Performing Basic System Management

This module describes the basic tasks that you can perform to manage the general system features of the Cisco
IOS software--those features that are generally not specific to a particular protocol.
• Information About Performing Basic System Management, on page 1
• How to Perform Basic System Management, on page 4
• Configuration Examples for Performing Basic System Management, on page 10
• Additional References, on page 10
• Feature Information for Performing Basic System Management, on page 11

Information About Performing Basic System Management

System Name
The system name, also called the hostname, is used to uniquely identify the system in your network. The
system name is displayed at the CLI prompt. If no name is configured, the system default name is Router.

Command Aliases
Command aliases allow you to configure alternative syntax for commands. You may want to create aliases
for commonly used or complex commands. For example, you could assign the alias save config to the copy
running-config startup-config command to reduce the amount of typing you have to perform, or if your
users might find the save config command easier to remember. Use word substitutions or abbreviations to
tailor the command syntax for you and your user community.
Remember that any aliases you configure will be effective only on your system, and that the original command
syntax will appear in the configuration file.

Minor Services
Minor services are small servers that run on your routing device and are useful for basic system testing and
for providing basic network functions. Minor services are useful for testing connections from another host on
the network.
Cisco small servers are conceptually equivalent to daemons.

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BOOTP Server

Small servers provided by Cisco IOS software-based devices include TCP, UDP, HTTP, Bootstrap Protocol
(BOOTP), and Finger. For information about the HTTP server, see the “Using the Cisco Web Browser User
Interface” chapter in the Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Configuration Guide.
The TCP small server provides the following minor services:
• Chargen--Generates a stream of ASCII data. To test this service, issue the telnet a.b.c.d chargencommand
from a remote host.
• Daytime--Returns the system date and time if you have configured Network Time Protocol (NTP) or set
the date and time manually. To test this service, issue the telnet a.b.c.d daytimecommand from a remote
host.
• Discard--Discards whatever you type. To test this service, issue the telnet a.b.c.d discardcommand from
a remote host.
• Echo--Echoes back whatever you type. To test this service, issue the telnet a.b.c.d echocommand from
a remote host.

The UDP small server provides the following minor services:

• Chargen--Discards the datagram that you send and responds with a 72-character string of ASCII characters
terminated with a CR+LF (carriage return and line feed).
• Discard--Discards the datagram you send.
• Echo--Echoes the payload of the datagram that you send.

Minor services are disabled by default.

Caution Enabling minor services creates the potential for certain types of denial-of-service (DoS) attacks, such
as the UDP diagnostic port attack. Therefore, any network device that has UDP, TCP, BOOTP, or Finger
services should be protected by a firewall or have the minor services disabled. For information on
preventing UDP diagnostic port attacks, see the white paper titled Defining Strategies to Protect Against
UDP Diagnostic Port Denial of Service Attacks a vailable on Cisco.com.

BOOTP Server
You can enable or disable an async line Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) service on your routing device. This
small server is enabled by default. Due to security considerations, this service should be disabled if you are
not using it.
Because DHCP is based on the BOOTP, both of these service share the well-known UDP server port 67 (per
the Internet standards and RFCs). For more information about DHCP configuration in the Cisco IOS software,
see the Cisco IOS IP Addressing Configuration Guide. For more information about BOOTP, see RFC 951.
Interoperation between BOOTP and DHCP is defined in RFC 1534. DHCP is defined in RFC 2131.

Finger Protocol
The Finger protocol allows users throughout the network to get a list of the users currently using a particular
routing device. The information displayed includes the processes running on the system, the line number,
connection name, idle time, and terminal location. This information is provided through the Cisco IOS software
show users EXEC command.

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Hidden Telnet Addresses

Hidden Telnet Addresses

You can hide addresses while attempting to establish a Telnet session. The hide feature suppresses the display
of the address and continues to display all other messages that normally would be displayed during a connection
attempt, such as detailed error messages if the connection fails.

EXEC Startup Delay

To delay the startup of the EXEC process on noisy lines until the line has been idle for 3 seconds, use the
service exec-wait command in global configuration mode.
This command is useful on noisy modem lines or when a modem attached to the line is configured to ignore
Microcom Networking Protocol (MNP) or V.42 negotiations, and when MNP or V.42 modems are dialing
in. In these cases, noise or MNP/V.42 packets might be interpreted as usernames and passwords, causing
authentication failure before the user can type a username or password. This command is not useful on
nonmodem lines or lines without some kind of login configured.

