[chef] What are possible uses cases of chef-repo for me ?

[Vladimir Skubriev < >]

I think that all chef server must be easily recovers, then we need in 
chef-repo all necessary information.

By default I have all, but without attention to the documentation remain 
clients, nodes(most dynamic essence's in infrastructure automation) and 
users.

For example we lost chef-server and it's information. What's next?

We have boostrapped clients to old server. How to quickly bootstrap them 
again with a new server?

I can create an existing chef-server with chef-solo and chef-server 
installation recipe very fastly.

But what's next ?

I must remember (or view my notes) nodes fqdn's for bootstrap them. 
Bootstrap them. Set them runlists. Regenerate chef-vault databags with 
new public keys of nodes.

Why not script this in some files? What do you think?

And place this files in chef-repo git, but exclude them for upload to 
chef-server(chefignore), and add them to git (git add .chefvault, git 
add .chefclients and somthing else)

I read about spiceweasel, but I think that it mostly for deploy some 
separately clusters with a copule of nodes fastly in a one command.

Unlike my case - Is gradually develop their infrastructure and keep 
everything in one place in VCS.

What other pitfalls there when you reinstall the chef-server from 
scratch with existing chef-repo ?

Or may be more sensible question how to store node information in 
chef-repo ?

Because I want to store everything about our infrastructure in one 
place. Why not ?

Why I must think every time about what and where is placed. I think this 
is a horror.

When you necessary data is distributed over several programs, formats, 
places etc.

For example now I used keepassx for store passwords, Using chef data 
bags to store the same passwords instead of store all sensitive 
information in a one place under VCS?


--
Best regards,

CVision Lab System Administrator
Vladmir Skubriev