Part 6: How to use SaltStack Config with Windows Server and PowerShell
The latest item on my journey with
VMware vRealize SaltStack Config as a
Windows Server Admin is going to be a lot PowerShell. I use PowerShell for a lot of Automation, Windows Server and Linux Server. When working with
VMware vRealize SaltStack Config I constantly found myself going to the CLI to test and learn how the salt functions work.
In the Part 5 Blog of this series I showed how I am using the PowerShell module POSH-SSH to connect to the VMware vRealize SaltStack Config Server to run salt commands remotely. So I started writing some PowerShell functions to run remote salt commands on the Salt Master. The end goal might be to turn this script into a Salt PowerShell Module. To start it will only have the functions that I find myself using the most. I could turn this into a community Github Project and see if there would be any interest. If anyone reading this blog post has any interest please reach out to me. (Dale.Hassinger@vCROCS.info)
My goal is to make all these PowerShell Salt functions work with VMware vRealize SaltStack Config like PowerCLI works with VMware vCenter. Use same verb/noun terminology. I use PowerCLI for all my VMware Automation. Works awesome! So to create these PowerShell Functions to work with my existing automation scripts is a win win in my book.
Normally I will use a Products APIs to do all these types of processes. I looked at VMware vRealize SaltStack Config APIs and to the best of my knowledge I can not use them like I can the PS functions that I created. That may change in a future release of VMware vRealize SaltStack Config. Fingers crossed.
Salt PowerShell Functions:
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# ----- [ Start of Functions ] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
# The POSH-SSH PS module MUST be installed to use these functions.
# Function to Connect to SSC Server
function Connect-SSCServer
{
param(
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$Server,
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$userName,
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$Password
) # End Parameters
# The next line is how to create the encrypted password
$psPassword = ConvertTo-SecureString -String $global:HashiPW -AsPlainText -Force
$creds = new-object -typename System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -argumentlist $username, $psPassword
$Params = @{
"ComputerName" = $Server
"Credential" = $creds
} # End Params
# SSH Connection to SaltStack Server
New-SSHSession @Params
} # End Function
# Function to Disconnect from SSC Server
function Disconnect-SSCServer
{
Remove-SSHSession -SessionId 0
} # End Function
# Sync Minion grains
function invoke-SSC.sync.grains
{
param(
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$minion
)
# Sync Grains after adding new grain information
$sshCommand = 'salt "' + $minion + '" saltutil.sync_grains --output=json'
#$sshCommand
$Params = @{
"SessionId" = 0
"Command" = $sshCommand
} # End Params
$results = Invoke-SSHCommand @Params
return $results.Output
} # End Function
# Minion Grain Append
function set-SSC.grains.append
{
param(
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$minion,
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$grainkey,
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$grainval
) # End Parameters
# Grains Append
$sshCommand = 'salt "' + $minion + '" grains.append "' + $grainkey + '" "' + $grainval + '"'
#$sshCommand
$Params = @{
"SessionId" = 0
"Command" = $sshCommand
} # End Params
$results = Invoke-SSHCommand @Params
} # End Function
# Minion Grain DelKey
function set-SSC.grains.delkey
{
param(
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$minion,
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$grainkey
) # End Parameters
$sshCommand = 'salt "' + $minion + '" grains.delkey "' + $grainkey + '" force=True'
#$sshCommand
$Params = @{
"SessionId" = 0
"Command" = $sshCommand
} # End Params
$results = Invoke-SSHCommand @Params
} # End Function
# Minion Test Ping
function invoke-SSC.test.ping
{
param(
[parameter(mandatory = $true)]
[string]$minion
) # End Parameters
$sshCommand = 'salt "' + $minion + '" test.ping --output=json'
#$sshCommand
$results = Invoke-SSHCommand -SessionId 0 -Command $sshCommand
return $results.Output[1].Trim()
} # End Function
# ----- [ End of Functions ] --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Examples to show how to use the Salt PowerShell Functions above:
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# ----- [ Connect to SSC Server ] --------------------------------------------------
# DO NOT use plain text PW's in your Code. I am only showing PW to make it easier to understand the code.
# Set Parameter Values
$Server = 'SaltMaster.vCROCS.local'
$User = 'root'
$Password = 'VMware1!'
# Define Parameters (Splatting)
$Params = @{
"Server" = $Server
"User" = $User
"Password" = $Password
}
# Connect to SSC
Connect-SSCServer @Params
# ----- [ Disconnect to SSC Server ] -----------------------------------------------
Disconnect-SSCServer
# ----- [ Sync Minion grains ] -------------------------------------------------------
# Set Parameter Values
$minion = 'DBH-211'
# Define Parameters (Splatting)
$Params = @{
"minion" = $minion
}
# Run Function
invoke-SSC.sync.grains @Params
# ----- [ Minion grain append ] ----------------------------------------------------
# Set Parameter Values
$minion = 'DBH-211'
$grainkey = 'PS_Module'
$grainval = 'Works great for Windows Server'
# Define Parameters (Splatting)
$Params = @{
"minion" = $minion
"grainkey" = $grainkey
"grainval" = $grainval
}
# Run Function
set-SSC.grains.append @Params
# Define Parameters (Splatting)
$Params = @{
"minion" = $minion
}
# Run Function
invoke-SSC.sync.grains @Params
# ----- [ Minion grain DelKey ] ----------------------------------------------------
# Set Parameter Values
$minion = 'DBH-211'
$grainkey = 'PS_Module'
# Define Parameters (Splatting)
$Params = @{
minion = $minion
grainkey = $grainkey
}
# Run Function
set-SSC.grains.delkey @Params
# Define Parameters (Splatting)
$Params = @{
"minion" = $minion
}
# Run Function
invoke-SSC.sync.grains @Params
# ----- [ Minion test.ping ] ----------------------------------------------------
# Set Paramter Values
$minion = 'DBH-211'
# Define Parameters (Splatting)
$Params = @{
"minion" = $minion
}
# Run Function
invoke-SSC.test.ping @Params
|
Lessons Learned:
- Adding the POSH-SSH PowerShell module so you can create a SSH connection to the salt master opens up a lot of possibilities for your PowerShell Automation as a Windows Server Admin.
- Using the PowerShell Functions above as a Windows admin makes it very easy to add this code to existing scripts and use the Power of SaltStack without completely changing your processes.
- Creating a SSH Connection to a remote Salt Master and running commands works well in a “Zero Trust” environment. With NSX-T all you need to do is setup allow rules between the minions and the master on ports 4505,4506.
Salt Links I found to be very helpful:
When I write about vRealize Automation ("vRA") I always say there are many ways to accomplish the same task. SaltStack Config is the same way. I am showing what I felt was important to see but every organization/environment will be different. There is no right or wrong way to use Salt. This is a GREAT Tool that is included with your vRealize Suite Advanced/Enterprise license. If you own the vRealize Suite, you own SaltStack Config.
- If you like wearing Crocs and want to get a pair like I wear, follow this link to Amazon:
My Favorite Crocs
- If you found this Blog article useful and it helped you, Buy me a coffee to start my day.
