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Cisco-techtip-conventions

This document outlines the format conventions for text, images, and commands used in Cisco technical tips and content. It specifies general conventions for text, alert messages, Cisco IOS commands, configuration examples, and IP addresses, emphasizing the importance of clarity and caution in technical documentation. Additionally, it provides guidelines on the use of comments in code blocks and the representation of alert messages.

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Arcangelo Di Battista
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3 views4 pages

Cisco-techtip-conventions

This document outlines the format conventions for text, images, and commands used in Cisco technical tips and content. It specifies general conventions for text, alert messages, Cisco IOS commands, configuration examples, and IP addresses, emphasizing the importance of clarity and caution in technical documentation. Additionally, it provides guidelines on the use of comments in code blocks and the representation of alert messages.

Uploaded by

Arcangelo Di Battista
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Use Format Conventions for Technical Tips

and Other Content


Contents
Introduction
General Conventions
Text
Alert Messages and Icons
Cisco IOS® Software Commands
Configuration Examples
IP Addresses
IP Address Reference
Comments in Code Blocks
Related Information

Introduction
This document describes the formats for text, image, and command conventions used in Cisco
technical tips and content.

General Conventions
The general conventions must be followed for:

● Text
● Alerts and Icons
● Cisco IOS® Software Commands
● Configuration Examples
● IP Addresses (Please use caution here.)
● Comments in Code Blocks

Text
● Bold indicates text the user must enter or select, such as menu items, buttons, and
commands.
● Italics indicate emphasis.
● The forward angle bracket ( >) indicates the progression of menu choices the user must select
in a graphical user interface (GUI), such as File > Print.
● Output examples from Cisco devices are displayed in Courier font; for example (commands
are in bold, do not use color other than black):

3524xl# show running-config


Building configuration...
Current configuration:

!
version 12.0
no service pad
service timestamps debug uptime
service timestamps log uptime
no service password-encryption
!
● System error messages from Cisco devices are displayed in Courier font; for example:
● A router restarted with the reload command displays the System returned to ROM by
reload message.

Alert Messages and Icons

Note: Means reader take note. Notes contain helpful suggestions or references to material
not covered in the document. It is recommended that you read any Note within the article.

Tip: Means this information can help you solve a problem. The tips information cannot be a
suggested way to troubleshoot information or even an action, but could be useful
information. Tips are optional reading.

Caution: Means reader be careful. In this situation, your action could result in equipment
damage or loss of data. You must read Caution statements.

Warning: Warning means danger. You are in a situation that could cause bodily injury.
Before you work on any equipment, you must be aware of the hazards involved with
electrical circuitry. You must be familiar with standard practices for accident prevention. To
see translated versions of the warning, refer to the Regulatory Compliance and Safety
document that accompanied your device. You must read Warning statements.

The exit icon shows that you are about to exit the Cisco website. This image appears at the
end of a link to websites external to Cisco.com and opens in a separate browser window. Cisco is
not responsible for the content of other websites.

Cisco IOS® Software Commands


The next conventions for Cisco IOS commands are also used in the command reference guides.
For more information about conventions in Cisco IOS documentation, refer to the Cisco Technical
Content Style Guide .

● Vertical bars ( | ) separate alternative, mutually exclusive arguments. Example: req-qos {best-
effort | controlled-load | guaranteed-delay}
● Square brackets ([ ]) indicate optional elements. Example: [no] ip route-cache [cbus]
● Braces ({ }) indicate a required choice. Example: access-list number [{permit | deny}]
● Braces within square brackets ([{ }]) indicate required choices within optional elements.
● Angle brackets (< >) indicate arguments in contexts that do not allow italics, and in examples
indicate character strings a user enters that do not appear on the screen (for example, a
password).
● Bold indicates commands and keywords.
● Italics indicate user variables.

Configuration Examples
Generic router names, hostnames, usernames, passwords, and IP addresses are used in
configuration examples. These must be replaced with the names, passwords, and addresses
appropriate for your company.

Caution: Do not use username cisco or password cisco in your configurations. To use
cisco as a password or username, or to use any trivial password, is a security risk. Also
note, it is not recommended that you include Cisco in the article title.

● Router names: RouterX, nasX, and so on.


● Phone numbers: 555nnnn

IP Addresses

Caution: IP addresses conform to RFC 1918 definitions of private network addresses. See
image below. There has been a recent breach due to a client IP address exposed in a
Cisco.com article. Use judgment and caution when you include an IP address anywhere in
your article. Check your images for IP addresses that could be in violation of this.

Three blocks of IP addresses are reserved by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) for
private Internets:

● Range: 10.0.0.0 - 10.255.255.255 (10/8 prefix)


● Range: 172.16.0.0 - 172.31.255.255 (172.16/12 prefix)
● Range: 192.168.0.0 - 192.168.255.255 (192.168/16 prefix)

IP Address Reference
IP Addresses Reserved for Public Documentation

Comments in Code Blocks


Often comments are included in the configuration examples. Comments are italicized. They must
be shown as black text only; colors are unacceptable except when they appear in a screen shot.
They provide more information about the configuration output and commands used. Configuration
comments appear similar to:

!--- Define IPSec traffic of interest.


!--- This line covers traffic between the LAN segment behind two PIXes.
!--- It also covers the SNMP/syslog traffic between the SNMP/syslog server
!--- and the network devices located on the Ethernet segment behind PIX 515. access-
list 101 permit ip 172.18.124.0 255.255.255.0 10.99.99.0 255.255.255.0

Note: It is recommended that you shorten codeblock examples so that no slider appears at
the end of the example.

Related Information
● RFC 1918
● Cisco Technical Content Style Guide
● Cisco Technical Support & Downloads

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