When you log on to the system, the system is in operational mode

  • Operational mode provides access to operational commands for showing and clearing information and enabling or disabling debugging, as well as commands for configuring terminal settings, loading and saving configuration, and restarting the system.
  • Configuration provides access to commands for creating, modifying, deleting, committing and showing configuration information

Operation mode

vyatta@vyatta:~$ <Tab>
 vyatta@vyatta:~$ show <Tab>
 vyatta@vyatta:~$ show wan-load-balance status
 vyatta@vyatta:~$ show version
 vyatta@vyatta:~$ show configuration
 vyatta@vyatta:~$ show interfaces

Configure mode

To enter configuration mode type configure, to exit just type exit in operation mode

vyatta@vyatta:~$ configure
 [edit]
 vyatta@vyatta#
 In configuration mode we can also use show to view configure parameter
 vyatta@vyatta# show interfaces
 vyatta@vyatta# show load-balancing

When we finish our configuration, we have to commit the change before exit. For example: to Enable https Service.

vyatta@vyatta# set service https
 [edit]
 vyatta@vyatta# commit
 vyatta@vyatta# save
 vyatta@vyatta# exit

You will notice that which mode you are in by looking at the symbol $ (operation) or # (configure)