diff --git a/openssh/client/lab.yml b/openssh/client/lab.yml
index 7a65847..e69de29 100644
--- a/openssh/client/lab.yml
+++ b/openssh/client/lab.yml
@@ -1,44 +0,0 @@
-applications:
-- openssh
-parameters:
-  _param:
-    cluster_private_key: |
-      -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
-      MIIEowIBAAKCAQEAxL6/rVgCetsETpZaUmXmkj8cZ1WN0eubH1FvMDOi/La9ZJyT
-      k0C6AYpJnIyEm93pMj5cLm08qRqMW+2pdOhYjcH69yg5MrX5SkRk8jCmIHIYoIbh
-      Qnwbnj3dd3I39ZdfU2FO7u2vlbglVou6ZoQxlJDItuLNtzq6EG+w9eF19e7+OsC6
-      6iUItp618zfw1l3J/8nKvCGe2RYDf7mJW6XwCl/DwryJmwwzvPgYJ3QMuDD8/HFj
-      lrJ3xjFTXj4b4Ws1XIoy78fFbtiLr4OwqCYkho03u2E5rOOP1qZxZB63sivHMLMO
-      MM5bOAQKbulFNoyALADGYfc7sf0bZ4u9XXDXxQIDAQABAoIBAQCfmc2MJRT97KW1
-      yqpCpX9BrAiymuiNHf+cjEcSZxEUyHkjIRFmJt+9WB0W7ba1anM92vCUiPDojSzH
-      dig9Oi578JxR20NrK8uqv4jUHzrknynzLveVI3CUEcOSnglfJQijbxDFKfOCFPvV
-      FUyE1UATMNBh6+LNfMprgu+exuMWOPnDyUiYQ+WZ0JfuZY8fuaZte4woJJOb9LUu
-      5rsMG/smIzjpgZ0Z9ZVDMurfq565qhpaXRAqKeIuyht8pacTo31iMQdHB78AvY/3
-      g0z21Gk8k3z0Kr/YFKr2r4FmXY5m/gAUvZly2ZrVQM5XsbTVCzq/JpI5fssNvSbU
-      AKmXzf4RAoGBAOO3d4/cstxERzW6hyOTjZIN1ppR52CsnZTsVPbfd0pCtmzmVZce
-      CtHKdcXSbTwZvvkK09QSWAp3MoSpd0gIOiLU8Wx/R/RIZsu9BlhTS3r3EQLnk72d
-      H/1TTA+j4T/LIYLSojQ1RxvIrHetAD44j732aTwKAHj/SybEAVqNkOB/AoGBAN0u
-      gLcrgqIHGrk4VjWSvlCGymfF40equcx+ud7XhfZDGETUOSahW4dPZ52cjPAkrCBQ
-      MMfcDwSVGsOAjd+mNt11BHUKobnhXwFaWWuyqyn9NmWFbjMbICVh7E3Of5aVN38o
-      lrmo/7LuKMVG7XRwphCv5NkaJmQG4njDyUQWlaW7AoGADCd8wDb9bPhP/LQqBmIX
-      ylXmwHHisaxE9O/wUQT4bwREjGd25gv6c9wkkRx8LBsLsGs9hzI7dMOL9Ly+2x9l
-      SvqmsC3S/1zl77X1Ir2/Z57MT6Vgo1xBmtnZU3Rhz2/eKAdqFPNLClaZrgGT475N
-      HcyLLWMzR0IJFtabY+Puea0CgYA8Zb5wRkldxWLewSuJZZDinGwY+kieAVjLJq/K
-      0j+ah6fQ48LXcah0wpIgz+cMjHcUO9GWQdk3/x9X03rqX5EL2DBnZYfUIl63F9zj
-      M97ZkHOSNWVqPzX//0Vv2butewG0j3jZKfTo/2/SrxOYgEpYtC9huWpSVi7xm0US
-      erhSkQKBgFIf9JEsfgE57ANhvITZ3ZI0uZXNxZkXQaVg8jvScDi79IIhy9iPzhKC
-      aIIQoDNIlWv1ftCRZ5AlBvVXgvQ/QNrwy48JiQTzWZlb9Ezg8w+olQmSbG6fq7Y+
-      7r3i+QUZ7RBdOb24QcQ618q54ozNTCB7OywY78ptFzeoBeptiNr1
-      -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
-  openssh:
-    client:
-      enabled: true
-      user:
-        root:
-          enabled: true
-          user: ${linux:system:user:root}
-          private_key: ${private_keys:lab}
-  private_keys:
-    lab:
-      type: rsa
-      key: ${_param:cluster_private_key}
diff --git a/openssh/client/root.yml b/openssh/client/root.yml
index 66f8f88..24dc801 100644
--- a/openssh/client/root.yml
+++ b/openssh/client/root.yml
@@ -1,44 +1,14 @@
 applications:
 - openssh
 parameters:
-  _param:
-    root_private_key: |
-      -----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
-      MIIEpQIBAAKCAQEAsy1IhygI3xV4md37IMd+blxelYr3wuVhWn7uEDGpcZo+lvrN
-      u+6An3VgPA7uX9cLUFzO91UOZx5F4TNlCH1DGq7MoVyvgcSla3IBATR3SpQ8rWnn
-      FD8rjsUw3RloTfwz7+f7y/DWFsHhGAWzWy4FNE3e0b5udk1Fyk4SA43he1w8V+Eo
-      V1oqQUsFOG6DlAbUfCln4GvH7KngTfnmnLgEBUdzK6zn1bwLllugbH9OO3Jnflek
-      L9K2qFu9zbuDP2QHU7GkeZOtmtHB7EkaIt4QpjUasPgmWkIvKa0FOrdunljxLc54
-      6eRJDxfiy4fC8VKAn1qlk/i8XvEEME9Z8fywjQIDAQABAoIBAQCdMsuBGNS/tDy8
-      8g5TsfLwrEWneebprQl+tgHzXz7EFol3OM+rZBKg0//8cTUeDLM2bFaAlLUwL1Ur
-      wUWQ7yUikd2ibIjmlzpyS/Ept3g5jFi35EQCdXGnrsWyFYp3cR+4CZXWVZPfH3Z2
