Table Of Contents

General Switch Administration

Basic IP Connectivity to the Switch

Switch Software Releases

Console Port Access

Telnet Access to the CLI

HTTP Access to CMS

SNMP Network Management Platforms

SNMP Versions

Using FTP to Access the MIB Files

Using SNMP to Access MIB Variables

Default Settings

General Switch Administration

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This chapter provides these switch administration topics:

•Basic IP connectivity to the switch

•Switch software releases

•Console port access

•Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) access

•Telnet access

•Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) network management platforms

•Default settings of key software features

Refer to the release notes for information about starting up the switch:

•Software and hardware requirements and compatibility

•Browser and Java plug-in configurations

•Setup program

Also refer to the release notes for information about switch software upgrades.

For information about the standard IOS Release 12.1 commands, refer to the IOS documentation set available from the Cisco.com home page at Service and Support > Technical Documents. On the Cisco Product Documentation home page, select Release 12.1 from the Cisco IOS Software drop-down list.

Basic IP Connectivity to the Switch

The switch uses IP address information to communicate with the local routers and the Internet. You need this if you plan to use the CMS to configure and manage the switch. The switch also requires a secret password. The IP information is

•Switch IP address

•Subnet mask (IP netmask)

•Default gateway (router)

Once IP information is assigned, you can run the switch with its default settings or configure any settings to meet your network requirements.

The first time that you access the switch, it runs a setup program that prompts you enter this information. For information about running the setup program and assigning basic information to the switch, refer to the release notes.

Switch Software Releases

The switch software is regularly updated with new features and bug fixes, and you might want to upgrade your Catalyst 2950 with the latest software release. New software releases are posted on Cisco.com on the World Wide Web and are available through authorized resellers. Cisco also supplies a TFTP server that you can download from Cisco.com.

Before upgrading a switch, first find out the software version that the switch is running. You can do this by using the Software Upgrade window, by selecting Help > About, or by using the show version privileged EXEC command.

Knowing the software version is also important for compatibility reasons, especially for switch clusters. Refer to the release notes for this information:

•Compatibility requirements

•Upgrade guidelines and procedures and software reload information

Console Port Access

The switch console port provides switch access to a directly-attached terminal or PC or to a remote terminal or PC through a serial connection and a modem. For information about connecting to the switch console port, refer to the switch hardware installation guide.

Be sure that the switch console port settings match the settings of the terminal or PC. These are the default settings of the switch console port:

•Baud rate default is 9600.

•Data bits default is 8.

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Note If the data bits option is set to 8, set the parity option to None.

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•Stop bits default is 1.

•Parity settings default is None.

Make sure that you save any changes that you make to the switch console port settings to Flash memory. For information about saving changes from CMS, see the "Saving Your Changes" section. For information about saving changes from the CLI, see the "Saving Configuration Changes" section.

Telnet Access to the CLI

This procedure assumes that you have assigned IP information and a Telnet password to the switch or the command switch, as described in the release notes. Information about accessing the CLI through a Telnet session is in the "Accessing the CLI" section.

To configure the switch for Telnet access, follow these steps:

	Command	Purpose
Step 1		Attach a PC or workstation with emulation software to the switch console port. The default data characteristics of the switch console port are 9600, 8, 1, no parity. When the command line appears, go to Step 2.
Step 2	enable	Enter privileged EXEC mode.
Step 3	config terminal	Enter global configuration mode.
Step 4	line vty 0 15	Enter the interface configuration mode for the Telnet interface. There are 16 possible sessions on a command-capable switch. The 0 and 15 mean that you are configuring all 16 possible Telnet sessions.
Step 5	password <password>	Enter an enable secret password.
Step 6	end	Return to privileged EXEC mode so that you can verify the entry.
Step 7	show running-config	Display the running configuration. The password is listed under the command line vty 0 15
Step 8	copy running-config startup-config	(Optional) Save the running configuration to the startup configuration.

HTTP Access to CMS

CMS uses Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), which is an in-band form of communication with the switch through any one of its Ethernet ports and that allows switch management from a standard web browser. The default HTTP port is 80.

