You're using the command in the exec resource name and it's ugly, unwieldy and awkward to use from other resources.
class nicer_exec_names {
# exec with the command as the name
exec { '/bin/mkdir -p /tmp/needed/directory': }
package { 'needed':
ensure => 'installed',
# awkward, long require
require => Exec['/bin/mkdir -p /tmp/needed/directory'],
}
# nicer, human friendly naming
exec { 'create_needed_directory':
command => '/bin/mkdir -p /tmp/needed/directory',
}
package { 'needed':
ensure => 'installed',
# easier to read require
require => Exec['create_needed_directory'],
}
}
Older manifests, as well as newer ones written by less experienced
puppet users, often use the actual command as the name of the exec.
While this works, and can be used in other resources relationship
parameters such as require and notify, it is unwieldy and leads to a
unneeded leaking of implementation details to other resources.
It's much nicer to use a human readable explanation of what the command
is for as the execs name and then put the actual command in the
command property. This also makes it easier to read related resources,
instead of the long and complicated command being used in the package
resources require property here:
class messy_exec_relations {
exec { '/usr/local/bin/cache-tuner -p 3 -d 34 -t name -i btree':
package { 'needed':
ensure => 'installed',
require => Exec['/usr/local/bin/cache-tuner -p 3 -d 34 -t name -i btree'],
}
}
You can instead hide the complexity of the command behind an easier to
read, more context relevant, exec title and then use that in other
related resources.
class cleaner_exec_relations {
# descriptive name
exec { 'remove_old_packages':
command => '/usr/local/bin/cache-tuner -p 3 -d 34 -t name -i btree',
}
package { 'needed':
ensure => 'installed',
# the require doesn't know exactly what the exec does
require => Exec['remove_old_packages'],
}
}