Puppet CookBook

A collection of task oriented solutions in Puppet

Topics

Packages
- Installing Packages
- Tracking newer package versions
- Install multiple packages
- Removing a package
- Per distro package names
- Installing RubyGems
- Change Package Providers
Files
- Create a directory
- Create a directory tree
- Create a symlink
- Select a file based on a fact
- Only manage absent files
- Restart service when config changes
- Reduce Duplicated File Attributes
Hostfiles
- Add a host entry
- Remove a host entry
- Remove all unmanaged host entries
- Localise service host entries
Exec
- Execute commands from Puppet Manifests
- Globally Set Exec Paths
- Nicer Exec Names
- Run exec if file is missing
- Control when an exec should run
- Control Execs output
Services
- Ensure service is running
- Start service on boot
- Restart stopped service
- Ensure service is stopped
- Don't start service on boot
- Restart service when config changes
Facts
- Show all facter facts
- See all client variables
- Enable LSB facts
- Override a Facter fact
- Display fact resolution timings
Users
- Create home directories
- Managing User Password Fails
Groups
- Add a Unix group
- Remove a Unix group
- Change a groups group ID
Debugging
- Adding Debug Messages
- View puppet variables for this client
- Show Puppet Config Settings
- Display fact resolution timings
Misc
- Why the trailing commas?
- Autosigning Client Certificates
- View existing resources
Commandline
- Adhoc Puppetry with puppet apply execute
- Syntax Check Manifests
- Which files are puppet managed?
Testing
- Test Manifest Syntax
- Override a Facter fact
Cron
- Managing /etc/cron.d Entries
Errors
- Managing User Password Fails
- Fileserver Path Specified In Template call
- Files found without specifying 'modules'

Install and track the newest version of a package

Challenge

You want to install a package if it’s not present and track and upgrade the version if it is.

Solution

package { "screen":
    ensure => "latest"
}

Explanation

Sometimes just having a package present isn’t enough, you also want to ensure it stays up to date. By specifying ‘latest’ Puppet will install a package if absent and upgrade the package to newer versions when they become available. This last part is where latest differs from ‘installed’.