Configuring Terminal Settings and Sessions

This chapter contains the following sections:

Information About Terminal Settings and Sessions

This section includes information about terminal settings and sessions.

Terminal Session Settings

The Cisco NX-OS software features allow you to manage the following characteristics of terminals:

Terminal type
Name used by Telnet when communicating with remote hosts
Length
Number of lines of command output displayed before pausing
Width
Number of characters displayed before wrapping the line
Inactive session timeout
Number of minutes that a session remains inactive before the device terminates it

Console Port

The console port is an asynchronous serial port that allows you to connect to the device for initial configuration through a standard RS-232 port with an RJ-45 connector. Any device connected to this port must be capable of asynchronous transmission. You can configure the following parameters for the console port:

Data bits
Specifies the number of bits in an 8-bit byte that is used for data.
Inactive session timeout
Specifies the number of minutes a session can be inactive before it is terminated.
Parity
Specifies the odd or even parity for error detection.
Speed
Specifies the transmission speed for the connection.
Stop bits
Specifies the stop bits for an asynchronous line.

Configure your terminal emulator with 9600 baud, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, and no parity.

Virtual Terminals

You can use virtual terminal lines to connect to your Cisco NX-OS device. Secure Shell (SSH) and Telnet create virtual terminal sessions. You can configure an inactive session timeout and a maximum sessions limit for virtual terminals.

Modem Support

You can connect a modem to the console ports only on the supervisor 1 module. The following modems were tested on devices running the Cisco NX-OS software:


Note

Do not connect a modem when the device is booting. Only connect the modem when the device is powered up.

The Cisco NX-OS software has the default initialization string (ATE0Q1&D2&C1S0=1\015) to detect connected modems. The default string is defined as follows:

AT
Attention
E0 (required)
No echo
Q1
Result code on
&D2
Normal data terminal ready (DTR) option
&C1
Enable tracking the state of the data carrier
S0=1
Pick up after one ring
\015 (required)
Carriage return in octal

Licensing Requirements for Terminal Settings and Sessions

The following table shows the licensing requirements for this feature:

Product

License Requirement

Cisco NX-OS

Terminal setting configuration requires no license. Any feature not included in a license package is bundled with the Cisco NX-OS system images and is provided at no extra charge to you. For a complete explanation of the Cisco NX-OS licensing scheme, see the .

Configuring the Console Port

You can set the following characteristics for the console port:

  • Data bits

  • Inactive session timeout

  • Parity

  • Speed

  • Stop bits

Before You Begin

Log in to the console port.

Procedure
     Command or ActionPurpose
    Step 1 configure terminal


    Example: 
    switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#
     

    Enters global configuration mode.

     
    Step 2 line console


    Example: 
    switch# line console
switch(config-console)#
     

    Enters console configuration mode.

     
    Step 3 databits bits


    Example: 
    switch(config-console)# databits 7
     

    Configures the number of data bits per byte. The range is from 5 to 8. The default is 8.

     
    Step 4 exec-timeout minutes


    Example: 
    switch(config-console)# exec-timeout 30
     

    Configures the timeout for an inactive session. The range is from 0 to 525600 minutes (8760 hours). A value of 0 minutes disables the session timeout. The default is 30 minutes.

     
    Step 5 parity {even | none | odd}


    Example: 
    switch(config-console)# parity even
     

    Configures the parity. The default is none.

     
    Step 6 speed {300 | 1200 | 2400 | 4800 | 9600 | 38400 | 57600 | 115200}


    Example: 
    switch(config-console)# speed 115200
     

    Configures the transmit and receive speed. The default is 115200.

     
    Step 7 stopbits {1 | 2}


    Example: 
    switch(config-console)# stopbits 2
     

    Configures the stop bits. The default is 1.

     
    Step 8 exit


    Example: 
    switch(config-console)# exit
switch(config)#
     

    Exits console configuration mode.

     
    Step 9 show line console


    Example: 
    switch(config)# show line console
          		(Optional)

    Displays the console settings.

     
    Step 10 copy running-config startup-config


    Example: 
    switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
          		(Optional)

    Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

     

    Configuring Virtual Terminals

    This section describes how to configure virtual terminals on Cisco NX-OS devices.

    Configuring the Inactive Session Timeout

    You can configure a timeout for inactive virtual terminal sessions on a Cisco NX-OS device.

    Procedure
       Command or ActionPurpose
      Step 1 configure terminal


      Example: 
      switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#
       

      Enters global configuration mode.

       
      Step 2 line vty


      Example: 
      switch# line vty
switch(config-line)#
       

      Enters line configuration mode.

       
      Step 3 exec-timeout minutes


      Example: 
      switch(config-line)# exec-timeout 30
       

      Configures the inactive session timeout. The range is from 0 to 525600 minutes (8760 hours). A value of 0 minutes disables the timeout. The default value is 30.

       
      Step 4 exit


      Example: 
      switch(config-line)# exit
switch(config)#
       

      Exits line configuration mode.

       
      Step 5 show running-config all | begin vty


      Example: 
      switch(config)# show running-config all | begin vty
              		(Optional)

      Displays the virtual terminal configuration.

       
      Step 6 copy running-config startup-config


      Example: 
      switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
              		(Optional)

      Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

       

      Configuring the Session Limit

      You can limit the number of virtual terminal sessions on your Cisco NX-OS device.

