11.1 Administrative Passwords

Use the Administrative Passwords tool to modify the passwords and SSH access permissions for the PTM Appliance administrators: the vaadmin user and the root user. You might need to modify passwords periodically in keeping with your password policy, or if you reassign responsibility for the PTM Appliance administration to another person.

The vaadmin user can use the Administrative Passwords page to perform the following task:

Modify the vaadmin user password. To change a password, you must be able to provide the old password.
The vaadmin user automatically has permissions necessary to remotely access the appliance with SSH instead of using a VMware client. The SSH service must be enabled and running to allow SSH access.

NOTE:The SSH service is disabled and is not running by default. For information about how to start SSH on the appliance, see System Services.

The root user can use the Administrative Passwords page to perform the following tasks:

Modify the root user password. To change a password, you must be able to provide the old password.
Enable or disable (default) root user SSH access to the appliance.

When this option is selected, the root user is able to SSH to the appliance. If this option is deselected, only the vaadmin user can SSH to the appliance, and the root user cannot SSH even if the sshd service is running.

To manage the administrative access as the vaadmin user:

Log in to the Appliance Management Console as the vaadmin user.
Click Administrative Passwords .
Specify a new password for the vaadmin administrator. You must also specify the current vaadmin password.
Click OK.

To manage the administrative access as the root user:

Log in to the Appliance Management Console as the root user.
Click Administrative Passwords .
Specify a new password for the root administrator. You must also specify the current root password.
(Optional) Select or deselect Allow root access to SSH. It is deselected by default.
Click OK.