Changing the default VMware vCenter Server Appliance database password

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

This article provides steps to change the default password of VMware vCenter Server Appliance database when required or if the password is compromised.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.0.x
VMware vCenter Server 6.7.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5.x

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.0.x
VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.5.x

VMware vCenter Server Appliance 5.1.x

Resolution

Note: It is important to take a snapshot of the vCenter prior to making any changes. Please take a snapshot prior to proceeding with the following steps. It is advisable to also backup the configurations using the following commands:

cp /etc/vmware-vpx/embedded_db.cfg /etc/vmware-vpx/embedded_db_BACKUP.cfg
cp /etc/vmware-vpx/vcdb.properties /etc/vmware-vpx/vcdb_BACKUP.properties

To change the default password:

1. Change the embedded database password
   
   
1. Connect to the vCenter Server Appliance using SSH.
   
   
2. Open the embedded_db.cfg file by running this command:
   
   vi /etc/vmware-vpx/embedded_db.cfg
   
   
3. In the file, locate EMB_DB_'PASSWORD' or PGUSER_'PASSWORD' change the password section between the single quotation marks. Note: Depending on the version of vCenter the entry will be either EMB_DB_PASSWORD or PGUSER_PASSWORD
   
   
4. Open the /etc/vmware-vpx/vcdb.properties file for editing with the following command:
   
   vi /etc/vmware-vpx/vcdb.properties
    
5. Change the database password listed here.
    
2. Change the password for the vc and postgres database users:
    
1. Connect to the vPostgres database for SQL execution by running this command:
   
   /opt/vmware/vpostgres/current/bin/psql -d VCDB -U postgres
    
2. Run these SQL statements to change the passwords for the vc and postgres users:
   
   alter user postgres with password 'new-password';
alter user vc with password 'new-password';
   
   
3. Exit the database by running this command:
   
   \q
    
4. Open the .pgpass file by running this command:
   
   vi /root/.pgpass
    
5. Modify the .pgpass file with the new password:
   
   localhost:5432:VCDB:postgres:new-password
localhost:5432:postgres:postgres:new-password
localhost:5432:VCDB:vc:new-password
   
   
3. Update the encrypted password in the vpxd.cfg file by running this command:
   
   /usr/sbin/vpxd -p
   
   
4. Enter the password when prompted.
   
   
5. Run this command to restart the vpxd service:
   
   /etc/init.d/vmware-vpxd restart