Router and Switch Administrative Configurations

This post has no concern with your Router or Switch work on a network, but still it is a very important one. In here, we will learn some commands that will help you administer your network. Following are those administrative functions, which you can use to make your job simply done. None of these will make your router or switch work faster or better on the network, but believe me it will make your life lot better if you just take the time and configure them in each and every network device available in your internetwork. These are Hostnames, Banners, Passwords, and Interface descriptions. As we have already discussed the cisco router passwords in depth so no need to revise it here, instead i will link it with this post so that you would be able to find it easily.

Part1: Router and Switch Administrative Configurations
         i.   Hostnames
         ii.  Banners
         iii. Descriptions

Part2: Cisco Router Password in depth

The above mentioned commands make the troubleshooting and maintaining cisco ip networks sooooo much easier than ever.

Hostnames

The hostname command is used to set the identity of a router or switch. The hostname can be anything but it is better to be descriptive that is why i suggest to use something pertinent to the location. By assigning a hostname that is somehow relevant to the device location will make your administration lot much easier as well as will ensure you that you are actually configuring the right device.

example

Router>
Router>enable
Router#configure terminal
Router(config)#hostname mynetworkinglabs
Mynetworkinglabs(config)#

Banners

Banner is used to give a little security notice for all those who dare attempt to telnet or dial into your internetwork. In addition, it is use to give exactly the information you want them to have. Following are the four types of banners available in cisco IOS

• Message of the Day banner (MOTD)
• Exec process creation banner
• Incoming terminal line banner
• Login banner

1. Setting message of the day banner (MOTD)



Mynetworkinglabs(config)#banner motd ^ welcome to my networking labs this is motd banner ^
Mynetworkinglabs(config)#


The ^ sign indicates the start and the end of the message, you can use any special character instead of it.


2. Setting Exec process creation banner



Mynetworkinglabs(config)#banner exec # Welcome to my networking labs this is the exec banner #Mynetworkinglabs(config)#


This time i have used the # sign so that you would understand that it is not always important to use the ^ sign to indicate the start and end of the message, you can use any special character you want.


3. Incomming Signal banner



Mynetworkinglabs(config)#banner incomming $ this is the incomming banner $Mynetworkinglabs(config)#



4. Login Banner



Mynetworkinglabs(config)#banner login ^ this is the login banner ^
Mynetworkinglabs(config)#

Descriptions

With hostname you can identify a router or switch, but what about a specific port in a switch or router. The description command is use to identify the port, it is also very helpful for the administrators. For example if you come to a router a year after configuring it you may not remember which port goes to HR department and which one goes to Finance. By adding details using the description command everyone would be able to know the route of every individual port.

example

Mynetworkinglabs(config)#interface FastEthernet 0/0
Mynetworkinglabs(config-if)#description Connected to HR Department
Mynetworkinglabs(config-if)#exit
Mynetworkinglabs(config)

Conclusion

After the above lab configurations you would be able to give the security notice, warnning or any other information you want to give for all those who attempt to login in your device. you also come to know that FastEthernet 0/0 is connected to HR Department simply by using the show interface command in privilege mode, and that this routers hostname is Mynetworkinglabs which identifies the router very well. i just hope that this post might be useful for you and you might have been benefited form it. till the upcoming tutorial post have a Happy Routing everyone.