Information Assurance Issue: Erase Data on Bricked Device

[Israel Logan]

I have a Catalyst 3560 PoE 8 port switch that appears to be hard broken.  Plug in power and all lights stay on/amber.  I've done the hold-down of the mode button procedure in various forms with no luck and what I've read given the indications is that it's dead.  Actually, RMA is all ready to go and we just got our replacements today so the 10-day clock is ticking.  But before I send in the old switches I have to prove that I have cleared any data that might be on them.  How can I prove to my Information Assurance people that I have cleared any configuration data that may be sensitive?  Is there an electrical short somewhere?  Also, I would need to see official Cisco documentation of this procedure (an official Cisco website document would suffice).  Thank you for any help with this.

[Leo Laohoo]

Cisco guts the components out of the returned appliances.  The only thing they'll retain is the outter frame.  The rest go into secure destruction somewhere in China.

[Israel Logan]

I'm sorry but, "...secure destruction somewhere in China."  Doesn't work for my org.  I think I'll be on the horn with the RMA department on Monday.

[Leo Laohoo]

In my humble opinion, you're going to be wasting your time if you ring up Cisco TAC. 

Your best bet to get "assurances" from Cisco is to contact your Cisco AM/SE (not an authorized Cisco reseller/vendor).   Worst case scenario, your Cisco AM/SE might just send you a "primer" or a link to the document entitled Statement of Policy Regarding the Removal of Data on Cisco Equipment.