SD-WAN virtual edge password recovery

Products

• VMware SD-WAN by VeloCloud
• VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN
• VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN Edge Appliance

Issue/Introduction

The article introduces a method to recover root password for VeloCloud SD-WAN virtual edge.

Environment

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN Edge release 4.5 or above.

Resolution

WARNING: Because this involves rebooting the operating system (OS) of the virtual edge, it is recommended to follow these troubleshooting steps during a maintenance window. If done outside of a maintenance window, there should be an expectation of a brief customer traffic disruption during the OS reboot.

 

1. Download the iso file from this site:
   https://releases.ubuntu.com/18.04/ubuntu-18.04.6-live-server-amd64.iso
   
   
2. Attach the ISO image to virtual edge's CD-ROM
   
   
   
3. Boot the virtual edge from the ISO image. BIOS setting may need to be modified so that CD-ROM can be boot from.
   
   
   
4. Wait until getting below screen
   
   
   
5. Use the keyboard combination of Ctrl + Alt + F2 to go to Linux Shell.
   
   
   
6. Disk /dev/sda4 and /dev/sda5 are rotation storage for current and last software installed on edge. In order to confirm which one is for current software, do the following.
   
   

   sudo mount /dev/sda4 /mnt
   cat /mnt/opt/vc/etc/vc-version.properties
   sudo umount /mnt

   
   and
   
   

   sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
   cat /mnt/opt/vc/etc/vc-version.properties
   sudo umount /mnt

   The output looks like below, the software build is displayed.
   
   

7. Compare the software build info output between /dev/sda4 and /dev/sda5, and confirm which is the current software storage. Example, R452-20240710-GA is the current software, then /dev/sda5 is the one we need to modify in next step.
   
   
8. Do the following as below and set new password for root by command passwd, then exit and reboot.
   
   

   sudo mount /dev/sda5 /mnt
   sudo chroot /mnt
   
   passwd
   
   exit
   
   sudo umount /mnt
   sudo reboot

9. Once the system is shut down press ENTER, to remove the medium and boot normally next time.
   

 

 

 

Additional Information

It is not needed to disable cloud init file or update the netplan.