About This Manual

This chapter describes the objectives, audience, organization, and conventions of the Catalyst 5000 Series Command Reference.

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Document Objectives

The Catalyst 5000 Series Command Reference is designed to help you configure and customize the switches to fit the needs of your network. An alphabetical listing of software commands used to configure and maintain switches is provided.

If you are using Catalyst 5000 series switches in an emulated LAN, you should use this manual in conjunction with the Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS) Release 11.0 documentation set for routers and the LightStream 100 User Guide (3.1). If you are using a LightSteam 1010 ATM switch in the Catalyst 5500 series switch, refer to the LightStream 1010 ATM Switch Hardware Installation Guide and the LightStream 1010 ATM Switch Command Reference publication for detailed information regarding installation and configuration, respectively.

For detailed configuration descriptions and procedures for the Catalyst 5000 series switches, refer to the Catalyst 5000 Series Advanced Configuration Guide. For detailed installation instructions, refer to the Catalyst 5002 Installation Guide, the Catalyst 5000 Installation Guide, and the Catalyst 5500 Installation Guide.

Audience

This publication is intended as a standalone document for experienced network administrators who are responsible for configuring and maintaining Catalyst 5000 series switches.

Summary of Contents

Following are the chapters included in this publication:

Chapter 1, "Product Overview and Quick Configuration Reference," describes the Catalyst 5000 series switches and quick configuration tables.
Chapter 2, "Command-Line Interfaces," describes how to access the command-line interface. It also contains information about the commands used to configure the Catalyst 5000 series switches.
Chapter 3, "Command Reference," provides detailed descriptions of the commands necessary to configure and maintain Catalyst 5000 series switches, including both switch and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) commands.

Document Conventions

The guide uses the following conventions:

The symbol ^ represents the key labeled Control. For example, the key combinations ^D and Ctrl-D mean hold down the Control key while you press the D key. Keys are indicated in capital letters, but are not case sensitive.
A string is defined as a nonquoted set of characters. For example, when setting an SNMP community string to "public," do not use quotation marks around the string, or the string will include the quotation marks.
Command descriptions use these conventions:
- Commands and keywords are in boldface font.
- Arguments for which you supply values are in italic font.
- Optional elements are shown in square brackets ([ ]); alternative optional elements are separated by vertical bars ( | ).
- Alternative but required elements are grouped in braces ({ }) and separated by vertical bars ( | ).
Examples use these conventions:
- Examples that contain system prompts denote interactive sessions, indicating that the user enters commands at the prompt. The system prompt indicates the current command mode. For example, Console <enable> indicates privileged mode.
- Terminal sessions and information the system displays are in screen font.
- Information you enter is in boldface screen font.
- Nonprinting characters, such as passwords, are in angle brackets (< >).
- Default responses to system prompts are in square brackets ([ ]).
- Exclamation points (!) and pound signs (#) at the beginning of a line indicate a comment line. They are also displayed by the switch for certain processes.
Throughout this guide, the word port refers to both ports and interfaces.

Note Means reader take note. Notes contain helpful suggestions or references to materials not contained in this manual.

Caution Means reader be careful. In this situation, you might do something that could result in equipment damage or loss of data.

Warning Means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury. Before you work on any equipment, you must be aware of the hazards involved with electrical circuitry and familiar with standard practices for preventing accidents.

The following illustration explains the fields on a typical command reference page:

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