topic Re: Reset SVM unix-user root password. in ONTAP Discussions

Reset SVM unix-user root password.

Kirktrix — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 10:06:17 GMT

Is there a way to change the SVM unix-user root password using CLI? I tried logging in on the SVM using root but access was limited and passwd not working. Any info or command to use?

Thanks.

Re: Reset SVM unix-user root password.

AlexDawson — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 06:41:37 GMT

Instructions vary by ONTAP version - which are you using? But in 9.7 and later, per https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap-sm-classic/online-help-96-97/task_delegating_administration_to_svm_administrators.html

Steps

In the Administrator Details section, set up a password for the vsadmin user account.

Hope this helps!

Re: Reset SVM unix-user root password.

Kirktrix — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 07:10:14 GMT

Thanks for the reply, But I am referring to the local Unix user (root) under User and Groups.

Re: Reset SVM unix-user root password.

parisi — Sun, 16 Jan 2022 01:20:20 GMT

You don't log in with those users. You log in using SVM accounts as per this:

https://docs.netapp.com/us-en/ontap-sm-classic/online-help-96-97/task_adding_svm_user_accounts.html

Re: Reset SVM unix-user root password.

Kirktrix — Fri, 21 Jan 2022 06:00:57 GMT

Yes, but our IT security team detected that those users still have an Old password. That's why we need to reset it. Thanks.

Re: Reset SVM unix-user root password.

tahmad — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 03:49:01 GMT

How did your IT guy detected password for those users @Kirktrix ? Are you referring to :

https://library.netapp.com/ecmdocs/ECMP1636037/html/GUID-9209C865-7E4A-4557-AE09-C667BC03D63A.html

Re: Reset SVM unix-user root password.

DarrenJ — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 05:18:58 GMT

It is not possible to change this password. You can view this list of users from the CLI with

>> vserver services name-service unix-user show

There is no modify or password reset functionality here though, see below link for full command list.

https://docs.netapp.com/ontap-9/topic/com.netapp.doc.dot-cm-cmpr-991/TOC__vserver__services__name-service__unix-user.html

You can however try to delete and recreate the user and that might clear the old password warning from whatever reporting software they are using. This might incur a data access issue so I would advise doing this in a maintenance window, but should be a quick toggle.

Otherwise they will just need to acknowledge it and let it slide, policy permitting.

Re: Reset SVM unix-user root password.

Mjizzini — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 05:20:00 GMT

There is no password for the internal unix-users. Netapp even discards the value of the password field when you import users from a uniform resource identifier (URI) .

Configure local UNIX users and groups