Configuring the encryption passphrases

Last Updated : Apr 14, 2026 |

About this task

CMS automatically encrypts the data partitions on the storage disk drive during an OVA deployment. Encryption is not optional — the data partitions on the storage disk drive are always encrypted. A newly-deployed or upgraded system is assigned two default encryption passphrases. You can choose from either of the following default encryption passphrases:

  • cmsdefault

  • cms190941

The customer must decide whether they will require an encryption passphrase to be entered on the console after the system has shut down and rebooted. This includes shutdowns for administrative or maintenance procedures such as turning FIPS on and off, CMSADM restore, LAN restore, RPM update, software upgrades, and regular maintenance reboots as recommended by Avaya. It also includes unplanned shutdowns such as a system crash.

Caution:

If the customer requires an encryption passphrase after a shutdown, that passphrase must be entered on the system console. The passphrase cannot be entered remotely after the system has rebooted. You can work around this requirement by temporarily enabling auto-unlocking before doing the reboot, but you must remember to disable auto-unlocking after the reboot is complete.

Important:

Whether the customer requires the encryption passphrase after a shutdown and reboot, the customer must change the passphrases from the default to passphrases known only to the customer and Avaya services. The customer must record the new encryption passphrases in a safe, secure location.

Before you begin

Consult with the customer to find out whether they want to require an encryption passphrase after a shutdown and reboot. The customer can always change this decision.

Procedure

  1. Log on as root.
    Important:

    You cannot directly log on as root from a remote connection. You must log on using an administered CMS user ID, then use su - root to log on with root privileges.

  2. Enter:

    cmssvc

    The system displays the following menu:

    Avaya(TM) Call Management System Services Menu

Select a command from the list below.
 1) auth_display   Display feature authorizations
 2) weblm_set      Set up the connection to the WebLM
 3) run_ids        Turn Informix Database on or off
 4) run_cms        Turn Avaya CMS on or off
 5) setup          Set up the initial configuration
 6) swinfo         Display switch information
 7) swsetup        Change switch information
 8) uninstall      Remove the CMS rpm from the machine
 9) patch_rmv      Backout an installed CMS patch
10) back_all       Backout all installed CMS patches from machine
11) security       Administer CMS security features
Enter choice (1-11) or q to quit:
  3. Enter the number that corresponds to the security command.

    The system displays the following menu:

    Select one of the following:
   1) FIPS 140-2 mode
   2) Firewall
   3) Enhanced Access Security Gateway (EASG)
   4) Disk encryption
Enter choice (1-4) or q to quit:
  4. Enter the number that corresponds to the Disk encryption command.

    The system displays the following menu:

    Disk encryption auto-unlocking is enabled.

Select one of the following
  1) Change encryption passphrase
  2) Enable auto-unlocking
  3) Disable auto-unlocking
Enter choice (1-3) or q to quit:
  5. To change an encryption passphrase, do the following steps:
    Important:

    Whether the customer requires the encryption passphrase after a shutdown and reboot, the customer must change the passphrases from the default to passphrases known only to the customer and Avaya services. The customer must record the new encryption passphrases in a safe, secure location.

    1. Enter the number that corresponds to the Change encryption passphrase command.

      The system displays the following message:

      Select one of the following
  1) Primary encryption passphrase
  2) Secondary encryption passphrase
Enter choice (1-2) or q to quit:
    2. Select either the primary or secondary encryption passphrase option.

      The system displays the following message:

      Enter current encryption passphrase:
    3. Enter a current encryption passphrase and press Enter.

      The system displays the following message:

      Enter new encryption passphrase:
    4. Enter the new encryption passphrase and press Enter.

      The system displays the following message:

      Re-enter new encryption passphrase:
    5. Re-enter the new encryption passphrase and press Enter.

      The system displays messages similar to the following example:

      Changing passphrase for disk partition /dev/sda3 ...
Changing passphrase for disk partition /dev/sda7 ...
Changing passphrase for disk partition /dev/sda10 ...
Changing passphrase for disk partition /dev/sda11 ...
    6. Repeat these steps for the second passphrase.
  6. To enable encryption auto-unlocking, do the following steps:
    1. Enter the number that corresponds to the Enable auto-unlocking command.

      The system displays the following message:

      Enter an existing encryption passphrase:
    2. Enter the current encryption passphrase and press Enter.

      The system displays messages similar to the following example:

      Adding auto-unlocking key file to partition /dev/sda3 ...
Adding auto-unlocking key file to partition /dev/sda7 ...
Adding auto-unlocking key file to partition /dev/sda10 ...
Adding auto-unlocking key file to partition /dev/sda11 ...
Changing reboot setting ...

Auto-unlocking enabled successfully.
  7. To disable encryption auto-unlocking, do the following steps:
    Caution:

    If the customer requires an encryption passphrase after a shutdown, that passphrase must be entered on the system console. The passphrase cannot be entered remotely after the system has rebooted. You can work around this requirement by temporarily enabling auto-unlocking before doing the reboot, but you must remember to disable auto-unlocking after the reboot is complete.

    1. Enter the number that corresponds to the Disable auto-unlocking command.

      The system displays the following message:

      Enter an existing encryption passphrase:
    2. Enter the current encryption passphrase and press Enter.

      The system displays messages similar to the following example:

      Changing reboot setting ...
Removing auto-unlocking key file from partition /dev/sda3 ...
Removing auto-unlocking key file from partition /dev/sda10 ...
Removing auto-unlocking key file from partition /dev/sda7 ...
Removing auto-unlocking key file from partition /dev/sda11 ...