Show-command reading drill
Read the output, answer one question, see where the answer sits. 7 commands, a fresh network every round.
R2# show ip interface brief Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol GigabitEthernet0/0/0 10.8.0.1 YES manual down down GigabitEthernet0/0/1 10.3.1.1 YES manual administratively down down GigabitEthernet0/0/2 10.2.2.1 YES manual up up GigabitEthernet0/0/3 10.3.3.1 YES manual up up Loopback0 192.0.2.1 YES manual up up
Which interface is enabled but has no working link (a cable, port or far-end problem)?
Read the output, then choose.
What each command answers
| Command | Exam topic |
|---|---|
| show ip route | 3.1 and 3.2 |
| show ip interface brief | 1.4 |
| show vlan brief | 2.1 |
| show mac address-table | 1.13 |
| show spanning-tree | 2.5 |
| show ip ospf neighbor | 3.4 |
| show ip nat translations | 4.1 |
Next step
Questions people ask
Why practice reading show commands?
Many exam topics are about verifying a configuration: the routing table (3.1), forwarding decisions (3.2), VLANs (2.1), Rapid PVST+ (2.5), OSPF (3.4) and NAT (4.1). The answer is usually one line of the output.
Is the output from real devices?
It is original output generated for this course in the format Cisco IOS uses, with headings trimmed. Each answer is worked out from the same generated network, so it always matches what is printed.
Does this replace labs?
No. It trains reading output quickly and accurately. Hands-on configuration practice needs a lab or simulator, which this course does not include.