Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Device Configuration and Operations Syllabus

Device Configuration and Operations syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Device Configuration and Operations in Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Cisco IOS Command-Line Interface

   3 topics

   • IOS command modes
     • User EXEC and privileged EXEC
     • Global and interface configuration
   • Navigation, help, and shortcuts
     • Context-sensitive help
     • Command abbreviation and editing
   • Initial device setup
     • Hostname and banners
     • Management IP and default gateway
2. 2

   Configuration and IOS File Management

   3 topics

   • Running vs startup configuration
     • Saving and erasing configs
     • Backup and restore
   • IOS image and license management
     • Flash and the boot process
     • Upgrading IOS images
   • Password recovery and config register
3. 3

   Verification and Troubleshooting Methodology

   4 topics

   • Connectivity testing tools
     • ping and extended ping
     • traceroute
   • Show command toolkit
     • show ip interface brief
     • show running-config
     • show ip route and show mac address-table
   • Structured troubleshooting approach
     • Layered (bottom-up/top-down) methods
     • Isolating fault domains
   • Debugging and live diagnostics

Device Configuration and Operations flashcards for Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)

21 of 59 cards from the Device Configuration and Operations deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. What are the three primary IOS command modes a user passes through, in order of increasing privilege?

   User EXEC mode, Privileged EXEC mode, and Global Configuration mode.

2. What does the router prompt 'Router>' indicate?

   User EXEC mode — limited, read-only commands (basic show, ping, telnet); no configuration changes allowed.

3. What does the prompt 'Router#' indicate, and how do you reach it?

   Privileged EXEC (enable) mode; reached from user EXEC by typing 'enable'. It allows full show/debug commands and access to configuration mode.

4. What command enters Global Configuration mode, and what prompt appears?

   'configure terminal' (conf t); the prompt becomes 'Router(config)#'.

5. What prompt indicates you are in interface configuration mode?

   'Router(config-if)#', entered with a command like 'interface GigabitEthernet0/0'.

6. What command moves you back exactly one configuration sub-mode level?

   'exit' — it backs out one level. 'end' (or Ctrl+Z) returns directly to privileged EXEC from any config sub-mode.

7. What is the function of the '?' character in the IOS CLI?

   Context-sensitive help: typed alone it lists available commands; after a partial command or word it shows valid next keywords/arguments.

8. In IOS, what does typing 'sh ?' (with a space) versus 'sh?' (no space) do?

   'sh ?' lists keywords that can follow the 'sh' command; 'sh?' lists all commands beginning with 'sh' (command completion help).

9. What keyboard shortcut moves the cursor to the beginning of the command line in IOS?

   Ctrl+A. (Ctrl+E moves to the end of the line.)

10. What is the IOS shortcut to recall previously entered commands?

    The Up arrow or Ctrl+P recalls the previous command; the Down arrow or Ctrl+N recalls the next command from the history buffer.

11. What does the Tab key do at the IOS CLI?

    It completes a partially typed command keyword (when enough characters are entered to be unique).

12. What IOS shortcut interrupts a running process such as a long ping, traceroute, or DNS lookup?

    Ctrl+Shift+6 (the break sequence).

13. What is the purpose of the global command 'no ip domain-lookup'?

    It disables DNS lookups so that a mistyped command isn't interpreted as a hostname, preventing the annoying name-resolution delay.

14. Which command sets the device name, and in what mode is it issued?

    'hostname <name>' in global configuration mode.

15. What command encrypts the privileged EXEC password and stores it as an MD5/SHA hash rather than clear text?

    'enable secret <password>'. (The older 'enable password' stores it in clear/weak form and is overridden by enable secret.)

16. What command encrypts all plaintext passwords (like line and enable passwords) in the configuration file?

    'service password-encryption' (uses weak Cisco type 7 encryption).

17. What three commands secure console access with a password and force login?

    'line console 0', then 'password <pw>', then 'login'.

18. What is the purpose of 'login local' on a VTY or console line?

    It tells the line to authenticate using the local username/password database (created with 'username ... secret ...') instead of just a line password.

19. How many VTY (Telnet/SSH) lines are typically available, and how are they referenced?

    By default 0–4 (five lines); many platforms support 0–15 (sixteen lines), referenced as 'line vty 0 15'.

20. What command configures a message-of-the-day banner displayed before login?

    'banner motd #<message>#' where # is any chosen delimiting character not used in the text.

21. What is the difference between the running configuration and the startup configuration?

    Running-config is the active config in RAM (volatile, lost on reload); startup-config is saved in NVRAM and loaded at boot.

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