brocade 6520 or 6510 hard reset

Brocade_6520_6510_hard_reset.md

🔄 Full Reset of Brocade 6520 and 6510 (Fabric OS 8.2) Without License Loss

⚠️ Warning: This procedure erases all configuration (zoning, users, IP settings, passwords, etc.), but preserves licenses.

🔧 Prerequisites

• Serial console or SSH access to the switch.
• Backup configuration if needed (configUpload).

🪛 Resetting Passwords on Brocade Switches

1. Power off the switch

2. Connect to the serial console

sudo minicom --device /dev/ttyUSB0 --baudrate 9600

Example using minicom

3. Power on and interrupt boot

Hit escape during boot
>>> choose option number 3

4. Boot into single-user mode

printenv
setenv OSLoadOptions single
printenv
boot

5. Mount filesystem and reset password

mount -o remount,rw,noatime /
mount /dev/hda1 /mnt

/sbin/passwddefault

WARNING: ERRORS MAY OCCUR

6. Verify

cat /etc/passwd | grep root
cat /etc/passwd | grep admin
cat /etc/shadow | grep root
cat /etc/shadow | grep admin

7. Reboot

sync ; sync ; sync
reboot -f

8. Test login

root : fibranne
admin : password

🪛 Clearing the Configuration

0. Get licences informations and dump it

licenseShow
licenseIdShow
licensePort --show

backup this part

1. Disable the switch (optional but recommended)

switchDisable

2. Delete zoning configuration

cfgDisable
cfgClear
cfgSave

3. Enable root account

userconfig --change root -e yes
rootaccess --set all

4. Delete user accounts (except root), if needed

userConfig --show -a
userConfig --delete <username>

Repeat for each user.

5. Delete password expiration configurations

passwdcfg --deleteuser -all

6. Remove SNMP configuration (optional)

snmpconfig --default snmpv3
snmpconfig --default snmpv1
snmpconfig --default accessControl
snmpconfig --default mibCapability
snmpconfig --default systemGroup
snmpconfig --default secLevel
snmpconfig --default auditInterval

7. Remove network configuration (optional)

dnsconfig  --delete

ipAddrDel

Or reset IP stack:

ipAddrSet

(Set a temporary IP or 0.0.0.0 as needed.)

8. Restore factory defaults

configDefault

9. Restore factory defaults

portCfgDefault 0/47
portCfgDefault 48/95

10. Persist the reset (optional but recommended)

switchCfgPersistentDisable
configDefault
switchCfgPersistentEnable

11. Reboot the switch

reboot (or fastboot?)

✅ Post-Reboot Checks

• The switch returns to factory state.
• Licenses are still present:

licenseShow

🧽 Optional Cleanup (Resale or Reassignment)

• Reset the domain ID:

switchDomainId 0

• Set a generic switch name:

switchName "default-switch"

🧰 Additional Resources

• Check firmware version:

firmwareShow

• Backup configuration before reset:

configUpload