Idle Telnet Connections

Normally, data sent to noncurrent Telnet connections is accepted and discarded. When the service
telnet-zero-idle command is enabled and a session is suspended (that is, some other connection is made
active), the TCP window is set to zero. This action prevents the remote host from sending any more data until
the connection is resumed. Use this command when all messages sent by the host must be seen by the users
and the users are likely to use multiple sessions. Do not use this command if your host will eventually time
out and log out a TCP user whose window is zero.

Interval for Load Data

You can change the period of time over which a set of data is used for computing load statistics. Decisions,
such as dial backup, depend on these statistics. If you decrease the load interval, the average statistics are
computed over a shorter period of time and are more responsive to bursts of traffic.

Number of TCP Transactions

When you are using a standard TCP implementation to send keystrokes between machines, TCP tends to send
one packet for each keystroke typed, which can use up the bandwidth and contribute to the congestion on
larger networks.
John Nagle’s algorithm (RFC 896) helps alleviate the small-packet problem in TCP. The first character typed
after the connection establishment is sent in a single packet, but TCP holds any additional characters that are
typed until the receiver acknowledges the previous packet. Then the second, larger packet is sent, and the
additional typed characters are saved until the acknowledgment comes back. The effect is to accumulate
characters into larger chunks, and pace their transmission to the network at a rate matching the round-trip
time of the given connection. This method is usually preferable for all TCP-based traffic.
By default, the Nagle algorithm is not enabled.

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Switching and Scheduling Priorities

Switching and Scheduling Priorities

The normal operation of the network server allows the switching operations to use as much of the central
processor as required. If the network is running unusually heavy loads that do not allow the processor the
time to handle the routing protocols, you may need to give priority to the system process scheduler.

System Buffer Size

You can adjust the initial buffer pool settings and limits at which temporary buffers are created and destroyed.
During normal system operation, there are two sets of buffer pools: public and interface. They behave as
follows:
• The buffers in the public pools grow and shrink based upon demand. Some public pools are temporary
and are created and destroyed as needed. Other public pools are permanently allocated and cannot be
destroyed. Public buffer pools are labeled as small, middle, big, very big, large, and huge.
• Interface pools are static--that is, they are all permanent. One interface pool exists for each interface. For
example, a Cisco 4000 1E 4T configuration has one Ethernet buffer pool and four serial buffer pools.

The server has one pool of queueing elements and six public pools of packet buffers of different sizes. For
each pool, the server keeps count of the number of outstanding buffers, the number of buffers in the free list,
and the maximum number of buffers allowed in the free list.

How to Perform Basic System Management

Setting Basic System Parameters
To set basic system parameters perform the following steps. You can perform these steps based on the
customization requirements of your system.

SUMMARY STEPS
1. hostname name
2. prompt string
3. alias mode alias-name alias-command-line
4. service tcp-small-servers
5. service udp-small-servers
6. no ip bootp server
7. ip finger
8. ip finger rfc-compliant
9. service hide-telnet-address
10. line line-number
11. exit
12. exit
13. busy-message hostname message
14. service exec-wait

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Setting Basic System Parameters

15. service telnet-zero-idle

16. load-interval seconds
17. service nagle
18. scheduler interval milliseconds
19. scheduler allocate [network-microseconds process-microseconds]
20. scheduler process-watchdog {hang | normal | reload | terminate}
21. buffers {small | middle | big | verybig | large | huge | type number} {permanent | max-free | min-free
| initial} number
22. exit
23. show aliases [mode]
24. show buffers

DETAILED STEPS

Step 1 hostname name

Use the hostname name command to perform the basic system management task of assigning a name for your device.
Example:

Router(config)# hostname host1

Step 2 prompt string

or
no service prompt config
By default, the CLI prompt consists of the system name followed by an angle bracket (>) for user EXEC mode or a
pound sign (#) for privileged EXEC mode. Use the the prompt string or the no service prompt config command to
customize the CLI prompt for your system.
Example:

Router(config)# prompt Router123

or
Example:

Router(config)# no service prompt config

Step 3 alias mode alias-name alias-command-line

Use the alias mode alias-name alias-command-line command to create a command alias.
Example:

Router(config)# alias exec save config copy running-config startup-config

Step 4 service tcp-small-servers

Use the service tcp-small-servers command to enable minor TCP services such as chargen, daytime, discard, and
echo.

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Setting Basic System Parameters

Note The no form of the service tcp-small-servers command will appear in the configuration file when these
basic services are disabled.

Example:

Router(config)# service tcp-small-servers

Step 5 service udp-small-servers

Use the service udp-small-servers command to enable minor UDP services such as chargen, daytime, discard, and
echo.
Note The no form of the service udp-small-servers command will appear in the configuration file when these
basic services are disabled.

