Summary
609
For example, to display the physical interfaces, the administrator would
use show port on the switch, as opposed to show interface, which is used
on the router. The show interface command on the switch is used to check
the SL0 and SC0 interfaces.
Remember that most troubleshooting is actually isolation. View the network
from each layer and work through the system. For example, is there a link light
denoting Layer 1 connectivity? Is the port configured for the same speed and
duplex on each end? These basic questions, along with the Cisco debug and
show
commands, frequently provide the proper clues to isolate problems.
Although available, the use of automatic speed and duplex configuration settings
is not recommended. Most administrators prefer the control and manageability
that is available from manually configuring these settings. Administrators should
familiarize themselves with the proper commands on various platforms. For
example, NT usually permits the modification of this setting from the network
control panel, but some installations may require registry modification. On
Solaris, the /kernel/drv/hme.conf file is modified when using that type of NIC.
Summary
T
his chapter addressed the generic aspects of switching, and the specific
functions and commands available on the Cisco Catalyst switches. Common
problems in switched networks were also addressed, including duplicate MAC
addresses and cabling requirements that frequently accompany the higher band-
width configurations available with switches. An overview of the difficulties facing
administrators in switched networks was also presented.
This chapter also covered the Command Line Interface for Catalyst
5000s, CiscoWorks for Switched Internetworks, and RMON, in addition to
the RSM module and the use of Cisco routers with the Catalyst platform.
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