How To Change Nutanix CVM, AHV and IPMI Passwords

change nutanix passwords

This is very common question among newbie Nutanix customers
How to change Nutanix Controller VM (CVM), Nutanix AHV Hypervisor and IPMI password as per best practice policy ?

Learning Index

  • What is Password best practice policy ?
  • Top 5 Tips for strongest Password ?
  • How to change Nutanix Controller VM (CVM) password ?
  • How to change Nutanix AHV host password ?
  • How to change Nutanix IPMI hardware mangement password ?

Password Best Practice Policy

The password must be strong as per best practice password policy of cyber security rules. Password policy has many DOs and DONT’s when creating a strong password.

Most users understand the nature of security risks related to easy-to-guess passwords that is to guess and may compromise with their personal user accounts.

User must use the complex password as per best practice password policy given below:

Top 5 Tips for strongest Password

Choose your password wisely as you choose your password for Net banking

Strong password policy
Strong password policy
  1. Combine words ( Uppercase and Lowercase letters)
  2. Combine Numbers ( 0..9)
  3. Combine punctuation ( .!?)
  4. Combine Special characters ( @#$&*)
  5. Password length at least 12 digits ( 12-15 digits are recommended )

Use Case : Combine words, numbers,punctuation,special character together with (mix uppercase and lowercase letter) and random number in prefix, suffix or in between.

Example :
Lets take 2 Words : Hyperhci Blog will generate following passwords
Generate 12 digits passwords like : H?p3r#c!B109
Generate 15 digits passwords to add suffix like : H?p3r#c!B109$90

Hope you get it how to choose strong/est password
Now let go to change the Nutanix infrastructure passwords

Change Nutanix Controller VM (CVM) Password

To change the Nutanix Controller VM (CVM) password is required single command to run on any CVM of the Nutanix Acropolis Cluster.
Follow steps:

Step 1 : Log in to (SSH : Port 22 ) any Controller VM (CVM) using Putty client

Nutanix CVM credential ( Default )
User ID : nutanix
Password : nutanix/4u

Step 2 : Run following command ( passwd ) on CVM to change password

Note : Nutanix CVM new password automatically replicate to other CVMs in the cluster. No need to run “passwd” command on each CVM.

change nutanix cvm password
change nutanix cvm password

Step 3 : Now log in to (SSH : Port 22) to each Nutanix CVM to cross check the new password has changed successfully on each CVM.

Change Nutanix AHV Host Password

To change the Nutanix AHV hypervisor password is also single command job.

Let change the Nutanix AHV host password

Step 1 : Log in to (SSH : Port 22) Nutanix AHV host

Nutanix AHV credential ( Default )
User ID : root
Password : nutanix/4u

Step 2 : Run following command ( passwd ) on each Nutanix AHV host

Note : Need to run “passwd” command on each Nutanix AHV host to change the password of each one.

change nutanix ahv password
change nutanix ahv password

Step 3 : Now log in to (SSH : Port 22) to each Nutanix AHV host to cross check the new password has changed successfully.

Change Nutanix IPMI hardware Management Password

To change the Nutanix IPMI hardware Management password follow the steps

Step 1 : Browse the IPMI IP address in internet browser like Google chrome, Mozilla Firefox and Safari etc. and login with following credential.

Nutanix IPMI Credential (Default)
User ID : ADMIN
Password : ADMIN

Step 2 : Click on Configuration > Users

change Nutanix ipmi password
change Nutanix ipmi password

Step 3 : Now, Select User (ADMIN) > Modify User >> <Enter New Password>

change Nutanix ipmi admin password
change Nutanix ipmi admin password

Step 4 : Log out from IPMI web console and re-login to cross the new password has changed successfully.

Conclusion

Nutanix recommends to change the Ntuanix default passwords immediately before nutanix servers goes live in productions environment to avoid any data breach and security compromise.
Must generate strong/est passwords as per best practice password policy.

Thanks to being here.!

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