path: root/tools/manpagegen/bcfg2.conf.5.ronn

bcfg2.conf(5) -- configuration parameters for Bcfg2
===================================================

## DESCRIPTION

`bcfg2.conf` includes configuration parameters for the Bcfg2 server and
client.

## FILE FORMAT

The file is INI-style and consists of sections and options. A section
begins with the name of the sections in square brackets and continues
until the next section begins.

Options are specified in the form "name=value".

The file is line-based each newline-terminated line represents either a
comment, a section name or an option.

Any line beginning with a hash (#) is ignored, as are lines containing
only whitespace.

## SERVER OPTIONS

These options are only necessary on the Bcfg2 server. They are
specified in the `[server]` section of the configuration file.

  * `repository`:
    Specifies the path to the Bcfg2 repository containing all of the
    configuration specifications. The repository should be created
    using the `bcfg2-admin init` command.

  * `filemonitor`:
    The file monitor used to watch for changes in the repository. The
    default is the best available monitor. The following values are
    valid:

    `inotify`,
    `gamin`,
    `fam`,
    `pseudo`

  * `ignore_files`:
    A comma-separated list of globs that should be ignored by the file
    monitor. Default values are:

    `*~`,
    `*#`,
    `.#*`,
    `*.swp`,
    `.*.swx`,
    `SCCS`,
    `.svn`,
    `4913`,
    `.gitignore`

  * `listen_all`:
    This setting tells the server to listen on all available
    interfaces. The default is to only listen on those interfaces
    specified by the bcfg2 setting in the components section of
    `bcfg2.conf`.

  * `plugins`:
    A comma-delimited list of enabled server plugins. Currently
    available plugins are:

    `Account`,
    `Actions`,
    `Base`,
    `Bundler`,
    `Bzr`,
    `Cfg`,
    `Cvs`,
    `Darcs`,
    `DBStats`,
    `Decisions`,
    `Deps`,
    `Editor`,
    `Fossil`,
    `Git`,
    `GroupPatterns`,
    `Hg`,
    `Hostbase`,
    `Metadata`,
    `NagiosGen`,
    `Ohai`,
    `Packages`,
    `Pkgmgr`,
    `Probes`,
    `Properties`,
    `Rules`,
    `Snapshots`,
    `SSHbase`,
    `Svn`,
    `Svn2`,
    `TCheetah`,
    `TGenshi`,
    `Trigger`

    Descriptions of each plugin can be found in their respective
    sections below.

  * `prefix`:
    Specifies a prefix if the Bcfg2 installation isn’t placed in the
    default location (e.g. /usr/local).

  * `backend`:
    Specifies which server core backend to use.  Current available
    options are:

    `cherrypy`,
    `builtin`,
    `best`

    The default is `best`, which is currently an alias for `builtin`.
    More details on the backends can be found in the official
    documentation.

  * `user`:
    The username or UID to run the daemon as.  Default is `0`

  * `group`:
    The group name or GID to run the daemon as.  Default is `0`

### Account Plugin

The account plugin manages authentication data, including the following.

  * `/etc/passwd`
  * `/etc/group`
  * `/etc/security/limits.conf`
  * `/etc/sudoers`
  * `/root/.ssh/authorized_keys`

### Base Plugin

A structure plugin that provides the ability to add lists of unrelated
entries into client configuration entry inventories. Base works much
like Bundler in its file format. This structure plugin is good for the
pile of independent configs needed for most actual systems.

### Bundler Plugin

Bundler is used to describe groups of inter-dependent configuration
entries, such as the combination of packages, configuration files,
and service activations that comprise typical Unix daemons. Bundles are
used to add groups of configuration entries to the inventory of client
configurations, as opposed to describing particular versions of those
entries.

### Bzr Plugin

The Bzr plugin allows you to track changes to your Bcfg2 repository
using a GNU Bazaar version control backend. Currently, it enables you to
get revision information out of your repository for reporting purposes.

