A control plane management node of a multiple node environment includes a storage and a processor. The processor detects a user of the multiple node environment and provides a plurality of key management configurations to the user. The key management configurations include first and second key management configurations. In response to a first key management configuration being selected, the node creates a private key for the user, and stores the private key within a storage of the node. In response to the second key management configuration being selected, the node configures the user node to create the private key, and configures the user node to store the private key within a storage of the user node.