Management Tools | AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise

Question 1

What is AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 1

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise provides a managed Puppet Enterprise server and suite of automation tools that give you workflow automation for orchestration, automated provisioning, and visualization for traceability. The Puppet Enterprise server gives you full stack automation by handling operational tasks such as software and operating system configurations, package installations, database setups, and more. The Puppet Master centrally stores your configuration tasks and provides them to each node in your compute environment at any scale, from a few nodes to thousands of nodes.

Question 2

Who should use OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 2

Customers who are looking for a managed configuration management experience that is compatible with Puppet, including all Puppet Forge modules for Puppet Enterprise, but without operational overhead should adopt OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise.

Question 3

How can I access OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 3

The OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise service is available through the AWS Management Console, AWS SDKs, and the AWS Command Line Interface (CLI). You can use Puppet tools like Code Manager to manage environments and modules on a Puppet server.

Question 4

In which regions is OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise available?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 4

See Regional Products and Services for details.

Question 5

Are there any limits to OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 5

The default service limits are:

Configuration management servers per region: 5

Automated backups per configuration management server: 30

Manual backups per configuration management server: 10

If you would like to change these limits, contact AWS Support.

Question 6

What network requirements must my servers meet to work with OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 6

Your servers must be able to connect to AWS public endpoints. See the documentation for details.

Question 7

What is Puppet and how does OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise use it?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 7

Puppet Enterprise is a software bundle by Puppet, Inc. that automates how applications are configured, deployed, and managed through the use of code. OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise provides a managed Puppet Enterprise server to deploy and configure software components on Amazon EC2 instances and on-premises servers. Puppet Forge has a rich ecosystem with hundreds of modules that can be used in AWS, such as modules for managing PostgreSQL, Nginx, Solr, and many more.

Question 8

What is Puppet Enterprise?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 8

Puppet Enterprise is an IT automation solution that allows you to automate the provisioning, configuring, and managing of servers in hybrid environments. With Puppet Enterprise, you can make fast, iterative changes and reduce development time. It allows you to define your configuration once and apply it to thousands of servers, and you can automatically roll back changes and reapply your configuration to revert configuration drift. Puppet Enterprise gives you detailed reports for your hardware and software configurations, providing full traceability and auditing for compliance. Learn more at the Puppet Enterprise product details page.

Question 9

How do I use Puppet’s Code Manager?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 9

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server launches with Puppet’s Code Manager preconfigured. When you create your server, you provide information about your Git repository, which stores your Puppet modules, templates, and other Puppet code. AWS OpsWorks uses your repository to deliver your Puppet code to your AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server, and to attach and configure a node.

Question 10

Which versions of Puppet are supported?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 10

OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise currently supports Puppet Enterprise 2017.3. The OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise service will regularly upgrade your Puppet Enterprise Master to the latest recommended version as long as it is backward-compatible and passes AWS testing.

Question 11

Which cloud resources run my AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise Master?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 11

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise uses AWS features and services, such as Amazon EC2, Amazon EBS, Amazon S3, and Amazon CloudTrail to create the components that make up your managed Puppet Enterprise server. OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise uses the Amazon Linux operating system.

Question 12

How can I back up my Puppet Enterprise server?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 12

You can define a daily or weekly recurring AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server backup, and have the service store the backups in Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3) on your behalf. Alternatively, you can make manual backups on demand.

Question 13

How many backups can I keep for every Puppet Enterprise server?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 13

Backups are stored in Amazon S3 and incur fees based on that Amazon S3 usage. You can define a backup retention period of up to 30 generations. You can submit a service request to change that limit by using AWS Support channels.

Question 14

How can I restore my Puppet Enterprise server to an earlier point in time?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 14

After browsing through your available backups, you can easily choose a point in time from which to restore your AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server. Server backups contain only configuration-management software persistent data (modules, classes, node associations, etc.).

Question 15

Which resources can I connect to my Puppet Enterprise server?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 15

You can connect any Amazon EC2 instance or on-premises server that is running a supported operating system and has Internet access to an OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server. You are charged an hourly fee for every connected node.

Question 16

How do I add nodes for the Puppet Enterprise server to manage?

General

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 16

The Puppet Enterprise server hosts a repository that you use to install the Puppet agent software on nodes that you want to manage. Puppet agent software for some operating systems is installed on the AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server as part of the launch process. Operating system agents that are available on your AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server at launch are Ubuntu, RHEL and Windows (details here). You can add nodes one at a time or automatically in AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise.

Question 17

How can I obtain Puppet related training?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 17

You can choose your preferred Puppet Enterprise training method from Puppet’s website.

Instructor-led training - Instructor-led training in a professional classroom environment.

Online instructor-led training - Live instructor-led training in an online environment.

Private training - Training available for the entire team at your office or online.

Self-paced training - Learn at your pace - anytime, anywhere. Just log in and go.

Question 18

How can I keep the underlying Puppet Enterprise server running and up-to-date?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 18

Your managed configuration management server is updated to the latest version of Puppet Enterprise during the maintenance window that you configure. OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise also regularly runs security updates and operating system package updates for you.

