[chef] Re: Re: Re: node vs client...

[Tom Thomas < >]

See also http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Architecture+Introduction for an explanation of the distinction between nodes, clients (chef-client and API client), and workstations. There's a picture! :)

Thanks,

- Tom 

On Tue, Dec 27, 2011 at 7:23 AM, Aaron Abramson < "> > wrote:

A good way to think of it:

Node = Machine
Client = User that authenticates against chef-server

A Node has the list of recipes to be run, and a Client has the permission level to access the chef-server.

So, when webserver XYZ connects to chef-server, it says "Hi, I'm client XYZ, may I have the recipes and run-list for node XYZ?"

When using chef-solo instead of chef-server, all of the recipes and the run-list are contained within chef on that particular machine, so clients and nodes are a chef-server/chef-client mechanic.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Joshua Timberman" < "> >
To: ">
Sent: Tuesday, December 27, 2011 3:44:22 AM GMT -06:00 US/Canada Central
Subject: [chef] Re: node vs client...

Hello!

On Tue, Dec 27, 2011 at 2:30 AM, Kelly Goedert < "> > wrote:
>
> I'm a little bit confused... with nodes and clients... following the
> devopscasts, the mysql server was installed on a client machine, using
> bootstrap method but the client machine didn't have a chef client installed.
> I only need the chef client installed if I want to run it on a regular basis
> to update configs? Or, the bootstrap installation already installed the chef
> client?

Nodes are the systems that you configure with Chef. They have data
(attributes) and a list of roles or recipes to run (run list). Nodes
typically run Chef either in standalone mode (chef-solo) or connected
to a Chef Server (chef-client).

Clients authenticate to the Chef Server API (Opscode Hosted/Private
Chef, Open Source Chef Server).

`chef-client` is a program installed with Chef. It can be run a single
time on the command line, or as a daemon.

We normally call the process of setting up a node to run Chef
"bootstrapping." This is often done with `knife bootstrap` command.

More information about these terms here, with links to additional detail:

http://wiki.opscode.com/display/chef/Glossary

--
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Joshua Timberman, Technical Program Manager
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