DELL. CLI commands
I recently have experience in configuring a DELL PowerSwitch S4048-ON. It is 10/40GbE top-of-rack (ToR) switch built for applications in high performance data center and computing environments.
Dell’s OS9 (S & Z series) switches have a minimal differences from Cisco IOS. Many commands is similar. In this quick reference I want to share a basic commands you’ll need to rely on when handling various configuration and troubleshooting tasks. The output of something commands will included.
So, here is a list of basic CLI commands which will help you manage your DELL PowerConnect series switches.
The “?”
You can use the command ? in many ways. First, use it when you don’t know what command to type.
For example, type ? At the command line for a list of all possible commands.
SWP_UP_10G>?
clock Manage the system clock
crypto Crypto Commands
disable Turn off privileged commands
dot1x 802.1x commands
enable Turn on privileged commands
ethernet Ethernet commands
exit Exit from the EXEC
fsck Filesystem check utility
ip Global IP subcommands
ipv6 Global IPv6 subcommands
monitor Monitoring feature
mtrace Trace reverse multicast path from destination to source
package Automation package related commands
ping Send echo messages
quit Exit from the EXEC
show Show running system information
ssh Open a SSH connection
ssh-peer-stack-unit Open a SSH connection to the peer stack-unit
start Start shell
support-assist SupportAssist service
telnet Open a telnet connection
telnet-peer-stack-unit Open a telnet connection to the peer stack-unit
terminal Set terminal line parameters
--More--
You can also use ? When don’t know what a command’s next parameter should be. For example, you might type interface?
If the router requires no other parameters for the command, the router will offer CR as the only option.
Type a ? at the prompt or after a keyword. There must always be a space before the ?.
SWP_UP_10G(conf)#interface ?
fortyGigE FortyGigabit Ethernet interface
gigabitethernet Gigabit Ethernet interface
group Configure interface group
loopback Loopback interface
managementethernet Management Ethernet interface
null Null interface
port-channel Port-channel interface
range Configure interface range
tengigabitethernet TenGigabit Ethernet interface
tunnel Tunnel interface
vlan VLAN interface
To see all commands that start with a particular letter. For example, show c?
SWP_UP_10G#c?
cd
clear
clock
configure
copy
crypto
Will return a list of commands that start with the letter c.
show running-config
The show running-config command shows the router, switch, or firewall’s current configuration.
The running-configuration is the config that is in the router’s memory.
You change this config when you make changes to the router.
Keep in mind that that config is not saved until you do copy it to startup.
SWP_UP_10G#show running-config
Current Configuration ...
! Version 9.11(0.0P3)
! Last configuration change at Mon Feb 3 18:09:01 2020 by admin
!
boot system stack-unit 1 primary system: A:
boot system stack-unit 1 secondary system: B:
boot system stack-unit 1 default system: A:
!
logging coredump stack-unit 1
logging coredump stack-unit 2
logging coredump stack-unit 3
logging coredump stack-unit 4
logging coredump stack-unit 5
logging coredump stack-unit 6
!
hostname SWP_UP_10G
!
--More--
copy running-config startup-config
This command will save the configuration that is currently being modified (in RAM),
also known as the running-configuration, to the nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM).
If the power is lost, the NVRAM will preserve this configuration.
In other words, if you edit the router’s configuration, don’t use this command and reboot the router–those changes will be lost.
This command can be abbreviated copy run start.
SWP_UP_10G#copy running-config startup-config
command modes
The DELL switch like Cisco has different command modes with distinctive prompts. These modes execute different switch commands. Each mode has a set of specific commands.
To navigate and launch various CLI modes, use specific commands
Prompt CLI Command Mode
Dell> EXEC
Dell# EXEC Privilege
Dell(conf)# CONFIGURATION
Enter EXEC Privilege mode or any other privilege level configured - enable.
After entering this command, you may need to enter a password.
SWP_UP_10G>enable
Password:
SWP_UP_10G#
Enter CONFIGURATION mode from EXEC Privilege mode - configure.
SWP_UP_10G#configure
SWP_UP_10G(conf)#
Return to the lower command mode - exit.
SWP_UP_10G(conf)#exit
SWP_UP_10G#
The do command allows the execution of most EXEC-level commands from all CONFIGURATION levels without returning to the EXEC level.
