Configuring the CLI engine

The CLI engine refers to the CLI environment used in a user session (for example, console, Telnet, or SSH) to configure and operate the router. The CLI engine is either the classic CLI engine or the MD-CLI engine. The following terms are also used:

preferred CLI engine: the CLI engine that is started at user login
authorized CLI engine: a CLI engine that a user can switch to (using the CLI engine switch command (‟//”)) or where a user can execute commands
active CLI engine: the CLI engine that is currently in use for a user session

The default preferred CLI engine and authorized CLI engines for a session are determined by the management interface configuration mode, which eliminates the need to explicitly configure the CLI engine. With the use of these dynamic defaults, it is possible to transition between the different configuration modes. Table: Management interface configuration modes and CLI engines summarizes the CLI engines for the management interface configuration modes.

Table: Management interface configuration modes and CLI engines
Management interface configuration mode	Default preferred CLI engine	Default authorized CLI engines
classic	classic-cli	classic-cli
mixed	classic-cli	md-cli, classic-cli
model-driven	md-cli	md-cli, classic-cli (read-only)

The preferred and authorized CLI engines for a session can be changed to use either the classic CLI or the MD-CLI engine.

In the classic CLI, the first engine configured is the preferred CLI engine. The default is no cli-engine.

A:node-2>config>system>management-interface>cli# cli-engine ?
  - cli-engine <engine-type> [<engine-type>...(upto 2 max)]
  - no cli-engine

 <engine-type>        : classic-cli|md-cli

In the MD-CLI, the cli-engine parameter is a user-ordered list, and the first engine from that list is configured as the preferred CLI engine. Leaving the cli-engine parameter unconfigured (or deleting the cli-engine values) maintains or reverts to the dynamic default. Table: MD-CLI cli-engine configurations summarizes the supported actions for the MD-CLI cli-engine configuration.

Note: For the changes to the cli-engine parameter to take effect, log out of the CLI session and start a new session.

Table: MD-CLI cli-engine configurations
cli-engine configuration	Preferred CLI engine	Authorized CLI engines	Description
[classic-cli]	classic-cli	classic-cli	User is restricted to the classic CLI engine
[classic-cli md-cli]	classic-cli	classic-cli, md-cli	User can switch between classic CLI and MD-CLI engines in a session
[md-cli classic-cli]	md-cli	md-cli, classic-cli	User can switch between MD-CLI and classic CLI engines in a session
[md-cli]	md-cli	md-cli	User is restricted to the MD-CLI engine