From the Diary of a Data Center Engineer – “From Courtesy to Hammer”
Episode 12
Every Data Center engineer knows there are two ways to solve a problem. The first is elegant, aligned with documentation, and thoroughly professional — obviously the most commonly used. The second… well, it’s definitely effective, but often final — especially for the hardware involved.
This story begins with a ticket: “Issue with the SSL module in Cisco 6500. Cryptographic keys cannot be deleted. The module is no longer reusable.”
Crystal clear. The standard procedure says the keys must be removed — for security, compliance, you name it. But there’s a small catch: the device only allows you to use the “delete” option if it’s functioning properly. In this case… the hardware was damaged, the documentation offered no service commands, and the keys were stored in the hardware encryption chip — NVRAM.
First thought? Dive into the documentation and official procedures — scrolling, flipping pages, staring at the monitor. A flood of complicated methods in return, but in the end — the keys stayed and only an error message popped up. Maybe a factory reset would help? I tried it, waited, and… nope. The device stubbornly kept the keys in NVRAM. You’re probably thinking — just overwrite the keys! Right… but how do you overwrite them when the module’s console is completely unresponsive?
Final thought? Hammer Time.
According to the unwritten law of the server room — if something doesn’t work and you hit it hard enough, it’ll either start working or stop for good. And that’s exactly what I needed. After quickly securing permission for “destructive decommissioning,” I went looking for a hammer — not something I usually carry. You think I’m crazy? Not at all — that was the “unofficial” procedure recommended by the vendor to ensure the keys ended up in the “right place.”
Luckily, I found a hammer in the security office — though they looked at me a bit strangely. I, on the other hand, felt a thrill: I was finally going to smash it! First hit — the metal casing didn’t even budge (note to self: hit the gym), second hit — dented, third — cracked. At this pace, it was going to be Break Time till tomorrow. Eventually, the PCB cracked, and the secure chip holding the keys was physically destroyed. The result — keys? Unrecoverable. Problem solved.
It wasn’t the most elegant solution, though it followed the manufacturer’s advice… Sometimes, when you’re up against the impossible — something that couldn’t care less about the strength of your logic — you have to think outside the box and simply use a hammer.
The moral of the story? Always keep a hammer nearby. The bigger, the better…