### Cfg Plugin

The Cfg plugin provides a repository to describe configuration file
contents for clients. In its simplest form, the Cfg repository is just a
directory tree modeled off of the directory tree on your client
machines.

### Cvs Plugin (experimental)

The Cvs plugin allows you to track changes to your Bcfg2 repository
using a Concurrent version control backend. Currently, it enables you to
get revision information out of your repository for reporting purposes.

### Darcs Plugin (experimental)

The Darcs plugin allows you to track changes to your Bcfg2 repository
using a Darcs version control backend. Currently, it enables you to get
revision information out of your repository for reporting purposes.

### DBStats Plugin

Direct to database statistics plugin.

### Decisions Plugin

The Decisions plugin has support for a centralized set of per-entry
installation decisions. This approach is needed when particular changes
are deemed "*high risk*"; this gives the ability to centrally specify
these changes, but only install them on clients when administrator
supervision is available.

### Deps Plugin

The Deps plugin allows you to make a series of assertions like "Package
X requires Package Y (and optionally also Package Z etc.)"

### Editor Plugin

The Editor plugin attempts to allow you to partially manage
configuration for a file. Its use is not recommended and not well
documented.

### Fossil Plugin

The Fossil plugin allows you to track changes to your Bcfg2 repository
using a Fossil SCM version control backend. Currently, it enables you to
get revision information out of your repository for reporting purposes.

### Git Plugin

The Git plugin allows you to track changes to your Bcfg2 repository
using a Git version control backend. Currently, it enables you to get
revision information out of your repository for reporting purposes.

### GroupPatterns Plugin

The GroupPatterns plugin is a connector that can assign clients group
membership based on patterns in client hostnames.

### Hg Plugin (experimental)

The Hg plugin allows you to track changes to your Bcfg2 repository using
a Mercurial version control backend. Currently, it enables you to get
revision information out of your repository for reporting purposes.

### Hostbase Plugin

The Hostbase plugin is an IP management system built on top of Bcfg2.

### Metadata Plugin

The Metadata plugin is the primary method of specifying Bcfg2 server
metadata.

### NagiosGen Plugin

NagiosGen is a Bcfg2 plugin that dynamically generates Nagios
configuration files based on Bcfg2 data.

### Ohai Plugin (experimental)

The Ohai plugin is used to detect information about the client operating
system. The data is reported back to the server using JSON.

### Packages Plugin

The Packages plugin is an alternative to Pkgmgr for specifying package
entries for clients. Where Pkgmgr explicitly specifies package entry
information, Packages delegates control of package version information
to the underlying package manager, installing the latest version
available from through those channels.

### Pkgmgr Plugin

The Pkgmgr plugin resolves the Abstract Configuration Entity "Package"
to a package specification that the client can use to detect, verify and
install the specified package.

### Probes Plugin

The Probes plugin gives you the ability to gather information from a
client machine before you generate its configuration. This information
can be used with the various templating systems to generate
configuration based on the results.

### Properties Plugin

The Properties plugin is a connector plugin that adds information from
properties files into client metadata instances.

### Rules Plugin

The Rules plugin provides literal configuration entries that resolve the
abstract configuration entries normally found in the Bundler and Base
plugins. The literal entries in Rules are suitable for consumption by
the appropriate client drivers.

### Snapshots Plugin

The Snapshots plugin stores various aspects of a client’s state when the
client checks in to the server.

### SSHbase Plugin

The SSHbase generator plugin manages ssh host keys (both v1 and v2) for
hosts. It also manages the ssh_known_hosts file. It can integrate host
keys from other management domains and similarly export its keys.

### Svn Plugin

The Svn plugin allows you to track changes to your Bcfg2 repository
using a Subversion backend. Currently, it enables you to get revision
information out of your repository for reporting purposes.

### Svn2 Plugin

The Svn2 plugin extends on the capabilities in the Svn plugin. It
provides Update and Commit methods which provide hooks for modifying
subversion-backed Bcfg2 repositories.

