I would like to know how I could restore the unit back to its factory supplied settings (i.e. original setup), particularly when some "intelligent"
user has mucked around with the console or Nware setup, rendering the unit unstable or sometimes even not working at all !!!
In case there is no such option - would request a simple trigger feature on this line to help restore units and get them going with minimal investigating and owntime.
Rgds.
AAPL

There is no 'magic method' of restoring a unit to the factory settings. If the unit was 'misconfigured' the first things to try are:
+ Erase the role
+ Reset the front panel settings to a 'known' state
+ Once the network is functioning, check the web interface pages for any problem
+ Check the log for any extra information.
If the unit has been messed up with via the telnet prompt, there are no other options -today- than to have it serviced by your distributor,,
What sort of problem do you see in the field ? It would be interesting to know, to see if there are ways we could make it a bit more tinker-proof ...

Getting into 'system' menus (that is the 'secret handshake' you describe), accessing the Nion via telnet and tinkering, and playing with the compactflash are --very-- dangerous. You can pretty easily 'brick' a nion with no way or recovering it unless it's sent back to the factory (and that means Mississippi, not just the local distributor!).
There are zero safeguards against someone tinkering with the running linux. Therefore I would suggest you don't even mention it to anyone ...
For the compactflash, /if/ you have to tinker, you need to use the proper tools. Do not try to do a 'filesystem' copy, use a 'block' copy. There is a tool called 'dd' (on windows I think it's called WinDD or similar) that will allow you to image a working compactflash, and write it back on a new one, This is the only 'approved' way to restore a Nion's filesystem if it's broken. It might be valuable information for 'in the field' repairs...
Alternatively, you can always send the box to be serviced...