-      9vlms7eJLhChgCu1yxHB7kDLsXz0Fn5jaWPd2TDY+3Y3t3LCFxNgfIQ+Mljzj/6f
-      +MG7bp/5UuEA76oZnPfp2fj1vqWYCI6ftk4Wam1AkHVUNP3jjl48cao7EKeH5v4E
-      0PL+AY3av4SoUQWf1ZlkkJrhIyRRdVDavX86t17NXmrQvaz3brz8yI2Hh08ho413
-      AH8C0zyZAoGBANcea55n9vBoA4FQRX2HEA9ljdPWIFdvkKXvxb7R/UxhzublicBm
-      3JwcDCwbiGhEzYhMlDmt0hZ4YPA3fL7WwP2EXkrYyqn1tSGSS2CkfhpuB2xgPTSr
-      cxbJj5iuKM0eS9GdPqae2k4ME3sC5pi+eiiWuUuvzhqid8EMAGFvYdcXAoGBANU6
-      R4OLghz2FaTSeFFHfHCoAym03qMe9pRCugnM2Np0vEZ650G2xez8OtYim8nttkTE
-      xCWppxBtHIjN6mm4pOHsGxr0LqrKtHgMxkawyBx9hZTZSNudAMupPXBRHlPm/+hL
-      EXt4xUiBd4GVkWw2esEKINi83dXHnECugknJN7v7AoGBAJHy4bEneDLDXx1tCLiR
-      2iOYExGWRXsNBmaOtuswLVqVQXsGYN9Y6nQ/00JZq8KSa5/91NMNS2xTX/Gas9gG
-      fAmEtTSywU1uluWgC+QVtjjYTdEJunzxlbPwLKy5/JSt6WLd/JOvUw2Aw/bBkRIw
-      qVDAchcXwA3yDK29JsT0fL0hAoGBAMqu0zufaNbOtFQwHF5mbUtI6XjDjL3RuOHF
-      a8HVDmzZef4k5Z35drqGKAdUbnHLm+5Se4CxezSKAw2nbqN/+HsoS7ubUKDYfiN/
-      QRoBALbUOh37TN40p4TwIo6ZDRMECU1tzfhoHF+HcWmkGs+aGaVVU1Oyc8u6KjTx
-      rLcmpevxAoGAFz4bvKyBt/wq8TPTVzU/iJtwBLq8WdZpKJcuVkF7/DWY3A3maOFs
-      P9IMHeDD+tlfIu0Y3qmPmEaLzXsMfRh+3Eb6itrgDRFEuE/HyPIWxHvDt1jjfIFu
-      O87TLcnZIoW99nyY0RixwuK6ZeCmmyktX0iO7dNDIOyBReCs6ZwXSSc=
-      -----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----
   openssh:
     client:
       enabled: true
       user:
         root:
-          enabled: true
+          # never-ever enable root globally. it must be enabled per-case|node
+          enabled: false
           user: ${linux:system:user:root}
-          private_key: ${private_keys:root}
-  private_keys:
-    root:
-      type: rsa
-      key: ${_param:root_private_key}
+          private_key:
+            key: ${_param:root_private_key}
+            type: rsa
diff --git a/openssh/server/team/all.yml b/openssh/server/team/all.yml
index e8e25c4..3a9b453 100644
--- a/openssh/server/team/all.yml
+++ b/openssh/server/team/all.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 classes:
 # avoid teams w/sudo group restrictions, or override restrictions
-- system.openssh.server.team.lab
 - system.openssh.server.team.cicd
 - system.openssh.server.team.mcp_qa
 - system.openssh.server.team.mcp_ci
diff --git a/openssh/server/team/lab.yml b/openssh/server/team/lab.yml
index b6c90f8..5dc415e 100644
--- a/openssh/server/team/lab.yml
+++ b/openssh/server/team/lab.yml
@@ -1,10 +1,4 @@
 parameters:
-  _param:
-    linux_system_user_sudo: true
-    # This is the public key associated to the default private key setup in
-    # openssh.client.lab
-    cluster_public_key: >-
-      ssh-rsa AAAAB3NzaC1yc2EAAAADAQABAAABAQDEvr+tWAJ62wROllpSZeaSPxxnVY3R65sfUW8wM6L8tr1knJOTQLoBikmcjISb3ekyPlwubTypGoxb7al06FiNwfr3KDkytflKRGTyMKYgchighuFCfBuePd13cjf1l19TYU7u7a+VuCVWi7pmhDGUkMi24s23OroQb7D14XX17v46wLrqJQi2nrXzN/DWXcn/ycq8IZ7ZFgN/uYlbpfAKX8PCvImbDDO8+BgndAy4MPz8cWOWsnfGMVNePhvhazVcijLvx8Vu2Iuvg7CoJiSGjTe7YTms44/WpnFkHreyK8cwsw4wzls4BApu6UU2jIAsAMZh9zux/Rtni71dcNfF
   linux:
     system:
       user:
@@ -17,10 +11,10 @@
       permit_root_login: true
       user:
         root:
-          enabled: true
+          enabled: false
           user: ${linux:system:user:root}
           public_keys:
           - ${public_keys:root}
   public_keys:
     root:
-      key: ${_param:cluster_public_key}
+      key: ${_param:root_public_key}