Changes between Initial Version and Version 1 of Internal/salt

Timestamp:

May 31, 2018, 3:14:22 AM (6 years ago)

Author:

msherman

Comment:

—

Internal/salt

@@ +1 @@
+== Configuration Management in ORBIT and WINLAB ==
+
+We are currently using saltstack to push configuration changes to servers. This is a server/client model, with the salt-minion running on clients, and salt-master on the central servr.
+
+Clients find the master via looking for 'salt' in DNS, by default, and can be otherwise configured in a multitude of ways.
+Currently, 'salt' resolves to salt.winlab.rutgers.edu or salt.orbit-lab.org, and both are CNAMES for interfaces of remote-l, which exists in both networks.
+
+After finding the master, the minion performs a key exchange. Further communication is done via encrypted message broker traffic over tcp, using the ZMQ protocol.
+
+=== File structure and layout ===
+We are using salt 'states' and 'pillars'. States describe a desired configuration, e.g., this package is installed, these files are present, this user has these properties, etc. Pillars contain more specific configurations in key-value pairs, or YAML more generally.
+
+States reference pillars, so instead of configuring PAM to refer to ldap.orbit, the specific string would be pulled in as needed. TODO: Syntax reference.
+
+Importantly, information in the 'state' files are available to ALL clients, as it represents potential commands to run.
+Conversely, information in the 'pillar' files are ONLY available to the clients targeted. Other clients will see either nothing, or a default value.
+
+States and pillars are each targeted to clients via a 'top' file. This contains a list of matching rules, and state IDs.
+For example: 
+{{{ 
+base:
+  external*.orbit-lab.org:
+    - ssh.present
+}}}
+
+This top file would target all clients with a name matching external*.orbit-lab.org, and have them execute the state ssh.present, from the tree for enviroment 'base'
+
+Our current structure is as follows:
+{{{
+/srv
+    /pillar
+        /base
+            top.sls
+        /orbit
+        /winlab
+    /salt
+        /base
+            top.sls
+        /orbit
+        /winlab
+}}}
+