Chapter 2: Managing a Switch Using Cisco IOS
Exam Objectives
Connecting to a Cisco switch
Understanding the startup process of a Cisco switch
Configuring a Cisco switch
Managing Cisco switch configurations
Managing Cisco switch authentication
Managing a Cisco switch is very similar to managing a Cisco router. Most IOS commands are the same for switches and routers, but the output differs in some cases. Most IOS commands and GUI tools are available for both switches and routers. Some GUI tools are only available for routers, such as the Cisco Router and Security Device Manager (SDM) and SDM Express. Other GUI tools are only available for switches, such as the Cisco Device Manager. You find out about switch management IOS commands and GUI tools in this chapter.
Best Practice for Using Cisco Switches
When designing networks, the key point to remember is that top-of-the-line switches are best suited for either the core layer or the distribution layer of the network. Entry-level and midrange switches are best suited for either the access layer or the distribution layer. Cisco defines three layers in a network: the core layer, distribution layer, and access layer.
Top-of-the-line switches manage specialized services in a network, such as STP root bridge role, VLAN Membership Policy Server (VMPS), VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) domain control, Inter-VLAN routing, and LAN gateway connectivity.
These services are used throughout the network. Hence, they need to run on a highly efficient ...
