Quick reference sheet: Puppet tool

Puppet is an open-source configuration management tool that uses a declarative language to define the desired state of a system. Puppet can be used to manage a wide range of systems, including servers, desktops, and networking equipment.

Core concepts

Puppet master: The Puppet master is a central server that stores Puppet manifests and configuration data.

Puppet agent: The Puppet agent is a software agent that runs on each node and executes Puppet manifests.

Manifest: A Puppet manifest is a text file that defines the desired state of a system.

Resource: A resource is a specific object on a system, such as a file, package, or service.

Attribute: An attribute is a variable that can be used in manifests to configure resources.

Useful commands

puppet agent: Runs the Puppet agent on a node.

puppet apply: Applies a Puppet manifest to a node.

puppet config: Displays the Puppet configuration.

puppet resource: Displays information about a Puppet resource.

puppet module: Installs or uninstalls Puppet modules.

Example manifest

Puppet

package { 'nginx':

ensure => present,

}

service { 'nginx':

ensure => running,

}

This manifest will ensure that the nginx package is installed and running on the node.

Tips and tricks

Use Puppet modules to organize your manifests and make them easier to maintain.

Use Puppet data bags to store sensitive data, such as passwords.

Use Puppet environments to isolate different environments, such as development, staging, and production.

Use Puppet facts to gather information about nodes and use that information in your manifests.

Use Puppet reporting to track the progress of your Puppet runs.

Additional quick reference sheet items

Puppet templates: Puppet templates can be used to generate files, such as configuration files or startup scripts.

Puppet notifications: Puppet notifications can be used to trigger other tasks when a resource is created, updated, or deleted.

Puppet handlers: Puppet handlers can be used to respond to events, such as node failures or manifest errors.

Puppet modules: There are many thousands of Puppet modules available online, including modules for popular software packages and cloud platforms.

For more information on the Puppet tool, please see the official Puppet documentation: https://puppet.com/docs/puppet/latest/

Additional tips for using Puppet:

Use a manifest to define the desired state of your system, rather than using scripts to perform ad-hoc configuration changes. This will make your system more manageable and less prone to errors.

Use modules to organize your manifests and make them easier to reuse.

Use data bags to store sensitive data, such as passwords. This will help to keep your data secure.

Use environments to isolate different environments, such as development, staging, and production. This will help to prevent accidental changes to production systems.

Use facts to gather information about your nodes and use that information in your manifests. This will make your manifests more dynamic and reusable.

Use reporting to track the progress of your Puppet runs and to identify any problems.