Some Procurve switches runs MS-DOS inside?

[Sergej Gurenko]

I have just discover a shocking news. Some 10Gig capable Procureve switches actually runs MS-DOS operating system inside (HP3400 is one of them). This strange technical issue was made in a try to introduce 10Gig switches to the market before a Cisco.
DOS is hidden inside and a lot of efforts made to made it completely hidden from the administrator. The information has leaked from engineering department.
To access standard DOS cli you need to copy command.com (the version from windows 98 or ME is OK) and autoexec.bat to the flash and nvram appropriate. Reboot the switch and you will get it.
The same issue is with a Cisco Express 500 series switches. But the cisco goes further and deny access to CLI at all.

The monolitic DOS kernel and EMS memory management system expains some of the bugs discused in this forum.

P.S. Lets hope HP and Cisco will not find and kill me for disclosure.

More info can be found here:
http://lnk.in/3gt4

[Matt Hobbs]

Ahhh you got me... well done! :)

[Kell van Daal · Accepted solution]

Heh. That's old news. I use a 4000m as a dedicated Duke Nukem 3D server :P

[Sergej Gurenko]

I like you replays!