      Procedure
         Command or ActionPurpose
        Step 1 configure terminal


        Example: 
        switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#
         

        Enters global configuration mode.

         
        Step 2 line vty


        Example: 
        switch# line vty
switch(config-line)#
         

        Enters line configuration mode.

         
        Step 3 session-limit sessions


        Example: 
        switch(config-line)# session-limit 10
         

        Configures the maximum number of virtual sessions for the Cisco NX-OS device. The range is from 1 to 60. The default is 32.

         
        Step 4 exit


        Example: 
        switch(config-line)# exit
switch(config)#
         

        Exits line configuration mode.

         
        Step 5 show running-config all | being vty


        Example: 
        switch(config)# show running-config all | begin vty
                  		(Optional)

        Displays the virtual terminal configuration.

         
        Step 6 copy running-config startup-config


        Example: 
        switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
                  		(Optional)

        Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

         

        Configuring Modem Connections

        You can connect a modem to the console port.

        Enabling a Modem Connection

        You must enable the modem connection on the port before you can use the modem.

        Before You Begin

        Log in to the console port.

        Procedure
           Command or ActionPurpose
          Step 1 configure terminal


          Example: 
          switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#
           

          Enters global configuration mode.

           
          Step 2line console
           

          Enters console configuration mode.

           
          Step 3 modem in
           

          Enables modem input on the port.

           
          Step 4 exit
           

          Exits console configuration mode.

           
          Step 5 show line


          Example: 
          switch(config)# show line
                      		(Optional)

          Displays the console settings.

           
          Step 6 copy running-config startup-config


          Example: 
          switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
                      		(Optional)

          Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

           

          Downloading the Default Initialization String

          The Cisco NX-OS software provides a default initialization string that you can download for connecting with the modem. The default initialization string is ATE0Q1&D2&C1S0=1\015.

          Before You Begin

          Log in to the console port.

          Procedure
             Command or ActionPurpose
            Step 1 configure terminal


            Example: 
            switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#
             

            Enters global configuration mode.

             
            Step 2line console
                          		 
            Step 3 modem init-string default
             

            Writes the default initialization string to the modem.

             
            Step 4 exit
             

            Exits console configuration mode.

             
            Step 5 show line


            Example: 
            switch(config)# show line
                          		(Optional)

            Displays the console settings.

             
            Step 6 copy running-config startup-config


            Example: 
            switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
                          		(Optional)

            Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

             

            Configuring and Downloading a User-Specified Initialization String

            You can configure and download your own initialization when the default initialization string is not compatible with your modem.

            Before You Begin

            Log in to the console port.

            Procedure
               Command or ActionPurpose
              Step 1 configure terminal


              Example: 
              switch# configure terminal
switch(config)#
               

              Enters global configuration mode.

               
              Step 2line console
                              		 
              Step 3 modem set-string user-input string
               

              Sets the user-specified initialization string for the console port. The initialization string is alphanumeric and case sensitive, can contain special characters, and has a maximum of 100 characters.

              Note   

              You must first set the user-input string before initializing the string.

               
              Step 4 modem init-string user-input
               

              Writes the user-specified initialization string to the modem connected to the console port.

               
              Step 5 exit
               

              Exits console configuration mode.

               
              Step 6 show line


              Example: 
              switch(config)# show line
                              		(Optional)

              Displays the console settings.

               
              Step 7 copy running-config startup-config


              Example: 
              switch(config)# copy running-config 
startup-config
                              		(Optional)

              Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

               

              Initializing a Modem for a Powered-Up Cisco NX-OS Device

              If you connect a modem to a powered-up physical device, you must initialize the modem before you can use it.

              Before You Begin

              After waiting until the Cisco NX-OS device has completed the boot sequence and the system image is running, connect the modem to either the console port on the device.

              Enable the modem connection on the port.

              Procedure
                 Command or ActionPurpose
                Step 1 modem connect line console}


                Example: 
                switch# modem connect line console
                 

                Initializes the modem connected to the device.

                 

                Clearing Terminal Sessions

                You can clear terminal sessions on the Cisco NX-OS device.

                Procedure
                   Command or ActionPurpose
                  Step 1 show users


                  Example: 
                  switch# show users
                                      		(Optional)

                  Displays the user sessions on the device.

                   
                  Step 2 clear line name


                  Example: 
                  switch# clear line pts/0
                   

                  Clears a terminal session on a specific line. The line name is case sensitive.

                   

                  Displaying Terminal and Session Information

                  To display terminal and session information, perform one of the following tasks:

                  Command

                  Purpose

                  show terminal

                  Displays terminal settings.

                  show line

                  Displays the console ports settings.

                  show users

                  Displays virtual terminal sessions.

                  show running-config [all]

                  Displays the user account configuration in the running configuration. The all keyword displays the default values for the user accounts.

                  For detailed information about the fields in the output from these commands, see the Cisco Nexus command reference guide for your device.

                  Default Settings for File System Parameters

                  This table lists the default settings for the file system parameters.

                  Table 1 Default File System Settings

                  Parameters

                  Default

                  Default filesystem

                  bootflash:

                  Additional References for Terminal Settings and Sessions

                  This section includes additional references for terminal settings and sessions on NX-OS devices.

                  Related Documents for Terminal Settings and Sessions

                  Related Topic

                  Document Title

                  Licensing

                  Cisco NX-OS Licensing Guide

                  Command reference

                  Cisco Nexus 3000 Command Reference