> # About the DHCHAP Password

> DHCHAP authentication in each direction requires a shared secret password between the connected devices. To do this, you can use one of three approaches to manage passwords for all switches in the fabric that participate in DHCHAP.

> - Approach 1—Use the same password for all switches in the fabric. This is the simplest approach. When you add a new switch, you use the same password to authenticate that switch in this fabric. It is also the most vulnerable approach if someone from the outside maliciously attempts to access any one switch in the fabric.
> - Approach 2—Use a different password for each switch and maintain that password list in each switch in the fabric. When you add a new switch, you create a new password list and update all switches with the new list. Accessing one switch yields the password list for all switches in that fabric.
> - Approach 3—Use different passwords for different switches in the fabric. When you add a new switch, multiple new passwords corresponding to each switch in the fabric must be generated and configured in each switch. Even if one switch is compromised, the password of other switches are still protected. This approach requires considerable password maintenance by the user.

> Note All passwords are restricted to 64 alphanumeric characters and can be changed, but not deleted.

> Tip We recommend using RADIUS or TACACS+ for fabrics with more than five switches. If you need to use a local password database, you can continue to do so using Approach 3 and using the Cisco MDS 9000 Family DCNM-SAN to manage the password database.

> Copyright 2010-2015, Cisco Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.