNET

FORTY GIGABIT ETHERNET

FIBRE CHANNEL

INTERFACE RANGE

LOOPBACK

MANAGEMENT ETHERNET

NULL

PORT-CHANNEL

VLAN

IPv6

IP COMMUNITY-LIST

Configuration Fundamentals 41