JN0-106 User Interfaces Practice Question
A junior administrator is learning to navigate the Junos CLI. Which three statements about CLI modes are correct? (Choose three.)
⚠ Common exam trap
The trap here is that candidates familiar with Cisco IOS may assume the 'commit' command is available in both modes, but in Junos it is strictly a configuration-mode command, and the 'exit configuration' command is a common misremembering of the correct syntax 'exit' or 'exit configuration-mode'.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Operational mode is indicated by a > prompt.
Option A is correct because Junos operational mode is indeed identified by the '>' prompt (e.g., user@host>), which is where monitoring and show commands are executed. Option B is correct because the 'configure' command is the standard way to enter configuration mode from operational mode, changing the prompt to '#' (e.g., user@host#). Option E is correct because from configuration mode you can run operational commands by prefixing them with 'run', such as 'run show interfaces', without leaving configuration mode. Option C is incorrect because 'commit' is only available in configuration mode, not operational mode. Option D is incorrect because the proper way to return to operational mode is the 'exit' command (or 'exit configuration-mode' in some contexts), not 'exit configuration'.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Operational mode is indicated by a > prompt.
Why this is correct
The Junos CLI displays a distinct prompt suffix for each mode. When the prompt ends with a greater-than sign (>)—for example, user@host>—the CLI is in operational mode, which is the default after login. This mode provides commands for monitoring, measuring, and troubleshooting the device, such as 'show', 'ping', and 'request'. Unlike configuration mode, operational mode does not allow changes to the active configuration.
- ✓
Configuration mode is entered using the 'configure' command.
Why this is correct
To modify the device's configuration, the administrator must enter configuration mode by typing 'configure' (or 'config' for short) from operational mode. This changes the prompt to user@host# and opens a candidate configuration that can be edited without immediate effect. The variant 'configure exclusive' provides a lock that prevents other users from editing simultaneously. After changes are made, the 'commit' command activates them.
- ✗
The 'commit' command is available in both operational and configuration modes.
Why it's wrong here
This statement is incorrect because 'commit' is exclusively a configuration-mode command. In operational mode, the 'commit' command does not exist; the CLI would return an error saying 'unknown command'. Committing applies the candidate configuration to the running system, a concept that is meaningless in operational mode where the state is read-only. Therefore, attempting to use 'commit' from the > prompt fails.
- ✗
You can switch from configuration mode to operational mode using the 'exit configuration' command.
Why it's wrong here
This is wrong because 'exit configuration' is not a valid Junos CLI command. To return from configuration mode to operational mode, you simply type 'exit' (or 'commit exit' to commit changes and exit in one step). The CLI does not require a special mode-switching phrase; 'exit' alone is sufficient to move from the # prompt back to the > prompt. Using 'exit configuration' will result in a syntax error.
- ✓
You can execute operational mode commands from configuration mode by prefixing with 'run'.
Why this is correct
This is correct: in configuration mode, the 'run' command acts as a bridge to execute operational mode commands without leaving the candidate configuration. For example, typing 'run show interfaces terse' at the # prompt displays interface status while you are still editing. This is particularly useful for verifying the effect of planned configuration changes before committing. Without 'run', operational commands would be interpreted as configuration commands and cause errors.
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