A method by a management server , comprising: receiving a credentials request from a requesting management node from a plurality of management nodes on a network , wherein the credentials request includes a public key of the requesting management node; determining whether the management server has encrypted credentials encrypted for the requesting management node in a credentials cache , wherein the encrypted credentials are encrypted using the public key of the requesting management node and cannot be decrypted by the management server ; sending the encrypted credentials to the requesting management node when the management server has the encrypted credentials, wherein the requesting management node , after receiving the encrypted credentials, can decrypt the encrypted credentials using a private key of the requesting management node ; and when the management server does not have the encrypted credentials: sending a multicast request to one or more peer management nodes from the plurality of management nodes on the network , the multicast request including the public key of the requesting management node ; receiving a unicast response from a responding management node from the one or more peer management nodes , the unicast response including the encrypted credentials encrypted for the requesting management node; and sending the encrypted credentials received from the responding management node to the requesting management node. receiving a credentials request from a requesting management node from a plurality of management nodes on a network , wherein the credentials request includes a public key of the requesting management node; determining whether the management server has encrypted credentials encrypted for the requesting management node in a credentials cache , wherein the encrypted credentials are encrypted using the public key of the requesting management node and cannot be decrypted by the management server ; sending the encrypted credentials to the requesting management node when the management server has the encrypted credentials, wherein the requesting management node , after receiving the encrypted credentials, can decrypt the encrypted credentials using a private key of the requesting management node ; and when the management server does not have the encrypted credentials: sending a multicast request to one or more peer management nodes from the plurality of management nodes on the network , the multicast request including the public key of the requesting management node ; receiving a unicast response from a responding management node from the one or more peer management nodes , the unicast response including the encrypted credentials encrypted for the requesting management node; and sending the encrypted credentials received from the responding management node to the requesting management node. sending a multicast request to one or more peer management nodes from the plurality of management nodes on the network , the multicast request including the public key of the requesting management node ; receiving a unicast response from a responding management node from the one or more peer management nodes , the unicast response including the encrypted credentials encrypted for the requesting management node; and sending the encrypted credentials received from the responding management node to the requesting management node. <EOS>