HP Fabric OS 7.1.0, Administrator'S Manual

Page: 145 / 666

Fabric OS Administrator’s Guide 145
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The boot PROM password
5
Denial of service implications
The account lockout mechanism may be used to create a denial of service condition when a user
repeatedly attempts to log in to an account by using an incorrect password. Selected privileged
accounts are exempted from the account lockout policy to prevent users from being locked out
from a denial of service attack. However, these privileged accounts may then become the target of
password guessing attacks. Audit logs should be examined to monitor if such attacks are
attempted.
The boot PROM password
The boot PROM password provides an additional layer of security by protecting the boot PROM from
unauthorized use. Setting a recovery string for the boot PROM password enables you to recover a
lost boot PROM password by contacting your switch service provider. Without the recovery string, a
lost boot PROM password cannot be recovered.
Although you can set the boot PROM password without also setting the recovery string, it is strongly
recommended that you set both the password and the recovery string. If your site procedures
dictate that you set the boot PROM password without the recovery string, see
“Setting the boot
PROM password for a switch without a recovery string” on page 147.
To set the boot PROM password with or without a recovery string, refer to the section that applies to
your switch or Backbone model.
CAUTION
Setting the boot PROM password requires accessing the boot prompt, which stops traffic flow
through the switch until the switch is rebooted. Perform this procedure during a planned
downtime.
Setting the boot PROM password for a switch with a recovery string
This procedure applies to the following switch models: Brocade 300, 5410, 5424, 5450, 5460,
5470, 5480, 5100, 5300, 6505, 6510, 6520, 7800, 8000, and 8510 switches, as well as the
Brocade Encryption Switch and VA-40FC. If your switch is not listed, please contact your switch
support provider for instructions.
1. Connect to the serial port interface as described in “Connecting to Fabric OS through the serial
port” on page 56.
2. Reboot the switch.
3. Press Esc within four seconds after the message “Press escape within 4 seconds...” is
displayed.
The following options are available:
Option Description
1 Start system. Continues the system boot process.
2 Recovery password. Lets you set the recovery string and the boot PROM password.
3 Enter command shell. Provides access to boot parameters.