Developing IT Infrastructure: Automated and Centralized System Configuration Management with Puppet
Igitian, Armen (2013)
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201401181510
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201401181510
Tiivistelmä
An ability to precisely configure computer systems is needed in any IT infrastructure to ensure that each system serves its intended purpose. To centrally control configuration of a group of systems in an automated manner is invaluable.
The purpose of this thesis project was to enhance the development of an IT infrastructure by using a system configuration management framework called Puppet. This thesis project was assigned by Conformiq Software Oy.
This thesis contains definitions and underlying principles of automated system configuration management, an introduction to the Puppet framework, a set of objectives with their problematics, reasoning and implementation as well as a description of chosen research methods and working methodology.
The thesis indicated that Puppet is a powerful tool. It is used to keep diverse systems in certain configuration states and to orchestrate changes whenever necessary. Such general usage of Puppet for achieving concrete results in systems’ configuration was one integral part of this project.
Powerful tools alone are just tools until they are included in a meaningful, safe and easy-to-use workflow. Hence, another crucial aspect of this project was establishing and implementing an advanced workflow to better support the process of developing an infrastructure with Puppet.
By the end of this thesis project, the configuration of the company’s 20+ servers was entirely managed by Puppet. Moreover, the further development of the infrastructure with Puppet is now supported by the customized workflow and necessary documentation.
This report is primarily targeted at students and professionals in IT administration. However, software developers, managers and anyone else interested in the concept of system administration and automated system configuration management might also find it useful.
The purpose of this thesis project was to enhance the development of an IT infrastructure by using a system configuration management framework called Puppet. This thesis project was assigned by Conformiq Software Oy.
This thesis contains definitions and underlying principles of automated system configuration management, an introduction to the Puppet framework, a set of objectives with their problematics, reasoning and implementation as well as a description of chosen research methods and working methodology.
The thesis indicated that Puppet is a powerful tool. It is used to keep diverse systems in certain configuration states and to orchestrate changes whenever necessary. Such general usage of Puppet for achieving concrete results in systems’ configuration was one integral part of this project.
Powerful tools alone are just tools until they are included in a meaningful, safe and easy-to-use workflow. Hence, another crucial aspect of this project was establishing and implementing an advanced workflow to better support the process of developing an infrastructure with Puppet.
By the end of this thesis project, the configuration of the company’s 20+ servers was entirely managed by Puppet. Moreover, the further development of the infrastructure with Puppet is now supported by the customized workflow and necessary documentation.
This report is primarily targeted at students and professionals in IT administration. However, software developers, managers and anyone else interested in the concept of system administration and automated system configuration management might also find it useful.