Chef server 12 Deployment tools

Manifests / modules to help the deploy of Chef server 12 on CentOS 6 with either Ansible. LetsEncrypt Certificate generator included. Disabled by default.

Background

The Chef server 12 has the following prerequisites:

• An x86_64 compatible system architecture; Red Hat Enterprise Linux and CentOS may require updates prior to installation
• A resolvable hostname that is specified using a FQDN or an IP address
• A connection to NTP to prevent clock drift
• A local mail transfer agent that allows the Chef server to send email notifications
• Using cron and the /etc/cron.d directory for periodic maintenance tasks
• Disabling the Apache Qpid daemon on CentOS and Red Hat systems
• A local user account under which services will run
• A local user account for PostgreSQL
• A group account under which services will run

I reviewed the instructions ( here http://docs.chef.io/server/install_server.html#standalone ) for the CentOS 6.

Configuration

1. Copy hosts.sample file into hosts.
2. Edit domain/credentials settings in hosts.
3. Copy settings.yml.sample file into settings.yml.
4. Edit primary settings in settings.yml.

Usage

Development:

$ vagrant up
$ vagrant provision # For updates

Open: https://192.168.0.43/

SSH: $ vagrant ssh

Azure:

$ ansible-playbook azure.yml

Example vars: You can support it with Direnv or similar tool.

AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID="SOMELONGID"
AZURE_SSH_PEM="/path/to/ssh.pem"
AZURE_VM_NAME="VMNAME"
AZURE_VM_USER="VMUSER"
AZURE_VM_BLOB="https://someurl.blob.core.windows.net/vhds"

export AZURE_SUBSCRIPTION_ID AZURE_SSH_PEM AZURE_VM_NAME AZURE_VM_USER AZURE_VM_BLOB

Production:

For the first time if we need login as root:

$ ansible-playbook playbook.yml --limit="production" --extra-vars="init=y"

Next time, when root access will be restricted:

$ ansible-playbook playbook.yml --limit="production"

For only Chef server 12 updates, with cleanup & modules update:

$ ansible-playbook playbook.yml --extra-vars="update=y"

For update Chef server 12 & CentOS 6 components via yum:

$ ansible-playbook playbook.yml  --extra-vars="server_update=y"

To integrate LetsEncrypt:

1. Put letsencrypt: yes into settings.yml
2. $ ansible-playbook playbook.yml
3. $ ansible-playbook ssl.yml

Open: https://YOUR_PRODUCTION_SERVER/

SSH: $ ssh [email protected] -i PATH_TO_YOUR_KEY_OR_ADD_DOMAIN_TO_CONFIG

Both:

$ ansible-playbook playbook.yml

Configure Chef server 12

After all that hacking... surely now it works, right?