SWP_UP_10G(conf)#do show clock
23:13:55.661 UTC Sat Jul 18 2020
command history
Display a buffered log of all commands all users enter along with a time stamp
#show command-history
device version
Some useful information about Software version and device.
Display the current Dell Networking Operating System (OS) version information on the system - show version.
SWP_UP_10G#show version
Dell Real Time Operating System Software
Dell Operating System Version: 2.0
Dell Application Software Version: 9.11(0.0P3)
Copyright (c) 1999-2017 by Dell Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Build Time: Fri Jan 27 10:54:03 2017
Build Path: /build/build02/SW/SRC
Dell Networking OS uptime is 6 week(s), 1 day(s), 23 hour(s), 13 minute(s)
System image file is "system://A"
System Type: S4048-ON
Control Processor: Intel Rangeley with 3 Gbytes (3201302528 bytes) of memory, core(s) 2.
8G bytes of boot flash memory.
1 54-port TE/FG (SK-ON)
48 Ten GigabitEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
6 Forty GigabitEthernet/IEEE 802.3 interface(s)
show interfaces
Display information on a specific physical interface or virtual interface.
SWP_UP_10G#show interfaces tengigabitethernet 1/1
TenGigabitEthernet 1/1 is up, line protocol is up
Description:
Hardware is DellEth, address is 14:18:77:80:11:00
Current address is 14:18:77:80:11:00
Pluggable media present, SFP+ type is 10GBASE-SR
Medium is MultiRate, Wavelength is 850nm
SFP+ receive power reading is -2.7344dBm
SFP+ transmit power reading is -2.2105dBm
Interface index is 2097156
Internet address is not set
Mode of IPv4 Address Assignment : NONE
DHCP Client-ID :1418778022e1
MTU 1554 bytes, IP MTU 1500 bytes
LineSpeed 10000 Mbit
Flowcontrol rx off tx off
ARP type: ARPA, ARP Timeout 04:00:00
Last clearing of "show interface" counters 6w1d23h
Queueing strategy: fifo
Input Statistics:
12063517275 packets, 16273367119685 bytes
452219597 64-byte pkts, 3344945 over 64-byte pkts, 123343574 over 127-byte pkts
994638054 over 255-byte pkts, 4755930 over 511-byte pkts, 10485215175 over 1023-byte pkts
0 Multicasts, 6533 Broadcasts, 12063510742 Unicasts
To display status information on a specific interface only, display a summary of interface information or specify a stack-unit slot and interface.
SWP_UP_10G#show interfaces status
Port Description Status Speed Duplex Vlan
Te 1/1 Up 10000 Mbit Full 3
Te 1/2 Up 10000 Mbit Full 3
Te 1/3 Up 10000 Mbit Full 3
Te 1/4 Up 10000 Mbit Full 3
Te 1/5 Up 10000 Mbit Full 3
Te 1/6 Up 10000 Mbit Full 3
Te 1/7 Up 10000 Mbit Full 3
--More--
monitor interface
Monitor counters on a single interface or all interfaces. The screen is refreshed every five seconds and the CLI prompt disappears.
SWP_UP_10G#monitor interface te 1/1
Interface: Te 1/1, Enabled, Link is Up, Linespeed is 10000 Mbit
Traffic statistics: Current Rate Delta
Input bytes: 16273367122653 0 Bps 0
Output bytes: 13745541955640 0 Bps 0
Input packets: 12063517303 0 pps 0
Output packets: 10342234622 0 pps 0
64B packets: 452219597 0 pps 0
Over 64B packets: 3344973 0 pps 0
Over 127B packets: 123343574 0 pps 0
Over 255B packets: 994638054 0 pps 0
Over 511B packets: 4755930 0 pps 0
Over 1023B packets: 10485215175 0 pps 0
Error statistics:
Input underruns: 0 0 pps 0
Input giants: 0 0 pps 0
Input throttles: 0 0 pps 0
Input CRC: 0 0 pps 0
Input IP checksum: 0 0 pps 0
Input overrun: 0 0 pps 0
Output underruns: 0 0 pps 0
Output throttles: 0 0 pps 0
m - Change mode c - Clear screen
l - Page up a - Page down
T - Increase refresh interval t - Decrease refresh interval
q - Quit
show ip interface
The command provides useful information about the configuration and status of the IP protocol and its services, on all interfaces, including their IP address, Layer 2 status, and Layer 3 status.
