To prevent unauthorized access to the vCenter Server Appliance Direct Console User Interface, you can change the password of the root user.

The default root password for the vCenter Server Appliance is the password you enter during deployment of the virtual appliance.

Important: The password for the root account of the vCenter Server Appliance expires after 90 days. You can change the expiry time for an account by logging as root to the vCenter Server Appliance Bash shell, and running chage -M number_of_days -W warning_until_expiration user_name. To increase the expiration time of the root password to infinity, run the chage -M -1 -E -1 root command.

Procedure

  1. Browse to the vCenter Server Appliance in the vSphere Web Client or the VMware Host Client inventory.
  2. Open the vCenter Server Appliance console.
    • From the vSphere Web Client, on the Summary tab, click Launch Console.
    • From the VMware Host Client, click Console and select an option from the drop-down menu.
  3. Click inside the console window and press F2 to customize the system.
  4. To log in to the Direct Console User Interface, type the current password of the root user and press Enter.
  5. Select Configure Root Password and press Enter.
  6. Type the old password of the root user, and press Enter.
  7. Set up the new password and press Enter.
  8. Press Esc until you return to the main menu of the Direct Console User Interface.

Results

You changed the password of the root user of the appliance.