6.3 Switch Boot Process Flashcards
Power Up the Switch
Cisco switches, like most switches, are preconfigured to operate in a LAN as soon as they are powered on. All of the interface ports on the switch are active and will begin forwarding traffic immediately when devices are plugged into them. It is important to remember that no security settings are enabled by default. You will need to configure the basic security settings before placing the switch into the network.
The three basic steps for powering up a switch are as follows:
Step 1. Check the components.
Ensure all the components that came with the switch are available. These could include a console cable, power cord, Ethernet cable, and switch documentation.
Step 2. Connect the cables to the switch.
Connect the PC to the switch with a console cable and start a terminal emulation session. Connect the AC power cord to the switch and to a grounded AC outlet.
Step 3. Power up the switch.
Some Cisco switch models do not have an on/off switch, like the Cisco Catalyst 9300 48S switch shown in the figure. To power on the switch, plug one end of the AC power cord into the switch AC power connector, and plug the other end into an AC power outlet.
Note: You can also attach cables after power is applied.
When the switch is on, the power-on self-test (POST) begins. During POST, the LEDs blink while a series of tests determine that the switch is functioning properly.
POST is completed when the SYST LED rapidly blinks green. If the switch fails POST, the SYST LED turns amber. When a switch fails POST, it is necessary to return the switch for repairs.
When all startup procedures are finished, the Cisco switch is ready to configure.
IOS Startup Files
a Cisco device loads the following two files into RAM when it is booted:
IOS image file - The IOS facilitates the basic operation of the device’s hardware components. The IOS image file is stored in flash memory.
Startup configuration file - The startup configuration file contains commands that are used to initially configure a router and switch and create the running configuration file stored in RAM. The startup configuration file is stored in NVRAM. All configuration changes are stored in the running configuration file and are implemented immediately by the IOS.
The running configuration file is modified when the network administrator performs device configuration. When changes are made to the running-config file, it should be saved to NVRAM as the startup configuration file in case the router is restarted or loses power.
in band
For a computer to connect to the device and perform in-band management tasks, at least one network interface on the device must be connected to the network and have an IP address configured on it.
out of band
Out-of-band management requires a computer to be directly connected to the console port of the network device that is being configured. However, it does not require the local network connections on the device to be active.
