# General Configuration Tasks

The configuration process for E Series routers involves the following general tasks:

1. Determine IP-addressing information and information about the physical and logical characteristics of the various interfaces that you want to configure.
2. Determine information about the link-layer protocols.
3. Determine how to organize virtual routers on the router.
4. Determine how IPSec will be used to provide security.
5. Determine routing information that defines all or part of the network.
6. Create the virtual routers.
7. Configure the interfaces and subinterfaces (such as channelized T3, OCx/STMx, and HDLC data channels) over which the higher-layer protocols run.
8. Configure the data link-layer protocols, such as Frame Relay, PPP, and ATM, that run over these physical interfaces.
9. Configure the general IP information from which the other routing protocols will operate.
10. Configure IP tunnels, shared interfaces, and subscriber interfaces.
11. Configure IPSec.
12. Configure the routing protocols that will run on the router, such as IP multicasting protocols, OSPF, IS-IS, RIP, BGP-4, and MPLS.
13. Configure the Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP) on IP/Ethernet interfaces.
14. Configure QoS and policy management.
15. Configure the router for remote access.
16. Use the appropriate show commands to display network activity on each of the interfaces that you have configured. Do this to verify that they are operating as you expect and to help improve the management of your network.