Add node to Puppet

In this post, I will explain how to add a node (computer) to Puppet.

I assume you have a Puppet master server running and it can ping the future node agent.

Puppet master server:

• Debian 6.0
• Name: master-puppet
• Puppet version: 3.7.4

Future puppet node agent:

• Ubuntu server 14.04 TLS
• Name: new-node

NOTE: Puppet version 4.0 will be out soon, and the process may be different.

On the AGENT

Download puppet:

wget --no-check-certificate https://apt.puppetlabs.com/puppetlabs-release-trusty.deb

Note: if you use a different OS, please download the appropriate file

Install Puppet:

dpkg -i puppetlabs-release-trusty.deb
apt-get update
apt-get install puppet

Make Puppet to start on boot. Edit the file /etc/default/puppet:
START=yes

Run Puppet:

puppet agent --no-daemonize --onetime --test
Warning: Setting templatedir is deprecated. See http://links.puppetlabs.com/env-settings-deprecations
   (at /usr/lib/ruby/vendor_ruby/puppet/settings.rb:1139:in `issue_deprecation_warning')
Info: Creating a new SSL key for new-node
Info: Caching certificate for ca
Info: csr_attributes file loading from /etc/puppet/csr_attributes.yaml
Info: Creating a new SSL certificate request for new-node
Info: Certificate Request fingerprint (SHA256): 4A:...:04
Info: Caching certificate for ca
Exiting; no certificate found and waitforcert is disabled

On the MASTER

Sign the certificate created by the node agent:

puppet cert sign new-node
Notice: Signed certificate request for new-node
Notice: Removing file Puppet::SSL::CertificateRequest new-node at '/var/lib/puppet/ssl/ca/requests/new-node.pem'

Add the node info in the file site.pp of Puppet.

on the NODE

Run puppet:

puppet agent --no-daemonize --onetime --test

And that's it!