Information about factory reset
Factory Reset is a process of clearing the current running and start-up configuration information on a device, and resetting the device to an earlier, fully-functional state.
The factory reset process uses the factory-reset all command to take backup of existing configuration and resets the router to an earlier fully functional state. The duration of the factory reset process is dependent on the storage size of the router. It varies from 10 to 30 minutes on Cisco 8100 Series Secure Routers .
From Cisco IOS XE 17.18.x release and later, you can use the factory-reset all secure command to reset the router and securely clear the files stored in the bootflash memory.
There are several memory components in the device(s), as listed for the Cisco 8100 Series Secure Routers as an example in the following table.
|
Device or Component |
Type |
Volatility |
Purpose |
Data Sanitization |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DDR5 Memory On-board |
RAM |
Volatile |
Running system software |
All data is removed from DRAM when power is turned off. |
|
TPM |
NVRAM |
Nonvolatile |
Secure boot key and board info |
See below |
|
Power Sequencer |
NVRAM |
Nonvolatile |
Power sequencer configuration file |
N/A |
|
IO MCU |
NVRAM |
Nonvolatile |
IO MCU configuration file |
N/A |
|
SPI NOR FLASH |
PROM |
Nonvolatile |
Boot ROM (ROMMON) |
See below. |
|
0.85 V VRM |
NVRAM |
Nonvolatile |
VRM configuration file |
N/A |
|
eMMC module |
NVRAM |
Nonvolatile |
Boot OS, OS file system, system configuration |
See below. |
|
Clock generator |
NVRAM |
Nonvolatile |
Clock generator configuration file |
N/A |
|
PoE controller (C8161-G2 only) |
NVRAM |
Nonvolatile |
PoE configuration file |
N/A |
|
C8130-G2 |
C8140-G2 |
C8151-G2 |
C8161-G2 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
DDR5 Memory On-board |
4GB |
4GB |
8GB |
8GB |
|
TPM |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Power Sequencer |
256K |
256K |
256K |
256K |
|
IO MCU |
256K |
256K |
256K |
256K |
|
SPI NOR FLASH |
256Mb |
256Mb |
256Mb |
256Mb |
|
0.85 V VRM |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
eMMC module |
16GB |
16GB |
16GB |
16GB |
|
Clock generator |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
|
PoE controller (C8161-G2 only) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
DDR5 Memory (On-Board)
-
Volatile memory
-
No user data exists on DRAM after power-off.
-
Sanitization measures not required.
SPI NOR Flash
-
Non-volatile memory
-
Holds user data after power-off.
Configuring the factory-reset all command is the most common method used to erase customer data from the router’s memory resources. Factory reset will clear the current running and start-up configuration information.
From Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1a and later, the factory-reset all secure command will also clear the data held in SPI NOR FLASH in the same manner as the factory-reset all command.
From Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1a, the factory-reset all secure command will clear the data held in SPI NOR FLASH including the config-register and ROMMON variables.
factory-reset keep licensing-info: yes
factory-reset all: yes
factory-reset all secure 3-pass: yes
factory-reset all secure 7-pass: yes
factory-reset all secure: yes
eMMC Boot Flash/NVRAM
-
Non-volatile memory
-
Holds user data after power-off.
A factory reset, factory-reset all command, is the most common method used when erasing customer data from the router’s memory resources. Factory reset will clear the current running and startup configuration information, thereby resetting the router to a fully functional state as it was shipped from factory.
As of Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1a and later, the factory-reset all secure command to reset the router and securely clear the files stored in the eMMC Boot Flash /NVRAM.
factory-reset keep licensing-info: yes
factory-reset all: yes
factory-reset all secure 3-pass: yes
factory-reset all secure 7-pass: yes
factory-reset all secure: yes
TPM
-
Non-volatile memory
-
Holds user data after power-off.
From Cisco IOS XE 17.18.1a, a factory reset command, factory-reset all secure unlinks customer data in the TPM and makes it unreadable by host, including the dev keys installed by consent-token. But you can keep the manufacturing install data like, SUDI, cookies.
factory-reset keep licensing-info: no
factory-reset all: no
factory-reset all secure 3-pass: no
factory-reset all secure 7-pass: no
factory-reset all secure: yes, but keep the manufacturing installed data
After the factory reset process is complete, the router reboots to ROMMON mode.
Software and hardware support for factory reset
-
Factory Reset process is supported on standalone routers as well as on routers configured for high availability.
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