How to REALLY set a NetScaler back to factory defaults (factory new condition)

This is my follow-up to my original article on setting a Netscaler back to factory defaults (http://www.jasonsamuel.com/2010/06/22/how-to-reset-a-citrix-netscaler-back-to-factory-defaults/). The instructions I provided wiped the config but what about if your actual Netscaler system is corrupted and you need to bring it back to factory new conditions? Well here is the procedure which is also outlined here on CTX116742 (http://support.citrix.com/article/CTX116742). ZebOS by the way if you are interested is what does the routing on the Netscaler (http://www.ipinfusion.com/products/products_home.html). This is a commercial version of GNU Zebra (http://www.zebra.org). Development on Zebra stopped back in 2005 and Quagga became the successor (http://www.quagga.net). A lot of network appliances out there are based on these two.

1. After completing the following steps, the NetScaler will have no configuration left and will be ready for the next installation or environment. Connect to the device using the serial console or with a Secure Shell client (SSH). Delete the system, routing, and SSL configuration:


> shell
# cd /etc
# for file in *; do
# rm /nsconfig/$file 2> /dev/null
# done
(Ignore warnings about files or directories missing. Not all files in /nsconfig are present in /etc)
# cd /nsconfig
# rm ns.conf* ZebOS.conf rc.conf
(Ignore warnings about files or directories missing)
# cd ssl
# GLOBIGNORE=”ns-*”
# rm *
# exit
> reboot


2. Perform an initial system configuration. Connect to the device using the serial console:


> set ns config –ipaddresss nsip -netmask netmask
> save config
> reboot


Jason Samuel

Jason Samuel is a visionary product leader and trusted advisor with a proven track record of shaping strategy and driving technology innovation. With extensive expertise in enterprise end-user computing, security, cloud, automation, and virtualization technologies, Jason has become a globally recognized authority in the IT industry. His career spans consulting for hundreds of Fortune 500 enterprises across diverse business sectors worldwide, delivering cutting-edge digital solutions from Citrix, Microsoft, VMware, Amazon, Google, and NVIDIA that seamlessly balance security with exceptional user experiences.

Jason’s leadership is amplified by his dedication to knowledge-sharing as an author, speaker, podcaster, and mentor within the global IT and technology community. Recognized with numerous prestigious awards, Jason’s contributions underscore his commitment to advancing technology and empowering organizations to achieve transformative results.  Follow him on LinkedIn.