Cisco CCNA Certification Exam Training: Telnet, Passwords, and Privilege Levels

Your CCNA certification exam is likely going to contain questions about Telnet, an application-level protocol that allows remote communication between two networking devices. With Telnet use being as common as it is, you had better know the details of how to configure it in order to pass your CCNA exam and to work in real-world networks.

The basic concept is pretty simple - we want to configure R1, but we're at R2. If we telnet successfully to R1, we will be able to configure R1 if we've been given the proper permission levels. In this CCNA case study, R2 has an IP address of 172.12.123.2 and R1 an address of 172.12.123.1. Let's try to telnet from R2 to R1.

R2#telnet 172.12.123.1

Trying 172.12.123.1 ... open

Password required, but none set

[Connection to 172.12.123.1 closed by foreign host]

This seems like a problem, but it's a problem we're happy to have. A Cisco router will not let any user telnet to it by default. That's a good thing, because we don't want just anyone connecting to our router! The "password required" message means that no password has been set on the VTY lines on R1. Let's do so now.

R1(config)#line vty 0 4

R1(config-line)#password baseball

A password of "baseball" has been set on the VTY lines, so we shouldn't have any trouble using Telnet to get from R2 to R1. Let's try that now.

R2#telnet 172.12.123.1

Trying 172.12.123.1 ... open

User access Verification

Password:

R1>

We're in, and placed into user exec mode. Let's say we want to configure a new IP address on the ethernet interface on R1. We'll now go into privileged exec mode....

R1>enable

% No password set

R1>

.. or maybe we won't! The default behavior of Telnet on a Cisco router is to place the incoming user into user exec mode, and require an enable password to allow that user into privileged exec mode! right now, we can't configure anything on this router and even the show commands we would use are limited at best.

If we wanted to allow all telnetting users to be put into privileged exec mode immediately without being prompted for an enable password, the command privilege level 15 placed on the VTY lines will accomplish this.

R1(config)#line vty 0 4

R1(config-line)#privilege level 15

From R2, we'll telnet into R1 again.

R2#telnet 172.12.123.1

Trying 172.12.123.1 ... open

User access Verification

Password:

R1#

We were able to telnet in from R2 with the original password of "baseball", and even better, we were placed into privileged exec mode immediately!

You may or may not want to do this in real-world networks, though. If you want to assign privilege levels on an individual user basis, configure usernames and passwords and use the privilege 15 command in the actual username/password command itself to give this privilege levels to some users but not all.

R1(config)#username heidi password klum

R1(config)#username tim privilege 15 password gunn

Both users can telnet into the router, but the first user will be placed into user exec and challenged for the enable password to enter privileged exec mode. If there is no enable password, the user literally cannot get into privileged exec. The second user will be placed into privileged exec immediately after successfully authenticating.

Passwords on a Cisco router or switch are vitally important, and you're not tied down to granting "all-or-nothing" access. Knowing the details like the ones shown here help you tie down network security while allowing people to do their jobs - and it doesn't hurt to know this stuff for the CCNA exam, either!

Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933, is the owner of The Bryant Advantage (http://www.thebryantadvantage.com).

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Increase Sales By Thinking Beyond Your Standard Trade Show Display

The most incredible, cutting-edge, innovative product or service in the world is not going to generate revenue without a valiant marketing effort. Attending trade shows is a smart initiative to get exposure for your company but if you are not paying close attention to the details of your trade show display, you are missing an opportunity to showcase your company above the competition.

Your trade show display creates a backdrop for you to meet new prospects and hopefully lay the foundation for a lucrative relationship with them. When a trade show attendee stops by your exhibit, they are stepping into your portable office, and you are offering a snapshot of what your company is about. If you want to keep a prospect in your trade show booth for more than a couple of seconds, you must be able to quickly establish trust and projecting a polished, professional image, combined with a personable staff, sets an excellent foundation of trust.