SWP_UP_10G#show ip interface
TenGigabitEthernet 1/1 is up, line protocol is up
Description:
Internet address is not set
IP MTU is 1500 bytes
Directed broadcast forwarding is disabled
Proxy ARP is enabled
Split Horizon is enabled
Poison Reverse is disabled
ICMP redirects are not sent
ICMP unreachables are not sent
IP unicast RPF check is not supported
--More--
Or with defined name of interface
SWP_UP_10G#show ip interface managementethernet 1/1
ManagementEthernet 1/1 is up, line protocol is up
Internet address is 192.168.1.1/24
Virtual-IP address is not set
Broadcast address is 192.168.1.255
Address determined by user input
configure interface
Configure a physical or virtual interface on the switch.
SWP_UP_10G#conf
SWP_UP_10G(conf)#interface tengigabitethernet 1/1
SWP_UP_10G(conf-if-te-1/1)#
Before configuring should be useful view a current settings for the interface
SWP_UP_10G(conf-if-te-1/1)#show config
!
interface TenGigabitEthernet 1/1
no ip address
switchport
no shutdown
no shutdown
To disable, delete or return to default values, use the no form of the commands.
The no shutdown command enables an interface (brings it up).
This command must be used in interface configuration mode.
It is useful for new interfaces and for troubleshooting.
When you’re having trouble with an interface, you may want to try a shut and no shut.
arp & mac table
For displaying the ARP table use show arp or show arp interface te 1/1 for specific interface.
SWP_UP_10G#show arp
Protocol Address Age(min) Hardware Address Interface VLAN CPU
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internet 172.16.1.1 6 64:00:6a:d8:00:00 Po 1 Vl 4 CP
Internet 172.16.1.2 - 14:18:77:80:00:01 - Vl 4 CP
Internet 172.16.1.3 0 a0:36:9f:d8:00:02 Po 1 Vl 4 CP
Display the MAC address table.
SW_DWN_1G#show mac-address-table
Codes: *N - VLT Peer Synced MAC
*I - Internal MAC Address used for Inter Process Communication
VlanId Mac Address Type Interface State
3 00:0c:29:41:01:00 Dynamic Gi 1/9 Active
3 00:0c:29:dd:01:00 Dynamic Gi 1/9 Active
3 00:1e:67:f0:02:00 Dynamic Gi 1/40 Active
--More--
show vlan
Display the current VLAN configurations on the switch - show vlan.
SWP_UP_10G#show vlan
Codes: * - Default VLAN, G - GVRP VLANs, R - Remote Port Mirroring VLANs, P - Primary, C - Community, I - Isolated
O - Openflow, Vx - Vxlan
Q: U - Untagged, T - Tagged
x - Dot1x untagged, X - Dot1x tagged
o - OpenFlow untagged, O - OpenFlow tagged
G - GVRP tagged, M - Vlan-stack
i - Internal untagged, I - Internal tagged, v - VLT untagged, V - VLT tagged
NUM Status Description Q Ports
* 1 Inactive
3 Active C-MGMT T Po1(Te 1/47-1/48)
4 Active C-DATA T Po1(Te 1/47-1/48)
U Te 1/1-1/28,1/30-1/46
current time
Display the current clock settings.
SWP_UP_10G#show clock detail
18:04:16.792 UTC Mon Feb 3 2020
Time source is RTC hardware
Conclusion
In summary, the key differences between Dell and Cisco are the approach they take to where the untagging and tagging happens (Cisco: interface, Dell: VLAN), how the trunks allow VLANs and how dell OS9 does not have any form of Spanning tree by default. But other than that the CLI commands are very similar and any engineer familiar with Cisco will no problem using Dell OS9.
Additional information
- Cisco Commands Cheat Sheet - cisco commands in one page
- Dell Command Line Reference Guide for the S4048–ON System 9.14.0.0 - dell man page included full command list
- DELL EMC NETWORKING S4048-ON SWITCH - dell spec sheet for S4048–ON switch