Cisco Systems Cisco 12008 manual Enter the enable secret password when prompted to do so

Configuring the Cisco 12008

A typical minimum configuration procedure using IP follows and continues through Step 8:

Configuring global parameters:

Enter host name [Router]: Router

Step 5 Enter the enable secret password when prompted to do so:

The enable secret is a one-way cryptographic secret used instead of the enable password when it exists.

Enter enable secret [<Use current secret>]: barney

For future use, make a note of this password.

Step 6 Enter the enable password when prompted to do so:

The enable password is used when there is no enable secret and when using older software and some boot images.

Enter enable password: wilma

For future use, make a note of this password also.

The commands available at the user EXEC level are a subset of those available at the privileged EXEC level. Because many privileged EXEC commands are used to establish system parameters, you should password-protect these commands to prevent their unauthorized use.

The enable secret password functionality is available for all Cisco 12000 series Gigabit Switch Routers. You must enter the correct password to gain access to privileged-level commands. When you are running from the ROM monitor (rommon>), the enable password can be used, depending on your boot ROM level.

For maximum security, the enable secret and the enable password should be different. If you use the same password for both the enable secret and enable functions during the setup process, the system accepts it but issues a warning indicating that you should enter a different password.

An enable secret password can contain from 1 to 25 uppercase and lowercase alphanumeric characters; an enable password can contain any number of uppercase and lowercase alphanumeric characters.

Observing System Startup and Performing a Basic Configuration 4-17