# Specify and Rotate the Root Password

As of Operator 3.0.98, a `RootPasswordSecret` has been added that, if specified, will set the root password to the string set in `RootPasswordSecret`. If not specified, the root password will be randomly generated by the Operator by default.

Rotation occurs in the background based on the Kubernetes sync period, and will not cause a reboot. Refer to [Secrets](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/secret/#using-secrets-as-files-from-a-pod) for more information.

## Specify a Root Password

To specify a root password:

1. Create a Secret.
   ```shell
   kubectl create secret generic rootpw --from-literal=password='<desired-root-password>'
   ```

2. Add the following field to the `MemsqlCluster` spec ([sdb-cluster.yaml](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/deploy/kubernetes/create-the-object-definition-files/sdb-cluster-yaml.md) file) to reference this Secret with a key selector.
   ```yaml
   rootPasswordSecret:
     key: password
     name: rootpw
   ```

> **📝 Note**: Currently, the exporter container (part of [Monitor Your Kubernetes Cluster](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/singlestore-operator-reference/monitor-your-kubernetes-cluster.md)) will not use this new password immediately.To allow the exporter container to use this new root password immediately, restart the exporter container.```shell
> kubectl exec -it node-<memsql-cluster-name>-master-0 -cexporter -- /bin/sh -c "kill 1"
> ```

## Rotate the Root Password

To rotate the root password, change the Secret value. For example:

```shell
kubectl patch secret rootpw --patch="{\"data\": { \"password\": \"$(echo -n 'newrootpassword123' | base64 -w0)\" }}"
```

Once updated, the root password will rotate in the background based on the Kubernetes sync period. Refer to [Using Secrets as files from a Pod](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/secret/#using-secrets-as-files-from-a-pod) for more information.

***

Modified at: October 16, 2023

Source: [/db/v9.1/reference/singlestore-operator-reference/specify-and-rotate-the-root-password/](https://docs.singlestore.com/db/v9.1/reference/singlestore-operator-reference/specify-and-rotate-the-root-password/)

(An index of the documentation is available at /llms.txt)