INTERPRETING CONFIGURATION REGISTERS ON CISCO ROUTERS

The Purpose of the Configuration Register

The configuration register can be used to change router behavior such as how the router boots whether you would like it to boot into rommon mode for recovery purpose such as copying an IOS into the router via xmodem protocol, ignore the configuration or disable boot messages and change the console speed settings.

The configuration register can be verified through the "show version" command:

Router#show version
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software
IOS (tm) 2500 Software (C2500-JS-L), Version 12.1(5), RELEASE

SOFTWARE (fc1)
Copyright (c) 1986-2000 by cisco Systems, Inc.
Compiled Wed 25-Oct-00 05:18 by cmong
Image text-base: 0x03071DB0, data-base: 0x00001000
ROM: System Bootstrap, Version 5.2(8a), RELEASE SOFTWARE
BOOTFLASH: 3000 Bootstrap Software (IGS-RXBOOT), Version 10.2(8a),

RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)
Router uptime is 7 minutes
System returned to ROM by reload
System image file is "flash:c2500-js-l_121-5.bin"
cisco 2500 (68030) processor (revision D) with 16384K/2048K bytes of memory.
Processor board ID 03867477, with hardware revision 00000000
Bridging software.
X.25 software, Version 3.0.0.
SuperLAT software (copyright 1990 by Meridian Technology Corp).
TN3270 Emulation software.
1 Token Ring/IEEE 802.5 interface(s)
2 Serial network interface(s)
32K bytes of non-volatile configuration memory.
16384K bytes of processor board System flash (Read ONLY)
Configuration register is 0x2102

CHANGES IN CCNP EXAM

Over the past years, I have seen CISCO certifications evolved into more focused levels as well as the most coveted certification in the IT industry. Back then when I was still in college, CCNA exams were confined to the privileged ones because of its cost. Until it became affordable that it became a commodity in the IT industry. At that point, CCNA exams branched out into different specializations including CCNA security, CCNA voice and CCNA wireless which also paved the way for specialized CCNP and CCIE certifications. Apart from that, individual modules in each certification changes through the course of time. That includes the latest changes in CCNP exam.

The changes in the CCNP exams are reflected below:

CISCO PASSWORD RECOVERY FOR FIXED CATALYST SWITCHES

Fixed catalyst switches includes layer 2 switches 2900XL/3500XL, 2940, 2950/2955, 2960 and 2970 series as well as layer 3 switches 3550, 3560, and 3750 switches. Layer 2 switches means they are not capable of layer 3 functionality such as routing and mainly used for switching functionality. Fixed switches mean that the devices are not modular unlike the big boxes which has different kinds of modules you can insert into.

Procedure for password recovery