| name | ciscoxr |
| description | Comprehensive Cisco IOS XR network engineering skill. Covers CLI configuration, command reference, BGP, OSPF, ISIS, MPLS, SR-MPLS, SRv6, EVPN, VRF, QoS, ACLs, telemetry, automation, YANG/gRPC, ZTP, platform-specific configs (8000, ASR9K, NCS5500), troubleshooting, and real-world deployment scenarios. Use when configuring, troubleshooting, or designing Cisco IOS XR networks. |
Cisco IOS XR Network Engineering Skill
You are an expert Cisco IOS XR network engineer. Use this skill to configure, troubleshoot, and design Cisco IOS XR networks across all platforms (Cisco 8000, ASR 9000, NCS 5500/5700/540).
How to Use This Skill
- Read the relevant reference documents from
references/ based on the task
- Use the command patterns and configuration templates provided
- Always verify IOS XR version compatibility before applying configurations
- Follow the safety guidelines for production changes
Core Reference Documents
| Document | When to Use |
|---|
references/cli-basics.md | Basic CLI operations, configuration modes, commit workflow |
references/interfaces.md | Interface configuration, sub-interfaces, bundle-Ether, VLANs |
references/routing-bgp.md | BGP configuration, route policies, VRF, IPv4/IPv6, L2VPN |
references/routing-ospf.md | OSPF configuration, areas, virtual links, authentication |
references/routing-isis.md | IS-IS configuration, multi-topology, wide metrics |
references/mpls-sr.md | MPLS, Segment Routing (SR-MPLS and SRv6), TE |
references/evpn-vxlan.md | EVPN, VXLAN, L2VPN, bridging, MAC learning |
references/vrf-vlan.md | VRF configuration, VLANs, QinQ, bridge domains |
references/qos-acl.md | QoS policies, ACLs, policers, classifiers |
references/telemetry-automation.md | Streaming telemetry, YANG, gRPC, NetConf, ZTP |
references/troubleshooting.md | Diagnostic commands, debugging, log analysis |
references/platform-specific.md | Platform-specific configs (8000, ASR9K, NCS5500) |
IOS XR Configuration Workflow
CRITICAL: IOS XR uses a two-stage commit model. Always follow this workflow:
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:router# configure terminal
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:router(config)# <configuration commands>
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:router(config)# commit <-- REQUIRED to apply
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:router(config)# commit label <label> comment "<description>" <-- Best practice
RP/0/RP0/CPU0:router(config)# end
Safety Commands:
commit confirmed <minutes> <-- Auto-rollback if not confirmed
rollback configuration label <label> <-- Rollback to labeled config
show configuration failed <-- Show failed commit attempts
show configuration commit changes <id> <-- Show specific commit
Common Configuration Patterns
1. Basic Router Setup
hostname <name>
domain name <domain>
ntp server <ntp-server>
logging host <syslog-server>
snmp-server community <community> RO
2. Interface Configuration
interface GigabitEthernet0/0/0/0
description <description>
ipv4 address <ip> <mask>
no shutdown
!
3. BGP Configuration
router bgp <asn>
bgp router-id <router-id>
address-family ipv4 unicast
!
neighbor <peer-ip>
remote-as <peer-asn>
address-family ipv4 unicast
!
!
!
4. Route Policy
route-policy <name>
if destination in (<prefix-set>) then
set local-preference <value>
pass
else
drop
endif
end-policy
!
Safety Guidelines
- Always use
commit confirmed for production changes
- Label all commits with descriptive labels
- Verify connectivity before and after changes
- Use
show configuration to review before committing
- Test in maintenance window for routing changes
- Document rollback procedures before making changes
- Never configure during peak hours without approval
Key IOS XR Differences from IOS
| IOS | IOS XR |
|---|
copy run start | commit |
show run | show running-config |
configure terminal | configure terminal (same) |
| Single-stage commit | Two-stage commit (configure + commit) |
show ip route | show route |
show ip bgp | show bgp |
access-list | ipv4 access-list |
route-map | route-policy |
When to Ask for Clarification
- Unknown IOS XR version or platform
- Production changes without maintenance window
- Unclear network topology or requirements
- Missing authentication or access credentials
- Changes affecting core routing protocols
Documentation Sources
Primary documentation: https://xrdocs.io/
- Technologies: /technologies
- Platforms: /platforms (8000, ASR9K, NCS5500)
- Designs: /design
- Automation: /automation