| 8.3 |  | Getting Started |
| 8.3.1 |  | User interface |

| Now that the PIX Security Appliance models and feature sets have been introduced, this section will examine the PIX command line interface (CLI) and how to set up and configure the PIX Security Appliance. While configuring the PIX Security Appliance can be a complex task, this task is made simpler by the fact that the command set is based on the Cisco IOS used in Cisco Routers. A network administrator with experience working with Cisco IOS should feel comfortable working with the PIX Security Appliance very quickly.

Administrative modes
The PIX Security Appliance contains a command set based on the Cisco IOS but not identical to Cisco IOS command set. The PIX Security Appliance provides five administrative access modes :

1. Unprivileged mode - This mode is available when the user first accesses the PIX Security Appliance. The > prompt is displayed. This mode enables users to view a subset of all commands available.
2. Privileged mode - This mode displays the # prompt and enables the user to change the current settings. Any unprivileged command also works in privileged mode.
3. Configuration mode - This mode displays the (config)# prompt and enables the user to change system configurations. Unlike the IOS, all privileged and unprivileged commands work in this mode as well. Also, excluding a few cases, the PIX Security Appliance does not have configuration sub modes such as config-if, config-router, and so on .
4. Setup mode - This mode allows configuration through interactive prompts . This mode is initiated when a PIX Security Appliance cannot find a configuration file during the boot process. The mode can also be initiated from configuration mode by typing in setup command. To exit the setup mode at any time type in ctrl-Z.
5. Monitor mode - This mode displays the monitor> prompt after issuing a break command during the boot process . This special mode enables network administrators to update the image over the network. While in the monitor mode, administrators can enter commands specifying the location of the TFTP server and the binary image to download.

Within each access mode, most commands can be abbreviated down to the fewest unique characters for a command. For example, enter write t to view the configuration instead of entering the full command write terminal or show running-config. Enter en instead of enable to start privileged mode. Enter config t instead of configuration terminal to start configuration mode -.

The user help command
Help information is available from the PIX Security Appliance command line. Enter help or ? after a command such as route?, and the complete command line syntax will be listed . The size of the group of commands listed when using the question mark or help command differs by access mode. Unprivileged mode offers the fewest commands, and configuration mode offers the greatest number of commands. In addition, enter any command by itself on the command line and then press Enter to view the command syntax.

| Lab Activity e-Lab Activity: Using Help In this activity, the student will demonstrate how to use the help command on the PIX Security Appliance and you will practice changing modes.