Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

What command do you use to save the running configuration to the startup configuration on a Cisco device?

1. copy run start

2. write memory

3. config t

4. save config

The correct answer is: copy run start

The command to save the running configuration to the startup configuration on a Cisco device is accurately identified as "copy run start." This command is a critical part of managing Cisco devices, as it ensures that any changes made in the running configuration (the active configuration currently in use) are preserved even after the device is reloaded or powered off. When you input the command "copy run start," it grabs the configuration that is currently operational in RAM and writes it to NVRAM, where the startup configuration resides. This process mitigates the risk of losing configurations due to unexpected reboots or power failures. While "write memory" can also be used to achieve the same goal (it performs the same action as the "copy run start" command), it is considered an older command. The "config t" command is used to enter global configuration mode, and "save config" is not a recognized command in Cisco IOS for this purpose. Therefore, selecting "copy run start" is the most precise and commonly used method in practice for saving configurations on Cisco devices.