show interfaces description
Displays a summary of all interfaces with their status, protocol, and description, useful for quickly verifying interface connectivity and administrative notes.
Definition: show interfaces description is a Cisco IOS privileged exec command. Displays a summary of all interfaces with their status, protocol, and description, useful for quickly verifying interface connectivity and administrative notes.
Overview
The 'show interfaces description' command is a powerful yet simple tool in Cisco IOS that provides a concise summary of all interfaces on a device, displaying their status, protocol state, and any configured description. This command is invaluable for network engineers who need to quickly assess the operational state of interfaces without the verbosity of 'show interfaces' or 'show running-config interface'. The output includes three key columns: Interface, Status, Protocol, and Description.
The Status column indicates the administrative and line protocol state (e.g., up, down, administratively down), while the Protocol column reflects the data link layer protocol status (e.g., up, down). The Description column shows any user-defined text that was configured with the 'description' command under the interface. This command is particularly useful during initial network deployment, troubleshooting connectivity issues, or performing routine audits.
For example, when verifying that all interfaces on a new switch are correctly connected and enabled, a quick 'show interfaces description' can reveal any interfaces that are down or misconfigured. Compared to 'show interfaces', which provides extensive counters and statistics, 'show interfaces description' focuses on the essential state and administrative notes, making it ideal for high-level checks. It fits into the broader workflow of network troubleshooting: after identifying a problem (e.g., a user cannot reach a server), an engineer might start with 'show interfaces description' on the relevant switches to see if any interfaces are down or have descriptions indicating a known issue (e.g., 'DO NOT USE' or 'CUSTOMER A').
If an interface is down, the engineer can then drill down with 'show interfaces' or 'show interface status' for more detail. The command is available in privileged EXEC mode (enable mode) and does not require any special privilege level beyond 15. It does not affect the running configuration and is safe to use at any time.
One important IOS behavior is that the output is buffered; if there are many interfaces, the output may scroll off the screen, so using 'terminal length 0' beforehand can help. Additionally, the command works on both routers and switches, though on switches, it also includes VLAN interfaces (SVIs) and port-channel interfaces. The description field is often used for documentation purposes, such as noting the connected device, circuit ID, or location, making this command a quick way to verify that the intended connections match the actual state.
In summary, 'show interfaces description' is a go-to command for any network engineer needing a fast, readable overview of interface health and administrative intent.
show interfaces descriptionWhen to Use This Command
- Quickly check which interfaces are up/up and which have descriptions for documentation.
- Identify interfaces that are administratively down or have protocol issues.
- Verify that descriptions are correctly assigned after configuration changes.
- Troubleshoot connectivity by correlating interface status with descriptions.
Command Examples
Basic show interfaces description
show interfaces descriptionInterface Status Protocol Description Gi0/0 up up Connection to Core Switch Gi0/1 up down Link to ISP Router Gi0/2 admin down down Spare port Gi0/3 up up Loopback0 up up Management Loopback
Line 1: Header. Line 2: Gi0/0 is up/up with description. Line 3: Gi0/1 is up/down (physical up but protocol down). Line 4: Gi0/2 is admin down (shutdown). Line 5: Gi0/3 has no description. Line 6: Loopback0 is up/up.
Show interfaces description for a specific interface
show interfaces description GigabitEthernet0/1Interface Status Protocol Description Gi0/1 up down Link to ISP Router
Filters output to only show Gi0/1. Status is up (cable connected) but Protocol is down (no keepalive or Layer 2 issue).
Understanding the Output
The output has three columns: Interface (name), Status (administrative/line status: up, down, admin down), Protocol (Layer 2/3 protocol status: up, down). 'up/up' means fully operational. 'admin down' means the interface was manually shut down.
'up/down' indicates a physical link but no protocol (e.g., no keepalive, mismatched encapsulation). Descriptions are optional administrative notes. Watch for interfaces with no description as they may be undocumented.
Configuration Scenarios
Verify Interface Connectivity After a New Switch Deployment
A network engineer has just deployed a new Cisco Catalyst 2960 switch in a branch office. All access ports are connected to end-user devices, and uplinks are connected to the distribution switch. The engineer needs to quickly verify that all interfaces are up and correctly described.
