Cisco APIC Getting Started Guide, Release 6.2(x)

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Access the NX-OS style CLI

Updated: January 12, 2026

Overview

This topic explains how to access the APIC NX-OS style CLI via terminal or GUI and outlines critical operational guidelines. It covers administrative privilege requirements, syntax differences from standard NX-OS, and mandatory SSH client versions for FIPS-enabled setups.

You can access the APIC NX-OS style CLI either directly from a terminal or through the APIC GUI.

Guidelines for the APIC NX-OS style CLI

  • The CLI is supported only for users with administrative login privileges.

  • The APIC NX-OS style CLI uses similar syntax and other conventions to the Cisco NX-OS CLI, but the APIC operating system is not a version of Cisco NX-OS software. Do not assume that a Cisco NX-OS CLI command works with or has the same function on the APIC CLI.

  • If FIPS is enabled in the Cisco ACI setups, then SHA256 support is mandatory on the SSH Client. Additionally, to have the SHA256 support, the openssh-client must be running version 6.6.1 or higher.

  • The object model CLI is available by typing the bash command at the initial CLI prompt.

Access the NX-OS style CLI from a terminal

Use this procedure to access the NX-OS style CLI from a terminal.

Procedure

1.

From a secure shell (SSH) client, open an SSH connection to APIC at username@ip-address .

Use the administrator login name and the out-of-band management IP address that you configured during the initial setup. For example, admin@192.168.10.1.

2.

When prompted, enter the administrator password.

What to do next

When you enter the NX-OS style CLI, the initial command level is the EXEC level. You can stay in EXEC mode or you can type configure to enter global configuration mode. In any mode, type ? to see the available commands.

For information about using the NX-OS style CLI commands, see the Cisco APIC NX-OS Style Command-Line Interface Configuration Guide and the Cisco APIC NX-OS Style CLI Command Reference.

Access the NX-OS style CLI from the GUI

Use this procedure to access the NX-OS style CLI from the APIC GUI.

Procedure

1.

From the menu bar, choose System > Controllers.

2.

In the navigation pane, click Controllers.
3.

Right-click the desired APIC and choose Launch SSH.
4.

Follow the displayed instructions to open an SSH session to the selected controller.

What to do next

When you enter the NX-OS style CLI, the initial command level is the EXEC level. You can stay in EXEC mode or you can type configure to enter global configuration mode. In any mode, type ? to see the available commands.

For information about using the NX-OS style CLI commands, see the Cisco APIC NX-OS Style Command-Line Interface Configuration Guide and the Cisco APIC NX-OS Style CLI Command Reference.