'Re: [cobbler] More documantation on Management Classes and Resources'

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List:       cobbler
Subject:    Re: [cobbler] More documantation on Management Classes and Resources
From:       Greg Swift <gregswift () gmail ! com>
Date:       2012-06-06 13:09:51
Message-ID: CACB_2GZ5uSNSt3Mgy1Jxh_MQFmVq8wcZ3bJ6xixKU9rKYBCB7A () mail ! gmail ! com
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Ya.. the lightweight CMS in cobbler is much more of a 'if you don't
have or want something more involved like puppet'.

That being said, I use the management classes as an external node
classifier for puppet so that I don't have to define my systems in
puppet too.

But if you've already got puppet going *shrug* may not be worth the effort.

-greg

On Wed, Jun 6, 2012 at 7:21 AM, Dan White <ygor@comcast.net> wrote:
> Thanks for your response, Greg, it helps.
> 
> Bottom line, for me, I am currently using Puppet to handle file and package \
> resources. This seems to me to be a redundancy for my Cobbler/Puppet setup.
> 
> “Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the \
> universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.” Bill Waterson (Calvin & \
> Hobbes) 
> ----- Greg Swift <gregswift@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 9:31 PM, Dan White <ygor@comcast.net> wrote:
> > > 
> > > On Jun 5, 2012, at 7:01 PM, Greg Swift wrote:
> > > 
> > > > On Tue, Jun 5, 2012 at 9:20 AM, Dan White <ygor@comcast.net> wrote:
> > > > > I just updated from 2.0.11-2.el5 to 2.2.2-1.el5
> > > > > 
> > > > > Things burped momentarily while I swapped out mod_python and repaired
> > the effected config files, but that took no time at all.
> > > > > 
> > > > > I brought up the new Web-UI and one of the first things to catch my eye
> > was the Resources heading with Packages and Files under it.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Looking for details, I found some on the "Start Here" Wiki Page:
> > > > > https://github.com/cobbler/cobbler/wiki/Start%20Here
> > > > > ...under a sub-heading of "Management Classes and Resources"
> > > > > 
> > > > > It describes how to add a package or file resource.
> > > > Which happens on the two pages Packages and Files.
> > > 
> > > A link to these pages would be nice.
> > 
> > I meant the two pages Packages and Files that are in your Cobbler Web UI. I
> > conceed to the lack of "this is how use use this" documentation.
> > 
> > > All I can find about packages is this:
> > > 
> > https://github.com/cobbler/cobbler/wiki/Package%20Management%20and%20Mirroring
> > > and that is more about yum mirroring
> > > 
> > > BTW, here's how I am looking:
> > > http://www.google.com/search?q=site:github.com+cobbler+package
> > > 
> > > > 
> > > > > It implies that these resources can be grouped into a management class.
> > > > Which happens under the Resouces expansion when editing a management
> > class
> > > 
> > > Again, a link, please ?
> > 
> > I was referring to the management classes section of the Web ui
> > specifically.
> > 
> > > > > It then references another wiki page:
> > https://github.com/cobbler/cobbler/wiki/Built%20in%20configuration%20management
> > > > So I believe that is most specifically if you intent is to use Cobbler
> > > > as the CMS.  If you are just using cobbler as an external node for
> > > > puppet (or whichever CM you are working with) then this page is not
> > > > relevant.
> > > > 
> > > > > This page talks about "Template files" and "Leveraging Mod Python" (how
> > do I leverage that which I just removed?)
> > > > > It contains nothing about file/package resources.
> > > > So the Leveraging Mod Python definitely needs to be updated.  I'm not
> > > > sure how this is handled with wsgi.  The template files is referring
> > > > to the same files in Resources (I believe).  You have to place your
> > > > template file on the file system and configure it in the Resources ->
> > > > Files section.
> > > > 
> > > > > Google-ing about produced a moderate amount of very confusing results,
> > none that help.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Where, please, do I find details on these resource types and how to use
> > them ?
> > > > 
> > > > The documentation is very much a how you use it, not here is how you
> > > > do X, Y, or Z with it.  With that in mind, what are you trying to
> > > > accomplish?
> > > 
> > > Definitely a chicken-and-egg dilemma.
> > > Unless I know what the feature is capable of, I have no expectations.
> > > I am trying to understand what it can do so that I can figure out how I
> > might utilize it.
> > 
> > Okay. So in summary, its either a light weight CMS or the configuration
> > repository for an external CMS.
> > 
> > When using an external CMS it provides a list of strings that should
> > theoretically tie to classes (or whatever that CMS calls them). For
> > example, I may define the following management classes in puppet: base,
> > webserver, firewall. Note that I am not configuring anything in Packages or
> > Files at this point. I would then configure the external CMS to access
> > cobbler's data.
> > 
> > Run 'cobbler-ext-node $fqdn' to see the puppet formatted output.
> > 
> > This is discussed at:
> > 
> > https://github.com/cobbler/cobbler/wiki/Using%20Cobbler%20With%20A%20Configuration%20Management%20System
> >  
> > 
> > Now,  as a light weight CMS let me start but saying i've never used it this
> > way.  And here I agree the documentation is definitely light.  What i
> > gather is:
> > 
> > First lets look at packages.  You can define packages that you want
> > installed/not installed on a system along with the installer type and
> > version, and this "set" of data is associated with the package name.  (The
> > Action and Installer fields should probably be converted to drop downs if
> > possible).  This just creates a general resource that can be referenced by
> > a management class.
> > Now Files, or template files, are the next resource.  Technically the file
> > can be static by not inserting any cheetah syntax or variables, but the
> > primary documented use case is to use the cheetah templating to create base
> > files that will have varying configurations based on host information.
> > (this bit is in
> > https://github.com/cobbler/cobbler/wiki/Built%20In%20Configuration%20Management)
> > I am a bit lost fon where you would put the template based on reading the
> > document and clicking around in the code and web ui for a few minutes.  At
> > this point my guess would be that its created as a Kickstart Template
> > (which if this is the case seems messed up to me).  But the point stays the
> > same.  You create a file that can be added as a resource to a management
> > class.
> > 
> > Once you have either Packages or Files, or both added to a management class
> > you can then go into a Profile or System and associate that management
> > class with that configuration.  Then your kickstart needs to have the
> > download_config_files snippet included (see sample_end.ks for an example).
> > 
> > I do not see where packages get called.
> > 
> > So anyone want to/capable of filling in the gaps?
> > 
> > -greg
> 
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