How to configure Aliases in CISCO IOS
Cisco IOS: Making Long Commands Short with Aliases
Reducing the length of the CISCO IOS commands by defining aliases makes you comfortable while configuring and troubleshooting the network. Besides, it saves a lot of time when preparing and taking your CCIE Exam LAB.
ALIAS command is the best way to shorten the length of frequently used CISCO IOS commands. There are some predefined aliases in CISCO IOS which can be seen by issuing the "show alias" command in enable mode.
Router#show alias Exec mode aliases: h help lo logout p ping r resume s show u undebug un undebug w where
It would be much easier for one to type only the letter "s" instead of typing the word "show". One can define the aliases according to one's requirement. Here is how to define aliases for frequently used commands.
NOTE: Aliases are configured on the Global Configuration Mode. I will post here some of the aliases which I frequently use.
ROUTER# configure terminal
ROUTER(config)# alias exec p4 show ip int brief
ROUTER(config)# alias exec p6 show ipv6 int brief
ROUTER(config)# alias exec ips show ip aliases
ROUTER(config)#
ROUTER(config)# alias exec e show run | sec router eigrp
ROUTER(config)# alias exec o show run | sec router ospf
ROUTER(config)# alias exec i show run | begin ^router isis
ROUTER(config)# alias exec b show run | sec router bgp
ROUTER(config)# alias exec r show run | sec rip
ROUTER(config)#
ROUTER(config)# alias exec b4 show bgp ipv4 unicast summary
ROUTER(config)# alias exec b6 show bgp ipv6 unicast summary
ROUTER(config)# alias exec v4 show bgp vpnv4 unicast all summary
ROUTER(config)# alias exec v6 show bgp vpnv6 unicast all summary
ROUTER(config)# alias exec ba show ip bgp all summary
ROUTER(config)#
ROUTER(config)# alias exec o4 show ip ospf neighbor
ROUTER(config)# alias exec o6 show ipv6 ospf neighbor
ROUTER(config)# alias exec oi4 show ip ospf interface brief
ROUTER(config)# alias exec oi6 show ipv6 ospf interface brief
ROUTER(config)# exit
ROUTER#
Verification
ROUTER#show alias Exec mode aliases: h help lo logout p ping s show u undebug un undebug w where p4 show ip int brief p6 show ipv6 int brief ips show ip aliases e show run | sec router eigrp o show run | sec router ospf i show run | begin ^router isis b show run | sec router bgp r show run | sec rip b4 show bgp ipv4 unicast summary b6 show bgp ipv6 unicast summary v4 show bgp vpnv4 unicast all summary v6 show bgp vpnv6 unicast all summary ba show ip bgp all summary o4 show ip ospf neighbor o6 show ipv6 ospf neighbor oi4 show ip ospf interface brief oi6 show ipv6 ospf interface brief TIP: The easy way to configure aliases on all Router is to Copy it and Paste on global configuration modes of all Routers. 🙂
USAGE: When you type P4, it will give you the output of the command "show ip interface brief"
ROUTER# p4 Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol FastEthernet0/0 unassigned YES unset administratively down down ROUTER# ROUTER# p6FastEthernet0/0 [administratively down/down] unassigned
ROUTER# ROUTER# configure terminal
ROUTER(config)# do p4
Interface IP-Address OK? Method Status Protocol FastEthernet0/0 unassigned YES unset administratively down down
ROUTER#