Updated: 2026-10-23
Basis: Phase 2, October 22 switch handoff, and verified Phase 5 work.
How to read: USED = command or command pattern documented in earlier lab work; REFERENCE = useful interpretation or safe alternative, not necessarily executed. Commands with IPs or interface numbers are device-specific examples, not instructions to repeat.
Safety: Read-only
showcommands are safe to practice. Configuration commands alter devices. Never paste a CORE-01 interface or IP into another device without checking its actual ports and address plan. Preserve existing trunks and VLAN 100 access to Proxmox.
| Command / action | What it does | Why we used it | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
enable |
Enters privileged EXEC mode (#). |
Allows verification and configuration commands. | USED |
configure terminal (or conf t) |
Enters global configuration mode ((config)#). |
Starts modifying switch settings. | USED |
interface GigabitEthernet1/0/3 |
Selects a specific physical port. | Configured CORE-01's PVE02 management port. | USED |
interface Vlan100 |
Opens the VLAN 100 switch virtual interface (SVI). | Assigned a reachable management IP to each switch. | USED |
end |
Returns directly to privileged EXEC mode. | Finished configuration batches before verification. | USED |
? |
Displays command help / possible completions. | Useful for checking IOS syntax. | REFERENCE |
Q at --More-- |
Quits paginated output. | Returned to prompt after long switchport output. | USED |
Watch your prompt: SW-CORE-01> = user EXEC; SW-CORE-01# = privileged EXEC; (config)# = global configuration; (config-if)# = interface configuration.
| Command | What it shows | Why we used it | Scope |
|---|---|---|---|
show interfaces GigabitEthernet1/0/3 status |
Port link status, access VLAN, duplex and speed. | Checked notconnect before wiring, then connected after replacing PVE02's cable. |
USED |
show running-config interface GigabitEthernet1/0/3 |
Current, unsaved configuration of that interface. | Ensured target ports were at defaults before changing them. | USED |
show interfaces GigabitEthernet1/0/3 switchport |
Administrative mode, operational mode, access VLAN, trunk negotiation. | Caught a wrong/unapplied configuration: dynamic auto, VLAN 1 instead of static access VLAN 100. |
USED |
show ip interface brief |
IP address and state of all Layer 3 interfaces. | Inspected management SVI state. | USED |
show ip interface brief | include Vlan100 |
Filters to the VLAN 100 SVI. | Verified CORE-01's .2 was up/up and inspected other switches. |
USED |
show vlan brief |
VLAN definitions and access-port membership. | Verified VLANs 100, 110, 120, 130, 210, 220 on all switches. | USED (earlier phase) |
show interfaces trunk |
Existing operational trunks, allowed/forwarding VLANs. | Verified the three inter-switch 802.1Q trunks. | USED (earlier phase) |
show spanning-tree vlan 100 |
STP root and port roles for VLAN 100. | Validated spanning tree state. | USED (earlier phase) |
show spanning-tree root |
Root bridge for each VLAN. | Verified CORE-01 as root from CORE-02. | USED (earlier phase) |
show version |
Model, IOS version and licensing information. | Identified Cisco hardware/software and licensing limits. | USED (earlier phase) |
show startup-config |
Saved boot configuration. | Useful for checking whether changes persist. | REFERENCE / previously requested check |
Important: IOS include filtering matched Vlan100 but not lowercase vlan100 in the Phase 5 session. An empty filtered result is not always proof that an interface is absent; check the full output when in doubt.
