Getting Started with Cisco IOS

Cisco enterprise devices, such as their routers and switches, have a networking operating system known as the Cisco Internetwork Operating System (IOS). Cisco IOS enables network professionals to easily manage and control the hardware components within Cisco IOS devices. Furthermore, Cisco IOS also provides the necessary software features to support a wide range of network functionalities, including routing, switching, and security. However, unlike most network operating systems and firmware that provide the user with a graphical user interface (GUI), Cisco IOS provides command-line interface (CLI) access only.

Additionally, the Cisco routers and switches have similar hardware components to computers, such as the following:

• Processor: A central processing unit (CPU) to execute network operations on the device
• Memory: Has limited random access memory (RAM) to temporarily store data and configurations while awaiting instructions from the...