If you change the HTTP port, you must include the new port number when you enter the IP address in the browser Location or Address field (for example, http://10.1.126.45:184 where 184 is the new HTTP port number).

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Note The HTTP Port option on CMS is not available if your access level to the switch is read-only. For more information about the read-only access mode, see the"Access Modes in CMS" section .

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Do not disable or otherwise misconfigure the port through which your management station is communicating with the switch. You might want to write down the port number to which your station is connected. Make changes to the switch IP information with care.

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Note The HTTP Port option on CMS is not available if your access level to the switch is read-only. For more information about the read-only access mode see the "Access Modes in CMS" section.

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Refer to these topics in the release notes for information about accessing CMS:

•System requirements

•Running the setup program, which includes assigning a privilege-level 15 password for accessing CMS

•Installing the required Java plug-in

•Configuring your web browser

•Displaying the Cisco Systems Access page

You can also see the "Accessing CMS" section.

For information about connecting to a switch port, refer to the switch hardware installation guide.

SNMP Network Management Platforms

You can manage switches by using an Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)-compatible management station running such platforms as HP OpenView or SunNet Manager. CiscoWorks2000 and CiscoView 5.0 are network-management applications that you can use to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot Catalyst 2950 switches.

The switch supports a comprehensive set of Management Information Base (MIB) extensions and MIB II, the IEEE 802.1D bridge MIB, and four Remote Monitoring (RMON) groups, which this IOS software release supports. You can configure these groups by using an SNMP application or by using the CLI. The four supported groups are alarms, events, history, and statistics.

This section describes how to access MIB objects to configure and manage your switch. It provides this information:

•Using File Transfer Protocol (FTP) to access the MIB files

•Using SNMP to access the MIB variables

In a cluster configuration, the command switch manages communication between the SNMP management station and all switches in the cluster. For information about managing cluster switches through SNMP, see the "Using SNMP to Manage Switch Clusters" section.

When configuring your switch by using SNMP, note that certain combinations of port features create configuration conflicts. For more information, see the "Avoiding Configuration Conflicts" section.

SNMP Versions

This software release supports these SNMP versions:

•SNMPv1—The Simple Network Management Protocol, a Full Internet Standard, defined in RFC 1157.

•SNMPv2C, which has these features:

–SNMPv2—Version 2 of the Simple Network Management Protocol, a Draft Internet Standard, defined in RFCs 1902 through 1907.

–SNMPv2C—The Community-based Administrative Framework for SNMPv2, an Experimental Internet Protocol defined in RFC 1901.

SNMPv2C replaces the Party-based Administrative and Security Framework of SNMPv2Classic with the Community-based Administrative Framework of SNMPv2C while retaining the bulk retrieval and improved error handling of SNMPv2Classic.

Both SNMPv1 and SNMPv2C use a community-based form of security. The community of managers able to access the agent's MIB is defined by an IP address access control list and password. SNMPv2C includes a bulk retrieval mechanism and more detailed error message reporting to management stations.

The bulk retrieval mechanism retrieves tables and large quantities of information, minimizing the number of round-trips required. The SNMPv2C improved error-handling includes expanded error codes that distinguish different kinds of error conditions; these conditions are reported through a single error code in SNMPv1. Error return codes now report the error type.

Three kinds of exceptions are also reported: no such object exceptions, no such instance exceptions, and end of MIB view exceptions.

You must configure the SNMP agent to use the version of SNMP supported by the management station.An agent can communicate with multiple managers; for this reason, you can configure the software to support communications with one management station using the SNMPv1 protocol and another using the SNMPv2 protocol.

Using FTP to Access the MIB Files

You can obtain each MIB file with this procedure:

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Step 1 Use FTP to access the server ftp.cisco.com.

Step 2 Log in with the username anonymous.

Step 3 Enter your e-mail username when prompted for the password.

Step 4 At the ftp> prompt, change directories to /pub/mibs/supportlists.

Step 5 Change directories to this:

•wsc2950 for a list of Catalyst 2950 MIBs

Step 6 Use the get MIB_filename command to obtain a copy of the MIB file.

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You can also access this server from your browser by entering this URL in the Location field of your Netscape browser (the Address field in Internet Explorer):

ftp://ftp.cisco.com

Use the mouse to navigate to the folders listed above.

