[H-GEN] CVS for /etc management

[ben.carlyle at invensys.com]

[ Humbug *General* list - semi-serious discussions about Humbug and     ]
[ Unix-related topics. Posts from non-subscribed addresses will vanish. ]

G'day,





David Findlay <david at davsoft.com.au>
Sent by: Majordomo <majordom at caliburn.humbug.org.au>
10/02/03 19:06
Please respond to general

 
        To:     general at lists.humbug.org.au
        cc: 
        Subject:        Re: [H-GEN] CVS for /etc management


Greg wrote:
> > If you need to ask, you don't want to mix CVS and your /etc
> > directory -- learn about it by practising on something much less
> > important to the health of your system and then, if you're wise,
> > decide to forget CVS altogether[1].

David replied:
> Well I've done a bit with it with source code. What other methods of 
config 
> file control are there? My aims are to be able to easily set up heaps of 

> similiar machines(with things like IP addresses and hostnames different) 
and 
> also be able to monitor changes and roll back changes. Thanks,

This sets a bit of a different spin on things. It seems that both Greg and 
I interpreted your request as for help managing a single machine's /etc 
using CVS. You actually want to control a set of machines and keep them in 
sync.

Firstly I would say that whatever configuration management scheme you're 
using is probably the best for you. If you're comfortable with CVS then 
there is little reason to change.

Here's my advice on how to set this up:

1) Setup a CVS repository on a single machine[1]
2) Select carefully the set of of files which you want to manage under 
this scheme[2]
3) Consider a program like rdist to get the files out to your target 
machines
4) Be very careful about updating the /etc on the machine with the cvs ;) 
[3]
5) As with any mass network update... don't update a remote machine's 
network configuration unless you can get to that machine physically 
without too much trouble ;)
6) Be sure your configuration works on a low priority machine before 
applying it all over the shop...

Benjamin.
[1] Mirrored for backup or availability purposes as you requried
[2] At this stage it looks likk you want to manage /etc/hosts and friends. 
The smaller the set, the less the hassle :)
[3] You never know what you'll forget you're about to upset. If you're 
going to use the same cvs database, then I suggest you make sure it works 
in the field before applying it to the local machine.


--
* This is list (humbug) general handled by majordomo at lists.humbug.org.au .
* Postings to this list are only accepted from subscribed addresses of
* lists 'general' or 'general-post'.  See http://www.humbug.org.au/