Cisco "show standby brief" Command Explained
show standby brief — displays HSRP group status on a router — which group, the virtual IP, and whether this router is Active, Standby, or something else. Runs in privileged EXEC mode.
Syntax and common variants
| Variant | Purpose |
|---|---|
show standby brief | One-line summary of every HSRP group |
show standby | Full detail per group including timers |
Reading the output
| Output / element | Meaning |
|---|---|
Interface | Where the HSRP group runs |
Grp | HSRP group number |
Pri | This router's priority in the group |
P | Indicates preempt is enabled |
State | Active / Standby / Init / Listen |
Virtual IP | The shared gateway address |
When to use it
The fastest way to confirm HSRP is configured correctly and which router currently holds Active — essential right after configuring gateway redundancy, and the first check during a "gateway seems down" investigation. Browse more in the command reference or practise in the free labs.
Frequently asked questions
What does the State column show?
Whether this router is Active (forwarding for the virtual IP), Standby (ready to take over), or another transitional state.
What does the P flag mean?
Preempt is enabled — this router will reclaim Active status if it has higher priority and recovers from a failure.
Why do two routers show different priorities?
Priority is configured to control which becomes Active — the higher value wins (default 100); raise one router's priority to make it preferred.
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