UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users

Hi gurus:
We have several production *nix boxes from vendors and the policy here has been to give them root access as and when they require ( upgrade, troubleshooting the application, etc). Sudo is implemented on the systems but vendors cannot upgrade the application cause it says that the root password is needed to do it . As a result, we give them an account on the box and the root password so that they can login remotely and su to root. When they are done with their work, I change the root password and disable their account temporarily ( until the next access ). Is this a valid policy? How are you guys controlling vendor access to production boxes. Is there a way that the vendors can do whatever they want to do without them needing the root password. The OS I am running are solaris 9 and RH 3. Your insights into this issue would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance,

RG

on solaris you could use RBAC, that's a role based access model, where "no" root exit.... a lot of work, but a good and secure thing when it is done . That RBAC is one of the important features in Trusted Solaris, and it is included in solaris9 and already enabled by default in solaris10 (but with the "normal" unix roles, so root is still root=god)

on linux i only know grsecurity as a RBAC solution, but never tried it. perhabs someone knows other....
gP

I would never give a vendor root access like that. The vendor can give me instructions and I will follow them using root as needed. Can't do that? Then we can't use that product.