Creating password security
To set up password security:
- In the console interface, set up a manager password pair (and if applicable for your system, an operator password pair).
- Exit the current console session. A manager password pair is now needed for full access to the console.
Passwords are case-sensitive.
The next time a console session starts for either the menu interface or the CLI, a prompt appears requesting a password. Because you protected both the manager and operator levels, the level of access to the console interface is determined by which password is entered in response to the prompt.
If you configure only a manager password (with no operator password), and in a later session the manager password is not entered correctly in response to a prompt from the switch, then the switch does not allow management access for that session. If the switch has a password for both the manager and operator levels, and neither is entered correctly in response to the switch password prompt, then the switch does not allow management access for that session.
If you configure only an operator password, entering the operator password enables full manager privileges.
If the switch has no manager or operator password, anyone having access to the switch through either Telnet or the serial port of the switch can access the switch with full manager privileges.