enGigabitEthernet. Every interface, regardless of speed, is now just Ethernet. This is maddening to those of us who have been using IOS since version 9. Once again, though, Cisco didn't ask for my input when designing its new OS. It took a while, but I no longer see hundreds of 10-megabit interfaces when I look at the configuration of a Nexus switch. I'm sure this won't be a problem for younger, hipper engineers who never worked with Cisco 2501 routers. Heck, I used to work on AGS routers with internal PC-type expansion slots and no command-line parser. That was before the days of 100-megabit Ethernet, though. Now get off my lawn. NX-OS No hidden configuration in NX-OS When an interface function is changed (L2 to L3, for example), IOS will sometimes keep the configuration for the original mode, which will reappear when the function changes back to the original. NX-OS does not do this. Interface status displays operational state along with a reason I like this feature a lot. A show interface will output the status of the interface and, if the interface is down, it will report the reason: NX-7K-1-Cozy(config-if-range) sho int e7/3 Ethernet7/3 is down (SFP not inserted) Hardware: 10000 Ethernet, address: 0026.9807.95c2 (bia 5475.d09a.81de) MTU 1500 bytes, BW 10000000 Kbit, DLY 10 usec, reliability 255/255, txload 1/255, rxload 1/255 [---output truncated--- ] The show interface brief command I don't know about you, but the show ip int brief command is probably in the top 10 list of commands I use daily. I was flummoxed when it didn't work the way I expected it to, and I stared blankly at the screen for quite some time, using the up arrow again and again, hoping that somehow the output would change. After snapping out of my confusion, I did the unthinkable and read the manual, where I discovered the show interface brief command: NX-7K-1-Daisy# sho int brief Ethernet Type Mode Status Reason Speed Interface Eth3/25 routed up 1000(D) -- Eth3/26 routed up 1000(D) -- Eth3/27 routed down Link not connected auto(D) -- Eth3/2