### TCheetah Plugin

The TCheetah plugin allows you to use the cheetah templating system to
create files. It also allows you to include the results of probes
executed on the client in the created files.

### TGenshi Plugin

The TGenshi plugin allows you to use the Genshi templating system to
create files. It also allows you to include the results of probes
executed on the client in the created files.

### Trigger Plugin

The Trigger plugin provides a method for calling external scripts when
clients are configured.

## CLIENT OPTIONS

These options only affect client functionality, specified in the
`[client]` section.

  * `decision`:
    Specify the server decision list mode (whitelist or blacklist).
    (This settiing will be ignored if the client is called with the -f
    option.)

  * `drivers`:
    Specify tool driver set to use. This option can be used to
    explicitly specify the client tool drivers you want to use when the
    client is run.

  * `paranoid`:
    Run the client in paranoid mode.

  * `profile`:
    Assert the given profile for the host.

## COMMUNICATION OPTIONS

Specified in the `[communication]` section. These options define
settings used for client-server communication.

  * `ca`:
    The path to a file containing the CA certificate. This file is
    required on the server, and optional on clients. However, if the
    cacert is not present on clients, the server cannot be verified.

  * `certificate`:
    The path to a file containing a PEM formatted certificate which
    signs the key with the ca certificate. This setting is required on
    the server in all cases, and required on clients if using client
    certificates.

  * `key`:
    Specifies the path to a file containing the SSL Key. This is
    required on the server in all cases, and required on clients if
    using client certificates.

  * `password`:
    Required on both the server and clients. On the server, sets the
    password clients need to use to communicate. On a client, sets the
    password to use to connect to the server.

  * `protocol`:
    Communication protocol to use. Defaults to xmlrpc/ssl.

  * `retries`:
    A client-only option. Number of times to retry network
    communication.  Default is 3 retries.

  * `retry_delay`:
    A client-only option. Number of seconds to wait in between
    retrying network communication.  Default is 1 second.

  * `serverCommonNames`:
    A client-only option. A colon-separated list of Common Names the
    client will accept in the SSL certificate presented by the server.

  * `timeout`:
    A client-only option. The network communication timeout.

  * `user`:
    A client-only option. The UUID of the client.

## COMPONENT OPTIONS

Specified in the `[components]` section.

  * `bcfg2`:
    URL of the server. On the server this specifies which interface and
    port the server listens on. On the client, this specifies where the
    client will attempt to contact the server.

    e.g. `bcfg2 = https://10.3.1.6:6789`

  * `encoding`:
    Text encoding of configuration files. Defaults to UTF-8.

  * `lockfile`:
    The path to the client lock file, which is used to ensure that
    only one Bcfg2 client runs at a time on a single client.

## LOGGING OPTIONS

Specified in the `[logging]` section. These options control the server
logging functionality.

  * `debug`:
    Whether or not to enable debug-level log output.  Default is
    false.

  * `path`:
    Server log file path.

  * `syslog`:
    Whether or not to send logging data to syslog.  Default is true.

  * `verbose`:
    Whether or not to enable verbose log output.  Default is false.

## MDATA OPTIONS

Specified in the `[mdata]` section. These options affect the default
metadata settings for Paths with type=’file’.

  * `owner`:
    Global owner for Paths (defaults to root)

  * `group`:
    Global group for Paths (defaults to root)

  * `mode`:
    Global permissions for Paths (defaults to 644)

  * `secontext`:
    Global SELinux context for Path entries (defaults to
    `__default__`, which restores the expected context)

  * `paranoid`:
    Global paranoid settings for Paths (defaults to false)

  * `sensitive`:
    Global sensitive settings for Paths (defaults to false)
   
  * `important`:
    Global important settings for Paths. Defaults to false, and
    anything else is probably not a good idea.


## PACKAGES OPTIONS

The following options are specified in the `[packages]` section of the
configuration file.

