Cannot SSH or console into ACS Appliance

[Colin Higgins]

I have a Cisco ACS appliance that I shutdown in order to move

When the system came back up, I can get into the web interface without any issues, but I cannot SSH or console into the device. I get a prompt, but it tells me authentication failed. 

I created a new recovery account within the GUI and tried to get int that way, but it still won't let me

Has anyone seen this before? What can I do?

[Kanwaljeet Singh · Accepted solution]

Hi Colin,

If you cannot SSH into the device, then unfortunately you would need to do password recovery. There is no other way.

Here are the steps:

https://supportforums.cisco.com/document/94721/acs-5x-cli-password-recovery-procedure

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Kanwal

Please mark answers if they are helpful.

[Colin Higgins]

I can go into the GUI can create new accounts, including admin and recovery accounts

But none of them allow me to console or SSH into the system

This doesn't make sense to me. Something is wrong here

[Kanwaljeet Singh]

Hi Colin,

That is only for GUI. You cannot reset or change cli password from GUI. To double check i created one and tested. I can successfully login to GUI with new user which has recovery account enabled but cannot do so on cli.

Above mentioned procedure is the only option unfortunately.

Regards,

Kanwal

Note: Please mark answers if they are helpful.

[Colin Higgins]

But how would the password change on a reboot? I logged into the CLI with my credentials, halted the system, moved the server, and then couldn't log back in

how does that happen?

If this is a bug, it is a HUGE problem for Cisco

[Kanwaljeet Singh]

Hi Colin,

I am not sure why just stopping the server would do this. i have rebooted my server and i do not see a problem. 

I am wondering if it had something to do with configuration not saved to startup. I will update this thread if i manage to test this.

Regards,

Kanwal

Note: Please mark answers if they are helpful.

[Colin Higgins]

When I ssh'd into the appliance and issued a halt command (in order to power it down and move it), I was asked to save the configuration, to which I answered yes. That apparently re-wrote the CLI admin password.

Keep in mind that this appliance is 3 years old and I have been using that same account all along, and the config has been saved before. Don't know why this happened. I phoned up other engineers I know and told them to be careful when rebooting their appliances ...