This chapter covers
- The interfaces used to configure network devices
- How to connect to the CLI of a Cisco device via the console port
- Navigating between modes of the Cisco IOS command hierarchy
- Viewing and saving a device’s configuration files
- Password-protecting a Cisco IOS device
This chapter is a break from the networking theory of the previous chapter; it’s time to get hands-on with Cisco routers and switches. Understanding the theory of networking is absolutely essential, but networking is also a skill that must be practiced, and that means configuring network devices.
In the CCNA exam topics list, you will find a few different verbs, such as explain X, describe Y, and identify Z, indicating that Cisco expects you to have a theoretical understanding of the listed concepts and how they work. However, there are also many exam topics that state configure X or configure and verify Y. For these topics, in addition to having a theoretical understanding of their concepts, you must be able to configure them on Cisco network devices and verify their operations.