Using SNMP to Access MIB Variables

The switch MIB variables are accessible through SNMP, an application-layer protocol facilitating the exchange of management information between network devices. The SNMP system consists of these parts:

•The SNMP manager, which resides on the network management system (NMS)

•The SNMP agent, which resides on the switch

•The MIBs that reside on the switch but that can be compiled with your network management software

An example of an NMS is the CiscoWorks network management software. CiscoWorks2000 software uses the switch MIB variables to set device variables and to poll devices on the network for specific information. The results of a poll can be displayed as a graph and analyzed to troubleshoot internetworking problems, to increase network performance, to verify the configuration of devices, to monitor traffic loads, and more.

As shown in Figure 4-1, the SNMP agent gathers data from the MIB, which is the repository for information about device parameters and network data. The agent can send traps, or notification of certain events, to the SNMP manager, which receives and processes the traps. Traps are messages alerting the SNMP manager to a condition on the network such as improper user authentication, restarts, link status (up or down), and so forth. In addition, the SNMP agent responds to MIB-related queries sent by the SNMP manager in get-request, get-next-request, and set-request format.

The SNMP manager uses information in the MIB to perform the operations described in Table 4-1.

Figure 4-1 SNMP Network

Table 4-1 SNMP Operations

Operation	Description
get-request	Retrieves a value from a specific variable.
get-next-request	Retrieves a value from a variable within a table.1
get-response	Replies to a get-request, get-next-request, and set-request sent by an NMS.
set-request	Stores a value in a specific variable.
trap	An unsolicited message sent by an SNMP agent to an SNMP manager about some event that has occurred.

1 With this operation, an SNMP manager does not need to know the exact variable name. A sequential search is performed to find the needed variable from within a table.

Default Settings

The switch is designed for plug-and-play operation, requiring only that you assign basic IP information to the switch and connect it to the other devices in your network. For information about assigning basic IP information to the switch, see the "Basic IP Connectivity to the Switch" section and the release notes.

If you have specific network needs, you can configure the switch through its various management interfaces. Table 4-2 lists the key software features, their defaults, their page numbers in this guide, and where you can configure them from the command-line interface (CLI) and Cluster Management Suite (CMS).

