Puppet CookBook

A collection of task oriented solutions in Puppet

Packages
- Installing Packages
- Package install options
- Removing a package
- Tracking newer package versions
- Install multiple packages
- Manage a package in multiple classes
- Per distro package names
- Installing a RubyGem
- Install Python PyPi packages
- Add a Yum repository
- Remove Yum repo config setting
- Manage global Yum configuration
- Install package group with Yum
- Change Package Providers
Files
- Create a directory
- Create a symlink
- Create a directory tree
- Remove files
- Select a file based on a fact
- Select a template based on a fact
- Select an EPP template based on a fact
- Only manage absent files
- Manage inifile settings
- Restart service when config changes
- Fetch a file from a website
- Manage system limits
- Reduce Duplicated File Attributes
- Avoid hard coding file paths
- Validate managed files
Host files
- 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
- Ensure service is stopped
- Don't start service on boot
- Restart service when config changes
Facts and Facter
- Show all facter facts
- See all client variables
- Enable LSB facts
- Override a Facter fact
- Display fact resolution timings
- Enable the Facts hash
- Using the Facts hash
- Deploy a custom fact
- What are External Facts?
- Deploy an External fact
- Exclude facts from Facter
Modules
- Install Puppet Forge Modules
- Install stdlib module
- Select a template based on a fact
- Install Docker
- Manage inifile settings
- Manage sysctl settings
- Manage system limits
- Manage logrotate jobs
- Lookup DNS records in Puppet
- Deploy a custom fact
- Download a file from a website
- Deploy an External fact
- Deploy Custom Data Types
- Deprecate puppet code
Users
- Add a local user
- Create home directories
- Expire user passwords
- 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
- Hide sensitive values
- Why the trailing commas?
- Autosigning Client Certificates
- View existing resources
Command Line
- Adhoc Puppetry with puppet apply execute
- Syntax Check Manifests
- Syntax check EPP templates
- Render EPP templates on the command line
- Syntax check ERB templates
- Which files are puppet managed?
Testing
- Test Manifest Syntax
- Syntax check EPP templates
- Render EPP templates on the command line
- Syntax check ERB templates
- Override a Facter fact
- Get started with puppet-lint
- Installing puppet-lint plugins
Cron
- Managing /etc/cron.d Entries
- Vary cronjob start times
- Human Friendly cron times
SELinux
- Disable SELinux
- Manage SELinux booleans
- Run services on non-standard ports
Docker
- Install Docker
- Run a Docker Container
Errors
- Managing User Password Fails
- Fileserver Path Specified In Template call
- Files found without specifying 'modules'
- Could not locate command pip

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

class screen {

  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 it is not already installed, and upgrade the package to newer versions when they become available. This last part is where latest differs from installed.