Chef Architecture and Components

• Chef Server:

  • This is Ruby on Rails Application.
  • In this we have many components
    • Bookshelf
    • Message Queue
    • Postgres
  • We can also multiple Chef Servers for High Availability.
  • It stores
    • Reports on every execution
    • Collects the details about nodes
  • Server has to be Linux machine (RedHat, Ubuntu, SUSE etc…)

• Chef Client:

  • Agent running on Nodes.
  • Agent Executes Chef Cookbooks/recipes
  • Agent can be installed on Linux, Windows and Mac

• Chef Workstation:

  • Development tools installed on the Chef-Developers workstation

Chef Terminology

• Cookbook:
  • Recipes organized in specific order
  • Cookbooks are organized in directory
• Recipe:
  • Resources organized in specific orders
  • Each recipe is a file.
• Resource:
  • Smallest unit to specify declarative syntax Sample Cookbook structure

Lab Setup

1. Chef Server:
   • Initially we will be using hosted chef Server. Refer Here
   • Create an account and then an organization.
2. Workstation:
   • Chocolatey:
     • Only on Windows
     • Refer Here
   • Git Bash
     • Only on Windows
     • Launch Powershell and execute choco install git -y
     • If choco is not configured install git directly from here
   • Chef DK
     • Can be installed from here
     • If you prefer choco choco install chefdk -y
   • Visual Studio Code:
     • Download from here
     • If you prefer choco choco install vscode -y
3. Node:
   • Create a Linux Machine(Ubuntu) in any Cloud(AWS).