Adding accessories to your trade show display can make a huge difference in the efficiency and effectiveness of your presentation. Literature racks provide information for passive prospects to get what they need without feeling any sales pressure, or offer information that may prompt the prospect to ask questions. In addition, an offer on the banner stand or the multimedia demo is an opportunity to spark the prospects curiosity and drive traffic to your booth. While the flooring you use for your trade show exhibit may seem insignificant, it contributes to the overall tone of your trade show exhibit space.

Here are some tools to help your trade show display attract attention and create a comfortable stage for you to connect with attendees.

Literature Racks

An excellent tool for organizing and displaying your printed materials, literature racks can prove quite valuable if your sales team is preoccupied with another prospect, or if the passer-by wants more information. Rather than waiting for an available salesperson, and growing inpatient doing so, the prospect can still get information about your company. And when your sales team is talking with a prospect, rather than sifting through boxes or piles of brochures and flyers that are spread across the table, they can quickly and easily grab the information the prospect needs. With the available space on your table, you have more room to display your product, offer samples or do your product demos.

Banner Stands

Portable and lightweight, banner stands help attract attention to your space. You can display your company logo with information about your business, announce a special event, or offer information about a new product on these handy marketing pieces. Floor models stand between seven- and nine-feet tall, while hanging banners can be as large as ten feet. You also have a choice between fabric or vinyl.

Trade show Flooring

Because this part of your trade show exhibit is rarely noticed, you may think you can get away with skipping this one. But keep in mind that ambience goes a long way when trying to separate yourself from the competition. Whether you are looking to duplicate the appearance of a wood finish, a stone or marble finish, carpet or texture, there is likely a flooring option that will work for you, no matter what color or style you are looking for. And with your sales team standing for several hours over multiple days, trade show flooring is a must as it can reduce standing fatigue. Keep in mind, if you purchase your own trade show flooring rather than renting it from the trade show exhibit hall, youll save money.

Multimedia

We are living in the age of email, podcasts and webinars. Whether its something as simple as a game show, an infomercial type format or youve decided to make room in the budget to produce a full product demo, you should have some sort of multimedia tool featuring your product. Not only does this make you a little more cutting-edge than the standard exhibitors, but this is also an opportunity to begin building some type of association in the prospects mind hopefully positive with your product, whether it is fun, efficiency, innovation or style.

If you dont go above and beyond average expectations for your customers in your daily business practices from the helpful voice that greets prospect calls over the phone to following up with the customer after the sale your company will be passed over for a competitor that does. And at a trade show, where the competition is only a glance away, the same principle applies. Always keep in mind that your trade show exhibit is an attendees first introduction to your business and first impressions are lasting.

As with any other area of your business, put your best foot forward with your trade show exhibit and the results are sure to follow.

Mat Kelly is the president of ExhibitDEAL, the Original Exhibit Wholesaler specializing in trade show accessories and displays. The company provides literature racks, banner stands, trade show flooring and table top, pop-up and custom displays. For info, visit: http://www.exhibitdeal.com/.

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The Morale Myth

Why is it that no matter what you do to boost morale, from parties and picnics to pats on the back, you end up with the same short-lived results? You know, everyones happy for a couple of weeks, then they default to heel dragging and excuse making again? If youre banging your head against the wall looking for new tactics, the only guarantee is a sore head. Heres why. Traditional tactics address symptoms, not causes of low morale. Look to mechanics rather than people when seeking solutions.

employees want to feel good about the work they output. most want to excel and see hope for advancements in position and pay. But when theyre always swimming against the current, they lose hope. As a leader, your role is to equip employees with the right tools to do their jobs well. Functional equipment and systems breed success and maintain hope. Sometimes management tries to make everyone happy without really addressing whats causing unhappiness to begin with. The mistake is more common than people realize.

