CODEWITHSUNDEEP
linuxautomationpuppetpackage-managers
Grimlockz
Grimlockz

Reputation: 2581

Package Management / automation - puppet vs landscape vs ansible etc

I'm trying to work out what tool would best fit managing my linux private cloud

The main purpose is to control 

Package management, updates, install, removals  
Script automation against all VM's   
Security vulnerabilities
SSH Key access (possibly looking at keybox)

Currently have 2 clouds with over 100+ linux VM's in so we are at the stage where we want to commit to management solution but will so many on the market I'm not sure what to choose

You seem to have a number 

Landscape
puppet enterprise 
Chef enterprise 
ansible tower
cfengine 
foreman

Any guidance would be great?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 2900

Answers (1)

FrankIJ
FrankIJ

Reputation: 2057

There are many references to be found about the pro's and cons of a lot of tools. Each has there specific benefits. There is also to choose from: Enterprise version, open source version and masterless setups.

Landscape is primarly for ubuntu. Foreman i never researched.

puppet/chef/ansible/cfengine are more general configuration management tools that can be used on almost all linux os-es. Some can even be used on windows.

If you want to do the research yourself first read up on what others have done, for instance:
- http://www.infoworld.com/article/2609482/data-center/data-center-review-puppet-vs-chef-vs-ansible-vs-salt.html

What makes puppet/salt stand out is the approach that you do not tell them what to do, but you tell them what you want the end-result to be. IE: you tell them a user JOE needs to be present, and these tools make sure they exist. So if someone removes the user, it will be recreated next run.

Other tools will run scripts to create a user, and if someone removes that user, it will not be recreated.

Best suggestion is: you'll have to dive into one and really do the work to find out if it suits your needs. And they all have a learning curve.

The enterprise versions of the mentioned tools will make it much easier to setup and start using them. IE, puppet enterprise will be up and running in less than an hour. While the puppet normal version can take a day easily before you can get rolling.

Also, some big companies are using puppet masterless setup. They have some sort of repository, and login manually and execute the tool.

In summary: Pick a tool that you think might fit your needs. Try the enterprise version to see if it can handle your needs. Then decide if you want to pay for it and keep the setup. If not try to implement the open source version. If you have very little simultaneous groups execute changes, or if you have no extreme needs for security (like NSA or banks), than your done. Otherwise, think if master less setup might be better.

Upvotes: 3

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