The Zerto Virtual Manager (ZVM) Appliance is a Linux-based virtual appliance that manages Zerto replication and disaster recovery operations. The zadmin account is the default Linux administrative user used for SSH access and troubleshooting.
If the zadmin password is lost or unavailable, it can be safely reset by booting the appliance into single-user mode via the GRUB boot loader. This non-destructive procedure does not affect Zerto configuration or protected workloads but requires a brief appliance reboot, resulting in short downtime. Appropriate permissions, including vCenter access and console access to the ZVM Appliance, are required to perform this operation.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Reboot the ZVM Appliance
Restart the virtual machine from vCenter Server.
2. Open VMware Remote Console
Ensure the console session is active before the boot process begins.
3. Interrupt the GRUB boot loader
When the GRUB menu appears, press e to edit the boot entry.
4. Locate the Linux boot line
Scroll down to the line that begins with:
linux5. Modify boot parameters
Add the following parameter to the end of the linux line:
rw init=/bin/bash6. Boot with modified parameters
Press Ctrl + X to continue the boot process.
7. Reset the zadmin password
At the shell prompt, execute:
passwd zadminEnter the new password twice when prompted.
8. Restart the appliance
Send Ctrl + Alt + Del via VMware Remote Console to reboot the VM.
9. Verify access
After the reboot completes, log in to the system using the zadmin account with the newly configured password.
Wishing you a successful day!
Best regards,
Hasan