Topology
Distribution Switch (Gi0/1)---trunk---(Gi0/24)Access Switch (Gi0/1-23)---usersSteps
- 1.Step 1: Access the switch via SSH or console and enter privileged EXEC mode: Switch> enable
- 2.Step 2: Run the command: Switch# show interfaces description
- 3.Step 3: Review the output. Look for any interfaces with Status 'down' or 'administratively down' that should be 'up'. Check that descriptions match the expected connections (e.g., 'User-PC-1', 'Uplink-to-Dist').
- 4.Step 4: If an interface is down, check the physical connection and ensure the device is powered on. If administratively down, use 'no shutdown' under the interface configuration.
- 5.Step 5: If descriptions are missing, configure them using 'interface Gi0/1' then 'description Uplink-to-Dist'.
! Example configuration for descriptions interface GigabitEthernet0/1 description Uplink-to-Dist switchport mode trunk ! interface GigabitEthernet0/2 description User-PC-1 switchport mode access switchport access vlan 10 !
Verify: Switch# show interfaces description Interface Status Protocol Description Gi0/1 up up Uplink-to-Dist Gi0/2 up up User-PC-1 Gi0/3 down down User-PC-2 (should be up) ...
Watch out: A common mistake is forgetting that the 'description' command is only visible in 'show interfaces description' if configured; if no description is set, the column is empty. Also, on switches, the interface status may show 'up' but the protocol may be 'down' if there is a VLAN mismatch or spanning-tree blocking.
Troubleshoot a WAN Link Failure Between Two Routers
A network engineer is troubleshooting a connectivity issue between two branch routers connected via a serial link. Users at Branch A cannot reach resources at Branch B. The engineer suspects the serial interface might be down or misconfigured.
Topology
R1(Serial0/0/0)---10.0.1.0/30---(Serial0/0/0)R2Steps
- 1.Step 1: Connect to R1 and enter privileged EXEC mode: R1> enable
- 2.Step 2: Run: R1# show interfaces description
- 3.Step 3: Examine the output for the serial interface. If Status is 'up' and Protocol is 'up', the link is healthy. If Status is 'up' but Protocol is 'down', there may be a Layer 2 issue (e.g., encapsulation mismatch, keepalive failure). If Status is 'down', the cable or remote router may be powered off.
- 4.Step 4: If the interface is administratively down, check if 'shutdown' was applied. Use 'no shutdown' to bring it up.
- 5.Step 5: Check the description field for any notes that might indicate the circuit ID or provider info, which can help when contacting the ISP.
- 6.Step 6: If the issue persists, use 'show interfaces serial0/0/0' for detailed counters and errors.
! Example configuration on R1 interface Serial0/0/0 description WAN-link-to-BranchB-CircuitID-12345 ip address 10.0.1.1 255.255.255.252 encapsulation ppp no shutdown !
Verify: R1# show interfaces description Interface Status Protocol Description Serial0/0/0 up up WAN-link-to-BranchB-CircuitID-12345 GigabitEthernet0/0 up up LAN-BranchA ...
Watch out: A common gotcha is that the 'description' field is often overlooked during troubleshooting. Engineers may not configure descriptions, missing the opportunity to document circuit IDs or contact info. Also, on serial links, the protocol can be 'down' even if the status is 'up' due to misconfigured encapsulation (e.g., HDLC vs PPP) or keepalive settings.
Troubleshooting with This Command
When troubleshooting network issues, 'show interfaces description' is often the first command to run because it provides a high-level view of all interfaces and their states. A healthy output shows all expected interfaces with Status 'up' and Protocol 'up'. Problem indicators include interfaces with Status 'down' (indicating a physical or administrative issue), 'administratively down' (intentionally disabled), or Protocol 'down' (Layer 2 problem).
The Description column can be a goldmine for troubleshooting: if an interface is described as 'Uplink to Core' and it shows down, you know immediately that the core connectivity is lost. Conversely, if an interface is described as 'Do Not Use - Faulty Cable', you can ignore it. Key fields to focus on are the Status and Protocol columns.
A common symptom is an interface that is 'up/down' (Status up, Protocol down) which often indicates a Layer 2 issue such as a VLAN mismatch on a trunk, encapsulation mismatch on a serial link, or spanning-tree blocking. Another symptom is 'down/down' which typically means the cable is disconnected or the remote device is powered off. 'Administratively down' means the interface was manually shut down with the 'shutdown' command.
