- Overview
- Module Description - What the module does and why it is useful
- Setup - The basics of getting started with mcollective
- Usage - Configuration options and additional functionality
- Reference - An under-the-hood peek at what the module is doing and how
- Limitations - OS compatibility, etc.
- Development - Guide for contributing to the module
The mcollective module installs, configures, and manages the mcollective agents, and clients of an MCollective cluster.
The mcollective module handles installing and configuring mcollective across a range of operating systems and distributions. Where possible we follow the standards laid down by the MCollective Standard Deployment guide.
A quick aside, mcollective's terminology differs a little from what you might be used to in puppet. There are 3 main components, the client (the mco commands you run to control your servers), the server (a daemon that runs on all of your managed nodes and executes the commands), and the middleware (a message broker the servers and agent connect to).
If it helps to map these to puppet concepts you loosely have:
- Middleware -> Puppet Master
- MCollective Server -> Puppet Agent
- MCollective Client -> no direct equivalent
On a server
- mcollective package
- mcollective server configuration file
- mcollective service
On a client
- mcollective-client package
- mcollective client configuration file
- optionally user configuration files (~/.mcollective and ~/.mcollective.d)
Your main entrypoint to the mcollective module is the mcollective class, so assuming you have your middleware configured on a node this is all you need to add a server to mcollective.
class { '::mcollective':
middleware_hosts => [ 'broker1.example.com' ],
}Your primary interaction with the mcollective module will be though the main
mcollective class, with secondary configuration managed by the defined types
mcollective::user, mcollective::plugin, mcollective::actionpolicy, and
mcollective::actionpolicy::rule.
node 'broker1.example.com' {
include activemq
}
node 'server1.example.com' {
class { '::mcollective':
middleware_hosts => [ 'broker1.example.com' ],
}
}
node 'control1.example.com' {
class { '::mcollective':
client => true,
middleware_hosts => [ 'broker1.example.com' ],
}
}This default install will be using no TLS, a set of well-known usernames and passwords, and the psk securityprovider. This is against the recommendataion of the standard deploy guide but does save you from having to deal with ssl certificates to begin with.
Gather some credentials for the server and users. You'll need the ca certificate, and a keypair for the server to use, and a keypair for each user to allow.
See the standard deploy guide for more information about how to generate these.
node 'broker1.example.com' {
# Please see
# https://github.com/voxpupuli/puppet-mcollective/blob/master/examples/ssl_example/mco_profile/manifests/middleware/activemq.pp
# for this as setting up activemq with a truststore can be quite complex.
}
node 'server1.example.com' {
class { '::mcollective':
middleware_hosts => [ 'broker1.example.com' ],
middleware_ssl => true,
middleware_ssl_cert => "/var/lib/puppet/ssl/certs/${::clientcert}.pem",
middleware_ssl_key => "/var/lib/puppet/ssl/private_keys/${::clientcert}.pem",
middleware_ssl_ca => "/var/lib/puppet/ssl/certs/ca.pem",
securityprovider => 'ssl',
ssl_client_certs => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/client_certs',
ssl_ca_cert => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/certs/ca.pem',
ssl_server_public => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/certs/server.pem',
ssl_server_private => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/private_keys/server.pem',
}
mcollective::actionpolicy { 'nrpe':
default => 'deny',
}
mcollective::actionpolicy::rule { 'vagrant user can use nrpe agent':
agent => 'nrpe',
callerid => 'cert=vagrant',
}
}
node 'control.example.com' {
class { '::mcollective':
client => true,
middleware_hosts => [ 'broker1.example.com' ],
middleware_ssl => true,
middleware_ssl_cert => "/var/lib/puppet/ssl/certs/${::clientcert}.pem",
middleware_ssl_key => "/var/lib/puppet/ssl/private_keys/${::clientcert}.pem",
middleware_ssl_ca => "/var/lib/puppet/ssl/certs/ca.pem",
securityprovider => 'ssl',
ssl_client_certs => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/client_certs',
ssl_ca_cert => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/certs/ca.pem',
ssl_server_public => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/certs/server.pem',
ssl_server_private => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/private_keys/server.pem',
}
mcollective::user { 'vagrant':
certificate => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/client_certs/vagrant.pem',
private_key => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/private_keys/vagrant.pem',
}
}I'd like to secure the transport channel and authenticate users with just their private key, how do I do that?
