Saltstack

What Is SaltStack?

Saltstack is a Configuration Management tool, that allows for automatic or manual configuration of Hosts. This configuration is controlled / deployed use a Master/ Minion setup. The Master allows Minions to connect to the Master via a key system. A key is generated on the Minion, which then needs to be accepted on the Master. Providing the Master has Salt at the start of the FQDN name, the Minion will automatically find it when it checks through DNS. However there is also the option to manually configure the Minion and which Master server the Minion connects to via the configuration on the Minion itself.

Connectivity

• Master - this controls and stores which systems have what configuration deployed to them via a top file.
• Minion - a client installed onto a host machine, that the Master uses to execute commands and communicate with the minion.
• Top File - a configuration file, that references any configuration that a specific host / minion is to have applied when specific “global state commands” are used from either the Master > Minion (Master pushing configuration to Minion) or Minion < Master (Minion calling Master for its specific configuration).

Setup

Setup can be done using an bootstrap script that is provided by Saltstack themselves, which can be found here -> https://github.com/saltstack/salt-bootstrap