While Changing the vCloud Networking & Security or vShield Manager Web Interface password is well documented at: Hardening vCloud Networking and Security 5.1.x virtual appliances, changing the console password of vCloud Network & Security or vShield Manager does not seems to be as well documented. Actually I have read in few places that its not possible to change the console password and enable password for vCloud Networking & Security Manager & Appliances. While that is partially true, you can actually recreate the admin account with the desired password which give you a similar effect to changing the password of the vCNS console admin account. The below procedure shows how to achieve just that in a step by step fashion:

How to change vCloud Networking & Security Console Password:

1. Connect to the console of the vShield Manager

2. Log in as ‘admin’  using the default credentials (U: admin  P: default)

3. Switch to ‘enable’ mode

  manager: enable

4. Switch to configuration mode

manager# configure terminal

5.  Create a temporary user, let’s call it tmpadmin

manager(config)# user tmpadmin password plaintext Newpassw0rd1

6. Save the configuration.

manager(config)# write memory

7. Exit twice until you are logged out

8. Log in as the new tmpadmin to the CLI and switch to ‘enable’ mode.

manager: enable

9. Switch to configuration mode

manager# configure terminal

10. Delete the original ‘admin’ user account:

manager(config)# no user admin

11. Re-create the ‘admin’ user account

manager(config)# user admin password plaintext Newpassw0rd1

12. Save the configuration.

manager(config)# write memory

13. Exit twice until you are logged out

manager(config)# exit

14. Log back in using the ‘admin’ account with the new password, switch to enable mode

manager: enable

15. Switch to configuration mode.

manager# configure terminal

16. Delete the tmpadmin user.

manager(config)# no user tmpadmin

17. Save the configuration.

manager(config)# write memory

 

By now, you should have successfully completed the change of your vShield Manager console password successfully. These same step works as well for the vShield Edge Appliance. Further, you should have noticed that the enable password did not change yet. The below instructions show you how to change the enable password.

 

How to change vCloud Networking & Security Enable Password:

Below is the steps required to change the enable password for vCloud Networking & Security Manager/Appliances:

1. Open a console to the vShield Manager

2. Log in as ‘admin’

3. Switch to ‘enable’ mode.

manager: enable

4. Switch to configuration mode

manager# configure terminal

5. Run the below command to change your enable password

manager(config)# enable password NewEnabPassword1

6. Save the configuration.

manager(config)# write memory

7. Exit twice until you are logged out

8. Log back in

9. Switch to ‘enable’ mode, & test the new password

 

This should do the trick for changing the password for both vCloud Networking & Security Console password and enable password. Hope this help & you find it useful.