Table 4-2 Default Settings and Where To Change Them 

Feature		Default Setting	Concepts and CLI Procedures	CMS Option
Cluster Management
	Enabling a Command Switch1	None	"Enabling a Command Switch" section. No CLI procedure provided. For the cluster commands, refer to the Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Command Reference.	Device Manager (not within a cluster session) from a command-capable switch Cluster > Create Cluster
	Creating a cluster1	None	"Creating a Switch Cluster" section. No CLI procedure. For the cluster commands, refer to the Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Command Reference.	Device Manager (not within a cluster session) from a command-capable switch Cluster > Create Cluster
	Adding and removing cluster members2	None	"Adding Member Switches" section. No CLI procedure. For the cluster commands, refer to the Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Command Reference.	Cluster > Add to Cluster and Cluster > Remove from Cluster
	Creating a standby command-switch group2	None	"Creating a Cluster Standby Group" section. No CLI procedure. For the cluster commands, refer to the Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Command Reference.	Cluster > Standby Commanders
	Upgrading cluster software	Enabled	"Switch Software Releases" section. Release notes on Cisco.com.	Administration > Software Upgrade
	Configuring SNMP community strings and trap managers	None	"SNMP Community Strings" section and "Configuring SNMP" section.	Administration > SNMP
Device Management
	Switch IP address, subnet mask, and default gateway	0.0.0.0	"Changing IP Information" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	Administration > IP Addresses
	Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)	DHCP client is enabled	"Using DHCP-Based Autoconfiguration" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	-
	HTTP Port	80	"HTTP Access to CMS" section.	Administration > HTTP Port
	Management VLAN	VLAN 1	"Management VLANs" section.	VLAN > Management VLAN
	Domain name	None	"Configuring the Domain Name and the DNS" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	Administration > IP Addresses
	Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP)	Enabled	"Configuring CDP" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	Cluster > Hop Count
	Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)	Enabled	"Managing the ARP Table" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	Administration > ARP
	CoS and WRR	Disabled	"CoS and WRR" section.	Device > QoS
	System Time Management	None	"Setting the System Date and Time" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	Administration > System Time
	Mac Address Notification	Disabled	"MAC Address Notification" section.	-
	Static address assignment	None assigned	"Adding and Removing Static Address Entries" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	Administration > MAC Addresses
	Dynamic address management	Enabled	"Managing the MAC Address Tables" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	Administration > MAC Addresses
	VLAN membership	-	"Assigning VLAN Port Membership Modes" section.	VLAN > VLAN
	VMPS Configuration	-	"How the VMPS Works" section.	VLAN > VMPS
	VTP Management	VTP server mode	"Configuring VTP" section.	VLAN > VLAN
Performance
	Configuring a port	None	"Configuring the Switch Ports."	Port > Port Settings
	Duplex mode	Auto	"Changing the Port Speed and Duplex Mode" section.	Port > Port Settings
	Speed on 10/100 ports	Auto	"Changing the Port Speed and Duplex Mode" section.	Port > Port Settings
	Gigabit Ethernet Flow		"Configuring Flooding Controls" section.	Port > Port Settings
Flooding Control
	Storm control	Disabled	"Configuring Flooding Controls" section.	Port > Flooding Control
	Flooding unknown unicast and multicast packets	Enabled	"Configuring Protected Ports" section.	Port > Flooding Control
	IGMP Snooping	Enabled	"Understanding and Configuring IGMP Snooping" section. "Enabling or Disabling IGMP Snooping" section. "Immediate-Leave Processing" section. "CLI: Configuring a Multicast Router Port" section.	Device > IGMP Snooping
	Multicast VLAN Registration (MVR)	Disabled	"Understanding Multicast VLAN Registration" section.	-
Network Redundancy
	Hot Standby Router Protocol	Disabled	"Creating a Cluster Standby Group" section.	Cluster > Standby Command Switches
	Spanning Tree Protocol	Enabled	"Configuring Basic STP Features" section. "Configuring Advanced STP Features" section.	Device > Spanning Tree Protocol (STP)
	Unidirectional link detection	Disabled	"Configuring UniDirectional Link Detection" section.	-
	Port grouping	None assigned	"Understanding the EtherChannel" section.	Port > EtherChannels
QoS and Security
	Access Control Lists (ACLs)3	None assigned	"Guidelines for Configuring ACLs on the Catalyst 2950 Switches" section. "Creating Standard and Extended IP ACLs" section.	Device > ACLs
	Quality of Service (QoS)3	Disabled	"Configuring Classification Using Port Trust States" section. "Configuring a QoS Policy" section. "Configuring CoS Maps" section.	Device > QoS
Diagnostics
	Displaying graphs and statistics	Enabled	-	Reports
	Switch Port Analyzer (SPAN) port monitoring	Disabled	"Configuring SPAN" section.	Port > Switch Port Analyzer (SPAN)
	Console, buffer, and file logging	Disabled	- Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	-
	Remote monitoring (RMON)	Disabled	"SNMP Network Management Platforms" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	-
	System Messages		"System Messages."	Report > System Messages
Security
	Password	None	"Passwords" section and "Changing the Password" section.	-
	Addressing security	Disabled	"Managing the MAC Address Tables" section.	Administration > MAC Addresses
	Trap manager	0.0.0.0	"Adding Trap Managers" section.	Administration > SNMP
	Community strings	public	"SNMP Community Strings" section and "Entering Community Strings" section. Documentation set for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 on Cisco.com.	Administration > SNMP
	Port security	Disabled	"Enabling Port Security" section.	Port > Port Security
	Terminal Access Controller Access Control System Plus (TACACS+)	Disabled	"Configuring TACACS+" section.	-
	Protected port	Disabled	"Configuring Protected Ports" section.	Port > Protected Port
	802.1X port-based authentication	Disabled	"Configuring 802.1X Authentication" section.	Device > 802.1X

1 Available only from a Device Manager session on a command-capable switch that is not a cluster member. 2 Available only from a cluster management session. 3 Available only on a switch running the enhanced software image.