How to Reset vCenter SSO admininstrator password in vSphere 6.x

You might have faced this, specially in you homelab env ;) , where after a long time when you tried to login on to vCenter SSO and couldn't recall the SSO administrator account "administrator@vsphere.local" password.

Here the good things is, the process of resting SSO administrator account password is pretty state forward, and we can easily reset the "administrator@vsphere.local" password.

To reset the administrator@vsphere.local password:

On a Windows Platform Services Controller or vCenter Server with Embedded Platform Services Controller:

1. Log in to vCenter Server with a domain administrator account. If the Platform Services Controller is installed separate from vCenter Server, log in to the Platform Services Controller server.
2. Open an elevated command prompt.
3. Run C:\> "%VMWARE_CIS_HOME%\vmdird\vdcadmintool.exe".
   
   This console loads:
   
   ===============================
   Please select:
   0. exit
   1. Test LDAP connectivity
   2. Force start replication cycle
   3. Reset account password
   4. Set log level and mask
   5. Set vmdir state
   ===============================


4. Press 3 to enter the Reset account password option.
5. When prompted for the Account UPN, enter: administrator@vSphere_Domain_Name.localBy default, this is: administrator@vSphere.localA new password is generated.

Notes:

• If you customized your vSphere Domain name, provide the customized domain name.
• If the prededing steps fail with a domain administrator account, use a local administrator account.

    6. Use the generated password to log in to the administrator@vSphere.local account.
    7. After the password is regenerated, log in to vSphere Web Client and change the password.

On the Platform Services Controller or vCenter Server with Embedded Platform Services Controller Appliance

1. Log in to vCenter Server Appliance using SSH as the root user.
2. Run this command to enable access the Bash shell:
   
   shell.set --enabled true
3. Type shell and press Enter.

      4.  Now run /usr/lib/vmware-vmdir/bin/vdcadmintool

        

        5. Press 3 to enter the Reset account password option.

        6. When prompted for the Account UPN, enter: administrator@vSphere_Domain_Name.local

            By default, this is: administrator@vSphere.local

Once you press enter, a new password is generated.

Note: If your vSphere Domain name is customized, provide the customized domain name.

      7. Use the generated password to log in to the administrator@vSphere.local account.
      8. Once you log in to the vSphere Web Client, change the password.

Reference: VMware kb# 2034608

That's it... :)