Cisco APIC Getting Started Guide, Release 6.2(x)

Access the object model CLI

Updated: January 12, 2026

Overview

This topic explains how to access and navigate the object model CLI from the NX-OS style CLI using a secure shell (SSH) connection, including steps to enter and exit the object model CLI and recommendations for directory usage.

Use this procedure to access the object model CLI. The object model CLI is available by typing the bash command at the initial CLI prompt.

Procedure

	1.	From a secure shell (SSH) client, open an SSH connection to 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, `ssh admin@192.168.10.1`.
	2.	When prompted, enter the administrator password that you configured during the initial setup. You are now in the NX-OS style CLI for APIC.
	3.	Type bash to enter the object model CLI.
	4.	To return to the NX-OS style CLI, type exit . This example shows how to enter the object model CLI and how to return to the NX-OS style CLI: `$ ssh admin@192.168.10.1 Application Policy Infrastructure Controller admin@192.168.10.1's password: cisco123 apic# <---- NX-OS style CLI prompt apic# bash admin@apic1:~> <---- object model CLI prompt admin@apic1:~> exit apic#`

What to do next

Every user must use the shared directory called /home. This directory gives permissions for a user to create directories and files; files created within /home inherit the default umask permissions and are accessible by the user and by root. We recommend that users create a /home/userid directory to store files, such as /home/jsmith, when logging in for the first time.

For detailed information about configuring the APIC CLI, see the Cisco APIC Object Model Command Line Interface User Guide.

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