Data Communication Network Basics · Topic 3 of 3

VRP, Logging In and Configuring Devices

Learn the Huawei VRP system, console, Telnet and STelnet login, command views and levels, and saving the configuration for HCIA-Datacom H12-811.

5 min
Includes a diagram

In a nutshell

User view uses angle brackets <Huawei>; system view uses square brackets [Huawei].
quit goes back one level; return or Ctrl+Z goes to the user view.
Command levels: 0 visit, 1 monitoring, 2 configuration, 3 management. User levels are 0 to 15.

What it is

VRP (Versatile Routing Platform) is the network operating system on Huawei routers, switches and other datacom devices. It provides the command line, routing and switching protocols, user management and the file system.

You log in through the console port for first setup, or remotely over Telnet, STelnet (SSH) or the web. You then configure the device by moving between command views and typing commands, and you save the configuration so it survives a reboot.

How it works

Login methods

Method	Port or link	Notes
Console	Console port, user-interface console 0	Local, for first configuration; default 9600 bit/s, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity, no flow control
Telnet	TCP 23, user-interface vty	Plain text, not secure
STelnet	TCP 22 (SSH), user-interface vty	Encrypted; preferred for remote login
Web	HTTPS	Graphical management on supported devices

Remote users connect to virtual type terminal (VTY) user interfaces, configured together as user-interface vty 0 4. Each user interface has an authentication mode: aaa (user name and password), password, or none.

Command views

![VRP command views: system-view moves from the user view <Huawei> to the system view Huawei), interface and ospf 1 open the interface and protocol views, and return goes straight back to the user view.

View	Prompt	How to enter	What you do there
User view	`<Huawei>`	After login	Check status, run ping, save, reboot
System view	`[Huawei]`	`system-view`	Global settings such as `sysname`
Interface view	`[Huawei-GigabitEthernet0/0/1]`	`interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1`	Interface settings
Protocol view	`[Huawei-ospf-1]`	`ospf 1`	Protocol settings

quit goes back one view, and return or Ctrl+Z goes straight back to the user view. Interface names follow type slot/card/port, for example GigabitEthernet0/0/1.

Command levels and user levels

Command level	Name	Example commands
0	Visit	`ping`, `tracert`, `telnet`
1	Monitoring	`display` commands
2	Configuration	Service commands such as routing
3	Management	File system, FTP, user management, `debugging`

User levels run from 0 to 15. A user can run commands at or below their own level, and levels 3 to 15 all reach the management commands.

Command line help

Feature	Effect
`?`	Lists the commands or keywords available here
Tab	Completes a partial keyword
Up arrow or Ctrl+P	Recalls the previous command
`undo` prefix	Cancels a setting or restores the default
`display this`	Shows the configuration of the current view

Keywords can be shortened as long as they stay unique, so sys works for system-view.

Basic configuration and remote login

<Huawei> system-view
[Huawei] sysname R1
[R1] interface GigabitEthernet0/0/1
[R1-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] ip address 10.1.1.1 24
[R1-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] quit
[R1] aaa
[R1-aaa] local-user admin password irreversible-cipher Huawei@123
[R1-aaa] local-user admin service-type telnet
[R1-aaa] local-user admin privilege level 15
[R1-aaa] quit
[R1] telnet server enable
[R1] user-interface vty 0 4
[R1-ui-vty0-4] authentication-mode aaa
[R1-ui-vty0-4] protocol inbound telnet

For STelnet you also enable stelnet server enable, create a local key pair, set the local user's service type to ssh, and use protocol inbound ssh on the VTY lines. The Network Security and Services chapter covers SSH in detail.

Configuration files and the file system

Item	Meaning
Current configuration	Running in memory; view with `display current-configuration`
Saved configuration	Stored in flash; view with `display saved-configuration`
`save`	Writes the current configuration to the saved file, by default `vrpcfg.zip`
`display startup`	Shows the configuration file and system software for this and the next startup
`startup saved-configuration`	Chooses the file used at the next startup
`reset saved-configuration`	Clears the saved configuration

Changes take effect at once but are lost at reboot unless saved. File commands such as dir, cd, copy, move and delete work on flash. A plain delete moves a file to the recycle bin, and reset recycle-bin removes it for good.

A worked example

A new switch arrives with no configuration. The engineer connects a console cable at 9600 bit/s, sets the name with sysname, sets a management address, creates a local user with level 15, and enables STelnet on user-interface vty 0 4 with authentication-mode aaa.

After testing the STelnet login, the engineer runs save in the user view. display startup then shows vrpcfg.zip as the next startup file.

How the exam asks about this

"Which command enters the system view from the user view?" → system-view.
"Which command level do display commands belong to by default?" → Level 1, monitoring.
"A device reboots and loses its new configuration. What was missed?" → The configuration was not saved with save.

What to remember for the exam

User view uses angle brackets <Huawei>; system view uses square brackets [Huawei].
quit goes back one level; return or Ctrl+Z goes to the user view.
Command levels: 0 visit, 1 monitoring, 2 configuration, 3 management. User levels are 0 to 15.
Console defaults: 9600 bit/s, 8 data bits, 1 stop bit, no parity, no flow control.
save writes the running configuration; the default file name is vrpcfg.zip.

Watch out

Telnet sends the password in plain text. When a question asks for secure remote management, the answer is STelnet (SSH), not Telnet.

Common mistakes

Using Cisco commands. VRP uses display, not show, and undo, not no. The exam options often mix the two.

Forgetting the VTY settings. Enabling the Telnet server is not enough. The VTY lines need an authentication mode, and with aaa a local user with the right service type.

Thinking commands save themselves. Each command takes effect at once, but only in the current configuration. Without save the change is lost at the next reboot.

Check yourself

What does the prompt [R1-GigabitEthernet0/0/1] tell you?
You are in the interface view of GigabitEthernet0/0/1 on a device named R1.
Which user interface does a Telnet user connect to?
A VTY user interface, configured with user-interface vty 0 4.
What is the difference between the current and the saved configuration?
The current configuration runs in memory and is lost at reboot; the saved configuration is stored in flash and loaded at startup.

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