The diagnostic flow a network engineer would follow: 1) Run 'show interfaces description' to get a quick overview. 2) Identify any interfaces that are not in the expected state. 3) For interfaces that are down, check physical connections, cables, and remote device status. 4) For interfaces that are up/down, check Layer 2 configuration (e.g., trunk allowed VLANs, native VLAN, encapsulation). 5) For administratively down interfaces, verify if the shutdown was intentional; if not, issue 'no shutdown'. 6) Correlate with other commands: if a serial interface is up/down, use 'show interfaces serial x/x/x' to see counters and errors; if a switch port is up/down, use 'show interfaces trunk' or 'show spanning-tree' to check for blocking. The command can also be used to verify that all interfaces that should have descriptions do have them, which is a good practice for documentation. In a large network, you might pipe the output to include only certain interfaces, e.g., 'show interfaces description | include Serial' to focus on WAN links.
Remember that the output is static; it does not update in real-time, so run it multiple times if you are making changes. Also, the command does not show error counters or packet statistics, so it is only a starting point. For deeper troubleshooting, combine it with 'show interfaces', 'show interface status', and 'show logging'.
In summary, 'show interfaces description' is a quick diagnostic tool that helps narrow down the scope of a problem before diving into more detailed commands.
CCNA Exam Tips
CCNA exam often tests the difference between 'Status' (line protocol) and 'Protocol' (Layer 2 protocol).
Remember that 'admin down' appears only in Status column, not Protocol.
Be able to identify that 'up/down' means physical connectivity exists but Layer 2 is not functioning.
The command does not show IP addresses; use 'show ip interface brief' for IP info.
Common Mistakes
Confusing 'Status' with 'Protocol' — Status is line state, Protocol is Layer 2 state.
Assuming 'up/down' means the interface is working — it indicates a problem.
Forgetting that descriptions are optional and an empty description field is normal.
show interfaces description vs show interfaces status
The 'show interfaces description' and 'show interfaces status' commands both provide a summary of interface information, but they serve different purposes. They are often confused because both are used for quick interface verification, yet their output fields and typical use cases differ significantly.
| Aspect | show interfaces description | show interfaces status |
|---|---|---|
| Output fields | Interface, status, protocol, description | Interface, status, vlan, duplex, speed, type |
| Typical use | Checking administrative notes and link status | Verifying switch port operational parameters |
| Applicable devices | Routers and switches | Primarily switches |
| Information detail | Minimal | More detailed for switch ports |
| Protocol status | Shows Layer 3 protocol status | Does not show protocol status |
Use show interfaces description when you need a quick overview of interface connectivity and any administrative notes (descriptions).
Use show interfaces status when you need to verify switch port settings such as VLAN, duplex, speed, and type.
Platform Notes
In Cisco IOS-XE (e.g., on Catalyst 3650/3850/9300 switches), the 'show interfaces description' command behaves identically to classic IOS. The output format is the same, with columns for Interface, Status, Protocol, and Description. However, on some IOS-XE platforms, the command may also include additional interface types like AppGigabitEthernet or internal interfaces.
In NX-OS (Cisco Nexus switches), the equivalent command is 'show interface description' (note: 'interface' singular). The syntax is slightly different: 'show interface description' provides similar output but may include additional fields like VRF or IP address. For example, on a Nexus 9000, you would use 'show interface description' to see the same summary.
On Cisco ASA firewalls, the command 'show interface' provides detailed output, but there is no direct 'show interfaces description' equivalent. However, you can use 'show interface ip brief' to get a quick status overview, though it does not show descriptions. For descriptions on ASA, you would need to look at the running configuration.
In IOS-XR (e.g., ASR 9000), the command 'show interfaces description' is not available. Instead, you can use 'show interfaces brief' which provides a similar summary but without the description column. To see descriptions in IOS-XR, you would use 'show running-config interface' or 'show interface' and look for the description line.
Regarding version differences: In older IOS versions (12.x), the command output may not include all interface types (e.g., VLAN interfaces might be omitted). In 15.x and later, the output is more comprehensive. Also, in some versions, the 'Protocol' column may show 'up' even if the interface is in a down state due to a bug, but this is rare.
Always verify with 'show interfaces' if in doubt. Overall, the command is consistent across most Cisco platforms, but always check the specific platform documentation for exact syntax and output variations.
Related Commands
show interfaces status
Displays a summary of all switch interfaces including their status, VLAN, duplex, speed, and type, used to quickly verify interface connectivity and configuration.
show ip interface brief
Displays a one-line summary of all interfaces showing the IP address assigned, operational status (up/down), and line protocol status. The fastest way to get a device health overview.
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