I guess the reload command is self explanatory. It reboots the router.

Reload command can take two different kind of timer

  1. Execute at specific time or date (e.g at 11:00)
  2. Execute after certain number of minutes (e.g after 30mins)

Note : The router clock must be set before the reload command can work properly.

CLI Example

Reload router at 5:00pm (time is entered in 24hrs format)

R1#reload at 17:00
Reload scheduled for 17:00:00 UTC Fri Jan 1 2010 (in 13 hours and 54 minutes) by console
Reload reason: Reload Command
Proceed with reload? [confirm]
R1#

Extension to the above command. Reload router on 1 July at 10:00am

R1#reload at 10:00 1 july

Reload router in 10 mins

R1#reload in 10

Reload reason can be specified too

R1#reload in 10 Server Maintenance

To cancel reload

R1#reload cancel

Useful Tip

The reload command is especially useful when configuring router remotely.

Suppose by mistake you apply access list to the wrong interface, and are locked out of the router. You will only need to wait till the timer expires, and the configuration is reloaded (from startup config) when router reboots.

R1#reload in 5
!! Some more IOS commands here !!
!! If successful use cancel command !!
R1#reload cancel

In case if you mess up and are locked out of the router, it cannot be restarted ( because you might not have physical access to it) . But thanks to the reload command, the router will reboot automatically in 5 mins.