The Mcollective standard deployment guide uses the 'ssl' securityprovider to handle authentication. If you're interested in performing the authentication without creating SSL certificates for each user, one alternative is to use the 'sshkey' securityprovider. As far as the transport channel encryption goes, it's no different than the above example's use of 'middleware_ssl*' parameters.
Sshkey adds additional flexibility with regards to deployment as it currently supports both a static and a dynamic key management philosophy. You can seperate sshkey from your normal system authentication's backend (known_hosts / authorized_keys) and permit it to send and record its key data for you. If you do this, you should strongly consider using an authorization plugin with mcollective. Alternatively, you can use puppet to enforce the available set of key data to use with requests and responses. Because this could reuse an existing user's ssh private key, it could work along-side your existing user management module.
The use of sshkey is optional. For further information, you can review a sample deployment in the /examples folder, review the sshkey module documentation, and review the sshkeyauth rubygem documentation (helpful for debugging errors).
The mcollective class is the main entry point to the module. From here you
can configure the behaviour of your mcollective install of server, client, and
middleware.
The following parameters are available to the mcollective class:
Boolean: defaults to true. Whether to install the mcollective server on this node.
Boolean: defaults to false. Whether to install the mcollective client application on this node.
String: defaults to '/mcollective'. The vhost to connect to/manage when using rabbitmq middleware.
Boolean: defaults to true. Whether to install mcollective and mcollective- client packages when installing the server and client components.
String: defaults to 'present'. What version of packages to ensure when
mcollective::manage_packages is true.
String: defaults to 'mcollective-client'. The name of the package to install for the client part. In the case that there is only one package package handling both, client and server, give the same name for 'client_package' and 'server_package'.
String: defaults to 'mcollective'. The name of the package to install for the server. In the case that there is only one package package handling both, client and server, give the same name for 'client_package' and 'server_package'.
String: defaults to 'installed'. What version of the ruby-stomp package to
ensure when mcollective::manage_packages is true. Only relevant on the
Debian OS family.
String: defaults to 'mcollective'. The name of the main collective for this client/server.
String: defaults to 'mcollective'. Comma seperated list of collectives this server should join.
String: defaults to 'activemq'. Name of the connector plugin to use.
Currently supported are activemq, rabbitmq, and redis
String: defaults to 'psk'. Name of the security provider plugin to use. 'ssl' is recommended but requires some additional setup.
String: defaults to 'changemeplease'. Used by the 'psk' security provider as the pre-shared key to secure the collective with.
String: defaults to 'yaml'. Name of the factsource plugin to use on the server.
Boolean: defaults to false. Spread the cron tasks so that not all the nodes runs the facter cronjob at the exact same time.
String: defaults to '/etc/mcollective/facts.yaml'. Name of the file the 'yaml' factsource plugin should load facts from.
String: defaults to '/usr/bin/env ruby' for non PE installations, and to
'/opt/puppet/bin/ruby' for PE installations. With factsource 'yaml', a ruby
script is installed as cron job, which needs to find the ruby interpreter.
This parameter allows overriding the default interpreter.
String: defaults to '/var/lib/puppet/state/classes.txt'. Name of the file the server will load the configuration management class for filtering.
String: defaults to 'action_policy'. Name of the RPC Auth Provider to use on the server.
String: defaults to 'logfile'. Name of the RPC Audit Provider to use on the server.
String: defaults to '/var/log/mcollective-audit.log'. Name of the audit logfile.
String: defaults to undef. Name of the registration plugin to use on the server.
String: default is based on platform. Path to the core plugins that are installed by the mcollective-common package.
String: default is based on platform. Path to the site-specific plugins that
the mcollective::plugin type will install with its source parameter.
This path will be managed and purged by puppet, so don't point it at core_libdir or any other non-dedicated path.
Array of strings: defaults to []. Where the middleware servers this client/server should talk to are.
String: defaults to 'mcollective'. Username to use when connecting to the middleware.
String: defaults to 'marionette'. Password to use when connecting to the middleware.
Boolean: defaults to false. Wheter to use different ports for each host
defined in middleware_hosts list.
String: defaults to '61613' (for activemq). Port number to use when
connecting to the middleware over an unencrypted connection.
String: defaults to '61614'. Port number to use when connecting to the middleware over a ssl connection.
Array of strings: defaults to ['61613'] (for activemq). List of port numbers to use
when connecting to the middleware over an unencrypted connection. Port defined in the
array position i will be assigned to the host defined in the same position
in middleware_hosts key.