Example:

Router(config)# service udp-small-servers

Step 6 no ip bootp server

Use the no ip bootp server command to disable the BOOTP server on your platform.
Example:

Router(config)# no ip bootp server

Step 7 ip finger
Use the ip finger command to enable a Cisco device to respond to Finger (port 79) requests. When the ip finger
command is configured, the router will respond to a telnet a.b.c.d finger command from a remote host by immediately
displaying the output of the show userscommand and then closing the connection.
Example:

Router(config)# ip finger

Step 8 ip finger rfc-compliant

Use the ip finger rfc-compliant command to configure the finger protocol to be compliant with RFC 1288. The ip
finger rfc-compliant command should not be configured for devices with more than 20 simultaneous users. When the
ip finger rfc-compliantcommand is configured, the router will wait for input before displaying any information. The
remote user can then press the Return key to display the output of the show users command, or enter /W to display the
output of the show users wide command. After this information is displayed, the connection is closed.
Example:

Router(config)# ip finger rfc-compliant

Step 9 service hide-telnet-address

Use the service hide-telnet-address command to configure the router to suppress Telnet addresses.
Example:

Router(config)# service hide-telnet-address

Step 10 line line-number

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Setting Basic System Parameters

Use the line command to enter line configuration mode.

Example:

Router(config)# line 1

Step 11 exit
Use the exit command to exit line configuration mode and return to global configuration mode.
Example:

Router(config-line)# exit

Step 12 exit
Use the exit command to exit line configuration mode and return to global configuration mode.
Example:

Router(config-line)# exit

Step 13 busy-message hostname message

Use the busy-message command with the service hide-telnet-addresscommand to customize the information displayed
during Telnet connection attempts. If the connection attempt fails, the router suppresses the address and displays the
message specified with the busy-message command.
Example:

Router(config)# busy-message host1 message1

Step 14 service exec-wait

Use the service exec-waitcommand to delay the startup of the EXEC process on noisy lines until the line has been idle
for 3 seconds.
Example:

Router(config)# service exec-wait

Step 15 service telnet-zero-idle

Use the service telnet-zero-idle command to configure the Cisco IOS software to set the TCP window to zero (0) when
the Telnet connection is idle.
Example:

Router(config)# service telnet-zero-idle

Step 16 load-interval seconds

Use the load-interval seconds command to change the length of time for which a set of data is used to compute load
statistics.
Example:

Router(config)# load-interval 100

Step 17 service nagle

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Setting Basic System Parameters

Use the service nagle command to enable the Nagle algorithm and thereby reduce the number of TCP transactions.
Example:

Router(config)# load-interval 100

Step 18 scheduler interval milliseconds

Use the scheduler interval milliseconds command to define the maximum amount of time that can elapse without
running the lowest-priority system processes.
Example:

Router(config)# scheduler interval 100

Step 19 scheduler allocate [network-microseconds process-microseconds]

Use the scheduler allocate command to change the amount of time that the CPU spends on fast-switching and
process-level operations on the Cisco 7200 series and Cisco 7500 series routers.
Caution Cisco recommends that you do not change the default values of the scheduler allocate command.

Example:

Router(config)# scheduler allocate 5000 200

Step 20 scheduler process-watchdog {hang | normal | reload | terminate}

Use the scheduler process-watchdog {hang | normal | reload | terminate} command to configure the characteristics
for a looping process.
Example:

Router(config)# scheduler process-watchdog hang

Step 21 buffers {small | middle | big | verybig | large | huge | type number} {permanent | max-free | min-free | initial}
number
Use the buffers {small | middle | big | verybig | large | huge | type number} {permanent | max-free | min-free |
initial} number command to adjust the system buffer size.
Example:

Router(config)# buffers small permanent 10

Caution Cisco does not recommend that you adjust these parameters. Improper settings can adversely impact the
system performance.

Step 22 exit
Use the exit command to exit global configuration mode and return to privileged EXEC mode.
Example:

Router(config)# exit

Step 23 show aliases [mode]

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Setting Basic System Parameters

Use the show aliases [mode] command to display a list of command aliases currently configured on your system, and
the original command syntax for those aliases.
Example:

Router# show aliases exec

Step 24 show buffers

Use the show bufferscommand to display buffer information. For more information about this command, see the Cisco
IOS Configuration Fundamentals Command Reference.
Example:

