Recover/reset password on 8/8 SAN switch?

[Mike O.]

We have an HP 8/8 SAN switch (AM867) that was purchased about 18 months ago. It's used to connect three fiber based tape libraries and three servers and is a Brocade based unit running Fiber OS 6.1. It's been working OK and we haven't had to make any changes for about a year or so.

However, the person who set it up is no longer with the company, and passwords we have documented for the switch don't work.

I am trying to find out what I need to do to recover or reset the Admin and/or root passwords. I have physical access to the switch and did a power cycle while attached to the serial port, hit "esc" within the 5 seconds and was able to get to the console, but when I tried the "PASSWD Admin" command it said ".done", but then when I rebooted I still couldn't get in via the serial port or the web GUI.

I did some internet searching, but haven't really found any clear method to reset the passwords, other than "call customer support"

I'll do that if I have to, but I'm really hoping there's some easy process using the local physical access to reset the passwords without having to go through the whole customer support process.

Mike O.

[Jeff_Traigle]

The following works on Brocade SilkWorm 3900, which runs Fabric OS v5.x. Might work for newer switches also though.

1) Connect to the console port of the 3900 and reset the switch.

2) Press "ESC" when the message appears and select option 3 from the menu.


The system is coming up, please wait...
Checking system RAM - press any key to stop test
03a00000
System RAM check terminated by keyboard
System RAM check complete
Press escape within 4 seconds to enter boot interface.

1) Start system.
2) Recover password.
3) Enter command shell.

Option? 3

if prompted for a password, press return or try "password"
Password:
>

4) At the ">" prompt. type printenv and make note of the OSLoader, OSLoaderOptions and OSRootPartition settings.


> printenv
AutoLoad=yes
ENET_MAC=006069907338
InitTest=MEM()
LoadIdentifiers=Fabric Operating System;Fabric Operating System
OSBooted=MEM()0xF0800000
OSLoadOptions=quiet;quiet
OSLoader=MEM()0xF0800000;MEM()0xF0000000
OSRootPartition=hda2;hda1
SkipWatchdog=yes

5) Using the value for OSLoader, run the boot command


> boot MEM()0xF0800000 -s

6) At the command prompt run the following commands to reset the passwords.


# mount -o remount,rw,noatime /

where /dev/hda2 is the 1st value from OSRootPartition=
# mount /dev/hda2 /mnt

# /mnt/sbin/passwddefault

7) Reboot the switch, interrupt boot agin.


# reboot -f

Press escape within 4 seconds to enter boot interface.

1) Start system.
2) Recover password.
3) Enter command line

Option? 3

8) From the ">" prompt, set the OSLoadOptions value back to what it was when you started.


> setenv OSLoadOptions=quiet;quiet
> saveenv
> reset

You should now be able to login using the factory default password for admin.

[Mike O.]

Thanks for the info, I will try it in the next day or two. Just to make sure, that will only reset the passwords, correct? It won't affect the rest of the configuration, zoning, etc.?

[Jeff_Traigle]

Correct.

[Hardy Ruoss_1]

Hi @Jeff_Traigle , i got an old SAN switch back from a friend and there i was trying your solution, but no luck with starting the os as you described. I have here my actual printenv-  so if you might look into this ? I think this is a bit different version (8/40) StorageWoks SAN Switch. Any help appreciated. 

=> printenv
AutoLoad=yes
BootromVerbose=no
InitTest=MEM()
LoadIdentifiers=Fabric Operating System;Fabric Operating System
OSLoadOptions=quiet;quiet
OSLoader=ATA()0x1bffb0;ATA()0xc8257
OSRootPartition=hda2;hda1
SkipWatchdog=yes
baudrate=9600
bootcmd=setenv bootargs mem=${mem} ${OSLoadOptions};ataboot;bootm 0x400000
bootdelay=20
ethact=ppc_4xx_eth0
ethaddr=00:27:F8:3C:47:6F
gatewayip=10.10.10.100
hostname=jerronymooo
initrd_high=0x20000000
ipaddr=10.10.10.1
mem=520192k
preboot=echo;echo Type "run flash_nfs" to mount root filesystem over NFS;echo
netdev=eth0
consoledev=ttyS1
ramdiskaddr=400000
ramdiskfile=your.ramdisk.u-boot
stderr=serial
stdin=serial
stdout=serial
submask=255.255.255.0
ver=U-Boot 1.1.3 (Jan 29 2018 - 16:45:05)
Thanks
Hardy