Chapter 5: Switch

Configuration

Routing and Switching Essentials v6.0

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 Chapter 5 - Sections & Objectives
5.1 Basic Switch Configuration
• Configure initial settings on a Cisco switch.
• Configure switch ports to meet network requirements.

5.2 Switch Security: Management and Implementation

• Configure the management virtual interface on a switch.
• Configure the port security feature to restrict network access.

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 5.1 Basic Switch
Configuration

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Configure a Switch with Initial Settings
Switch Boot Sequence
1. Power-on self test (POST).
2. Run boot loader software.
3. Boot loader performs low-level CPU initialization.
4. Boot loader initializes the flash file system.
5. Boot loader locates and loads a default IOS operating system software
image into memory and passes control of the switch over to the IOS.

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Configure a Switch with Initial Settings
Switch Boot Sequence (cont.)
To find a suitable Cisco IOS image, the switch goes through the following steps:
Step 1. It attempts to automatically boot by using information in the BOOT environment
variable.
Step 2. If this variable is not set, the switch performs a top-to-bottom search through the flash
file system. It loads and executes the first executable file, if it can.
Step 3. The IOS software then initializes the interfaces using the Cisco IOS commands found
in the configuration file and startup configuration, which is stored in NVRAM.
Note: The boot system command can be used to set the BOOT environment variable. Use the
show boot command to see to what the current IOS boot file is set.

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Configure a Switch with Initial Settings
Recovering From a System Crash

The boot loader can also be used to manage the switch if the IOS cannot
be loaded.

The boot loader can be accessed through a console connection by:
1. Connecting a PC by console cable to the switch console port. Unplug
the switch power cord.
2. Reconnecting the power cord to the switch and press and hold
the Mode button.
3. The System LED turns briefly amber and then solid green. Release
the Mode button.

The boot loader switch: prompt appears in the terminal emulation
software on the PC.

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Configure a Switch with Initial Settings
Switch LED Indicators

Each port on Cisco Catalyst switches have status LED indicator lights.

By default, these LED lights reflect port activity, but they can also provide other information
about the switch through the Mode button.

The following modes are available on Cisco Catalyst 2960 switches:
• System LED
• Redundant Power System (RPS) LED
• Port Status LED
• Port Duplex LED
• Port Speed LED
• Power over Ethernet (PoE) Mode LED

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Configure a Switch with Initial Settings
Preparing for Basic Switch Management
To remotely manage a Cisco switch, it must be configured to access the
network.

A console cable is used to connect a PC to the console port of a switch for configuration.

The IP information (address, subnet mask, gateway) is to be assigned to a switch virtual
interface (SVI).

If managing the switch from a remote network, a default gateway must also be configured.

Although these IP settings allow remote management and remote access to the switch, they
do not allow the switch to route Layer 3 packets.

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Configure a Switch with Initial Settings
Configuring Switch Management Access

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Configure a Switch with Initial Settings
Configuring Switch Management Access
(cont.)

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Configure a Switch with Initial Settings
Configuring Switch Management Access
(cont.)

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Configure Switch Ports
Duplex Communication

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Configure Switch Ports
Configure Switch Ports at the Physical Layer

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Configure Switch Ports
Auto-MDIX

Certain cable types (straight-through or crossover) were historically required when
connecting devices.

The automatic medium-dependent interface crossover (auto-MDIX) feature eliminates
this problem.

When auto-MDIX is enabled, the interface automatically detects and appropriately
configures the connection.

When using auto-MDIX on an interface, the interface speed and duplex must be set to
auto.

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Configure Switch Ports
Auto-MDIX (cont.)

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Configure Switch Ports
Auto-MDIX (cont.)

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Configure Switch Ports
Verifying Switch Port Configuration

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Configure Switch Ports
Network Access Layer Issue

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Configure Switch Ports
Network Access Layer Issue (cont.)

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Configure Switch Ports
Troubleshooting Network Access Layer
Issues

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 5.2 Switch Security:
Management and
Implementation

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Secure Remote Access
SSH Operation

Secure Shell (SSH) is a protocol that provides a secure (encrypted),
command-line based connection to a remote device.

Because of strong encryption features, SSH should replace Telnet for
management connections.