Array of strings: defaults to ['61614']. List of ports numbers to use when connecting to the
middleware over a ssl connection. Port defined in the array position i will be assigned
to the host defined in the same position in middleware_hosts key.
Boolean: defaults to false. Whether to talk to the middleware over a ssl
protected channel. Highly recommended. Requires mcollective::ssl_ca_cert,
mcollective::ssl_server_public, mcollective::ssl_server_private parameters
for the server/client install.
String: defaults to 'admin'. Username for the middleware admin user.
String: defaults to 'secret'. Password to for the middleware admin user.
String: default is '$confdir/server.cfg'. Path to the server configuration file.
String: defaults to '/var/log/mcollective.log'. Logfile the mcollective server should log to.
String: defaults to 'info'. Level the mcollective server should log at.
Boolean: defaults to true. Should the mcollective server daemonize when started.
String: defaults to '$confdir/client.cfg'. Path to the client configuration file.
String: defaults to 'console'. What type of logger the client should use.
String: defaults to 'warn'. Level the mcollective client should log at.
String: defaults to undef. A file source that points to the ca certificate used to manage the ssl keys of the mcollective install.
String: defaults to undef. A file source that points to the public key or certificate of the server keypair.
String: defaults to undef. A file source that points to the private key of the server keypair.
String: defaults to 'puppet:///modules/mcollective/empty'. A file source that contains a directory of user certificates which are used by the ssl security provider in authenticating user requests.
Boolean: defaults to false. Allow writing sshkey public keys to
sshkey_server_publickey_dir.
Boolean: defaults to false. Overwrite learned keys.
String: defaults to ${confdir}/sshkey_pubdir. Directory to store
received keys
String: defaults to '/etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key'. The private key used to sign replies with.
String: defaults to undefined. The authorized_key file to use. Undefined is interpreted by sshkey to mean the caller's authorized key file.
String: defaults to undefined. Specifies the public key sent back with the response for validation. You probably want '/etc/ssh/ssh_host_rsa_key.pub'.
mcollective::user installs a client configuration and any needed client
certificates in a users home directory.
String: defaults to $name. The username of the user to install for.
String: defaults to $name. The group of the user to install for.
String: defaults to "/home/${name}". The home directory of the user to install for.
String: defaults to undef. A file source for the certificate of the user.
Used by the 'ssl' securityprovider to set the identity of the user. This is
mutually exclusive with certificate_content.
String: defaults to undef. The file content for the certificate of the user.
Used by the 'ssl' securityprovider to set the identity of the user. This is
mutually exclusive with certificate.
String: defaults to undef. A file source for the private key of the user.
Used by the 'ssl' & 'sshkey' securityprovider to sign messages as from this user.
When not supplied to sshkey, this is interpreted to use the user's ssh-agent.
This is mutually exclusive with private_key_content.
String: defaults to undef. The file content for the private key of the user.
Used by the 'ssl' & 'sshkey' securityprovider to sign messages as from this user.
This is mutually exclusive with private_key.
Boolean: defaults to false. Allow writing sshkey public keys to
sshkey_client_publickey_dir.
Boolean: defaults to false. Overwrite learned keys.
String: defaults to ${homedir}/.mcollective.d/public_keys. Directory to store
received keys.
Boolean: defaults to false. Enable manual specification of the private key to sign requests with. False is interpreted by sshkey to use the user's ssh-agent.
String: defaults to '${homedir}/${callerid}/.ssh/known_hosts'. The known_hosts
file to use. This is mutually exclusive with sshkey_publickey_dir and is disabled
by sshkey_learn_public_keys.
Boolean: defaults to false. Enable sending the user public key inside the request.
mcollective::plugin installs a plugin from a source uri or a package. When
installing from a source uri the plugin will be copied to
mcollective::site_libdir
mcollective::plugin { 'puppet':
package => true,
}When installing a plugin from source you need to create the correct directory structure for it to work.
For example if you wish to sync an agent for apt which ships with apt.ddl
and apt.rb you need to create the following structure:
site_mcollective/files/plugins/apt/
└── mcollective
└── agent
├── apt.ddl
└── apt.rb
Now you can then point the source attribute of the defined type to the
apt folder in your plugins directory.
mcollective::plugin { 'apt':
source => 'puppet:///modules/site_mcollective/plugins/apt',
}For more examples have a look at the directory structure in files/plugins
of this module.
String: the resource title. The base name of the plugin to install.
