Proxy Configuration Options
It is easy to configure proxy minions. The salt proxy is configured via the proxy configuration file written in YAML. We have to set the master so that the minion knows where to find its master. By default, the directory of proxy configuration will be /etc/salt/proxy. Let's see the configuration options available to us:
✅ ADD_PROXYMODULE_TO_OPTS
Add the proxymodule lazy loader objects to opts.
Default: False
add_proxymodule_to_opts: True
✅ PROXY_MERGE_GRAINS_IN_MODULE
Call the grains function from the proxymodule during regular grains loading and merge the output with the proxy's grains dictionary. If not done so, then it is assumed that the module calls the grains function customarily and returns the data elsewhere.
Default: True
proxy_merge_grains_in_module: False
✅ PROXY_KEEP_ALIVE
This configuration setting says whether the connection to the remote device should be restarted when the connection breaks. For this to happen, the proxy module must implement the alive function. Otherwise, the connection is considered active.
Default: True
proxy_keep_alive: False
✅ PROXY_KEEP_ALIVE_INTERVAL
This setting allows setting the time in minutes for keep-alive checks. It is required that proxy_keep_alive must be set to true for this setting to work.
Default: 1
proxy_keep_alive_interval: 6
✅ PROXY_ALWAYS_ALIVE
It specifies whether the proxy should maintain a connection with the remote device. When the proxy_always_alive is set to False, the connection with the remote device is not maintained and the connection has to be closed after every command.
Default: True
proxy_always_alive: False
✅ PROXY_MERGE_PILLAR_IN_OPTS
This setting specifies whether the pillar data should be merged with the proxy configuration options. We have multiple proxies running on the same server. These might require different configurations, but we have a single configuration file. This problem is overcome by merging the pillar data of each proxy minion into the opts.
Default: False
proxy_merge_pillar_in_opts: True
✅ PROXY_DEEP_MERGE_PILLAR_IN_OPTS
It is the deep merge of the pillar data into the opts. This setting can be changed only when the proxy_merge_pillar_in_opts is set to true.
Default: False
✅ PROXY_MERGE_PILLAR_IN_OPTS_STRATEGY
It is the strategy used while merging the pillar configuration into the opts. This setting can be changed only when the proxy_merge_pillar_in_opts is set to true.
Default: Smart
✅ PROXY_MINES_PILLAR
This setting uses the pillar data to enable mine details. This setting evaluates the mine configuration for the regular minion options equally available on the proxy minion: mine_interval and mine_functions.
Default: True
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Salt?
The Salt is a python-based, open-source framework that offers services related to remote execution management. Using Salt, we can configure, provision, automate and orchestrate our system.
What is a Minion?
A minion is a server that runs applications and services. Each minion has an ID the salt master uses to assign tasks to the specific minion.
How do Salt proxy minions help in management?
Salt proxy minions provide the “plumbing” that allows the device discovery and enumeration, status, control, state management and remote execution.
Conclusion
This blog has shed light on the configuration of the salt proxy minion. These minions are the nodes responsible for running applications and services. We learned about the various configuration options available to manage proxy minions.
Check out other related articles to learn more:
⭐ About Salt Engine
⭐ Salt System Architecture
⭐ Salt Community Resources
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