HP XC System Software Administration Guide Version 3.2

1.10.1 Administrator Passwords
During system installation, you assigned the following passwords:
• Root password
Used to access the superuser account, to perform system administration, and to invoke
management tools.
• Database administrator password
Used for changes to the configuration and management database.
• Console port devices password and user name
Used to communicate with the console ports of the nodes in the system: Integrated Lights
Out (iLO), MP (Management Processor), and Intelligent Platform Management Interface
(IPMI).
All user names and passwords for all consoles on all nodes must be the same.
• Nagios configuration password
Used to access the Nagios system and network monitoring application.
• Switch monitor password
Used to access the Quadrics® or InfiniBand® switch monitor.
• Administrator password for ProCurve switches
Used for configuration of system administration switches. Ideally, there should be a single
password for all ProCurve switches in the system. This password was set when the hardware
was prepared before installation.
For information on changing these passwords, see “Changing Administrative Passwords”
(page 162)
1.10.2 Firewall
The HP XC system maintains a firewall to block communication on unused ports. For information
about the firewall, see Chapter 12 (page 153).
1.10.3 Secure Shell (ssh)
Secure Shell (ssh) is the preferred method for accessing the HP XC system. Typically, a user
accesses the HP XC system using ssh to get a login shell or to execute commands.
The ssh service also enables file transfer using the scp or sftp commands over the same port
as ssh. The typical r* UNIX® commands (rsh, rcp, rlogin) are not on an HP XC system by
default because of their inherent insecurity. The ssh command transfers all login and password
information in an obscured form instead of in the plain text form used by the r* UNIX telnet
and ftp commands.
For security purposes, use the ssh command instead of these other, much less secure alternatives.
To use ssh without password prompting with a user account, you must set up ssh authentication
keys. For information on configuring the ssh keys, see “Configuring the ssh Keys for a User”
(page 161).
1.11 Recommended Administrative Tasks
Table 1-4 lists recommended administrative tasks. Consider these recommendations when
establishing a site policy for administering your HP XC system.
44 HP XC Administration Environment