US Patent 9516016 Storage array password management

A system and method for generating passwords for secure login to a storage array. A randomly generated root secret is utilized along with a compartment ID to generate a root password for logging into a storage array with root privileges. The root secret is encrypted with the public key of a public-private key pair and stored on the storage array. The encrypted root secret is then stored in the storage array. When root access is needed, a private key stored externally to the storage array is utilized to decrypt the root secret. The decrypted root secret is then used along with the compartment ID to regenerate the root password.