Recovery of access to NSX Manager when passwords are lost.

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• You have lost a password for admin and root (local) accounts.
• The grub password for NSX Manager is not known.
• You have an LDAP user configured, with Enterprise Admin role assigned.

Environment

VMware NSX

Resolution

To recover the passwords of root and admin user:

1. Access NSX Manager UI.
2. Browse to System - Appliances.
3. Add a new NSX Manager.
   Make a note of the passwords used at the time of deployment (root and admin).
   If desired, change the GRUB password to non-default password. 
   If non-default GRUB password is used, please note this password.
4. Once the new appliance has been deployed, you have the following two options:

Option 1:

1. Using the vSphere client, open the "Console" for the new appliance, and authenticate to it as root user. 
2. Keep the console opened, and wait for the new Manager to join the cluster.
   You can monitor this in the UI in System - Appliances. 
3. Once the cluster is stable, use the Console opened in step a., and follow the steps in the Administration Guide - Resetting the Passwords of an Appliance.

Option 2:

1. Wait for the new Manager to join the cluster.
   You can monitor this activity in the UI in System - Appliances.
2. Use the newly deployed appliance to reset the root password through the GRUB menu - please follow the steps in the Administration Guide - Resetting the Passwords of an Appliance.
   Please note this method requires reboot of the appliance (to access the GRUB menu). 

Additional Information

Please note: If all local account passwords are lost, and you don't have an LDAP user with Enterprise Admin permissions available, reset of passwords is not possible.