6.2 Route Switch Modules
6.2.2 Accessing the RSM
One of the most appealing benefits of the RSM lies in its similarity to a router. Because it runs the full Cisco IOS Software, the RSM is configured almost exactly like any other router.

The RSM can be accessed in two ways. Either connect a terminal directly to the RSM console port or access the RSM from the switch. To access the RSM from the switch prompt, enter the following command at the switch prompt:

Switch> session mod-num

where mod-num is the module number of the RSM. The module number can be obtained by issuing the show module command on the switch, as shown in the Figure.

After the session command executes, the switch responds with the Enter Password prompt for the RSM, if a password is configured. After you enter the password for the RSM, you are logged in to the Route Processor. At this point, you are in user EXEC command mode on the Route Processor and you have direct access to the RSM.

To return from the router command-line interface (CLI) back to the switch CLI, enter the exit command at the Router> prompt. The example in the Figure shows how to access an RSM located in Slot 2 and how to exit the router CLI and return to the switch CLI.

One of the first tasks in configuring your Route Processor is to assign it a host name. Naming your router helps you to better manage your network by being able to uniquely identify each Route Processor within the network. The name of the Route Processor is considered to be the host name and is the name displayed at the system prompt. If no name is configured, the system default router name is Router followed by an angle bracket (>) for EXEC mode or a pound sign (#) for privileged EXEC mode.

To configure a host name, enter the following command in global configuration mode:

Router(config)#hostname name

where name is the identifying system name; it has from 1 to 255 alphanumeric characters.

It is important to not forget to save your RSM configuration! Unlike the rest of the switch, the RSM does not automatically save changes, meaning you need to save your configuration changes to nonvolatile RAM (NVRAM) by using the copy run start command.

The Figure to the left illustrates an example where the host name of the Route Processor is Dolphins.