USED on SW-CORE-01 Gi1/0/1 (OptiPlex), Gi1/0/2 (PVE01), and Gi1/0/3 (PVE02):
configure terminal
interface GigabitEthernet1/0/3
description PVE02_PROXMOX_MANAGEMENT
switchport mode access
switchport access vlan 100
spanning-tree portfast
no shutdown
end
| Line | Meaning | Why |
|---|---|---|
description ... |
Records the attached device in the switch configuration. | Makes troubleshooting and port mapping easier. |
switchport mode access |
Forces the interface to be an access port, not a negotiated trunk. | Proxmox management nic0 and the desktop use untagged VLAN 100 traffic. |
switchport access vlan 100 |
Assigns untagged traffic on that port to VLAN 100. | Places management devices in the same Layer 2 broadcast domain. |
spanning-tree portfast |
Lets a host-facing access port move to forwarding rapidly. | Reduces link startup delay for end devices. Do not use on actual switch-to-switch links without a deliberate design. |
no shutdown |
Administratively enables an interface. | Makes it eligible to bring up when a cable/peer is active. |
Verification (USED):
show interfaces GigabitEthernet1/0/3 switchport
show interfaces GigabitEthernet1/0/3 status
Expected for the connected PVE02 port: Administrative Mode: static access, Access Mode VLAN: 100 (MANAGEMENT), and status connected. Trunking VLANs Enabled: ALL within show ... switchport does not mean an access port is presently trunking.
USED on CORE-01 with .2; other switches have unique addresses. Do not paste .2 onto all four.
configure terminal
interface Vlan100
description NETWORK_MANAGEMENT
ip address 192.168.100.2 255.255.255.0
no shutdown
end
show ip interface brief | include Vlan100
| Line | Meaning | Why |
|---|---|---|
interface Vlan100 |
Creates/selects the Layer 3 interface associated with VLAN 100. | Gives the switch an endpoint for management IP communications. |
ip address ... 255.255.255.0 |
Sets the unique static address and /24 mask. |
Lets the Rocky desktop ping and eventually manage the switch. |
no shutdown |
Enables the SVI. | Allows it to operate if the VLAN has an active forwarding Layer 2 path. |
show ip interface brief ... |
Confirms address and up/down states. | CORE-01's Vlan100 was screenshot-verified up/up. |
Verified management IP plan:
| Device | VLAN 100 management IP |
|---|---|
| SW-CORE-01 | 192.168.100.2/24 |
| SW-CORE-02 | 192.168.100.3/24 |
| SW-ACCESS-01 | 192.168.100.4/24 |
| SW-ACCESS-02 | 192.168.100.5/24 |
Why this works without a router: The OptiPlex, switch SVIs, and Proxmox hosts have addresses in the same 192.168.100.0/24 subnet and are connected within VLAN 100 through the access ports and inter-switch trunks. No inter-VLAN routing or gateway at 192.168.100.1 was verified.
copy running-config startup-config
| Part | Meaning |
|---|---|
running-config |
Current live configuration. |
startup-config |
Configuration loaded when the switch starts. |
USED: Saved all four management switch configurations, and saved CORE-01 after the Proxmox port work. At Destination filename [startup-config]?, press Enter. [OK] indicates successful save.
| Command / pattern | Why it appeared in the lab | Caution |
|---|---|---|
hostname SW-CORE-01 |
Set meaningful device names in Phase 2. | Unique hostname per device. |
vlan 100 with name MANAGEMENT |
Created the management VLAN. | VLAN creation by itself gives no IP address or end-host connectivity. |
switchport mode trunk |
Used on three inter-switch uplinks. | Never apply to the untagged OptiPlex or current PVE management ports. |
switchport trunk allowed vlan 100,110,120,130,210,220 |
Controlled which VLANs the three trunks carry. | Changing allowed VLANs can disrupt working management. |
spanning-tree vlan 100,110,120,130,210,220 priority 4096 |
Made CORE-01 primary spanning-tree root. | Root selection is topology-wide; do not casually change. |
spanning-tree vlan 100,110,120,130,210,220 priority 8192 |
Set CORE-02 as preferred secondary root. | Does not create a redundant path by itself. |
reload |
Used during initial device preparation to verify persistent names. | Interrupts service; not part of routine Phase 5 work. |
Phase 6 tip: Start with read-only inspection. Keep existing CORE-01 Gi1/0/1, /2, /3 management access and the trunk ports /47, /48 intact.