Vermonts Sugarbush ski resort suffered low morale at its ski school a couple of seasons ago. When parents came to sign in their children for daily classes, they could expect to wait at least an hour in long, winding-out-the-door lines. management directed employees to use the lengthy disney-magic-Moment approach to greeting customers: hows your stay and hows your life. Overheating under a bazillion layers of ski clothing, sweat-soaked kids whined and wailed about the uncomfortable wait. Tempers flared. Irritated parents and frantic employees clashed, using words so colorful theyd have burned a sailors ears. To alleviate congestion, management solicited group think from employees. Frazzled, the well-meaning workers spit out ideas like expand the size of the facility and buy faster computers. When in doubt, make a bigger place to house even more angry customersyeah, right. Good intentions, wrong solutions.

one afternoon, some outside help pointed leadership in the right direction. Solutions emerged when simple questions were asked. By late afternoon, management and staff began restructuring procedures. They didnt leave until 2:00 the next morning. Here were the questions they asked:

1.What do our customers really want? A skiers Magic Moment happens outside, on the slopes. Check em in and move em out like cattle. That meant reworking the ticketing and check-in systems to expedite the process and get adults outside fast. Forms were filled out at stations before customers got in line. The fastest-working employees were put on the front lines. Trainees worked at slower times.

2.How can we further reduce congestion? Many people who were waiting in line wanted services unrelated to the ski school. management stood at the doors to redirect non-ski-school customers to other buildings. Those seeking seasons passes, rentals, and adult lessons comprised nearly 25% of the people clogging up the check-in lines.

3.How can we direct the flow of people more smoothly? Too often, people entered (or re-entered) via exit doors. They interrupted check-in employees with unrelated questions, added to confusion, and slowed the process. By removing outside handles on exit doors, no one could sneak in. Anyone entering the building would have to get past the gate-keeping management team guarding the main door.

Even though the sky was overcast and the wind chill factor drove temperatures below zero, the sun shone in the Sugarbush ski school that same day. These few changes shortened wait time from over an hour to less than 10 minutes per customer. Common-sense systems and procedures resulted in happier customers and employees.

So what can you do to get started? Here are some places to look:

1. Check the toolbox. Are you asking subordinates to fix a leaky roof with a sledgehammer? Frustration erupts when theres a gap between what's expected and what's achievable.

2. Be a matchmaker. Do you have qualified, competent employees assigned to the right positions? Do the positions meet the skills of the available work force? Should the position be human-filled or automated?

3. Get in sync. Do your systems enable employees to meet customers' needs? Remember skiers didnt want to wait in a bigger building, they wanted to glide through the check-in process and hit the slopes. Find out what customers want. Then use the info as a basis for strategies and tactics. Realize also that customers don't always know what they want: it's your job to know.

4. If youre the lead dog, get out front. Are you creating a better mousetrap, or are employees constantly thrown into problem-solving exercises? Input creates buy-in, but too much is a burden. employees want management to plan, direct and lead.

5. Mirror, mirror on the wall Are employee complaints repetitive? Have you listened to or ignored feedback? Maybe youre the problem.

6. Walk a mile in their shoes. Have you ever performed an employee's job for a few days? You may find that youre expecting him to complete jobs that are unclear, work with tools that are broken or slow, and perform with inconsistent direction. You control the checkbook and can fix problems on the spot.

7. Thrill seeking on the job? If youre always trying something new to keep things interesting, cut it out. People like a change of pacesometimes. But too much change creates stress. Build good systems and save the adventures for vacation.

Mass mental sludge is a symptom of dysfunctional systems and equipment or lagging employee skills. Morale wont improve long-term if your aim is to cheer up people. Keep a sharp lookout for real issues plaguing employees to improve morale and give your headache the sendoff.

© David and Lorrie Goldsmith

David & Lorrie Goldsmith are managing partners of a firm that offers consulting and speaking services internationally; clients include Fortune 200 companies. David was named by Successful Meetings as one of the "26 Hottest Speakers in the Industry". More info at http://www.keynoteresource.com

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