Router# show buffers

Buffer elements:
1119 in free list (1119 max allowed)
641606 hits, 0 misses, 619 created
Public buffer pools:
Small buffers, 104 bytes (total 50, permanent 50):
48 in free list (20 min, 150 max allowed)
2976557 hits, 0 misses, 0 trims, 0 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
Middle buffers, 600 bytes (total 25, permanent 25, peak 37 @ 2w0d):
25 in free list (10 min, 150 max allowed)
445110 hits, 4 misses, 12 trims, 12 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
Big buffers, 1536 bytes (total 50, permanent 50):
50 in free list (5 min, 150 max allowed)
58004 hits, 0 misses, 0 trims, 0 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
VeryBig buffers, 4520 bytes (total 10, permanent 10):
10 in free list (0 min, 100 max allowed)
0 hits, 0 misses, 0 trims, 0 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
Large buffers, 5024 bytes (total 0, permanent 0):
0 in free list (0 min, 10 max allowed)
0 hits, 0 misses, 0 trims, 0 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
Huge buffers, 18024 bytes (total 0, permanent 0):
0 in free list (0 min, 4 max allowed)
0 hits, 0 misses, 0 trims, 0 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
Interface buffer pools:
Syslog ED Pool buffers, 600 bytes (total 282, permanent 282):
257 in free list (282 min, 282 max allowed)
32 hits, 0 misses
IPC buffers, 4096 bytes (total 2, permanent 2):
1 in free list (1 min, 8 max allowed)
1 hits, 0 fallbacks, 0 trims, 0 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
Header pools:
Header buffers, 0 bytes (total 511, permanent 256, peak 511 @ 2w0d):
255 in free list (256 min, 1024 max allowed)
171 hits, 85 misses, 0 trims, 255 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
256 max cache size, 256 in cache
0 hits in cache, 0 misses in cache
Particle Clones:
1024 clones, 0 hits, 0 misses
Public particle pools:
F/S buffers, 128 bytes (total 512, permanent 512):
0 in free list (0 min, 512 max allowed)

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Configuration Examples for Performing Basic System Management

512 hits, 0 misses, 0 trims, 0 created

0 failures (0 no memory)
512 max cache size, 512 in cache
0 hits in cache, 0 misses in cache
Normal buffers, 512 bytes (total 2048, permanent 2048):
2048 in free list (1024 min, 4096 max allowed)
0 hits, 0 misses, 0 trims, 0 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
Private particle pools:
HQF buffers, 0 bytes (total 2000, permanent 2000):
2000 in free list (500 min, 2000 max allowed)
0 hits, 0 misses, 0 trims, 0 created
0 failures (0 no memory)
Serial2/0 buffers, 512 bytes (total 256, permanent 256):
0 in free list (0 min, 256 max allowed)
256 hits, 0 fallbacks
256 max cache size, 132 in cache
124 hits in cache, 0 misses in cache
10 buffer threshold, 0 threshold transitions
Serial2/1 buffers, 512 bytes (total 256, permanent 256):
0 in free list (0 min, 256 max allowed)
256 hits, 0 fallbacks
256 max cache size, 132 in cache
124 hits in cache, 0 misses in cache
10 buffer threshold, 0 threshold transitions

Configuration Examples for Performing Basic System

Management
There are no configuration examples for the Performing Basic System Management feature.

Additional References
Related Documents

Related Topic Document Title

Network Management commands Cisco IOS Network Management Command Reference

Cisco IOS fundamental configuration Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Command Reference
commands

Cisco IOS fundamental configurations Cisco IOS Configuration Fundamentals Configuration Guide

Preventing UDP diagnostic port attacks Defining Strategies to Protect Against UDP Diagnostic Port
Denial of Service Attacks

DHCP configuration Cisco IOS IP Addressing Configuration Guide

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Feature Information for Performing Basic System Management

Standards

Standard Title

None --

MIBs

MIB MIBs Link

None To locate and download MIBs for selected platforms, Cisco software releases, and feature sets, use
Cisco MIB Locator found at the following URL:
http://www.cisco.com/go/mibs

RFCs

RFC Title

RFC 896 Congestion Control in IP/TCP Internetworks

RFC 951 Algorithms for Synchronizing Network Clocks

RFC 1288 The Finger User Information Protocol

RFC 1534 Interoperation Between DHCP and BOOTP

RFC 2131 Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol

Technical Assistance

Description Link

The Cisco Support and Documentation website provides http://www.cisco.com/cisco/web/support/index.html

online resources to download documentation, software,
and tools. Use these resources to install and configure
the software and to troubleshoot and resolve technical
issues with Cisco products and technologies. Access to
most tools on the Cisco Support and Documentation
website requires a Cisco.com user ID and password.

Feature Information for Performing Basic System Management

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This
table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release
train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.
Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support.
To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.

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Feature Information for Performing Basic System Management

Table 1: Feature Information for Performing Basic System Management

Feature Name Releases Feature Information

Performing Basic System Management This module describes the basic tasks to manage the
general system features of the Cisco IOS software.

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