3.1.1 Create User Keys

This topic describes how to create a public/private key pair for an Exascale user.

Exascale authentication uses a system of public and private key pairs. Each Exascale user is associated with a public key. To prove their identity, an Exascale user must supply the matching private key.

For maximum security, an Exascale user should create their own public/private key pair. This is recommended to ensure the integrity of the private key, since the user should never share the private key, not even with the Exascale administrator.

For use with Exascale, the public and private keys must be in PEM format.

To create a key pair, you can use standard utilities, such as openssl, or you can use the ESCLI mkkey command. For example:

@> mkkey --private-key-file priv.pem --public-key-file pub.pem

After you create a key pair, you will need to send the public key to the Exascale administrator so that they can associate it with your Exascale user account.

Never share the private key, not even with the Exascale administrator.