Here are the key tasks for initial configuration of a Cisco switch:
- Set the enable and console passwords to secure access to privileged modes. The passwords must be between 4-8 characters.
- Configure the hostname to identify the switch.
- Configure the IP address and subnet mask on VLAN 1 for management access.
- Verify port status and configure basic settings like speed and duplex.
- Configure SNMP, syslog servers for remote monitoring if needed.
- Configure spanning tree protocol for redundancy.
- Save the running configuration to startup for automation on reboot.
- Test connectivity to verify the base configuration is functioning properly.