title: How to Script Automated Root Password Changes?
body: <p>Currently our process consists of logging into each *nix server and manually changing the password for each. My question is, what is a good way to automate this? I'm thinking of possibly a couple different ways to do this and would like input from others on what they recommend, use, etc. </p>
  
  <p>One way I was thinking is a text file with a list of servers that need the password change and a script that prompts the user for the new password, stores it temporarily in the script and then remote connects into each server and runs the commands. Having a check to make sure the server is reachable or a timeout on the remote connection would be a good idea. Then have output to the console so the person running the script can see what servers were successful and which ones were not.</p>
  
  <p>I was trying to think of another fully automated solution, but couldn't think of a good way to securely store the new password. Plus it is not a huge deal to me to have some user interaction and have to manually start the script as we only would need to do this 6 times a year.</p>
  
  <p>Any thoughts, help, ideas would be greatly appeciated.</p>