hardware level passwords

[stevej123]

1) are there any sort of hardware level passwords on HP proliant servers, I am not on about the OS installed on them, I mean the hardware level below. What exactly are these hardware level passwords protecting against? I.e. why do you need a password at that level, what cant you do until you enter the password, what does entereting the password give you access to etc.

2) where can you check/provide if there is a password set? We need to demonstrate to the auditors there is such a password set at this level, do any of the management consoles show this?

3) are there any default passwords - if so how can you check/prove these have been changed?

[Torsten. · Accepted solution]

Get the manual named
"HP ROM-Based Setup Utility User Guide"
and read about server security menu.
You can set a power-on and a admin password (protects RBSU (BIOS) access).

Power cycle your server.
If you can go into the BIOS (F9), then none of these are set

;-)

[stevej123]

Without physical access to the server (3rd party hosted) or having to restart the server - how can you prove the server is password protected.

What does the hardware password protect against, and are their default passwords?