Question 19

What is an OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise maintenance window?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 19

When you create a new AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server, you can configure a weekday and time, in UTC, for system maintenance to start. Maintenance starts during the hour that you specify. For example, if you select a maintenance window that begins every Sunday at 2:00 A.M., OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise initiates the platform update between 2:00 and 3:00 A.M. every Sunday. If you want to change when maintenance is performed, you can use the OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise console, the AWS CLI, or APIs.

Question 20

How do I set up a maintenance window?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 20

The maintenance window is enabled by default and can be set during the Puppet Enterprise server setup phase. You can change settings later by using the AWS Management Console, CLI, or APIs.

Question 21

What kinds of version updates will be performed by OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 21

OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise performs version updates automatically as long as the updates include backward-compatible changes. When new versions of Puppet software become available, system maintenance is designed to update the version of Puppet software on the server automatically, as soon as the version update passes AWS testing. AWS performs extensive testing to verify that Puppet upgrades are production-ready and do not disrupt existing customer environments, so there can be lags between Puppet software releases and their availability for application to existing OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise servers.

Question 22

When and how can I perform major version updates?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 22

You can perform major version updates at any time by using the AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise console, API, or CLI.

Question 23

How does AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise apply updates?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 23

The updates are applied directly to the managed Amazon EC2 instance on which the Puppet Enterprise server is running. If the OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise health system detects any issues during the update, OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise will roll back changes and try again during the next maintenance window.

Question 24

Will my Puppet Enterprise server be available during the maintenance window?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 24

Your Puppet Enterprise server is not available when maintenance updates are being applied. Your connected nodes enter a pending-server state until maintenance is complete. The connected nodes will continue to operate normally.

Question 25

Where can I find details about changes between platform versions?

Maintenance Window

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 25

Details about changes between Puppet Enterprise versions are on the OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise Release Notes page.

Question 26

How often are platform version updates released?

Getting Started

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 26

The number of version releases each year varies based on the frequency of Puppet Enterprise patch releases from Puppet and acceptance testing performed by AWS.

Question 27

How do I get started with OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

Configuration and Management

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 27

The best way to get started with OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise is to review the AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise Getting Started chapter of the technical documentation and the readme file in the Starter Kit that comes with your server.

Question 28

How do I create Puppet modules?

Configuration and Management

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 28

The easiest way to get started is to use existing Puppet modules from Puppet Forge. Many public repositories on Puppet Forge contain modules that can run with little to no modification. The OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise Starter Kit also includes an example Puppet module and describes how it works.

Question 29

How do I upgrade my Puppet nodes to a newer release version?

Configuration and Management

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 29

Puppet node upgrades can be done at your convenience by using the upgrade guide. Although OpsWorks regularly performs Puppet Enterprise server version upgrades on your behalf, your Puppet nodes continue to operate even if they remain on the earlier version.

Question 30

Is there a sample module that I can use to check out OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

Configuration and Management

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 30

Yes. The OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise Starter Kit includes a sample module that you can use to test drive the offering and explore its functionality.

Security

Question 31

Is it possible to use AWS Identity and Access Management (IAM) with OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

Configuration and Management

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 31

Yes. IAM users with the appropriate permissions can work with AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise. The Puppet users are not managed by IAM and must be provisioned from within Puppet Enterprise.

Question 32

Do I have root access to my OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server EC2 instance?

Configuration and Management

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 32

Yes. You can provide an SSH key pair to enable root access to the OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server EC2 instance. OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise provides you with tooling to perform common operational tasks, and so we recommend that you disable SSH access.

Question 33

Where can I find more information about security and running applications on AWS?

Configuration and Management

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 33

See Amazon Web Services: Overview of Security Processes and the AWS Security Center.

Question 34

Can I get a history of OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise API calls made on my account for security analysis and troubleshooting purposes?

Billing

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 34

Yes. To get a history of OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise API calls made on your account, you simply turn on AWS CloudTrail in the AWS Management Console.

Question 35

How much do the AWS resources powering my application on OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server cost?

Billing

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 35

The OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server is configured on your behalf and powered by Amazon EC2, Amazon EBS, and Amazon S3. For EC2 pricing information, see the EC2 pricing page. For S3 pricing information, see the S3 pricing page. For CloudTrail pricing information, see the CloudTrail pricing page. There are three EC2 instance types to choose from for running the Puppet Enterprise server: c4.large, c4.xlarge, c4.2xlarge. The hourly rate depends on the instance type used.

Question 36

Am I billed for Amazon EC2 instances and on-premises servers that are connected to my OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server?

Billing

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 36

You pay an hourly fee for each EC2 instance and on-premises server that is connected to an AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server. There are no minimum fees and no upfront commitments. For more information, see the OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise pricing page.

Question 37

How do I view the cost of AWS resources that have been used by my OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise server?

Support

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 37

OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise automatically tags all Puppet Enterprise server resources with the name of your Puppet Enterprise server. You can use these tags with Cost Allocation Reports to organize and track your AWS costs. See AWS Account Billing for details.

Question 38

Does AWS Support cover OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise?

Support

AWS OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise | Management Tools

Answer 38

Yes. AWS Support covers issues related to your use of OpsWorks for Puppet Enterprise. See the AWS Support page for details.