  * `resolver`:
    Enable dependency resolution. Default is 1 (true).

  * `metadata`:
    Enable metadata processing. Default is 1 (true). If metadata is
    disabled, it’s implied that resolver is also disabled.

  * `yum_config`:
    The path at which to generate Yum configs. No default.

  * `apt_config`:
    The path at which to generate APT configs. No default.

  * `gpg_keypath`:
    The path on the client where RPM GPG keys will be copied before they
    are imported on the client. Default is `/etc/pki/rpm-gpg`.

  * `version`:
    Set the version attribute used when binding Packages. Default is
    auto.

The following options are specified in the `[packages:yum]` section of
the configuration file.

  * `use_yum_libraries`:
    By default, Bcfg2 uses an internal implementation of Yum’s
    dependency resolution and other routines so that the Bcfg2 server
    can be run on a host that does not support Yum itself. If you run
    the Bcfg2 server on a machine that does have Yum libraries, however,
    you can enable use of those native libraries in Bcfg2 by setting
    this to 1.

  * `helper`:
    Path to bcfg2-yum-helper. By default, Bcfg2 looks first in $PATH and
    then in `/usr/sbin/bcfg2-yum-helper` for the helper.

  All other options in the `[packages:yum]` section will be passed along
  verbatim to the Yum configuration if you are using the native Yum
  library support.

The following options are specified in the `[packages:pulp]` section of
the configuration file.

  * `username`:
    The username of a Pulp user that will be used to register new
    clients and bind them to repositories.

  * `password`:
    The password of a Pulp user that will be used to register new
    clients and bind them to repositories.

## PARANOID OPTIONS

These options allow for finer-grained control of the paranoid mode on
the Bcfg2 client. They are specified in the `[paranoid]` section of the
configuration file.

  * `path`:
    Custom path for backups created in paranoid mode. The default is in
    `/var/cache/bcfg2`.

  * `max_copies`:
    Specify a maximum number of copies for the server to keep when
    running in paranoid mode. Only the most recent versions of these
    copies will be kept.

## SNAPSHOTS OPTIONS

Specified in the `[snapshots]` section. These options control the server
snapshots functionality.

  * `driver`:
    sqlite

  * `database`:
    The name of the database to use for statistics data.

    eg: `$REPOSITORY_DIR/etc/bcfg2.sqlite`

## SSLCA OPTIONS

These options are necessary to configure the SSLCA plugin and can be
found in the `[sslca_default]` section of the configuration file.

  * `config`:
    Specifies the location of the openssl configuration file for your
    CA.

  * `passphrase`:
    Specifies the passphrase for the CA’s private key (if necessary).
    If no passphrase exists, it is assumed that the private key is
    stored unencrypted.

  * `chaincert`:
    Specifies the location of your ssl chaining certificate. This is
    used when pre-existing certifcate hostfiles are found, so that they
    can be validated and only regenerated if they no longer meet the
    specification. If you’re using a self signing CA this would be the
    CA cert that you generated.

## DATABASE OPTIONS

Server-only, specified in the `[database]` section. These options
control the database connection of the server.

  * `engine`:
    The database engine used by the statistics module. One of the
    following:
    
    `postgresql`,
    `mysql`,
    `sqlite3`,
    `ado_mssql`

  * `name`:
    The name of the database to use for statistics data. If
    ‘database_engine’ is set to ‘sqlite3’ this is a file path to sqlite
    file and defaults to `$REPOSITORY_DIR/etc/brpt.sqlite`.

  * `user`:
    User for database connections. Not used for sqlite3.

  * `password`:
    Password for database connections. Not used for sqlite3.

  * `host`:
    Host for database connections. Not used for sqlite3.

  * `port`:
    Port for database connections. Not used for sqlite3.

  * `time_zone`:
    Specify a time zone other than that used on the system. (Note that
    this will cause the Bcfg2 server to log messages in this time zone
    as well).

## SEE ALSO

bcfg2(1), bcfg2-server(8)