KB.15.15

Setting the Clear button functionality

Syntax:

[no]front-panel-security password-clear reset-on-clear

This command does both of the following:

• Re-enables the password clearing function of the Clear button on the switch

front panel.

• Specifies whether the switch reboots if the Clear button is pressed.

To re-enable the password clear function, you must also specify whether to enable

or disable the reset-on-clear option.

Defaults:

• password-clear: Enabled.

• reset-on-clear: Disabled.

To enable password-clear with reset-on-clear disabled

[no]front-panel-security password-clear reset-on-clear

To enable password-clear with reset-on-clear also enabled

front-panel-security password-clear reset-on-clear

Either form of the command enables password-clear.

For redundant management systems, this command only affects the active management module.

NOTE: If you disable password-clear and also disable the password-recovery option,

you can still recover from a lost password by using the Reset+Clear button combination at reboot.

Although the Clear button does not erase passwords when disabled, you can still use it with the

Reset button (Reset+Clear) to restore the switch to its factory default configuration. You can then

get access to the switch to set a new password.

Example

Suppose password-clear is disabled and you want to restore it to its default configuration

(enabled, with reset-on-clear disabled).

Figure 21 Re-enabling the Clear button's default operation

Changing what the Reset+Clear button combination does

In their default configuration, using the Reset+Clear buttons in the combination described under

“Restoring the factory default configuration” (page 43) replaces the switch current

startup-config file with the factory default startup-config file, then reboots the switch

and removes local password protection.

42 Configuring Username and Password Security