SSH uses TCP port 22, by default.

Telnet uses TCP port 23.

A version of the IOS software, including cryptographic (encrypted)
features and capabilities, is required to enable SSH on Catalyst 2960
switches.

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Secure Remote Access
Configuring SSH

1. Verify SHH Support –

show ip ssh

2. Configure the IP
domain.

3. Generate RSA key

pairs.

4. Configure user
authentication.

5. Configure the vty lines.

6. Enable SSH version 2.

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Secure Remote Access
Verifying SSH

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Secure Remote Access
Verifying SSH (cont.)

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Switch Port Security
Secure Unused Ports

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Switch Port Security
Port Security: Operation

The MAC addresses of legitimate devices are allowed access, while
other MAC addresses are denied.

Any additional attempts to connect by unknown MAC addresses
generate a security violation.

Secure MAC addresses can be configured in a number of ways:

Static secure MAC addresses – manually configured and added
to running configuration - switchport port-security mac-
address mac-address

Dynamic secure MAC addresses – removed when switch restarts

Sticky secure MAC addresses – added to running configuration
and learned dynamically - switchport port-security
mac-address sticky interface configuration mode command

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Switch Port Security
Port Security: Violation Modes

IOS considers a security violation when:

The maximum number of secure MAC addresses for that interface have
been added to the CAM, and a station whose MAC address is not in the
address table attempts to access the interface.

There are three possible actions to take when a violation is detected:

Protect – no notification received

Restrict – notification received of security violation

Shutdown

switchport port-security
violation {protect | restrict |shutdown} interface
configuration mode command

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Switch Port Security
Port Security: Violation Modes (cont.)

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Switch Port Security
Port Security: Configuring

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Switch Port Security
Port Security: Verifying

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Switch Port Security
Port Security: Verifying (cont.)

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Switch Port Security
Ports in Error Disabled State

A port security violation can put a switch in error disabled state.

A port in error disabled is effectively shutdown.

The switch communicates these events through console messages.

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Switch Port Security
Ports in Error Disabled State (cont.)

The show interface

command also reveals a
switch port on error disabled
state.

A shutdown or no shutdown
interface configuration mode
command must be issued to re-
enable the port.

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 5.3 Chapter Summary

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Chapter Summary
Summary

Cisco LAN switch boot sequence.

Cisco LAN switch LED modes.

How to remotely access and manage a Cisco LAN switch through a secure connection.

Cisco LAN switch port duplex modes.

Cisco LAN switch port security, violation modes, and actions.

Best practices for switched networks.

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Chapter Summary
Summary

When a Cisco LAN switch is first powered on it goes through the following boot sequence:
1. First, the switch loads a power-on self-test (POST) program stored in ROM. POST
checks the CPU subsystem. It tests the CPU, DRAM, and the portion of the flash
device that makes up the flash file system.
2. Next, the switch loads the boot loader software. The boot loader is a small program
stored in ROM and is run immediately after POST successfully completes.
3. The boot loader performs low-level CPU initialization. It initializes the CPU registers,
which control where physical memory is mapped, the quantity of memory, and its
speed.
4. The boot loader initializes the flash file system on the system board.
5. Finally, the boot loader locates and loads a default IOS operating system software
image into memory and gives control of the switch over to the IOS.

If the Cisco IOS files are missing or damaged, the boot loader program can be used to
reload or recover from the problem.

The operational status of the switch is displayed by a series of LEDs on the front panel.
These LEDs display such things as port status, duplex, and speed.

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Chapter Summary
Summary

An IP address is configured on the SVI of the management VLAN to allow for remote
configuration of the device. A default gateway belonging to the management VLAN must be
configured on the switch using the ip default-gateway command. If the default gateway is
not properly configured, remote management is not possible.

It is recommended that Secure Shell (SSH) be used to provide a secure (encrypted)
management connection to a remote device to prevent the sniffing of unencrypted user
names and passwords, which is possible when using protocols such as Telnet.

One of the advantages of a switch is that it allows full-duplex communication between
devices, effectively doubling the communication rate. Although it is possible to specify the
speed and duplex settings of a switch interface, it is recommended that the switch be
allowed to set these parameters automatically to avoid errors.

Port security is only one defense against network compromise.

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