Re: Multiple Complex Tasks

[Mark . Burgess]

On 19 Sep, Alex Gottschalk wrote:
> Hi All,
> 
> I've got a few faily complex cfengine recipes written, and I'm going nuts
> trying to figure out the best way to bring it all together.
> 
> Right now, I have two separate files, cf.copy and cf.update.  The first
> copies a new passwd and shadow file out of a master server and into the
> client(s).  It also has a shellcommands and editfiles action sequence that
> preserves the original root password on the client.
> 
> On the other hand, cf.update is a file to update the configuration of a
> standard network service.  It copies $(host).service.conf from a standard
> location on the network into /etc, then links service.conf to that file.
> It the runs /etc/init.d/service reload.
> 
> My question is, is there a standard way of running these recipes from a
> central location, "pushing" them out only to the machines where they're
> needed?  Is it best to keep them in separate executable scripts, or is
> there some way to merge it all into cfengine.conf?  The latter would
> involve cfengine.conf having multiple action sequences, since, for
> example, cf.copy runs shellcommands first, but cf.update runs
> shellcommands last.
> 
> I guess what I'd like is to know what others have done for situations like
> this.
> 
> Thanks,
> Alex
> 
> # Alex Gottschalk                                      Systems Administrator #
> # alexgo@stanford.edu                                    Stanford University #
> # (650) 724-7668 desk                                         HighWire Press #
> # (650) 823-7123 mobile                  <URL:http://highwire.stanford.edu/> #
> 
> 
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If you start using cfengine 2, (only in partial alpha at present, but
as good as any 1.6.x version) then you can integrate these operations
very straightforwardly. See the limited documentation about cfengine 2
at http://www.cfengine.org. I am trying to document these changes,
but its tough to be systematic in this hectic semester. If you are
starting with cfengine, I would recommend starting using cfengine-2.0.a14.
from ftp.iu.hio.no/pub/cfengine. In the searchable index of the docs
there are various hints about cfengine 2, including a migration
plan in partial form. Try looking at cfexecd there, and the paper on
"recent developments". Sorry to be vague, but this will save
you trouble later.

The example files in the 2.0.x dist will also help you. Note
some name changes...cfengine.conf -> cfagent.conf etc.

good luck
Mark

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