Configuration Channels

SUSE Manager manages both central and local configuration channels and files. Central configuration management allows you to deploy configuration files to multiple systems, and is available for both traditional and salt clients. For traditional clients, use local configuration management. For salt clients, use state channels. For traditional clients, local configuration management is also available. Local configuration management allows you to specify overrides, and select configuration files that are not changed when the system is subscribed to a central channel.

A state channel is a type of a configuration channel used only for Salt clients. In state channels, the init.sls file is not automatically generated, you must manually create and edit it. State channels can contain arbitrary configuration files that you can reference from within the init.sls file.

Referencing Configuration Files with Organization ID

You must reference configuration files with the salt:// prefix, the organization ID, and the channel name. For example, to reference /etc/motd use:

file.managed:  - source: salt://manager_org_1/`channel_name`/etc/motd

Central configuration or state channels must be created via the links on this page.

Click the name of the configuration channel to see the details page for that channel. If you click the number of files in the channel, you are taken to the List/Remove Files page of that channel. If you click the number of systems subscribed to the configuration channel, you are taken to the Configuration Channel Details Systems Subscribed Systems page for that channel.

To create a new central configuration channel:

Procedure: Creating Central Configuration Channel

In the SUSE Manager Web UI, navigate to Content Lifecycle Management Projects, and click Create Config Channel.
Enter a name for the channel.
Enter a label for the channel. This field must contain only letters, numbers, hyphens (-) and underscores (_).
Enter a mandatory description for the channel that allows you to distinguish it from other channels.
Click the Create Config Channel button to create the new channel.
The following page is a subset of the Channel Details page and has three tabs: Overview , Add Files , and Systems . The Channel Details page is discussed in Configuration Channel Details.

To create a new state channel with an init.sls file:

Procedure: Creating State Channel [Salt]

In the SUSE Manager Web UI, navigate to Content Lifecycle Management Projects, and click Create State Channel.
Enter a name for the channel.
Enter a label for the channel. This field must contain only letters, numbers, hyphens (-) and underscores (_).
Enter a mandatory description for the channel that allows you to distinguish it from other channels.
Enter the SLS Contents for the init.sls file.
Click the Create Config Channel button to create the new channel.
The following page is a subset of the Channel Details page and has four tabs: Overview, List/Remove Files, Add Files, and Systems. The Channel Details page is discussed in Configuration Channel Details.

Configuration Channel Details

Overview

The Overview page of the Configuration Channel Details page is divided into several panels.

Channel Information: Provides status information for the contents of the channel.
Configuration Actions: Provides access to the most common configuration tasks. For Salt clients, there is a link to edit the init.sls file.
Channel Properties [Management]: Edit the name, label, and description of the channel by clicking the Edit Properties button.

List/Remove Files

This page only appears if there are files in the configuration channel. You can remove files or copy the latest versions into a set of local overrides or into other central configuration channels. Check the box next to files you want to manipulate and click the respective action button.

Add Files

The Add Files page has three subtabs of its own, which allow you to Upload, Import, or Create configuration files to be included in the channel.

Upload File

To upload a file into the configuration channel, browse for the file on your local system, populate all fields, and click the Upload Configuration File button. The Filename/Path field is the absolute path where the file will be deployed.

You can set the Ownership via the user name and group name and the Permissions of the file when it is deployed.

If the client has SELinux enabled, you can configure SELinux contexts to enable the required file attributes (such as user, role, and file type).

If the configuration file includes a macro (a variable in a configuration file), enter the symbol that marks the beginning and end of the macro. For more information on using macros, see: Including Macros in your Configuration Files

Import Files

To import files from other configuration channels, including any locally-managed channels, check the box to the left of any file you want to import. Then click the Import Configuration File(s) button.

A sandbox icon (

) indicates that the listed file is currently located in a local sandbox. Files in a system’s sandbox are considered experimental and could be unstable. Use caution when selecting them for a central configuration channel.

Create File

Create a configuration file, directory, or symbolic link to be included in the configuration channel.

Procedure: Creating a Configuration File, Directory, or Symbolic Link

Choose whether you want to create a text file, directory, or symbolic link in the File Type section.
In the Filename/Path text box, set the absolute path to where the file should be deployed.
If you are creating a symbolic link, indicate the target file and path in the Symbolic Link Target Filename/Path text box.
Enter the User name and Group name for the file in the Ownership section, and the File Permissions Mode.
If the client has SELinux enabled, you can configure SELinux contexts to enable the required file attributes (such as user, role, and file type).
If the configuration file includes a macro, enter the symbol that marks the beginning and end of the macro.
Then enter the configuration file content in the File Contents field, using the script drop-down box to choose the appropriate scripting language.
Click the Create Configuration File button to create the new file.

Deploy Files

This page only appears when there are files in the channel and a system is subscribed to the channel. Deploy all files by clicking the Deploy All Files button or check selected files and click the Deploy Selected Files button. Select to which systems the file(s) should be applied. All systems subscribed to this channel are listed. If you want to apply the file to a different system, subscribe it to the channel first. To deploy the files, click Confirm & Deploy to Selected Systems.

Systems

Manage systems subscribed to the configuration channel via two subtabs:

Subscribed Systems: All systems subscribed to the current channel are displayed. Click the name of a system to see the System Details page.
Target Systems: This subtab displays a list of systems enabled for configuration management but not yet subscribed to the channel. To add a system to the configuration channel, check the box to the left of the system’s name and click the Subscribe System button.