String: will default to "puppet:///modules/mcollective/plugins/${name}". The
source uri that will be copied to mcollective::site_libdir
Boolean: defaults to false. Whether to install the plugin from a file copy or a package install.
String: defaults to 'agent'. The type of the plugin package to install.
Boolean: defaults to true. When installing from a package, whether to attempt
to install mcollective-${name}-client on the client node.
mcollective::actionpolicy configures an agent for use with actionpolicy in
conjunction with mcollective::actionpolicy::rule.
String: the resource title. The name of the agent to set up an actionpolicy for.
String: defaults to 'deny'. The default actionpolicy to apply to the agent.
mcollective::actionpolicy::rule represents a single actionpolicy policy
entry. See the actionpolicy plugin Policy File Format
for specific restrictions on the values of these fields.
String: the resource title. A descriptive name for the rule you are adding.
String: required, no default. The name of the agent you are adding a rule for.
String: defaults to 'allow'. What to do when the other conditions of this line are matched.
String: defaults to '*'. What callerids should match this rule.
String: defaults to '*'. What actions should match this rule.
String: defaults to ''. What facts should match this rule. This can be either
'', a space-separated list of fact=value pairs (which match if every listed
fact matches), or any valid compound filter string.
This matches the "facts" field of the policy file lines.
String: defaults to '*'. What classes should match this rule.
mcollective::common::setting declares a setting that is common between
server and client.
String: defaults to the resource title. The name of the setting to set.
String: no default. The value to set.
String: default '10'. The order in which to merge this setting.
mcollective::server::setting declares a setting that is exclusive to a server.
String: defaults to the resource title. The name of the setting to set.
String: no default. The value to set.
String: default '30'. The order in which to merge this setting.
mcollective::client::setting declares a setting that is common to clients
and users.
String: defaults to the resource title. The name of the setting to set.
String: no default. The value to set.
String: default '30'. The order in which to merge this setting.
mcollective::user::setting declares a setting that is specific to a user.
String: required, no default. Which user to set this value for.
String: required, no default. The name of the setting to set.
String: no default. The value to set.
String: default '70'. The order in which to merge this setting.
mcollective::server::config::factsource::yaml is the class that implements
cron-based fact generation and configures MCollective to use it. It is a private
class and so may not be declared directly, but rather is invoked when the
mcollective class is declared with the factsource parameter set to yaml
(the default). Although mcollective::server::config::factsource::yaml is private
it does have one parameter which can be tuned using data bindings (e.g. Hiera).
String: default $::path. What PATH environment variable to use when refresh-mcollective-metadata is invoked by cron.
The configuration of the server and client are built up from the various calls
to mcollective::common::setting, mcollective::server::setting,
mcollective::client::setting, and mcollective::user::setting.
Settings for the server will be a merge of mcollective::common::setting and
mcollective::server::setting, highest order of the setting wins.
Settings for the client will be a merge of mcollective::common::setting,
and mcollective::client::setting, highest order of the setting wins.
Settings for a specific user will be a merge of
mcollective::common::setting, mcollective::client::setting and
mcollective::user::setting for that specific user, highest order of setting
wins.
You can override an existing server setting from outside of the module by simply specifying that setting again with a higher order than the default of that type, for example to make a server's loglevel be debug (without simply setting mcollective::server_loglevel) you could write:
mcollective::server::setting { 'override loglevel':
setting => 'loglevel',
value => 'debug',
order => '50',
}I said to install the client, so why when I run mco ping am I seeing this:
$ mco ping
Failed to generate application list: RuntimeError: Cannot find config file '/etc/mcollective/client.cfg'You've enabled the ssl security provider, which implies each user will have
their own ssl credentials to use in the collective. In order to avoid
incomplete configuration of clients in this mode we delete the system-wide
/etc/mcollective/client.cfg and only generate user configuration files with
the mcollective::user definition.
This module has been built on and tested against Puppet 3.0 and higher.
The module has been tested on:
- CentOS 6
- Ubuntu 12.04
Testing on other platforms has been light and cannot be guaranteed.
Puppet Community modules on are open projects, and community contributions are essential for keeping them great. We can’t access the huge number of platforms and myriad of hardware, software, and deployment configurations that Puppet is intended to serve.
We want to keep it as easy as possible to contribute changes so that our modules work in your environment. There are a few guidelines that we need contributors to follow so that we can have a chance of keeping on top of things.
You can read the complete module contribution guide on the Puppet Labs wiki.
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